You definitely don’t have to be a graphics design expert to use it. I have trained people from several departments to use the software relatively quickly. I’m sure there is more advanced stuff, but if you just want to break into this kind of thing and get professional-looking animations for presentations and instructional videos this is a great option. IMovie targets nonprofessionals like people who want to put together a video of that family vacation or Junior’s soccer match.
This online tool allows you to edit your recording in real-time – you can add arrows and shapes, draw with a pencil, insert text and numbers. Click Edit to open the editing panel and make drawings on your video. Vimeo Create, a free editing software you can connect directly to your Shopify store, automatically turns your existing product images and text into polished ecommerce videos—no video experience needed.
It’s available as either an annual subscription or a reasonably priced perpetual license. Gordon Donnelly is an SEO jedi who proudly honed his chops at WordStream for 5+ years. Today, you’ll find him at home in Boston, building Triple Whale’s world-class e-commerce analytics platform, or helping businesses of all sizes grow through SEO, advertising, and content marketing. One drawback of Filmora is that, unlike HitFilm Express and iMovie, your final video will be watermarked unless you upgrade your account for an annual subscription of $49.99 a month.
Also, the application enables you to create 3D animated title sequences that will impress the viewers. It’s a free tool for people that want to create videos, but there are some drawbacks. The tool is supported by ads, so you’ll have to navigate around them to edit your videos. It also has a 10-minute maximum duration, which should be OK for most use cases. OpenShot is an efficient option for small businesses who need to make ads and social media posts.
Premiere Elements offers a nifty title effect in which your video fills the text characters, and Corel followed suit with a similar tool in VideoStudio. Look for an application that lets you edit titles in WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) mode so you can type, format, and time it right over the video preview. All editing programs will have different specifications regarding the memory and RAM the software needs to run. Always check out each program’s website for full details on what you’ll need.
It also has cool 3D effects for films, music videos, and even YouTube videos—plus features you’d normally find in a paid video editing software, such as 360-degree editing and a library of special effects. Below, you’ll find a list of the 15 best free video editing programs from around the web. Each videographer has their own needs, so this post includes some of the most useful features of each video editor and the pros and cons of the tools. CyberLink has long been an industry leader in speed and support for new video formats and effects, and it’s long been a PCMag Editors’ Choice winner among video editors. Despite its massive feature set, the program interface is clear and not as intimidating as fully pro-level software.
There are other free apps that didn’t make our list of the best, though they are still quite good. For Windows users, the free ClipChamp gets you all the basics along with some nifty effects. (The app is the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11.) It’s a Progressive Web App with a multitrack timeline and is suitable for social media sharing.
While it’s been around for a long time and is used by many video editing pros, Lightworks has a very different interface in comparison with most other editing software. Beginners have found that the learning curve is very easy with Lightworks, and its interface is highly intuitive. However, professionals and other experienced editors sometimes run into more trouble because the interface is so different from the software that they’re more accustomed to. However, even if users have trouble with learning how to use Lightworks, there’s help. Users have had consistent success with support and education through online forums, and many video editors prefer Lightworks for short ads and video clips.
PowerDirector is a premium video editor that keeps costs low, with lifetime and subscription pricing models. It’s a feature-packed tool that caters to beginners, intermediates and pros alike. Testing the software, we found you can create anything from a simple cut to a really complex project filled with effects, titles, slick transitions and effects. This platform is designed to serve users with a smooth editing experience so that even beginners can enjoy creative media projects. There is a wide range of filters, overlays, transition effects, and color correction abilities. Thanks to its broad format support that helps to handle all popular media files with ease.
Well, it’s a very complex piece of software that could potentially intimidate newcomers to this profession. But if you’re serious about video editing, you should most definitely take this software out for a spin. If you like to use transitions and have various video clips, VideoPad includes more than 50 transition effects. After applying transitions, you can also adjust video speed to make a slow-motion or fast-speed video effect. You can also record narrations for audio to make your video more detailed, which is a bonus for game lovers.
It’s also for people who don’t want to pay the subscription required by most of Adobe’s other software while getting a good selection of features. Throw in a wealth of titling options, readily connected ancillary apps (like Photoshop and After Effects), and a flexible, easy-to-use interface, and Premiere Pro is a no brainer. One of iMovie’s most coveted features is its green-screen, or “chroma-key” tool, which allows you to place your characters in exotic locations—Hawaii, say—at a moment’s notice.
Besides being freeware, its other big perk is that it can also be used as a plugin for Pure Motion EditStudio, Adobe Premiere, and Sony Vegas. Adobe Premiere Pro is not only one of the only NLE https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ (non-linear editing systems) available for 64-bit Mac and Windows users, it’s also arguably the best. I’ve talked about it at length on this site in the past, and there’s not much more to say.
Resolve targets professional video editors and has been used in many top-of-the-line Hollywood productions, including Avatar, Dune, and Snakes on a Plane. But that’s not to say a determined amateur can’t take advantage of its generous free version and go as deep (or as shallow) into its toolset as they like. Think about your budget, your current level of expertise, and how much time you’re willing to devote to learning a new skill.
A big advantage to iMovie is that files are saved on Apple’s cloud, meaning you can work on a project interchangeably across iPhone, iPad, or Mac. IMovie is constantly being updated, too, so you can look forward to new features and improvements. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. PowerDirector is suited to serious video enthusiasts and YouTubers who want to do the most with their clips without needing a degree in film.
Free Editing Software is fantastic for creating simple videos and compositions, but you’ll likely hit a software wall as you grow as an editor. If you’re looking to upgrade from free editing software to something with more tools, check out our top 3. Depending on which Mac product you have, iMovie may come bundled with it for free. Like Windows Movie Maker, iMovie is a simple approach to video editing, though it packs a bit more of a punch than the Windows competitor. What’s even more enticing is that it’s not only a product for Mac desktops and laptops, but is even usable on iPhone 4, iPad 2, and iPod Touch 4th generation!
