There are many free video editing tools available on the internet; however, most of them either are trial versions or add a watermark to the exported video. Here are our top four recommendations for free video editing software.
If you are looking to both record your screen/camera and edit videos, you can read our guide Decide what video recording and editing software works for your project, which includes both paid and free options.
1. DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve has a clean user experience that is good for beginners as well as professionals. It mimics most of the functionality available in the industry-standard tool suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, and has many innovative editing tools. DaVinci Resolve can be downloaded from their official website.
The free version is more than capable of editing video footage for lectures/tutorials. However, you can also choose to upgrade to "DaVinci Resolve Studio 16" for $299, which includes more editing features.
2. HitFilm Express
HitFilm Express is an all-in-one video editing and visual effects solution similar to Adobe Premiere Pro. The software is free to download from the official fxhome website and can be used for simple video edits seamlessly. Note that some add-on packages might need to be purchased if advanced features are required.
3. iMovie
iMovie is another all-in-one video editing application. It comes pre-installed on any Macs, and it is known for its user- and beginner-friendliness, and editing/render speed. It is suitable for simple to somewhat complex video projects.
4. OpenShot
OpenShot is a completely free and open-source video editing software, and can be downloaded from their official website. OpenShot can create videos, films, and animations with an easy-to-use interface. The software is also available in more than 70 languages. There is also a screenshot gallery, video tutorials, and a user guide available to help orient users and familiarize them with the interface and the tools available.
Apart from the three free video editing software mentioned above, Techsmith Camtasia and Adobe Premiere Pro have a free one-week trial and is worth investing in if you plan to use the software frequently or for a long time.
| DaVinci Resolve | HitFilm Express |
iMovie |
OpenShot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editing capabilities | Trim, transform, cut, transitions and effects, subtitles, annotations, noise reduction | Trim, transitions and effects, animations, audio manipulation (NOTE: some effects will result in a watermark being added to the video) | Cut, splice, trim, transitions and effects, audio manipulation, filters, speed control, video masking | Cut, slice, trim, transitions and effects, video masking, animations, audio manipulation, time-mapping and clip speed changes |
| Cost | Free, but can upgrade to "DaVinci Resolve Studio 16" for $299 | Free, but must purchase add-on packages if advanced features are required | Free | Free |
| Ideal for: | Users with little to no prior video editing experience who want to do in-depth editing (annotations, transitions, animations) | Users with little to no prior video editing experience who want to do in-depth editing (annotations, transitions, animations) | Users with little to no prior video editing experience who want to do video projects with multiple video clips, audio tracks, transitions and some motion graphics | Users with little to no prior video editing experience who want to do in-depth editing (annotations, transitions, animations) |
| Not ideal for: | Computers with no GPU or low RAM | Users who need to use functionality from multiple add-ons, as the price can add up quickly | Users with highly complex video projects | Users who would like to use more complicated editing features such as the one seen in Blender |
| Set-up effort | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Difficulty to learn | Low, especially if you have used Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut in the past | Medium | Low | Low |
| Supported file formats | AVI, R3D, M2TS, MP4, MXF, EXR, MOV | Quicktime, AVCHD, AVI, M2T, M2TS, MOV, MP4 (AVC/H264 & AAC), MPEG-1 & MPEG-2 (TS, PS, MPE, MPG, MPEG, M2V), MTS, MXF (DVCPro HD), DV, HDV, WMV | Apple Animation Codec, Apple Intermediate Codec, Apple ProRes, AVCHD, DV, H.264, HDV, HEVC, iFrame, Motion JPEG (OpenDML only), MPEG-4 SP, XAVC-S, 3GP, AVI, M4V, MOV (QuickTime), MP4, POD, TV, DVD |
Most video and audio formats, based on the FFMPEG library |
| Exported file formats | MP4, MOV, Quicktime | MP4, MOV, Quicktime | MP4, MOV, Quicktime | Most video and audio formats, based on the FFMPEG library |
| Compatible platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux | Windows, MacOS | MacOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux |