Posted by H3:
Free video editing software is a great way to get started with creating videos for YouTube or some other purpose. Without breaking the bank some of these are quite easy to use with basic features while others have more advanced features. To help you produce high-quality videos. In this top 5, I’ll count down the absolute best free video editing software for windows Linux, and mac. All of which have no time limits or forced watermarks. Let’s get started. Starting off our countdown.
Open Shot Video Editor:
Coming in at number five is an open shot. This free and open-source video editor is fantastic for beginners. It has easy to use. Drag and drop interface with a lower learning curve than most of the others. It’s feature packed. Some of those features include the ability to add transitions along with audio and video, effects to enhance your creation.
There’s also no limit to the number of layers. You can have resolutions up to 4k and best of all. This is completely free with no upcharges. To access additional features, the user layout is designed very well. To add clips to your videos, select project files. To find the clips on your computer that you’d like to add and drag and drop them into the box. Click those files and drag them onto the timeline. To add a transition between two clips, select the transitions tab.
There are many to choose from left, click a transition and drag it down to the timeline. To increase or decrease the transition, go to either side and look for the double arrows. Then left click and drag it to the desired length left click and drop it onto the end of the first clip. Then take that second clip and drag it over the transition. Let’s see how that looks. One downside to open shot is that computers with low system specs may experience lag and other issues but if your computer can handle it, it’s available for Windows Linux, and mac os.
Hit film Express:
At number 4 is the hit film express. This powerful free editor is for those of you wanting to step up your game with advanced tools and features. To create professional quality projects but the resolution support up to 4k included for free are more than 400 effects and presets, advanced cutting tools, and filters for both audio and video.
When exporting your project, most of the popular file formats are supported. You also get motion tracking and animation tools to make your project stand out over time. If you ever outgrow the free features and need additional tools, they now have more than 30 add-on packs available to expand the functionality. Starting at around ten dollars upwards to around fifty dollars per pack an annoyance with hit film express is that they make it cumbersome to download and install also of those mentioned in our top five.
It’s the only one that requires you to have an account to use it. If you choose to download and install it, click download for free. This will take you to the pay what you want a page that gives you more features based on what you’re willing to pay. If you just want to try out the base version for free, move the slider to the left and click download now. You have to fill out this form with a valid email address and then when that’s done, click on send me the express download. After doing this, check your email to download and install. It instead of going through this process they should just let you download it.
Immediately to use the base version for free it should only require you to create an account. Later on, if you ever decide to purchase add-on packs, on the positive side hit film express is a really good program. If you decide to install it they do have excellent support and more than 100 video tutorials for free that will teach you how to use it. Before installing, make sure that your computer meets or exceeds the minimum requirements. Hit film express is only available for windows and mac os and is the only video editor.
Open Source Program That Supports Multi-Track Editing:
In number three this free and open-source program long associated with Linux is out of beta and now available for both windows and mac. It’s improved quite a. A bit of all features is included for free. It supports multi-track editing and just about any audio or video format. You throw at it.
The interface can be customized to just about any configuration. You want dozens of effects and transitions also included and themes can also be changed to one of the various light and dark themes. Built-in loading clips into your project is simple with the project bin. Selected drag and drop them into the box and drag and drop them down to the timeline.
If you’d like to change the color theme for the interface, go to settings. Here at the top color theme and select your theme. There is a slight learning curve before using it.
Here are four bonus programs that just might be worth your time to check out.
- Light works for windows mac and Linux is a professional quality editor that’s been used for many Hollywood productions like the wolf wall, street pulp fiction, and the Irishman while they do offer a generous amount of premium features. In their free plan, the max resolution to export your project has a limit of 720p vids for windows only has a good number of video and audio, effects, transitions, video stabilizers, and other cool features that might be of interest to those of you that create
- Blender is a popular open-source 3d creation program for windows mac os and Linux. Its built-in video editor includes a decent amount of tools that might come in handy.
- For your next project with resolutions up to 4k, apple iMovie is an easy-to-use program for mac os and iOS with a basic feature set for simple. Edits to create projects up to 4k and built into windows 10 and 11.
- Microsoft has replaced windows movie maker with Microsoft video editor. Its generic name is about as basic as its feature set and is outdone by Only having a max resolution for exports up to 1080p HD.
Go-To Video Editor:
Back to the countdown, the shot cut takes the runner-up spot. Coming in at number two our go-to video editor, it offers support for most audio and video file formats with export resolutions up to 4k. There are a ton of video effects including the ability to add transitions, add video filters, and correct the color along with the tracking, compositing, and blending modes. It also includes a good number of editing features.
Its native timeline editing allows you to drag and drop your media from your computer into the project window. There are track controls to mute hide or lock each track and it lets you remove the audio from video clips. To begin a new project, select the project folder. If you’d like for it to be saved, give your project a name. Then select the resolution and frames per second for your project.
When you’re done with that click on start to add clips to your project and drag and drop them from a folder on your computer to the main window. Then drag and drop each clip into the timeline. For additional help getting started tutorials can be found. The shot cut is available for windows mac os and Linux.
Davinci Resolve:
Number one is Davinci’s resolve. For those of you interested in creating professional quality projects. No other free video editing software comes close, their free edition is so feature-packed. It makes most paid-for video editors look weak in comparison. It’s been used for post-production for many popular feature films including an avatar, dead pool, 2-star wars, the last Jedi, and many others with support for resolutions up to 8k included with the program are their fusion tools. To create high-quality visual effects and motion graphics and you also get their firelight tools for audio post-production.
For those of you that have used professional quality video editors like adobe premiere pro and Vegas pro. Davinci resolve’s interface shares many similarities with a modern look as I’ve mentioned before the learning curve is high and will be worth your time. To learn how to use it, I would advise doing their training videos on their site prior.
To get started with your first project Davinci resolve has both a free and paid version. For most people, the free edition will be all that they need with most of the key features included. So when you go to download it, select your operating system. It’s available for windows mac os and Linux. Unlike hit film express an account is not required to use it but you’ll need to register with your information. To download and install it, after completing the form, click register and download. Once downloaded, it will be saved in a zip folder that you’ll need to extract to install it.