In this era, video is changing the mode of communication and expressing views. More and more people are converting their mode from text or posters to video. This shift in communication from text to video is the outcome of the attractiveness of videos. Videos hold the extensive power of captivating the eyes of the viewers and delivering them the message in a smooth manner.

‍

But do you think making effective videos is an easy task? Hasn't this ever happened to you that you wish to make the video captured more interesting? Before posting a video on social media, anyone would want the video to be perfect and impressive. Making videos interesting and attractive is very important to catch the attention of the viewer. The right video editing program can only help you to create effective and attractive videos.

‍

The best video editing software can provide magnificent results by taking care of the pockets. If you can create a perfect video in one go, then it’s always better to enhance it by adding some cool effects, filters and sounds. Whether it’s Facebook ads, or an Instagram story or YouTube product testimonials, using the best video editing software will allow your brand to look slick and professional.

‍

If you are a beginner in the video editing world, then you might be wondering which one is the best choice for you. Thus, we are here with this guide in which we will take a deep dive into the best free video editing software, which is not just a list of top video editing software but also a hand-curated list of the best ones that are easy-to-use and don’t cost a penny.

‍

We have compiled a list of the 20 top video editing software which will provide you with a good overview of what you can expect from these video editor software and how to get the best out of them.

‍

Top 20 best video editing software free and paid:

‍

1. Adobe Premiere Pro

‍Adobe Premiere Pro is the first video editing software that you will hear. It helps you to make changes in your video with ease. And the best part about this software is that it has well-integrated workflows that allow you to edit your video without exiting your deadlines. Think of any feature that you need while editing your video, and I will bet that you will find that video in this Adobe Premiere Pro video editing software.

Adobe Premiere Pro is renowned for its comprehensive features, but for quick edits on the go, try the user-friendly Adobe Express video editor.

‍

Regarded as the best video editing software for desktop, using this software, you can work with the latest video formats like audio-video interleaved (AVI), material exchange format (MXF) and many more. The content delivered on this tool is appropriately optimized for any screen and you can edit your video in virtual reality as well as in ultra, high-end 8K. When you buy this software, then you enter an ecosystem that gives you an array of automated tools due to which this software is highly recommended over other tools.

‍

Specifications:

• End-to-end VR 180 capabilities optimize your effects and format.
• Reformat your videos automatically.
• Encompasses your editing platform.
• Helps in managing curve adjustments.
• Quicken audio mixing.

‍

Pros:

• Very useful software to create, edit and share videos on any social media platform.
• You can work with the latest video formats.
• Time-efficient software that allows you to edit your video without exiting your timelines.

‍

Cons:

• Limited features in the paid version and but many more in the paid version.

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• macOS
• Adobe CC products such as Adobe stock, After Effects and Audition.

‍

2. Corel VideoStudio Pro

Corel VideoStudio Pro is one of the best video editing software for beginners that provides project templates, transitions, title presets, creative effects, 1500+ filters, and many more. The layout of this software is very easy to use so that beginners can use it easily and properly. This software allows you to edit the videos in 360-degree along with 4K.

‍

In this software, there is a slideshow maker tool that assists you to make your slideshows and movies with a variety of templates. Moreover, the feature of Multicam capture allows you to do the screen recording along with creating the videos. In addition to all these, it has a feature of lens correction with the help of which you can easily remove the distortion of fisheye and also the temperature can be adjusted with the help of color-correct clips.

Let us tell you one important thing about this software i.e. it is not free, you will get a free trial of 1 month to give you a good hands-on experience with the software. 

‍

Specifications:

• Drag and drop feature
• Correction of lens and colour feature
• Allows you to render the video having a background which is transparent.

‍

Pros:

• Easy to operate
• Drag and drop elements to create a clip.
• Packed with features for beginners

‍

Cons:

• 30 day free trial only

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows

‍

3. Clipchamp

‍
‍Clipchamp is an online video editing software that offers a free video editor, converter, compressor and webcam recorder to create videos. The best part about this tool is that it comes with features you'd expect from more advanced editing software such as flipping videos, trimming and cutting, balancing colors and using transitions.

‍

Moreover, it allows you to create videos on YouTube, video memes, reels on Instagram, slideshows, and many more. This software also provides customizable templates for audio and video that helps you in creating advertisements that are engaging.

Plus, in this software, the library of video and image carry more than 8 lakh assets. But let us tell you one thing about it i.e. you need to create an account first to launch this online service. And in the free version of this software, your export video is limited to 480P.

‍

Specifications:

• Perform actions such as trim and cut, flip & mirror, rotate, crop, and many more.
• You can capture your computer screen
• The AI voice-over feature turns text to speech
• Change or remove your videos’ background by green screen
• You can choose any narrator of your choice

‍

Pros:

• Easy to use interface
• Ideal for marketers
• Lots of amazing features

‍

Cons:

• In the free version, videos only export in 480p

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• Linux
• Macintosh

‍

4. Pinnacle Studio

‍
‍Pinnacle Studio is one of the cheapest full-fledged software to edit the video and offers you the tools for advanced editing of the video and screen recording. This software has enhanced color grading features to boost the video quality.

‍

This software offers numerous effects of creativity, video masking, overlays, title editor, video editing of 360-degree, color grading, and more. The best part about this software is that it is compatible with both multicam video editing and 4K video editing. It also provides some of the best tools for power audio and voice over effects and royalty free music to name a few. Due to this, whatever format the video has, compatibility will never be an issue for you. 

This software helps you capture videos and audio from multiple cameras as it is compatible with different formats of videos such as Hi8, VHS, V8, etc, which can be converted into digital files as well if needed.

‍

Specifications:

• Edit video efficiently across tracks in HD and 4K format
• Crop, edit, rotate and zoom videos
• Offers 360-degree video editing
• Stabilize shaky videos
• Allows you to split-screen video

‍

Pros:

• Remove distractions
• Color grading
• Edit Multi-camera clips for up to 6 cameras.

‍

Cons:

• Only for Windows users
• Need to install add-ons

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows

‍

5. VideoPad

‍
‍VideoPad is mainly the best video editor for beginners that works on the cross-platform version and is mainly used to get a good hands-on experience on the video editing tools. This is the best video editing software free and paid version in which the trial version puts a limit on exporting in just 2 different formats only. This software is enabled with a complete library having multiple transitions along with effects of sound with the help of which you can easily experiment and learn. 

Moreover, it is compatible for 3D video editing. Along with this, you can render your edited videos to your channel YouTube and Facebook as well. And if you are not able to create any video with this software, then essence studio is here to deliver you the qualitative videos in no time.

‍

Specifications:

• Record narrations to make your video more detailed
• Adjust the speed of the video to convert it into a slow-motion
• Huge booster for game lovers.

‍

Pros:

• Export directly to social media platforms
• Intuitive interface
• Easy to edit videos

‍

Cons:

• Certain features become unavailable
• Don’t have many advanced features
• Not suitable for professional use

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows

‍

6. iMovie

‍iMovie is a classy video editing software that comes pre-installed into Mac OS. It’s a user-friendly tool for basic video editing that allows you to select dozens of styles to animate titles. It also comes in the form of an app that supports 4k resolutions with a wide range of features and thus, it is regarded as the best video editing software for mac.

The best feature of iMovie is its simple and intuitive interface having a feature of drag and drop making it quick to move and edit video elements. You can use this interface to add music, titles and effects to your video clips. One of its best features is that you can change the background location in your videos and place your characters anywhere you desire.

‍

Specifications:

• audio editing and video trimming
• 4K resolution support
• Able to add a finishing touch like a color correction to your video
• Allows you to start editing on an iPhone or iPad

‍

Pros:

• Intuitive interface
• Easy to learn
• Allow you to create 4K resolution movies

‍

Cons:

• Limited features for pros
• Slow import and render times

‍

Compatible with:

• macOS

‍

7. Filmora

‍
‍Filmora is one of the powerful, free and well-designed video editing software that comes with drag and drops effects, filters, templates, audio, soundtracks and many more. It is a solid video editing software without any paid subscriptions or watermarks in which you can easily add text, themes and titles to your videos. This software has an intuitive user interface and has advanced editing modes, tons of video effects and much greater control.

With this software, you get many of the pro capabilities like layering sounds and clips and an opportunity to create perfect timings. The best feature of this software is that you will be able to eliminate pesky background noise and be capable of publishing your video in 4K. Many YouTubers use Filmora for the editing of their videos and has become the best video editing software for YouTube.

‍

Specifications:

• Pro capabilities
• Great for basic mobile video editing
• Fast processing
• Allows you to change your video’s aesthetic with just one click.

‍

Pros:

• Easy to use for professionals
• Capable of fixing camera problems

‍

Cons:

• Not available for Linux
• Challenging for newbies
• The desktop version is quite good.

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• Mac

‍

8. Blender

‍Blender is one of the advanced video editing software in the market that is entirely free to use. It is an open source program that is for those creators who want to get into the 3D modeling field. This best free video editing software is enough for most of your video needs and requirements as it allows you to perform basic actions such as video cuts and splicing.

‍

The best part about this software is that it has 32 slots for adding images, videos, audios and effects which supports all the major operating systems under the GNU. It comes with a full-fledged built-in video editor due to which you can also create a whole movie. It also supports motion tracking, animation, 2D animation, video editing and many more.

Let us tell you that if you are a beginner, then it might be difficult for you to run this software because it is designed for experts. But if you want to enhance your video editing skills from medium to a higher level, then this software will be ideal for you. By spending some time and energy, you can easily learn it. But if you are still not able to learn it, then you can hire the best explainer video production company i.e. essence studio.

‍

Specifications:

• Chroma vector scope
• Histogram displays
• 32 slots for adding images, videos, effects and audios.
• Able to change the animation pose editor.
• Easily combine 2D images with 3D images.
• Allows you to customize window layout and shortcuts.

‍

Pros:

• Ideal for advanced users.
• Lots of advanced features.
• Free of cost
• Provides animation support with onion skinning.

‍

Cons:

• Difficult for beginners
• Not as easy to use as other software
• Limited resources to help you with the video editor.
• Have very steep learning curve
• Software is a bit intimidating in the beginning.

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• Linus
• macOS

‍

9. Shotcut

‍Shotcut is another best video editing software free program that allows you to get access to all the features without the need for a paid upgrade. Similar to the blender, it is also an open source software that is completely free providing you all the editing tools that are required during the editing of any video. One of the great features of this software is that it provides 4K resolutions support.

‍

Shotcut was originally designed for Linux due to which some users may find the interface a little quirky. But it is a quality video editor software that has great features. The best feature of this software is that it supports numerous video and audio formats with an amazing selection of effects and color correction tools.

If you are a beginner and want to enhance your video editing skills, then it’s a great place to learn the basics without investing money. It has decent features among which the best one is that you do not need to import your video into the editor, which reduces your lots of time.

‍

Specifications:

• 4K resolution support
• No need to import your video into the editor
• Timesaver video editing software
• Install and use on any device

‍

Pros:

• Native timeline editing
• Get access to all the features without any need for a paid version.
• Support numerous video formats

‍

Cons:

• Quirky and strange interface
• Not easy to use as compared to others

‍

Compatible with:

• macOS
• Windows
• Linux

‍

10. Lightworks

‍Lightworks is another powerful video editing software that allows you to edit up to 256 audio, videos and image clips. The best part about this best video editing software for windows 10 is that it offers a free version along with its paid version among which the free version is more than enough for most of the users. Thus, if you are a beginner, then start off with the free version of this software and then jump to the paid version in order to get access to other features.

It provides a lot of features among which the best ones include high precision video trimming, the ability to export to 720p for YouTube and Multicam support. The user interface of this software is very technical due to which users find it very hard to use. It also supports 4K video but this feature is only included in the paid version of Lightworks.

‍

Specifications:

• Lots of video and audio editing options.
• Free and paid versions
• Support Multicam
• Easily edit and trim the video timeline.
• Allows you to export videos for Vimeo, YouTube and many more.

‍

Pros:

• A well-designed interface that is easy to use for the professionals
• You will easily be able to make 2D and 3D titles.
• Easily able to customize the shortcuts
• Supports English, Italian, German and many more languages.

‍

Cons:

• Advanced for newbies.
• Feature of 4K video only in the paid version

‍

Compatible with:

• Linux
• Windows
• macOS

‍

11. Adobe Premiere Rush

‍

‍Adobe has launched a new truly powerful and professional app named Adobe premiere rush. This best video editing software can meet all your needs for your videos. In this software, there are two modes among which one is freeform and the other one is automatic. Among both these modes, you can choose whether you let adobe pic transition and trim your clip automatically or you retain editing control.

In this software, there are various audio editing tools such as noise reduction, sound balancing and auto ducking. The best part about this software is that it has a very easy to use interface and audio, color, motion graphics and other editing options. It offers both a free version and paid version, but the features are limited for the free version. It brings a lot of features in tow among which the best one is the multitrack timeline and is the Best Video Editing Software for Mobile.

‍

In addition to this, this software has a built-in camera for more control, more than 100 free music graphic templates, motion templates and many more. Let us tell you one important thing about this software i.e. the app is not compatible with all the android devices and you can only render upto 1080p video files on the devices. Other than this, let us tell you that in order to use this software, there is a need for a creative cloud account and in the free version, you can export the videos 3 times only.

‍

Specifications:

• Easy to use interface and other editing options.
• Creative cloud support.
• More than 100 free music templates and motion graphics templates.

‍

Pros:

• Convenient tool to create, edit and share.
• Access to multi-channel
• Simple to use
• Free version as well as the paid version

‍

Cons:

• Lack of some basic functions
• Limited features in free version

‍

Compatible with:

• Android
• iOS
• MacOS
• Windows

‍

12. Avidemux

‍Avidemux is one of the best video editing softwares for beginners that is designed for tasks like simple cutting, encoding and filtering. This software is not meant to be used by product houses because it is designed in such a way that you can manage small projects.

The best part about this software is that it is compatible with AVI, ASF, DVD compatible MPEG files and MP4 formats. If you are a beginner and want to improve your video editing skills, then this software will be best for you to start. And if you are not able to create any video with this software, then essence studio is here to produce the qualitative videos in no time.

‍

Specifications:

• Designed for encoding, cutting, and filtering
• Very simple software for beginners.
• User-friendly interface

‍

Pros:

• Solid encoding option
• No need to read technical docs in order to run it
• Free of cost
• Easy to use

‍

Cons:

• Don’t include advanced features for professionals
• Less attracts as compared to other
• Limited functionality

‍

Compatible with:

• Linux
• BSD
• MAC OS X
• Microsoft windows

‍

13. HitFilm Express

‍Hitfilm express is a fully professional grade video editing software that comes with full 2D and 3D compositing, free video tutorials and projects,  410+ effects and presets, unlimited tracks and transitions, and many more. This software includes a playback feature that can be set as per custom choice. It is one of the best all-around free video editors out there. But due to the difficulty in navigating the interface, many users find it difficult and advanced.

Another strong feature is the layout panel, which is completely customizable and with the help of these features, a user can focus on required tools and create the best video. Let us tell you that when you download this software, then before downloading it will ask you to share a status update on all the social media platforms. As we have seen the features of this software, we find this an advanced software which requires less money in front of the features offered.

‍

Specifications:

• Provides unlimited tracks to assemble video clips
• Inside this, there is a track panel to control 2D tracking
• Advanced cutting tools
• 3D video support

‍

Pros:

• Ideal for professionals
• Packed with lots of features
• Truly professional video editing software without any price tag
• A wide spectrum of transitions and video effects

‍

Cons:

• Difficult for beginners
• May consume time to learn interface
• Limited features while exporting video files
• Not for Linux users

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• macOS

‍

14. OpenShot

‍OpenShot is another open-source video editing software that offers a wide range of useful features such as trimming, video transitions, and unlimited layers and slicing. It is the best free video editing software having an interface of drag and drop. Due to this, beginners can also operate it easily. This software is similar to iMovie but contains more features. Not only this, but the software is continuously updated in order to bring you smooth performance and new features.

This software has a wide range of options for animation, video effects, and keyframes. Not only this, but it also allows real-time previews when you create transitions and audio effects between clips in order to help you in making videos simple. The best part about this software is that it offers you unlimited video tracks in the timeline. Not only this, but it also includes more than 70 languages.

‍

Specifications:

• Variety of features for the animation, video effects and keyframes.
• Compositing, watermarks, image overlays.
• Advanced Timeline
• Free yet powerful

‍

Pros:

• Easy to operate for beginners
• Unlimited layers
• Open source and best for beginners to enhance their video editing skills.

‍

Cons:

• Sometimes software get lags
• Need to install add-ons

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• Linux
• macOS

‍

15. DaVinci Resolve

‍DaVinci Resolve is arguably the most advanced and latest software for video editing. It was incepted as a tool that was used for color correction but transformed itself into a complete video editor. It is an easy video editing software with the help of which you can apply transformations, color grades, blend modes and many more things in your video.

This software is designed to give each user a chance to generate and manage their own cache files and help these users to optimize the performance of their system. Along with this, this software provides you the option to add 2D and 3D titles to your video and also provides a timeline of multiple tracks along with shortcuts on the keyboard, which are customizable as well.

‍

It is the best video editing software that comes with a collection of 500 royalty-free Foley sounds and with the best color correction tools. But if you are still not able to learn it, then you can hire the best 2D animation production company i.e. essence studio.

‍

Specifications:

• Audio mastering and Multicam editing
• Allows you to collaborate remotely with other people.
• Dual timeline
• Allows you to create a timeline with different frame rates.

‍

Pros:

• Built for professionals
• Incredible color correction tools
• Fully packed with features

‍

Cons:

• A wide variety of features makes this software overwhelming.
• Not appropriate for beginners

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• macOS

‍

16. VSDC

VSDC is an open source best free video editing software having a powerful set of features including color correction and audio editing. This software is developed to offer a comfortable experience of editing to the users so that anyone can adore creative projects. The best part about this software is that it is compatible with almost all video formats and codecs.

In this software, you can put your clips in the timeline in the way you want. Also, you can render your videos for different platforms such as Youtube, Facebook and Instagram. Let us tell you one important thing about this software i.e. the pro version costs $19.99 and in case if you choose not to update to the pro version, then technical support costs $9.99 for one month or $14.99 for a year.

‍

Specifications:

• Color correction, visual and audio effects, blending modes and filters
• Built-in video converter tools to freely convert audio/video format to another format.
• Availability of Instagram-like filters that help beginners save time editing
• The free version has a powerful set of features

‍

Pros:

• Easy to use for regular video editing
• Variety of powerful features
• Straightforward to learn for beginners too

‍

Cons:

• For Windows only
• Technical support is paid
• Sometimes the free version lags

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows

‍

17. Kdenlive

‍Kdenlive is one the best video editing tools that works on an open-source platform and is developed for the platform of Linux and it also works on MacOS as well. This tool merges the simplicity of beginners with advanced video editing software frequently used by experts. It provides robust features that include editing of the multi-tracks and also, it incorporates all types of audio types, transitions, keyframe effects, and many more.

Moreover, it includes a multi-track timeline to use due to which you can easily import different audio and video in the timeline. Let us tell you an important thing about this software i.e. it does not have a support team due to which you won’t get answered sometimes.

‍

Specifications:

• No chaos is created on a missing file as Kdenlive can back up your file automatically.
• Robust features

‍

Pros:

• Packed with features
• Ideal for professionals
• Allows you to extend your capability with free add-ons.

‍

Cons:

• Not for windows
• No technical support
• Difficult for beginners

‍

Compatible with:

• Linux
• macOS

‍

18. InVideo

InVideo is a perfect online video editing software for beginners or marketers that helps you to transform your content into great videos. In this software, you are gifted with more than 1500 templates to make your process of video creation simpler and effective. Users love and appreciate this software for its amazing UX, customer service, value for money, and of course, its features. Plus, it allows you to convert your article or blog to an engaging video.

Specifications:

• 1500+ premium video templates
• Enables you to automated text to Speech
• In a free plan, it can create 6 videos to the max
• Support HD resolution
• Allows you to create logo on existing launch

‍

Pros:

• Convert your article to an engaging video
• Easy to operate for beginners
• Easily make quick presentation videos.

‍

Cons:

• Not an all-in-one video editor
• Limited features for professionals
• Cannot add more than one audio file

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows
• MacOS

19. Kapwing

Kapwing is another best video editing software that allows you to upload, edit, and share the file with a team. This software has enough features to give you the best type of videos for your needs. The best part about this software is that there will be no watermark on the exported video if you have signed in before creating any video.

Moreover, it offers different editing tools for video such as a video resizer, video trimmer, video maker and a lot more. It is a collaborative video editing platform for creating images, GIFs and videos. Plus, you can easily collaborate with the co-editors on your project. This software also enables you to create a base for the final video aspect ratio to 1:1, 4:5, 9:16, 5:4, 16:9 which fits almost all types of sizes of the videos.

‍

Specifications:

• Collaborate in real time
• Works on every OS
• Perfect software for every use case

‍

Pros:

• No watermarks on the free version
• No limit on free plan lifespan

‍

Cons:

• Duration of video is limited to 10 minutes
• Content saved expire after 7 days

‍

Compatible with:

• Windows

‍

20. Moovly

Moovly is one of the best free video editing software that enables the editor to build videos to engage the audience with the help of an intense library having media objects in a bulk quantity. This software comes with a health library of video templates, sounds, images, music and motion graphics, the ability to animate characters, drag-and-drop functionality, and add text and synchronize sounds.

This software is designed to make your marketing team’s life easier as it provides amazing features and shines through its look and feel.

Specifications:

• Interface of drag and drop
• HTML5 Technology.
• Create and save templates
• Facility of converting text to audio

Pros:

• Easy to operate
• Ideal for marketing teams

Cons:

• The maximum length of the video is 2 minutes
• Can only publish videos in SD 480p

Compatible with:

• Linux
• macOS
• Windows

‍

These are some of the best video editing software that one can use to make the best videos for personal and professional use. But if you find any difficulty in making videos or looking for some professional services, then Essence Studio is going to be the best solution for you. 

‍

Whether it is a 2D animation storyboard, or whiteboard videos or any other video, we provide you the best video productions that fulfill all your needs. We are just a call away from you and our team of experts will assist you in fulfilling your requirements.

‍

FAQ

‍

1.What is the best video editing software?

• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Blender
• Pinnacle Studio
• HitFilm Express

‍

2. What is the best free video editing software?

• OpenShot
• iMovie
• Lightworks
• DaVinci Resolve

‍

3. If you need to correct colors, then which video editing software is best for you?

• DaVinci Resolve

‍

4. What is the best video editing software for beginners?

• Pinnacle Studio
• HitFilm Express
• iMovie
• Blender

‍

5. For uploading vlogs to YouTube, what video editing software is best?

• HitFilm Express

‍

6. What is the best free video editing software?

• OpenShot
• iMovie
• Lightworks
• DaVinci Resolve

‍