Best Mac System For Video Editing

Best Mac System For Video Editing Rating: 3,8/5 1205 reviews

Apple computers have long been aimed at the creative professional, particularly when it comes to photo and video editing. Unfortunately, industry-leading packages like Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and Apple’s own Final Cut Pro aren’t cheap.

Fortunately, there’s a selection of capable free video editing apps for Mac to sink your teeth into. Some are made for beginners, while others will satisfy seasoned video editors with their impressive feature sets.

These are our favorite free video editors for Mac.

Read reviews and buy the best video editing software for Macs, including Final Cut Pro X, Shotcut, Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Apple iMovie, and more. If you really just want to get started editing videos on your Mac, or even on your iPhone or iPad, then the easiest way is to get Apple iMovie. This is Apple’s free video editing software,. 15 Best Video Editing Software 2018. As a beginner, iMovie is the best video editor you can use on a Mac. I say this especially because iMovie acts as a really good primer for Final Cut Pro. Sony Vegas Pro has always been one of the best video editing software in the market.

1. iMovie

Summary: A free, consumer-grade video editor. It’s well-optimized for Apple hardware and suitable for most personal projects.

iMovie is free for anyone who owns a Mac. Plus, the iOS version is free to all iPhone and iPad owners. The software is aimed at consumers who want to quickly create videos with footage stored in their Photos library. To facilitate this, iMovie uses a simplified timeline editor that doesn’t allow for multitrack editing.

Despite the linear editing and basic UI, iMovie is a highly optimized piece of software that can handle 4K video and green screen compositing. It also supports picture-in-picture video and slow-motion/fast-forward visual effects. iMovie can generate titles, drag-and-drop transitions, and motion graphics like 3D globes and travel maps.

The app comes with built-in music and sound effects that are ready to go. It can generate Hollywood-style trailers using footage that you supply. Additionally, the app allows you to export directly to YouTube and Vimeo at up to 4K resolution.

Download:iMovie (Free)

2. DaVinci Resolve

Summary: A powerful, professional-grade video editor that lacks the color grading tools the developers are famous for.

The Studio version of DaVinci Resolve costs nearly $1,000, but the basic version is completely free. Better still, it includes the same high-quality image processing abilities as the pricier version. You get a powerful video editor, some of the best color correction capabilities around, and even support for external hardware panels to enable faster editing.

There are limitations, of course. The main one is that Resolve can only output in SD, HD and Ultra HD, which is likely more than enough for most users. Also, the app places limits on some of the advanced grading and tracking tools. However, these restrictions are mainly in place to convince professional users to upgrade.

The app might have quite a learning curve, but DaVinci Resolve is one of the most powerful video editing suites on the planet and you get a lot for free.

Download:Da Vinci Resolve (Free)

3. OpenShot

Summary: A free and open source video editor with an impressive list of features. However, the interface is outdated and may put some users off.

OpenShot is a cross-platform open source tool that’s been around since 2008. It’s built with the aim of providing a stable, free, and accessible video editor. The project receives several major updates per year, in line with the expectations for an open source project with a small team.

OpenShot’s feature list has grown over the years to include great support for a variety of formats, keyframes for animation, and unlimited video/audio tracks. It also packs in transition and compositing support, titles, and a heap of extra features you’d expect from a modern video editor.

Past criticisms have panned OpenShot’s reliability, but it’s still worth a shot for free.

Download:OpenShot (Free)

4. Shotcut

Summary: A capable open source editor with an interface that’s superior to OpenShot.

Here’s another free, open source, cross-platform video editor. Shotcut’s feature list is just as impressive as OpenShot, but Shotcut features a great-looking interface. It more closely resembles a pro-tier application than a free one.

The app supports a wide range of video files and formats, including 4K, ProRes, and DNxHD. Shotcut also includes great support for working with audio, an impressive list of video effects (including compositing and transitions), and a flexible UI.

Of note are support for advanced features like 5.1 surround sound, three-way color correction, and a huge number of video and audio filters. There’s even a full set of official Shotcut video tutorials you can watch to get you up to speed with the editor.

Download:Shotcut (Free)

5. Blender

Summary: Not a purpose-built video editor, but it’s a powerful tool for free.

Blender is a free 3D modeling and compositing app used in some high-profile productions. Yet many don’t realize Blender is also a capable non-linear video editor, provided you’re willing to take the time to learn.

You can use Blender to cut and splice video, mix and sync audio, or apply adjustment layers, transitions, and filters. You probably won’t edit a whole film together in Blender, but for basic editing tasks it might suffice.

Blender isn’t the easiest system to learn, but underneath the hood is a powerful non-linear video editor. Check out Daniel Pocock’s quick guide to editing video in Blender and the official Blender video sequencer manual to learn more.

Download: Blender (Free)

6. Lightworks

Summary: A powerful editor with plenty of features, but some seriously restrictive output options make the free version feel more like a trial.

Lightworks is one of the most powerful apps on this list. I’d happily recommend it above all other packages if it wasn’t so restrictive for the free user. The free version includes video effects, multicam editing, and titling, as well as the usual multi-layered timeline approach you’d expect from a comprehensive editor.

Unfortunately, rendering (exporting your project) is limited to 1080p output on Vimeo, and 720p output to YouTube. You can also render to Lightworks Archives, but you lose H.264, MP4, or even DVD export options.

So while the toolkit is vast, Lightworks isn’t a very appealing free editor unless you’d like to thoroughly try it out for free and upgrade at a later time.

Download:Lightworks (Free, premium version available)

7. Avidemux

Summary: A capable freebie, but lacking in polish and features.

Avidemux made our list of the best Linux video editors7 Free Open Source Video Editors for Linux7 Free Open Source Video Editors for LinuxVideo editing on Linux is constantly improving. A good selection of open source video editing software is now available to Linux users, and we've got seven of the best for you to check out.Read More. Though it’s basic in nature, it works well for simple editing tasks. The app supports a wide variety of input and output formats. The project undergoes several updates a year, with development continuing at a steady pace.

Thankfully, the team maintains parity among all three major versions, so you won’t miss out on any features if you opt for the Mac package.

Avidemux is best reserved for simple tasks like cutting a video down to size, applying video or audio filters, and transcoding. If you’re willing to dig a little deeper, you’ll find a highly capable script editor to automate many of these common tasks.

Be sure to check out the Avidemux wiki for learning materials, and the Avidemux forum can help in case you get stuck.

Download:Avidemux (Free)

Mac Video Editing on a Budget

So which is the best video editor for you? iMovie is probably the best all-rounder. It’s free, easy to use, and carefully optimized for Apple hardware. There are plenty of features in it to satisfy beginners and mid-tier users. However, it lacks the raw power to compete with Final Cut or Premiere Pro.

Da Vinci Resolve, on the other hand, is surprisingly-feature rich. It offers multi-track editing and a huge number of professional-tier features to play with. Blender is open source and powerful, but is bogged down by complexity. Shotcut and Openshot are pretty evenly matched, so why not test drive them both? And if you’re looking for something specific to 4K video editing, check out VideoProcVideoProc: The Easiest 4K Editing Tool With GPU AccelerationVideoProc: The Easiest 4K Editing Tool With GPU AccelerationNeed a 4K video editor that's easy to use but full of powerful features? Look no further than VideoProc.Read More.

If you need to edit images as well as video, check out our list of free Mac photo editorsThe Best Free & Paid Image Editors for Mac OS XThe Best Free & Paid Image Editors for Mac OS XWe thought it was about time we compiled a list of our favourite raster image editors for Mac OS X.Read More too.

Image credit: Gustavo Devito/Flickr

Explore more about: iMovie, Mac Apps, Video Editing, Video Editor.

  1. For me, Video Editor MovieMator is the best! It helped me from easy to medium level. Now I use the Pro version to make more fantastic videos (has become my hobby).
    The interface of Video Editor MovieMator is the most intuitive and clear one among the 6 apps you talked about and it's perfect for beginners.
    iMovie doesn't accept some video formats, FinalCut and Premiere are not that easy to pick up. Compared with them, I would choose MovieMator which is easy, functional and can create films of high quality.

  2. As privacy/security expert I have to warn against Filmora. a) the free download includes UNSTATED limitations and nowhere will the firm tell you what they are, nor have they responded to inquiries. b) the fine print states they monitor use of the software. They do not use the term meta data, but imply it so that they can better understand usage and make the product better. HOWEVER, they partner with the Red Chinese (Army - which owns 51% of all Chinese corporations), presumably coders, which means this software could have a back door used by Chinese Intelligence. Again, the firm declined to address this question. They understood I am a published author in my area of expertise, and still remained silent. I do not take that as a good sign that they actually care about the customer, but it does imply they don't want people to know the answers. They are either a badly run company, or something worse is afoot.

  3. For Mac or Windows users, there is a free online service called Video Grabber. It always helps me edit video by adding basic effects. Its interface looks very elegant. If this is what you need, maybe it worth a shot to look at.

  4. Nice list but most of them don't run as expected. Shotcut closes frequently, KDEnlive doesn't even open a window and gives an error message after start.

    Da Vinci is nice! Didn't know about the free option.

    Blender is stable, lightning fast and can be used for nearly everything in media business (Modelling, Rendering, making Games, making Movies and so on).

    One recommendation: http://natron.fr/
    Natron is a video compositor software like blender or da vinci. It's not just for video editing. Very promising open-source project!

  5. Mac users should try Hitfilm Express. Great features, cross-platform (Mac & Win), and free.

  6. Mac users should also try HitFilm Express. Great, cross platform (Mac & Win), free.

  7. You can download the free

    IMOVE

    from:

    then updated it to the latest version automatically it will update and you will have
    the latest version of iMove free without having to pay the $14.99 usd

    • You just earned yourself a place in heaven

    • aww thanks

    • Doesn't work any more. The linked file is an updater which, when you launch it, says
      'ALERT: iMovie 9.0 or later is required to install this update.'

      dc

  8. this article was written in 2012 ! So don't be a smart ass Dima when posting your remarks at the end of 2015

  9. I own a mac but iMovie costs money to download, how can I get this for free?

    • Sure its free..

      you can download it at:

      And the updated it to the latest version..
      Works like a charm..

      Cheers .... :)

      • I'm having problems. After I download it and run it, it says 'Imovie 9.0 or later is required.'

        • Me too! Have you figured out a way to get it to run or update?

      • I'm having this problem too! Have you figured out a way for it to work or update?

  10. None of these apps are actually on the app store except for iMovie
    ???

  11. I HAD iMovie on my iMac, but after a hd crash, I reinstalled the latest version of the OS (OS X El Capitan) and if I want to reinstall iMovie I have to pay 15 euro :(

  12. From where did you downloaded iMovie and what version of OS X you have (name or numeric version or both[better])?

  13. iMovie is not free anymore and doesn't come with iLife. Hasn't been in 2 years. Wtf you are talking about.

  14. Honestly, I've still yet to figure out how to get iMovie to do anything, but I haven't tested it in the past few months. I find that, for a VERY basic editor, QuickTime actually fulfills my needs, which is literally just syncing audio and footage. Just something to keep in mind for beginners looking for baby steps.

  15. I didn't even realize that I had iMovie on my Mac. Thanks

  16. my iMovie keeps on crashing..

  17. iMovie is TERRRIBLLE. Do not get Apple made programs for your computer. Apple is making all their money from iPhones, so they've pretty much stopped making things. Adobe is pretty much taking over, so get their stuff. I updated my laptop and iMovie doesn't even exist anymore..

    • Best video editing backup for mac software. iMovie Agreed IT IS TERRIBLLE!!!

      • I bet you just don't know how to use it because its great!!

        • it's hard to get to know this program as the stupid, frigging thing crashes every time you open it. iMovie = FAIL

  18. How come we have to pay for iMovie now? (just a random question) Just sometime ago I downloaded a free version?

  19. I'm having problems uploading videos to iMovie . Any video I have on file is not an option, I was going to try loading the file to the iMovie selections but not sure that will resolve it….

  20. Lightworks is just out for Mac users yay my windows is too slow for the program finally my mac can be put to good use.

  21. I tried most of this software and I have to say that
    - iMovie isn't free
    - Blender is 3D modeling software so use it for video editing is a little bit hard
    - Kdenlive requires all KDE packages installed, and I prefer something other
    - Jahshaka is something from another reality, it's hard to learn
    - VLMC looks good and simple but it's PRE-ALPHA now, so it's buggy
    - I haven't try Avidemux because I can't find any working dmg
    My choise is VideoPad, it's simple and can do anything I want.
    Shame on you cause I spent whole day to test all this things

  22. at first I was shocked thet you put imovie on number 1 . Then I realized this article was written in 2012 . Imovie 13 wasn't born yet :)

  23. Great article! Saw the amount of work you put into this and thought I'd just say thanks man! Very helpful.

    • iMovie isn't free

  24. iMovie should serve most of mac user well

    • Imovie ha sa lot of bugs. Impossible to share your movie on your pc.

    • Daniel do you love me?

  25. iMovie for me is the best.

  26. A pal was trying to get info related to this editors a couple weeks ago.will def forward him this link!!

  27. Can't wait for Lightworks. The Windows version is nice.

  28. Didnt know you could edit video in blender

    • I edit my wrist in a blender

  29. OOOps ! ..for mac , sorry :)

    • its okay

    • Don't worry it's all good.

  30. You forget Novacut , it's in dev ; kickstarter funded
    The cutting workflow is very good,
    works with ubuntu 12.04q

    in works : the multitrack sound and multicam,

    so it's a project to follow :D

  31. I can't believe all these software are free! They look so professional , I'm starting to move from win to Mac so this kind of article are attractive and useful for me.

    Run ios emulator on mac terminal. The Appetize.io is a unique take on iOS emulators to run iOS apps on PC; not only it allows you to run iOS apps, but it also lets the users develop cross-platform apps on the cloud through this emulator. Running an iOS Emulator on Mac. Sources of iOS emulators for Mac, I am running Sierra. On your Mac terminal, type the following.

  32. KDEmlive on Mac is a pain in the ***.

  33. I don't have a mac but my uncle does and I remember us trying out loads of different video editors to compare them to the full priced equivalents (premiere pro, final cut pro, sony vegas) and I remember us trying out the first three. The limitations of iMovie may be a downfall for enthusiastic video buffs but for the novice it's great and also it's pre-installed, even better! Blender was also a pretty good one, as I recall you could import your 3D modelling into the video suite for some nifty animation. CineFX I think was probably our favourite, pretty easy to use and was like an advanced iMovie, loved every second of using it! hope this helps anyone :)

  34. Mmm.. maybe I should try Jahshaka looks really cool.

  35. I have Lightworks on my desktop and it really is nice, but my computer just isn't powerful enough to run it very well. I guess a lot of it has to do with only having 3gb of RAM, but the video card and processor aren't all that great either. Hopefully my new computer (which hasn't arrived yet) will be able to run it (and everything else) better.

On the face of it, getting hold of the best video editing software is no easy task. There are loads of options out there, all boasting brilliant features and innovative add-ons. But the option that will suit a professional video editor won't necessarily be the best for the enthusiastic amateur. And what about free video editing software?

That's where this TechRadar guide to choosing the best video editing software comes in. We've used all the best (and worst) editors around and distilled them down to an easy-to-digest list of our favorites.

Below you'll see lists of both premium and free video editing software. So if you're ready for something advanced, opting for a paid product will get you high-end extras like 360-degree video support, motion tracking and multi-cam editing, but that's just the start.

The most impressive programs make your everyday tasks like cutting, trimming, combining and applying filters to clips as simple as possible - that's true regardless of whether you demand the absolute best video editor out there, or if you were hoping for free video editing software instead. Downloading an inferior option will lead only to frustration and a less polished finished product. The tools we've picked out for you in this guide are the very best in their class.

Keep reading to get the best of both worlds, with Adobe Premiere Pro leading the way as our #1 favourite

  • Need the hardware, too? Discover the best laptops for video editing

The overall best video editing software

These premium video editors can't be matched - not even by the very greatest free options. The extra resources available to commercial projects help to refine the entire package, often bringing more accurate and configurable effects, an enhanced interface and a faster rendering engine. If it's the very best video editing software that you're after, then look no further than this quintet:

1. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Dedicate the time to mastering Premiere Pro and reap the rewards

Platform: Windows/Mac Free trial: 7 days Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: Yes 360 support: Yes Purchase type: Subscription

Huge assortment of filters
Subscription model won't be for everybody

Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editor and getting the most from it will require an investment of time as well as cash, but if you’re serious about video then it’s well worth the effort.

There's a vast assortment of stackable audio and video filters, support for 360-degree and VR video, native support for a huge number of raw file formats, and the ability to work collaboratively with others. You can even start editing your videos before they've finished importing.

This kind of power doesn't come cheap and the monthly or annual subscription fee adds up, but the lack of a large initial outlay makes Premiere Pro surprisingly accessible. It's worth downloading a trial of the other video editors here before making a decision, but Premiere Pro is extremely versatile and the cloud-based model means you won't have to pay for upgrades as they're released.

Read our full review: Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Adobe Premiere Pro From $20.99 (£19.97) per month
Like all of Adobe's single app plans, Premier Pro costs around $20/£20 per month when you sign up for a year. That's excellent value for such an impressive piece of software.

2. Apple Final Cut Pro X

A premium editor for Mac owners, with a unique interface

Platform: Mac Free trial: 30 days Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: Yes 360 support: Yes Purchase type: Retail

Excellent file format support
High initial cost

This is a video editor aimed squarely at the professional end of the market, but it's not needlessly complicated. Its interface is a little different to most, and is built around a 'trackless' timeline that encourages you to organize elements into specific 'roles', such as voiceover, music and titles.

If you're looking for a video editor to pair with your drone, Final Cut Pro is an excellent choice. It supports raw video from all the major makes and models, and is regularly updated with additional profiles. It also supports 360-degree video editing (fast becoming mandatory for premium video editing software) and HDR, with advanced color grading.

Rather than adopt a subscription model like Adobe, Apple has chosen to make Final Cut Pro available for a one-off flat fee. It's relatively expensive, but includes all major updates and will work out cheaper than Premiere Pro if you keep using it over a couple of years. If you own a Mac and are torn between Apple and Adobe, we recommend taking the free trials of both for a spin before making up your mind.

Read our full review: Apple Final Cut Pro X

3. CyberLink PowerDirector

A video editor that puts premium tools within reach of newcomers

Platform: Windows Free trial: 30 days Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: Yes 360 support: Yes Purchase type: Retail

Beginner and advanced interfaces

If Adobe Premiere Elements and Apple Final Cut Pro X are overkill for your video editing projects, take a look at CyberLink PowerDirector.

Although PowerDirector is a premium, feature-packed video editor, it's also very forgiving, and offers a gentle introduction to post production that won't faze complete beginners. The Magic Movie Wizard is the ultimate example, paring the task of combining and optimizing videos down to a few clicks. You'll achieve better results by spending a while in the timeline editor, but for anyone who just wants to quickly piece something together to publish on Facebook, it's ideal.

That's not to say that CyberLink PowerDirector is dumbed down, though; far from it. The software also offers a standard post production interface based around control panels and a timeline. It sometimes takes a little while to drill down to the finer controls, but every filter and option is extremely flexible once you start exploring. Perhaps most impressive of all, CyberLink PowerDirector makes video editing fun.

Read our full review: CyberLink PowerDirector

4. HitFilm Pro

If you're interested in special effects, HitFilm is the editor for you

Platform: Windows Free trial: No time limit, but can’t export Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: Yes 360 support: Yes Purchase type: Retail

Superb for special effects

HitFilm Pro is a premium video editor that's a firm favourite with fanfilm makers - and with good reason. It's packed with tools for creating stunning special effects, but is accessible enough for home users.

One of HitFilm Pro's biggest selling points is the ability to tackle pretty much every aspect of video post-production within the editor. Animations, titles, audio editing and color grading are all accessible with a couple of clicks, but the interface is intuitively designed and never feels cluttered.

Unlike the other video editors in this roundup, HitFilm Pro supports importing and animating of custom 3D models, complete with simulated 3D cameras, custom shadows and dynamic lighting. There are also impressive particle effects, and superb chroma-keying to minimize annoying spill.

Read our full review: HitFilm Pro

5. Adobe Premiere Elements

A friendly introduction to video editing for complete beginners

Platform: Windows/Mac Free trial: 30 days Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: No 360 support: No Purchase type: Retail

Automated tools for common tasks
You may soon outgrow it

Of all the premium video editors in this roundup, Adobe Premiere Elements is the most beginner-oriented. It's designed to make video editing as easy as possible, and even its Expert interface is extremely straightforward.

Unlike Adobe's premium software (like Premiere Pro), Premiere Elements is only available as a one-off purchase, so you aren't committed to paying a monthly fee to keep using it. It's also one of the most affordable video editors around, which is impressive for a huge name like Adobe.

Some video editors assume a certain degree of familiarity before you begin, but Premiere Elements is ideal even for total beginners. Its interface features large buttons, clearly labelled. There are also some excellent tutorials included to help bridge the gap between creating a video using wizards and using the more traditional multi-track timeline.

Read our full review: Adobe Premiere Elements

The best free video editing software

If you're a beginner, there are free video editors that will make the whole process as easy as can be and don't cost a penny. These user-friendly editors offer a gentle introduction to editing, so you'll learn the basics and be able to make the step up to a more advanced premium program when you're ready. We've picked our the five best video editing software choices below.

1. Lightworks

The best free video editing software available, for any level of expertise

Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: No 360 support: No

Real-time effects

Lightworks is an incredible tool that's published free with the noble aim of making professional quality video editing software available to everyone. As you would expect for such a powerful video editor, you won't be able to master it overnight, but that's certainly not something you could hold against it and hasn't stopped us naming it as our number one best video editing software on the web.

If you've tried other free editors you'll probably find that the interface is a little different to anything you're used to, but you can arrange the various controls and windows to create something that suits your way of working.

There's a paid version, Lightworks Pro, which adds the ability to export in formats other than MPEG, publish 4K video directly to YouTube, and export 3D videos, but the free video editing software includes everything else you need to make impressive videos.

Read our full review: Lightworks

2. Hitfilm Express

A powerful free video editor that's expandable if you outgrow it

Platform: Windows/Mac Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: No 360 support: Requires add-on

Expandable via add-ons

Hitfilm Express is another video editor that promises pro-level features for free – and it delivers. The basic editor is very impressive, with advanced cutting tools, a great set of audio and video filters, layers and masking, compositing options, and chroma keying for creating green screen effects.

Additional tools are available for a fee, starting at £8.85 (about US$10, AU$15) for a pack featuring color-correction, exposure adjustment, split screen masking, and various creative filters. But the free video editor is well worth a look, too.

The downside of all this power is that Hitfilm Express is much more demanding than either Lightworks or Shotcut, which is the main reason it's dropped to third place. Make sure you check the technical requirements before downloading it to avoid disappointment.

Read our full review: Hitfilm Express

3. DaVinci Resolve

Premium quality software for advanced video and audio editing

Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux Upload straight to YouTube: No 8K support: Yes 360 support: Requires add-on

Advanced color correction

DaVinci Resolve is a free version of a premium video editing suite, but as with Lightworks, it's so feature-packed you probably won't miss the few tools it lacks.

DaVinci Resolve is a professional-grade free video editing software, with intuitive interfaces for editing, color correction, audio mastering and exporting. Color correction is one of DaVinci Resolve's standout features, whether you want to adjust a whole video or just a selected part. There's HDR support, and you can work on raw files directly from your camera.

A few of the filters are exclusive to the premium DaVinci Resolve Studio, and there's a maximum export resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, but those are the only limitations. It's overkill if you just want to trim a video and upload it to YouTube, but for bigger projects DaVinci Resolve is hard to beat.

Full review coming soon

4. Shotcut

It might look unusual, but master it and you'll reap the benefits

Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux Upload straight to YouTube: No 8K support: No 360 support: No

Intuitive interface

Shotcut is another professional-feeling free video editor that requires a little patience if you are achieve the results it is so capable of delivering. The slightly unusual interface can be put down to the fact that this started life as a Linux application, and little has changed in its conversion to Windows.

To start with, the interface may seem a little stark. You will need to not only load a video, but also choose which editing mode you would like to work in and which tools you'd like to use.

There's no getting away from the fact that Shotcut has a steep learning curve. It's possible to achieve some impressive results by simply applying one of its many filters to your video, but the real rewards will only be reaped by those willing to invest the time and energy in fully getting to grips with what's on offer.

Read our full review: Shotcut

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

A non-linear editor stacked with tools, with more added all the time

Platform: Windows Upload straight to YouTube: Yes 8K support: No 360 support: Yes

Easy to master
Smart interface

VSDC Free Video Editor is highly capable, and can yield superb results. As a non-linear editor, it works in rather a different way to many other similar tools, letting you position clips and other elements on the timeline wherever you like and edit them there.

With the ability to not only work with multiple scenes and transitions, but also to add sprites and text to videos, you can create a professional-quality movie if you're willing to stick with VSDC's slightly unusual workflow – though its interface has recently had a total overhaul, making it look much more slick and modern. You can now detach the timeline too, which gives you lots of extra flexibility – particularly when working on multiple monitors.

VSDC's free video editing software lets you add extra artistic effects, including smoke. There's also a dedicated Instagram export profile and automatic image stabilization. You also get look-up tables (LUTs) for professional color grading, the ability to export footage at 120fps, and automatic alignment when dragging objects. An excellent choice for creative video projects.

Read our full review:VSDC Free Video Editor

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