Good video editing software can help you showcase your products from every angle by producing professional promos for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or anywhere else you share brand videos. There are a number of easy-to-use free video editing programs that can help you stand out from your competition.
Well-produced product videos are a more engaging form of content marketing than photographs alone and can reduce a customer’s hesitation in making a purchase. In fact, according to animated explainer video company Wyzowl, 78% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best free video editing software from around the web, as well as a few with affordable paid versions. Each entrepreneur has their own specific needs, so we’ve run down some of the most useful features of each tool.
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Best free video editing software for desktop
There’s a lot of desktop-based editing software available for businesses looking to create promotional videos. The biggest advantage of free video editing software for desktops is that they tend to have more features than most mobile video editing apps.
If you’re looking to edit your promotional videos on a budget, check out our list of free video editing software you can use to edit long-form content for YouTube, your ecommerce site, or a variety of other platforms:
- Best overall: Lightworks
- Best for beginners: VideoPad
- Best for effects and tutorials: HitFilm Express
- Best for advanced editors: DaVinci Resolve
- Best no watermark editor: VSDC Free Video Editor
- Best for intermediate editors: OpenShot
- Best for audiophiles: Shotcut
- Best for 3D effects: Blender
- Best for Windows 10: Windows Video Editor
- Best for YouTube: iMovie
- Best AI editor: Vimeo Create
- Best for social media videos: WeVideo
- Best mobile editor: KineMaster
1. Lightworks
The best overall free video editing software
Lightworks includes a simple and intuitive interface, so it’s easy to pick up. Lightworks also offers a collection of detailed video tutorials, making it one of the more accessible and easy to learn Linux video editing software options on this list.
Lightworks has a suite of original stock videos and music clips licensed for use in any videos you edit on the program, letting you give a polished look to any marketing video.
Features include:
- High-quality simple trim functions for fast and precise video editing
- Speed optimization, letting you continue to edit while importing new content
- Multicam editing for syncing clips from multiple cameras
- Real-time team project sharing with full control over which user has editing access
- Easy sharing of videos, with fast export to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Instagram
- Support for a wide range of video formats
Available for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free; $24.99 per month for Pro version
G2 rating: ⭐ 3.5/5
2. VideoPad
Best free video editing software for beginners
VideoPad is a great option for anyone who wants to create high-quality videos without spending a dime. With VideoPad, you’ll find all kinds of simple and easy-to-use features—such as 3D video editing and a sound effects library—to try different video compositions and styles.
You can edit your videos with special effects, overlays, texts, and transition, as well as color adjustment and sound effects. Then export all your finished video to YouTube, Facebook, Google Drive, and other mobile devices quickly and easily.
The only drawback is that it may be too simple for advanced video editors. It doesn’t come with as many advanced features as some of the other free video editing software on this list, but with options to add light effects, fine tune colors, and overlay text and images, there’s enough here to make it worth the free download.
Features include:
- Double built-in screen (one to preview selected clips, one to preview complete sequence) for easy and intuitive editing
- Pre-made customizable transitions for polished professionalism
- Exporting presets to easily create video files optimized for specific platforms—such as Facebook and YouTube—and post them directly from within the software
- Social media sharing and publishing tools to share videos online instantly
- A large library of video transitions and visual effects to customize videos
- Video optimization tools, such as stabilization
Available for: Mac, Windows
Price: Free
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.1/5
3. HitFilm Express
Simple free video editor with professional visual effects and tutorials
If you don’t have a lot of experience with video editing, HitFilm Express may feel a little advanced at first—it’s used to produce Hollywood-style films—but it’s worth the learning curve, as it’s one of the best all-in-one free video editors available. (HitFilm does ask you to share a social media status update when you download the software, but that’s a small price to pay.)
HitFilm includes animation tools that let you create and edit audio and video transitions without the need to create composite shots, which is a huge time saver when editing. It also offers cool 3D effects for films, music videos, and even YouTube videos, plus features you’d find in a paid video editing software, like 4K video, 360-degree editing, and a library of special effects.
Features include:
- Professional-grade video editing with motion tracking, color pickers, and cropping tools
- Composite shot enhancements that allow you to animate two separate shots together for surreal video effects
- An auto-stabilizer to make shaky footage look smooth
- Unlimited video and audio timeline track creation
- An adaptive trimmer that lets you re-trim your clips after adding them to the timeline
- Ability to copy a group of attributes from one clip and apply them directly to another or to a whole project
- Audio mixer for fine tuning sound for professional quality output
- Various transition options, such as push, zoom, and dissolve
Available for: Mac and Windows
Price: Free; $349 for the Pro version
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.5/5
4. DaVinci Resolve
Top free video editor for advanced editors
DaVinci Resolve combines professional 8K editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production in a single production tool, which is why it’s the software of choice for many professional editors of films, television shows, and commercials.
DaVinci allows for both offline and online editing, and its high-performance playback engine saves time when editing and trimming—even for processor-intensive file formats like H.264 and RAW. DaVinci Resolve’s complex features may be too extensive for some users, but its free version is perfect for more advanced projects.
Features include:
- Dual timeline for quick navigation, cutting, and trimming
- A dedicated trim interface that gives you the ability to edit in minute detail
- Intelligent auto-editing that syncs audio and video clips for you
- Built-in tools for picture-in-picture effects, retiming, stabilization, dynamic zoom, text, and audio
- Facial recognition that detects faces in your clips and automatically creates bins based on the people in each shot
- High-quality motion estimation speed changes and frame rate conversions to easily and realistically speed up or slow-down clips
Available for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free; $269 for the full Studio version
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.6/5
5. VSDC Free Video Editor
Best no watermark editor for Windows
VSDC’s desktop video editing software is available as both a free and a paid version. Although the free version has reduced features, it still comes with VSDC’s full video editing suite—including a mask tool and chroma key functionality for green-screen video effects.
If you have the funds to spring for the full version, the suite of tools expands to include video stabilization, robust post-production effects, slideshow/presentation capabilities, 3D diagram templates, and direct social media publishing.
Features include:
- Color-correction tools for a more professional look
- A full suite of transitional effects
- Easy-to-use image filters, similar to what you’d find on Instagram
- Mask tools for hiding, blurring, or highlighting specific elements
- Social media link for sharing videos on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Vimeo
- HEVC/H.265 (an advanced video-compression standard), for maintaining the highest quality at the minimum file size—essential for processing 4K and HD files
Available for: Windows
Price: Free; $19.99 for Pro version
G2 rating: ⭐ 4/5
6. OpenShot
The easiest free video editing software for intermediate editors
OpenShot’s easy-to-use user interface makes it a great video editing program for intermediate editors. While more complex tools may offer more editing components, OpenShot’s intuitive interface and minimal design are perfect for simple editing.
OpenShot is an efficient option for small businesses and is best for clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, and rotation. It also offers credit scrolling, frame stepping, time mapping, audio editing, and real-time preview.
Features include:
- Unlimited layers for watermarks, background videos, and audio tracks
- Customizable title-card templates
- Drag-and-drop functionality for easily adding video, audio, or image files
- Digital video effects, including brightness, gamma, hue, greyscale, and chroma key compositing for green-screen effects
- Powerful key-frame animation capabilities for creating animated videos
Available for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.5/5
7. Shotcut
Best open-source movie maker for audiophiles
Shotcut is an open-source, cross-platform video editor with a vast collection of tutorial videos. It also supports a wide range of formats, including FFmpeg, 4K, ProRes, and DNxHD. A warning, however: Shotcut was originally designed for Linux, so some may find the interface a little quirky. Despite this, it’s still a top-notch editor.
Shotcut also provides extensive audio editing options, making it ideal for audiophiles. Its host of fine-tuning audio tools allows users to make bass and treble adjustments, create bandpass filters, adjust gain, add dynamic compression, and much more.
Features include:
- Support for the latest audio and video formats via FFmpeg, the leading multimedia framework
- Native timeline editing, which allows users to import video files directly into their project file rather than a media library
- Multi-format timeline for mixing and matching resolutions and frame rates within a project
- Advanced audio filters like balance, bass and treble, bandpass filters, compressor, and more
- Support for AV1 decoding and encoding
Available for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.2/5
8. Blender
Best professional video editing software with 3D creation suite
Blender video editing is a free, open-source 3D creation suite. It includes features to help model and render 3D animations. The software is a collaborative creation of hundreds of developers from around the world. The huge community of users gives Blender’s software an extensive group of tools.
Blender is designed as a 3D animation suite but comes with a functional video editor that should be enough for most users’ needs. It can also tackle more complex edits, like video masking, making Blender a flexible video editor for both novice and experienced users, and an excellent option for more advanced projects that may involve 3D animation.
Features include:
- Path-tracer engine for realistic rendering of animated objects
- Advanced rendering processes to speed up the saving and exporting of your project
- Option to code game logic into the software for video game development
- Advanced character animation tools for realistic kinematics
- Extensive library of visual effects and vignettes
Available for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.5/5
9. Windows Video Editor
Best video editing software for Windows 10
Microsoft’s built-in editor, Windows Video Editor, is a convenient software for people looking to go back to basics. It’s great for making quick edits to short video clips you need ready right away. Windows Video Editor is more a photo editor, but offers the basic editing tools like cropping, trimming, and including text or audio. Included with Windows 10 and up, Video Editor is completely free and is good for basic video enhancement.
Features include:
- Auto-preview tool for edits and effects
- Auto-movie options for creating customizable cuts of your video clips
- Animation tab to easily add music, titles, and credits
- 3D effects section with minimal customization
- Easy to use for novice users working in Windows
Available for: Windows
Price: Free
G2 rating: ⭐ n/a
10. iMovie
Best free video editing software for YouTube
Popular standby iMovie comes bundled with Mac OS. Like many native Apple apps, iMovie is uncomplicated and uses a simple drag-and-drop interface for moving files from your drive to your workstation. It’s an easy way to build powerful videos to boost your YouTube marketing efforts.
A big advantage to iMovie is that files are saved on Apple’s cloud, meaning you can work on your project interchangeably on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. iMovie is constantly being updated as well, so you can always look forward to new features and improvements.
Features include:
- Support for 4K resolution, allowing users to create cinema-quality films
- Cloud-storage functionality that allows you to work on the same project from your iPad, iPhone, and Mac
- Dozens of studio-quality title animations for professional-looking credits
- Stylish, contemporary video filters built for specific film genres, such as Western and sci-fi
- Built-in music, sound effects, and voiceover recording so your sound and picture editing are always consolidated
- Speed controls that let you make high-octane action scenes faster and sports highlights slower
Available for: Mac
Price: Free
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.3/5
11. Vimeo Create
Best AI video editing software app
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.
All you have to do is answer a few questions about your product, add your footage and logo, and choose style customizations. Vimeo Create then automatically edits your video in minutes (though you can also choose your own styles or start from scratch). The AI software even suggests colors, themes, music, and fonts.
It’s especially useful for creating videos at scale (if you, say, start a channel for your business in an effort to make money on YouTube and want to streamline the creation process). Vimeo is a popular video software solution with over 200 million users. Because Vimeo is an all-in-one solution, you can also manage, host, and distribute all your videos from one place, streamlining your workflow.
Features include:
- More than 1,000 templates to choose from
- Facial recognition, filters, effects, and auto-cropping
- Professional auto-editing ability
- Ability to share videos across marketing channels
- Unlimited high-quality stock images with iStock integration
- Library of commercially licensed music to choose from
Available for: iOS and Android
Price: Free; Pro, and Business subscriptions start at $7.00 per month and offer access to a wider range of editing tools and templates. Vimeo Create’s free software is available online, no download required.
G2 rating: ⭐ n/a
12. WeVideo
Best free video editing software for making social media videos
WeVideo is the best cloud-based online video editor for businesses, educators, students, and everyday consumers. You can access it from anywhere: home, work, school, etc. All files are stored in a secure cloud where you can edit, view, and share videos in minutes.
With WeVideo, you can add cool features, like a green screen for professional-grade looks, without the cost or hassle. It also has over one million pieces of stock media, including videos, images, and audio files, all royalty free when you buy a Business plan. Even with the free version, you can easily create videos on social media, web, and mobile displays—all with unlimited storage and no downloads or software to install.
Features include:
- Stock media library with over one million images, videos, and music assets
- Ability to export videos in 4K resolution
- Branded templates with your logo so you always have a unified look
- Shared project libraries to manage and collaborate with teams
- Unlimited cloud storage to create endless videos
- Rich editing tools including green screen, animated text, screen recording, and more
Available for: Chromebook, Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android
Price: Free; paid plans start at $4.99 per month
G2 rating: ⭐ 4.4/5
13. KineMaster
The best free video editing software for mobile
If you’re a video editor on the go, consider KineMaster for your go-to software. This free (subscription model optional) yet powerful video editing app is perfect for mobile devices. With KineMaster, you can easily shoot footage, edit it, and upload it all from your phone or tablet. Mobile editors usually sacrifice advanced tools to simplify video creation, but KineMaster does the opposite.
With KineMaster, you can cut, splice, crop, and combine videos easily, with more than 2,500 downloadable transitions and effects. Use color filters and adjustments to correct and enhance videos so they stand out. And when you’re finished, quickly share them to YouTube, TikTok, Reels, Stories, and more.
Features:
- Asset store to download effects, music, stickers, fonts, and more
- Backup and sharing abilities to keep video projects safe
- Eight blending options to create artistic video effects
- Reverse tool to make focal shifts, in-camera transitions, and other edits easy
- Edit and export 4K videos at 60 fps
Available for: iOS, Android, Chromebook
Price: Free; $3.99/month for paid plan
G2 rating: ⭐ n/a
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Choosing the best free video editor for you
Now that you know your options in finding the best free video editing software, you can start testing them out. While each option comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, hopefully, you now have a better idea of which free video-editing program is best for your business.
Videos consistently are shown to get more engagement on average across all social media platforms than pictures or text posts. A professional, well-made marketing video can help tell a story about your products, beat the YouTube algorithm, capture the attention of your audience, develop your brand’s personality, and maximize your ROI on paid social ads.
Take your content marketing to the next level. With so many free video editing software options to choose from, there’s no limit to the creative potential of your brand’s marketing video content.
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Free video editing software FAQ
What is video editing software?
What do most YouTubers use to edit videos?
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Final Cut Pro X
- Adobe After Effects
- Lightworks
- Freemake
- iMovie
- Shotcut
What is the easiest software to edit videos?
- Movavi Video Editor Plus
- Pinnacle Studio
- Apple iMovie
- Lumen5
- HitFilm 4 Express
- Blender
- Nero Video
