THE BEST VIDEO EDITING APPS ON PC, PHONE AND TABLET

The following list of the best video editing software is desktop based, and offered for free. Desktop applications typically have more editing power than mobile apps. Use these video editors when you need to produce longer-form content for YouTube or your website. All of these video editors are either entirely free to use or have an excellent free version. This video software ranges from basic to advance.

1.    DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is arguably the most advanced video editor on the list. While it has many professional video features, its interfaces remain intuitive. Alongside video slicing and trimming you can master audio and correct color. You can also use it to add 2D and 3D titles to your video. If you just want to trim and upload your videos, the rich feature set of DaVinci Resolve may be too extensive. However, if your video project is a little more advanced, the free version of this software is hard to beat.

Features included:

• Advanced trimming
• Multicam editing
• Colour correction
• Audio mastering

Pros: Intuitive interfaces and incredible colour correction.

Cons: Its wide array of features make it a little overwhelming, and not all tutorials are free.

Best for: More advanced projects where you need to correct colours.

DaVinci Resolve Reviews: Check out DaVinci Resolve user reviews

2.    Avidemux

Avidemux is one of the best video editing software for beginners as the interface is very simple to use. This program can help you to perform basic tasks including:

• Simple cutting
• Encoding
• Filtering

If you are completely new to video editing, this might be a good place to start.

Pros: Very simple software; no need to read technical docs.

Cons: Not as many features as other video editors.

Best for: Basic editing tasks for beginners.

Avidemux Reviews: Check out Avidemux user reviews

3.    HitFilm Express

HitFilm Express is one of the more professional video editors to make the list. It contains all the features you would expect from a basic editor (splicing, trimming, and audio editing) plus much more. While some users may find HitFilm a little advanced, it’s certainly one of the best all round free video editors out there. The free package includes over 180 special effects.

The tutorials are mainly based on well-known Hollywood movies like Star Wars, but these are very interactive and engaging.

Before you can download this software, Hitfilm asks you to share a status update on social media. However, this is a very small price to pay for such advanced software. Finally, Hitfilm includes a store where you can purchase add-ons, but this is beyond the scope of most users, as the free feature set should be more than enough.

Features included:

• Advanced cutting tools
• Keying for green screen effects
• Audio and video filters
• Compositing tools
• Layers and masking
• 3D video support

Pros: Truly professional video editor without the price tag.

Cons: May take some time to learn the interface.

Best for: YouTuber Vlogs – YouTube uploading is built in.

HitFilm Express Reviews: Check out HitFilm Express user reviews

4.    InVideo

This slick video editing tool is great for marketers, publishers, individuals and agencies alike. With support for video stabilization, team collaboration, and much more this software is best in class for many different reasons. Users praise this video editing software for it’s amazing customer service, UX, value for money, and of course it’s features. 

With new high-quality video templates added most months, this tool is good for beginner and seasoned video editors. It is deceptive simple to use, and has amazing flexibility. 

Features include:

• Audio Tools
• Brand/Text Overlay
• Collaboration
• Speed Adjustment
• Split / Merge
• Supports HD Resolution
• Video Stabilization

Pros: Awesome to easily make quick presentation videos.

Cons: It is not an all-in-one video editor, as you cannot add more than one audio file, etc.

Best for: Creating marketing videos or listicles for your blog.

InVideo Reviews: Check out InVideo user reviews

5.     iMovie

Good old iMovie comes baked into Mac OS. Like most native Mac apps, this video editor is very intuitive to use. It features a drag and drop interface. Mac users can use iMovie as a playground for learning the basics of video editing. Once you are up to speed, you may find that alternative video editing software in this list may better suit your needs.

Features included:

• Library of pre-made transitions
• Video trimming
• Audio editing
• Split screen
• 4K resolution support

Pros: Easy to learn.

Cons: Advanced users may find features a little limited; import and render times can be a little slow.

Best for: Mac users getting started with video editing.

iMovie Reviews: Check out iMovie user reviews

6.    Blender

Blender, one of the best free video editing software on the market, is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Blender is an open source program that is entirely free to use. Blender was actually designed as a 3D animation suite, but it does come with a very useful video editor. Blender’s video editor should be enough for most of your video needs.

The editor allows you to perform basic actions like video cuts and splicing. It also allows you to carry out more complex tasks like video masking. This makes it a very flexible video editor and caters to both beginner and advanced users.

The Blender Video Editor includes the following features:

• Live preview, luma waveform, chroma vectorscope, and histogram displays.
• Audio mixing, syncing, scrubbing, and waveform visualization.
• Up to 32 slots for adding video, images, audio, and effects.
• Speed control, adjustment layers, transitions, keyframes, filters, and more.

Pros: Perfect for advanced users who are not put off by all the features.

Cons: The sheer array of features make the learning curve a little steeper. Most of the tutorials are focused on the 3D animation/modeling side. The resources to help you with the video editor are very limited.

Best for: More advanced projects that may involve 3D animation.

Blender Reviews: Check out Blender user reviews

7.    Lightworks

Lightworks is another great free video editing software, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Lightworks is one of the more powerful video editors on the list. It’s absolutely packed with useful features. The free version should be more than enough for most users. The pro version costs around $25 a month.

This video editor includes the following in the free version:

• High precision video trimming.
• Multicam support.
• Export to 720p for YouTube.
• A wide range of video formats supported.

While most features are included, 4K video support for YouTube and Vimeo is only included in the paid version of the software. Compared to Blender, for example, Lightworks has many great video tutorials which can make it quicker to get up and running. Check out this feature comparison to make sure the free version has what you need.

Pros: Very powerful video editor with many advanced features.

Cons: 4K video support only in paid version. Some users may find Lightworks too advanced.

Best for: All round desktop video editing.

Lightworks Reviews: Check out Lightworks user reviews