Good video editing software can help you showcase your products from every angle by producing professional promos for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, 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.
Premiere Pro: The best video editing software overall
If it’s a free trial you’re after, then you can try Premiere Pro for nothing for seven days. Adobe’s Premiere Pro is industry standard, works on both PC and Mac, and offers everything you need.
DaVinci Resolve
Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
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. The app also gives you the option 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.
DiVinci Resolve’s features include:
- Advanced trimming
- Multicam editing
- Color correction
- Audio mastering
Pros: Intuitive interfaces and incredible color 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 colors.
Adobe Premiere Elements: the best option for beginners
If you’re new to video editing, you might want to start with Adobe Premiere Elements, a simplified version of Premiere Pro that’s also cheaper, and currently has a 30-day free trial.
Openshot
Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Openshot is entirely open source, which makes it one of the best video editing software that is accessible.
It may remind some Mac users a little of iMovie with its easy to use drag and drop interface. However, Openshot packs more features than iMovie, including unlimited layers and audio mixing.
This free editor strikes a nice balance between advanced features and a simple interface. It also allows real-time previews when you create transitions between clips.
Openshot’s features include:
- Unlimited tracks/layers
- Clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, rotation, and cutting video transitions with real-time previews
- Compositing, image overlays, watermarks
- Title templates, title creation, subtitles 3D animated titles (and effects)
- Advanced Timeline (including drag & drop, scrolling, panning, zooming, and snapping)
Pros: Open source, unlimited layers.
Cons: Not that many video tutorials.
Best for: Great for users just starting out with video editing.
Kinemaster
If you think professional video editing on your smartphone or tablet requires paid-for software, think again. KineMaster is available for Android devices, iPhones and iPads, and goes way above and beyond what you’d expect from a free mobile app.
Kinemaster has a smart and easy-to-use interface that’s both intuitive and lag-free. Features includes the ability to edit multiple layers, add handwriting and text annotations, experiment with up to four audio tracks, and precisely edit at frame and sub-frame level.
The catch is that you’ll get watermarks on your videos. If you want to remove them, you’ll need to subscribe to the premium version at (a still reasonable) $4.99/month or $39.99/year.
Avidemux
Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Avidemux’s simple interface makes it one of the best editing software for beginners looking to make enticing video content.. 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.
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
InVideo
Available on Windows and Mac
This online video editing tool is great for marketers, publishers, individuals and agencies alike. With support for intelligent frames, automated voice overs, and much more, this desktop-compatible 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 alike. It is deceptively simple to use, and has amazing flexibility.
Invideo’s features include:
- Audio Tools
- Brand/Text Overlay
- Collaboration
- Speed Adjustment
- Split / Merge
- Supports HD Resolution
- Video Stabilization
Pros: Awesome for creating quick presentation videos.
Cons: It is not an all-in-one, 360 video editor. You cannot add more than one audio file, etc.
Best for: Creating marketing videos or listicles for your blog.
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.
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
iMovie
Available on Mac
Good old iMovie comes baked into Mac OS. Like most native Mac apps, this video editor is very intuitive to use.
iMovie’s drag and drop interface makes it quick to move and edit video elements. Mac users can use this editing software as a playground for learning the basics of video editing. iMovie’s features include:
- 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.
VSDC Free Video Editor
Best free video editing software for Windows only
VSDC’s desktop video editing software is available as both a free and 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
Machete Video Editor Lite
Available on Windows.
Machete Lite is the best free video editor for doing quick editing tasks on a Windows computer. In the free version, you cannot edit audio, but you can remove audio tracks. Also, the free version only supports AVI and WMV files.
Machete Video Editor Lite’s features include:
- Copy, cut, paste, and delete video file fragments
- Integrate one video into another of the same format
- Edit metadata (file tags) for all compatible media formats
- Extract video stream as an individual file
The full version costs $19.95, and it allows you to edit audio and supports more file types.
Pros: Super simple to learn and use.
Cons: Windows only; does not support as many file types as other programs; no audio editing.
Best for: Simple video splicing.
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
Available for: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Free
VideoPad
Available on Windows
VideoPad is one of the best video editing tools to take your first steps into the world of multimedia video editing. It’s perfect for anyone starting to play around with video compositions as it is simple and easy to use. Advanced video editors may find it too basic though.
VideoPad’s features include:
- Library of pre-made transitions
- Export Movies In Multiple Resolutions
- 3D Video Editing
- Reduce Camera Shakes
- Sound Effects Library
Pros: Robust features for directly exporting to YouTube and other social platforms.
Cons: Too simple for more advanced users.
Best for: Beginners getting started with video editing.
Movie Maker 10
Best free video editing software for Windows 10
Movie Maker 10 is a convenient video editing software for Windows for people looking to go back to basics. It’s great for making quick edits to short video clips you need ready right away.
Movie Maker 10 comes with a free version that includes its suite of video and picture editing tools as well as the ability to add captions with customizable fonts and colors.
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
Available for: Windows
Price: Free
Freemake Video Converter
Available on Windows
Freemake is a free video converter that can modify and convert videos, extract audio from video clips, and embed videos to websites. Simple and fast, Freemake allows you to convert video clips to be played on various mobile devices and gadgets.
The software can convert videos between more than 500 video file formats and supports multiple audio and image file formats for creating slideshows and video clips.
Freemake’s features include:
- Convert Videos Fast And Simple
- Convert Movies With Subtitles
- Convert Between 500+ Formats
- Cut, Join, And Rotate Clips
- 4K resolution support
Pros: No specialist knowledge required.
Cons: When you first install some features are locked for three days.
Best for: Converting videos into a myriad to file formats.
Vimeo Create
Best AI video editing software app
Vimeo Create, a free video editing app 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 YouTube channel for your business 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 1000 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. Plus, 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.
EaseUS Video Editor
Available on Windows
EaseUS is a simple and effective video editing tool, perfect for beginners and professionals alike.
It comes with features that allow you to make enticing videos to share on digital pages. You can trim MP3s, add effects, and even apply pre-made templates to your videos.
The EaseUS video editor can also be a handy special effects editor, allowing you to quickly add transitions, overlays, and filters to your clips for artistic purposes.
And because the free video editing software supports most audio, video, and image formats, you should have no problem importing and exporting files.
You’ll need the premium version of the software to remove the video watermark and access the widest selection of high-quality video services.
Features include:
- Access to various file formats, including MP3 and MP4
- Conversion files in the wrong format
- Excellent range of trimming, merging, rotating, mixing, and splitting features
- Plenty of special effects, filters, and overlays
- Templates to assist you in building your own videos from scratch
Pros: Ideal for adding special effects to your videos with minimal background knowledge.
Cons: Doesn’t have as many advanced features as other free video editors.
Best for: Adding filters and effects to your videos.
Blender
Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
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. The tool was actually designed as a 3D animation suite, but it does come with a very good video editor app. 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. You can also use it to carry out more complex tasks like video masking. This makes it a very flexible video editor that 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.
Conclusion
Use the free video editing software in this list to start creating stunning videos today. Boost your ROI and maximize your ad spend by creating product videos and ads that present your brand in a visually appealing way.