5 BEST FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE FOR CREATORS 2022

 The best free video editing software lets you create Hollywood-level videos without breaking the bank.

Are you in the market for free video editing software?

Perhaps you're a beginner wanting to test the waters before you invest in expensive software. Or maybe you want to utilize professional-level tools and effects without paying for pricey programs like Premiere Pro.

Editing videos has become a popular hobby and career for many. As a result, lots of free programs have begun to hit the market.

However, free video editing programs can be hit-or-miss: some offer only basic-level features before roping you into a costly subscription, while others provide the same or better tools than paid programs.

1. Power Director Essential

Best free video editing software overall

Free version: Power Director Essential is a free editing suite with all the basic and advanced features you'll need to create a professional video.

Pros:

• Simple, easy-to-navigate audio and video editing
• A wide selection of essential editing tools
• Several choices of editing style
• Designed for all experience levels, beginner to professional

Cons:

• Exported videos include a watermark
• Limited free export formats

If you're new to the video editing world, you will appreciate the comprehensive free features that Power Director Essential offers.

This free version introduces you to the mechanics of the program, letting you dive into its fundamental video editing tools, effects, and transitions without paying for the advanced features. You'll find that the free version of PowerDirector suits all your everyday video editing needs.

However, if you are looking for something extra, the premium version is an affordable alternative. PowerDirector is a long-time winner of the prestigious PC Magazine Editors' Choice award and comes highly recommended by TechRadar Pro. It includes professional tools that don't break the bank but can turn your videos into Hollywood-level works of art.

The free version of PowerDirector includes features such as:

• Storyboard, Timeline, and Slideshow interfaces
• Access to Cyberlink’s tutorials
• Speed Controls
• Chroma Key
• Masks and Blending Modes
• Special effects
• Overlays
• Titles
• Transition

2. DaVinci Resolve

Best free video editing software for experts and professionals

Free version: Free download on the website

Pros:

• Intelligent color correction
• Multi-user collaboration
• Quality post-production audio tools

Cons:

• Requires time to learn
• Needs a powerful computer to run

DaVinci Resolve is a clean, intuitive program that you would never guess is free. It offers a wide range of advanced features, including intelligent color-correction tools that let you edit skin tones, eye color, and lip color at the touch of a button, along with quality audio-editing software.

DaVinci features:

• Fair light audio editing tools
• Color correction
• Motion graphics

3. Movie Maker Online

Best free video editing software for online use

Free version: Free online

Pros:

• Access from any computer
• Automated features
• Library of songs to use

Cons:

• Includes ads
• Unusual interface

One of the biggest perks of Movie Maker Online is right in the name: unlike other editors in this list, Movie Maker runs in your browser. You can edit videos through the program on any desktop device and pick up where you left off at any time.

Movie Maker is also the best video editor for laptop use, as it doesn't have a RAM requirement or a specific operating system to run.

Movie Maker Online features:

• Royalty-free content
• Variety of editing tools

4. Lightworks

Great free video editing for professionals

Free version: Features a wide range of tools and effects

Pros:

• Professional-level editing
• Access to tutorials

Cons:

• No 4K export with the free version
• Tricky to master

If you're looking for a free program that professionals use, Lightworks is one of your best options. It has been around for years and the professional edition was used to edit box office hits like Pulp Fiction, 28 Days Later, and Congo. If you're willing to put in the work to learn this software it's a great choice.

Lightworks features:

• High precision video trimming
• Export to 720p
• Multicam support

5. Shotcut

Free video editing software for intermediate editors

Free version: Free download on the website

Pros:

• Multi-platform compatibility
• Open-source program

Cons:

• Little support for advanced projects
• An unusual interface that takes time to learn

For editors who have moved on from base-level editing software like Movie Maker, Shotcut is an excellent next step. This program is open source, so once you download it, you will have access to all of its features and can customize your interface to your liking. Shotcut offers advanced effects and filters that will help you produce a high-quality video for free.

Shotcut features:

• 4K HD resolution
• Timeline editing
• Video and audio editing