Nicole Martins FerreiraMar 20, 202312 minWe've rounded up twelve of the best free video editing softwares of 2023. Check out the list and find the best free video editor for you.
Creating viral videos for TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or any other popular social media app requires advanced video editing techniques and professional video editing software.
With more people creating videos than ever before, a professional-grade video editor needs to be easy enough to use for beginners but have the functionality that an advanced video editor would use to really take a video to the next level.
In this article, we’re going to share the best free video editing software on the market whether you’re looking for an editor on Windows, Mac, Linux, or your phone.
The 12 best free video editors in 2023:
KapwingDaVinci ResolveApple iMovieHitFilm ExpressLightworksShotcutOpenShot Video EditorClipChamp Windows Video EditorVimeoVSDC Free Video EditorFinal Cut Pro (Free Trial)Adobe Premiere Pro (Free Trial)Now, let's dive into the details of each editor and what makes it special.
The 12 Best Free Video Editing Softwares for Professionals1. KapwingBest free video editor for teams
System Requirements: Browser-based software that works on all devices, no downloads required
Great for: Repurposing longer videos into short clips for social media
Skill Level: Intermediate
Kapwing is the best free video maker for teams. If your team is creating video content for social media, you can use Kapwing to create viral or meme videos for any platform. You’ll also be able to screen record for gaming videos, product demos, and educational content.
You can work collaboratively with other video editors on your team, even on the free version. That means, you and multiple team members can edit the same video at the same time. Plus, you can have multiple collaborators leave comments while you’re editing without any issues.
On the free plan, you’ll have access to several AI-powered smart tools, the complete template library, and even some cloud storage. You’ll be able to create videos up to 4 minutes long with 720p video quality. The best part: Kapwing is a browser-based editor, which means you can use Kapwing on any device. No need to download bulky software that will take up RAM and slow down your computer.
For more functionality and premium features like removing silences automatically, you can upgrade to Pro for $16/month.
Free Features Include:
Intuitive editor that supports a multi-layer timelineReal-time collaboration with team matesAI functionality that improves editing speed by 10xLibrary of transitions and video effectsStock template and assets library Video resizing for any social media platformFind Scenes tool — helps turn long videos into short social clipsAuto-level audio across multiple filesChroma Key for easy greenscreen editingRecord screen, camera, and audioAutomatic Subtitle Generator (10 mins/month)2. DaVinci ResolveBest free video editing software for color correction, visual effects, and color grading
Image courtesy of DaVinci ResolveSystem Requirements: macOS 10.15 Catalina, Windows 10 Creators Update, Linux CentOS 7.3
Great for: High-production YouTube videos, short films
Skill Level: Advanced
DaVinci Resolve is surprisingly robust for a free video editor, which means your computer definitely needs to meet system requirements in order for the latest version to run properly. And there's definitely more of a learning curve with this movie maker. But if you're willing to put in the time to learn it, DaVinci Resolve offers great functionality for studio quality films.
The editing process is simplified with various features, such as replacing clips for a set duration, a full suite of special effects plug-ins, advanced audio controls to enhance sound, and more. Those working on feature films, commercials, television shows, documentaries, or other high production video content will love the ease of collaboration among other editors. You’ll also be able to transform video formats into different sizes for social media.
Free Features Include:
Multi-user cloud collaborationDrag and drop editingIdeal for larger projects, such as movies, commercials, shows, streams, documentariesBeauty toolVertical resolutions for social media appsTimeline lockingVoice isolation25 Multicam anglesChapter markers for social mediaText and shape accelerationClip replacementSpecial effects library3. iMovieBest mobile video editing app for iOS and iPad
Image courtesy of iMovieSystem Requirements: macOS 11.5.1 (or later), 4 GB RAM, 3.5 GB of available disk space
Great for: Mobile editing, personal projects
Skill Level: Beginner
For beginners who aren't looking to do anything too complicated with their video editing, Apple iMovie is one of the best free video editing apps. iMovie allows you to easily create video clips on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Unlike many other free video editing software, there are no watermarks when you export videos from iMovie.
You can create a photo slideshow, a social media video, or a simple documentary with iMovie. Easily stabilize shaky cam in this video editor when recording videos with hand. You can also storyboard your video using templates. Plus, sharing your final video on social media, via messages, or over email can easily be done from the iMovie app.
Free Features Include:
29 trailer templatesClip shareability4k resolution, 1080pAdd titles, animations, transitions, and 3D globes and travel mapsFast-forward and slow-motion effectsAdvanced picture-in-picture effectsVideo stabilizationZoom featureGreen screen effectsBuilt-in music and sound effectsCustom fontsiPhone and iPad screen recording4. HitFilm ExpressVideo editing for professional results
System Requirements: macOS 10.14 (or later), Microsoft Windows 10, internet access for online activation, 8GB of RAM (16GB recommended)
Great for: Long-form YouTube videos
Skill Level: Beginners
HitFilm Express is a beginner-friendly free video editor that allows you to create professional looking videos. This video editor is great for those looking to create YouTube videos, gain experience in video editing, or make high-quality videos without any expensive tool.
You can access all the basic editing tools you need for your video from cutting to flipping. You’ll also be able to export in multiple file formats with 2x faster exports. This user-friendly video editing program has hundreds of presets for you to choose from, an extensive asset library, and even has lighting and lens flares.
Free Features Include:
Drag-and-drop functionality100s of customizable presetsAsset library: stock videos, photos, music, templates, sound effectsFast workflowText tools to add video subtitles and moreColor grading and color correctionMotion tracking8x faster playbackRelated Article: The Best Software for Editing YouTube Videos
5. Lightworks FreeProfessional video maker for beginners
Image courtesy of LightworksSystem Requirements: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10, Mac OS X 10.11 or higher, Linux Supported Debian Distros
Great for: Multicam editing
Skill Level: Beginner
Lightworks Free is a free video editor that allows you to save and edit videos in the cloud. Used in popular movies, such as Jerry Maguire, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Pulp Fiction, professional video editors have used this tool to create some of the biggest films of all time.
Despite its Hollywood fame, it’s still user-friendly enough for a beginner editor to use. With the free plan, you’ll be able to edit videos directly inside cloud storage, access editing features such as replace, fit-to-fill, slip, and more, and record voiceovers while playing footage.
Free Features Include:
Export video projects in any file format720p ExportsMultiple frame ratesBackground processorAutomatic saveProxy workflowsCloud storage editing capabilities100’s of pre-made graphicsCustom and pre-built keyboard shortcutsDrag and drop functionalityHundreds of transitionsColor correction tools6. ShotcutBest free open-source video editor
Image courtesy of ShotcutSystem Requirements: Windows 7 to 11, macOS 10.14 to 12, 64-bit Linux
Great for: Projects with multiple scenes/transitions
Skill Level: Intermediate
As an open-source platform, Shotcut provides access all the editing features on the platform for free, making it one of the best video editors online. You’ll be able to do seamless fade ins and outs, wipe transitions, clip reversals, and more.
You’ll also find dozens of video filters, such as blur, fish eye, saturation, gradient, and video editing tools like chroma key, crop, gradient, and many more. All those features gives it a slightly steeper learning curve. From an editing perspective, Shotcut allows you to easily cut and paste clips, separate audio from video, name custom clips, and more.
Free Features Include:
Video and track compositingColor wheels for color correctionCountless video filtersDrag and drop video filesEasy audio removalUnlimited undo and redo with historyAudio mixing4k resolution7. OpenShot Video EditorPowerful open-source video editor for professionals
Image courtesy of OpenShotSystem Requirements: 64-bit operating systems, such as Linux, OS X, Chrome OS, Windows 7, 8, 10, 11
Great for: Internal communications and trainings
Skill Level: Intermediate
Openshot Video Editor is an open-source tool with a whole suite of free editing features you can access to create stunning videos. You can add unlimited layers to all your videos, such as watermarks, audio tracks, background videos, and more.
Related: What's the Best Video Editor for Chromebook Users?
Choose from over 400 transitions and preview them in real-time to ensure you’ve selected the right one for that clip. Fast-forward or add slow motion effects to any clip. Plus, you can select from 40 different vector title and subtitle templates so people can easily watch your video content without audio.
Free Features Include:
Frame animationsDrag and drop functionalityUnlimited layers and tracksEasy scaling, rotation, trimming, snapping, alpha, and moreReal-time previews of over 400 transitionsEasily add image overlays and watermarks40 vector templates for titles and subtitles20 3D animationsFrame by frame editingClip speed adjustorSeparate audio from videoVisual effects: brightness, gamma, hue, chroma key, greyscale8. ClipChamp Windows Video EditorBest free video editor for text-to-speech videos
System Requirements: 64-bit computer with 64-bit Chrome or Edge, 8 GB of RAM
Great for: Organic social media
Skill Level: Beginner
ClipChamp Windows Video Editor is an extensive tool for editing videos that has sort of replaced Windows Movie Maker. It offers 170 lifelike voices for text-to-speech and AI-powered translation, which allows users to translate videos into multiple languages and record audio without needing a voice actor.
One feature ClipChamp offers that makes it one of the best free video editors for Windows users is a speaker coach. If you’ve just started a YouTube channel, you can improve how you speak with real-time feedback so you can get better at creating engaging videos.
Free Features Include:
Speaker coach real-time feedback to improve public speaking skillsSmart voice technology and auto captionsKeyboard shortcutsSpeed adjustorEnhanced croppingGap removalVideo foldersOver 1,000,000 royalty-free videos, images, templates etc.Seamless transitions170 AI voiceover voices in over 70 languagesCamera and screen recorderGreen screen functionality9. VimeoEasiest video editing tool for beginners
System Requirements: Internet access
Great for: Social media ads
Skill Level: Beginner
Vimeo is the easiest video editing tool for beginners with no editing experience. You can create template-based videos for social media. From 30-second videos to GIFs, you can create any type of video using Vimeo’s video maker.
It’s one of the best free video editing softwares because of the broad range of video templates available. For instance, if you wanted to make a video resume or a product video, you could easily use the drag and drop functionality to quickly complete a polished video without any prior video editing experience.
Free Features Include:
Over 2,000 video templatesPolished videos without editing experienceVideo editing tutorials, blogs, and resourcesAsset library with stock videos, images, and musicLogos, colors, and fonts customizationVideo resizing toolSocial media analytics tool for video performanceGIF makerAdd music, text, stickers, filters, and more10. VSDC Free Video EditorBest video editor for older computers
Image courtesy of VSDCSystem Requirements: Windows XP SP3/Vista/7/8/10/11, 2 GB of RAM, 500 MB of free disk space
Great for: Organic social, YouTube
Skill Level: Beginner
VSDC Free Video Editor is one of the best free video editing software for older computer models. Most video editors require newer computer models. However, professionals using older hardware can download this video editor and access useful editing features, like motion tracking, masking, and color blending.
Free Features Include:
Chroma key tool for background removalCountless video effects, filters, and transitionsEditing tools, such as zoom, color correction, charts, and moreVarious video and audio file formatsWorks on outdated computer modelsMasking tools to hide or blur elementsExport to social mediaVarious visual and audio effects, such as object transformation11. Final Cut Pro (Free Trial)Best video editing software for Mac users
System Requirements: macOS 11.5.1 (or later), 4 GB of RAM or higher, metal-capable graphics card, 1GB of VRAM, internet access for some features
Great for: Long YouTube videos
Skill Level: Advanced
We've added Final Cut Pro to this list on a technicality: Final Cut Pro offers a generous 90-day free trial, which technically makes it a free video editing software. After the trial is up, though, it costs a hefty $399.99. Still, if you want to try before you buy, Final Cut Pro is widely considered the best video editing software for Mac and is popular among YouTubers.
Whether you shoot Cinematic mode on your iPhone 13 or need to create videos on your Mac, you’ll find various editing features from color correction to enhanced speed. With so many moving parts in video editing, keeping track of everything can be difficult. Final Cut Pro offers duplicate detection to prevent duplicate audio or video from appearing more than intended. You can also compress your content without impacting video quality and stunning High Dynamic Range videos, whether you’re using a studio-grade camera or an iPhone.
Features Include:
Object tracking to follow movements of objects or peopleFocus point enhancer8k ProRes videoMagnetic timelineColor codingMotion graphics in 2D and 3D; filtersVoice isolationMulticam with up to 16 anglesAdvanced color grading12. Adobe Premiere Pro (Free Trial)Best video editing software for making films
Image courtesy of AdobeSystem Requirements: macOS 10.15 (or later) on Mac devices from 2016 or later, Windows 10 with 6th generation (or later)
Great for: TV commercials, YouTube videos, short films
Skill Level: Advanced
Like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier Pro has a free trial, but at the time of writing this, there's no forever free plan. If you're looking to test before you invest, Adobe only offers a 7-day trial, which is why we're putting it below Final Cut Pro. That said, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most advanced video editing softwares you can find online.
While Adobe has added more beginner-friendly features to appeal to those who edit social media videos, this video editing software is typically used by professional film editors in Hollywood. If you’re looking for a video editing tool to edit films, music videos, or other high value pieces of video content, you might choose Adobe Premiere Pro due to its advanced features, such as visual and sound effects. When it comes to creating videos for YouTube channels or other social media platforms, though, there are other sophisticated tools to use that don't take as long to learn or cost as much.
Features Include:
Automatic tone mappingOffline editing functionality, such as sequence lockingSpeech to text in up to 16 languagesMusic that won’t get flaggedCustom captions1000s of graphics, stickers, effectsBuilt-in tutorialsDrag and drop video functionalityPrecise trimming toolAdvanced audio editingStock video and photo libraryHollywood-level video effectsColor-adjustment panelConclusionPicking the right video editor for your needs doesn’t need to be complicated. You now have a better understanding of the amazing tools out there and what their key benefits and features are.
Whether you’re a beginner or a long-time video editor, there are various free tools you can use loaded with amazing transitions, drag and drop functionality, templates, and the whole suite of editing features you’d need to create world class videos. If you’re looking for a video editing tool for your company or agency, we recommend trying out Kapwing today where you’ll be able to create social media videos fast.
FAQs About the Best Free Video Software1. What do most YouTubers use to edit videos?YouTubers and the video editing agencies they hire typically use multi-layer video editing software capable of handling their large roughcut files, like Kapwing, Adobe Premiere Pro, or Final Cut Pro.
2. How do I start video editing?If you're new to video editing, it's best to get started on a platform for beginners. Many video editors have drag and drop functionality, tutorials, and one-click features to make editing a video user-friendly for beginners. Signing up for a free trial or a free account with a video editing software is the best way to learn.
3. Where can I edit my videos for free?Kapwing has a free plan that allows you to edit videos for free. You'll have access to many editing features designed to make your workflow faster, like the video resizer, auto subtitler, and chroma key effect.
Create content faster with Kapwing's online video editor →