The Best Free Video Editing Software for Any Platform

Here, we'll go over the best free video editors on both desktop and mobile devices.

A stunning video can help capture your audience's attention, attract new viewers, and boost your reputation. Using the right video editing software can help you create outstanding videos to bring your content to the next level.

Whether you use a desktop or mobile device, you can edit your videos using free video editing software. Free programs are ideal if you want to edit videos on a budget, or learn the basics of video editing, like adding subtitles and trimming a video clip before making a bigger investment.

Here's our choice for the best free video editing software for both desktop and mobile devices.

The Best Free Video Editing Software for Desktop

Desktop programs typically have more editing tools and functionalities than mobile apps. For example, you can use desktop-based apps to make advanced video edits to long-form content. Here are the best free video editing software for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

1. HitFilm Express

HitFilm Express is one of the best all-in-one free video editors, and supports both Windows and Mac. The professional video editor has many flashy effects and a huge library of engaging tutorials.

The software supports trimming, auto-editing, layering, and masking. Some of its other features include 360-degree video editing, full 2D and 3D compositing, drag and drop special effects, and a built-in voice recorder.

It also comes with a crop and pan tool, several transition options, and more than 400 unique effects. Plus, there's a search tool you can use to quickly find a feature you need.

Other features include a color picker to adjust colors selectively, motion tracking to save editing time, and an auto-stabilizer to make shaky footage appear smooth.

The app also includes a wide range of enhancements, like custom light flare effects. You can even use it to create your own lightsaber battles! HitFilm Express supports up to 4K resolution, Dolby AC3 audio, and GPU-accelerated decoding.

While the video editing software is free, you can add more functionality by purchasing add-ons, starting from around $10. These include tools such as Doppler Shift, advanced color-grading, and noise reduction.

Note that its many features can make the learning curve a little steeper. The good thing is that the HitFilm Express team provides many tutorials on how to use it.

Download: Hitfilm Express for Windows and Mac (Free, premium version available)

2. Blender

Blender is an open-source 3D creation suite with a functional video editor. The software is ideal for more advanced projects that involve sculpting and animation. It’s also a great video editor for YouTube.

The professional video editing software has a path-tracer tool for realistic rendering of animations. It also includes advanced rendering processes that help speed up the video saving and exporting process.

You can use Blender to make complex edits, like video masking, or perform simple tasks, like cutting and splicing clips. This makes it a great choice for both beginners and advanced users.

Blender has more than 20 slots to add video, audio, and images. It also includes a huge library of visual effects and vignettes you can use to enhance your video's look and feel.

Download: Blender for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Free)

3. Lightworks

Lightworks is a powerful video editor with many advanced features, and has even been used to produce blockbuster films like The Wolf of Wallstreet and Hugo.

The freemium editing software has an intuitive interface and makes editing easy. It supports multi-cam editing, high-precision trimming, and professional-level color correction.

The program comes with social media templates, GPU-accelerated real-time effects, and an option to tweak editing permissions for different users. It also provides royalty-free audio and video for use in your videos.

The free version supports a wide range of video formats, and exports MPEG-4 files with a resolution of up to 720p. You'll get 4K video support with one of the three premium plans:

• Lightworks Pro Monthly: $23.99/month
• Lightworks Pro Yearly: $239.99/year
• Lightworks Pro Outright: $389.99 for life

Some users find Lightworks somewhat advanced, but its detailed video tutorials on YouTube and active forums can make it easy to start using.

Download: Lightworks for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Free, premium version available)

The Best Free Video Editing Software for Mobile Devices

There are many apps for mobile devices that allow you to edit videos on the move. Here are some of the best free video editing apps you can use to create attractive videos on your Android or iOS device.

4. FilmoraGo

Image Gallery (3 Images)

FilmoraGo is an easy-to-learn and straightforward app with a broad spectrum of tools. The desktop version of Filmora is one of the best video editors for kids.

You can use the mobile app to split footage, trim clips, and add transitions between clips. It has an array of themed templates in different categories, like food, fashion, and travel. You can also customize the aspect ratio of your video.

The app lets you add text and titles to your clips, control the speed of your content, as well as reverse your videos. You can also add filters, stickers, overlay themes, and audio.

With the software, you can record your voice from your mobile device, use royalty-free music, or import music from your device's library. Some other cool features FilmoraGo offers are its color tuning tools and audio mixer that you can use to customize your video further.

Download: FilmoraGo for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. KineMaster

KineMaster is a feature-packed video editing software. It has several helpful features, like audio mixing and precise color adjustments.

With KineMaster, you can add multiple layers of videos, text, effects, and multi-track audio. You can also add sound effects and music to your video, or even record audio to add to your footage.

The easy-to-use mobile app lets you trim, split and control the speed of your videos. You can also preview your project instantly and share your video on social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

Download: KineMaster for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)

Make Your Videos Stand Out

If you're thinking about creating a video, be sure to edit it with one of the above best free video editing software. You can use all of these programs to reliably edit your videos, and make them look attractive and professional.

About The Author

Denis Manyinsa (23 Articles Published)

Denis is a tech writer at MakeUseOf. He especially enjoys writing about Android and has an obvious passion for Windows. His mission is to make your mobile devices and software easier to use. Denis is a former loan officer who loves dancing!

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