It is often believed that Apple has forged together a mighty fortress around its products be it the Macbook, iPhone or iPad insofar as tackling the influx of freeware is concerned. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t come across a reliable software that is not paid on OS X. The predicament is also true for video editing programs. After all, there are hundreds of programs clamouring for the coveted spot of the best free video editing software for Mac. In such a scenario, how does one expect to come across a formidable video editing program that can be used for crafting videos for YouTube? By going through our roundup of the best free video editing software for Mac, of course!
Another video editing software program for both Windows and Mac is VideoPad, from NCH Software. It's free for non-commercial use. It supports drag-and-drop, effects, transitions, 3D video editing, text and caption overlay, video stabilization, easy narration, free built-in sound effects, and color control. Here's the best free software that can handle most (or all) of what paid software packages can accomplish. There's no reason to spend a fortune on video-editing software for your Mac or PC. Best Video Editing Software Mac of 2018: Free Edit Video on Mac Mojave, EI Capitan, Yosemite Get full reviews of best Video Editing software for Mac because of today; many people want best and intelligent software which can fulfill their expectations without the damaging system. # 1 Free Video Editing Software for Mac - iMovie. IMovie is a video editing software developed by Apple Company for Mac and iOS devices. Originally released in 1999 as an application for Mac OS 8, and now the latest version is iMovie 11. HyperEngine-AV is the best free video editing tool specially made for Mac. The software is capable of performing a bundle of activities like organizing video, edit, export video, and audio, creating the slideshow and much more.
These free video editors that we managed to scour on the internet are all adept in one way or the other. Some of them are open-source, while some run across platforms. Without further ado, let’s get started-:
An open-source Mac video editing program, Kdenlive or KDE Non-linear video editor is based on MLT Framework which harps on flexibility and ease of use for users. Since Kdenlive is a non-linear video editor, you can always revert to your previous settings. Compared with other video editors on the market, this brilliant software is renowned for supporting all sorts of output and input formats including the likes of AVI, FlashVideo, WMV, MPEG and QuickTime.
It also packs a resplendent set of plugin effects for video and audio processing. Moreover, Kdenlive brings to the forefront a powerful titling tool that can be harnessed by both advanced as well as beginner users.
Interestingly, it also supports 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios for NTSC, PAL, and some HD standards including HDV and AVCHD. In fact, Kdenlive gives enough leeway to users for ripping videos on a DVD via its smooth and simple menu. So much so, you would be glad to know that it can export videos to any DV device as well.
If you are on the lookout for a no-frills attached video editor with absolutely no knick-knacks on its UI, then Avidemux is highly recommended. Not only is Avidemux intrinsically designed for some great filtering, encoding and simple cutting tasks, but it is available across platforms such as Microsoft Windows, Linux and BSD. The novelty factor that injects Avidemux into our list of the best free video editing software for Mac is its high compatibility with hordes of input/output video formats.
For instance, Avidemux supports a variety of video, photo and audio formats that are all DVD compatible such as ASF, AVI, MOV, MPEG, MP4, AAC, AC3, JPG, et al.
Much on the lines of Avidemux, Blender too is available across platforms such as Windows, GNU/Linux, OpenBSD and FreeBSD. Its USP lies in being a free 3D graphics application that can be used for rigging, texturing, skinning, modeling, animating, UV unwrapping, rendering, adding water and smoke simulations, et al. to name a few.
Blender is also a non-linear video editor so you can go back and forth through your edits seamlessly. What’s more, it sports a barrage of features such as particle simulations, visual effects, compositing, video game templates, interactive 3D applications, and some great animated filters. If you are an advanced video editing enthusiast, then Blender packs all the right punches and is definitely one of the best free video editing software for Mac to go after.
Overall, with a ton of advanced features including modifier-based modeling tools, character animation tools, Python for embedded scripting, and a node-based material, Blender is indeed a powerhouse of video editing on Mac.
Another open-source entity, OpenShot Video Editor like most of its ilk is incredibly simple and makes video editing nuances easy and quick for beginner users to learn. Despite being a powerful cross-platform software which also runs on Windows, and Linux, OpenShot Video Editor packs an array of rich features such as 3D animations, slow motion and other time effects, to name a few.
For those who work for hours on end splicing up videos, you would be delighted to know that OpenShot supports unlimited tracks on its dashboard with sublime trim and slice capabilities. Not to mention, users can make use of its rich animation framework to bounce, slide, fade, and animate elements. Also, there are tons of video titles and effects to choose from, all of which make OpenShot a paradise for slick video editing.
Shotcut is a robust open-source video editor that can deliver impressive results on the lines of OpenShot. In fact, it is replete with loads of dazzling features that are well complemented by an immersive and great-looking interface which resembles a top-notch paid video editing program more than a free open-source software.
Moreover, it also supports a wide range of video files and output/input formats including 4K video. But, Shotcut’s USP lies in being the best free video editing software for Mac users who work extensively with audio files and use audio effects frequently. Nevertheless, this free video editing software also packs some impressive video effects including compositing and transitions.
Without a doubt one of the most powerful video editors in the game right now, Lightworks includes some snazzy goodies such as multi-cam editing, titling, video effects, etc. complemented by a multi-layered timeline approach and non-linear editing. Remember, timeline style of editing offers more control to snip away at videos and it is something one would expect from a comprehensive editor like Lightworks. In fact, you can create some incredibly polished video content via over 100 effects available on Lightworks timeline and avail stock audio/videos from Audio Network and Pond5.
Also, you can even render or export your project in 720p output to YouTube and 1080p output to Vimeo. Moreover, with a vast toolkit at the helm, Lightworks is ideal for intermediate users who want to get the most of out a free video editor.
If you are seeking a full-fledged video editing program that dons many hats, then HyperEngine-AV is one of the best free video editing software for Mac users. Powered by twelve studio-quality effects from Arboretum’s Hyperprism audio processors, HyperEngine-AV is a hyper beast, literally. Of course, it can do all the basic video editing stuff such as capture, organize, edit, process, and render video/audio/text for creating high-definition DVD quality movies and even create slideshows.
What’s more, it offers some sublime text features for displaying opening/ending credits, karaoke lyrics and section titles with proper scroll direction, alignment and editable font, style, colour, and size.
A staple of Mac computers, iMovie comes bundled with every new Mac OS X and is absolutely free. Its latest iteration, iMovie 11 sets the bar higher and comes loaded with some great features such as audio editing, one step effects and movie trailer, etc. Always renowned for its social media integration, iMovie lets you share your edited movies to YouTube or export videos to your iPhone, iPad, in just a few steps.
But, bear in mind iMovie is exclusively free if only you buy a new Mac. That being said, iMovie is still considered as one of the best free video editing software for Mac users and enjoys a good reputation.
What would a list of the best free video editing software for Mac be without mentioning Da Vinci Resolve? Bolstered by the same high-quality image processing abilities as its premium version, the free version of Da Vinci Resolve is a powerful video editor boasting some of the finest colour correction capabilities that are hard to find in other free or premium programs. So much so, it works seamlessly with external hardware panels to pave the way for faster editing.
Moreover, Da Vinci Resolve can output in SD, HD and Ultra HD video quality, which is enough to satiate most users. However, professional users might feel disappointed with limitations on some advanced grading and tracking tools.
SEE ALSO: Best Video Editing Software for Beginners
Don’t mistake it for VLC Media Player, which is a video player/converter. Although, VideoLan Movie Creator is also developed by VideoLan Organization for playing videos and some media formats. But, it is a great stepping stone for beginners who are just learning the tricks of video editing and starting to explore movie creation.
Not only does VideoLan Movie Creator provide convenience for creating movies thanks to its simple and easy-to-use interface, but also churns out videos in high quality. However, there is one slight glitch. Some users have experienced issues pertaining to sudden crashes while running this program.
And…that’s a wrap! So, did you like our roundup of the best free video editing software for Mac? Did we miss out on any good editing software that you know of? Sound off in the comments.
SEE ALSO: Best Free Screen Recorders for Mac
SEE ALSO: Best Free Video Converters for Mac
Best Overall
HitFilm Express
Balancing creativity, ease of use and performance is a trade-off, but HitFilm remains an inspired software package brimming with features, and paired with a dynamic website offering an abundance of fun, funky training videos.
Best for Mac UsersApple iMovie 10.1.8
iMovie is the ultimate Mac video app for novice filmmakers, combining professional trailers and themes, abundant special effects, and an easy-to-learn interface.
Best for Beginners/Social MediaVideoPad
Beginners looking for a free app to quickly edit and output a movie to YouTube or other social networks should check out VideoPad.
Unless you're editing the next Star Wars trilogy, there's no reason to spend a fortune—or anything, for that matter—on video editing software for your Mac or PC. While there are many reasonably priced video-editing suites, going for less than $100, completely free or freemium editing packages can accomplish most or all of what some of the paid software packages can do.
After testing numerous suites, our favorite free video editing software is HitFilm Express for its lavish cinematic capabilities and high-powered interface. Our favorite video editor for Mac owners, Apple's iMovie, is a no-brainer choice, because of its macOS integration, top-notch output, professional themes and trailers, and support for professional shooting and editing techniques.
Best Overall
HitFilm Express
Reasons to Buy
Playback options that speed up editing
Flexible and intuitive export features
Many new features derived from the $299 Pro version
Reasons to Avoid
Some playback options remove special effects
Hitfilm Express's high-energy style appeals to budding filmmakers who want to put a special touch on a personal event or get creative with a video blog, but it's still easy enough for the adventurous friends-and-family crowd. The one concession you have to make is that you have to give the software maker a shout out on social media in order to download the free app.
New features include animation keyframing in the editor, motion blur, enhanced preview options, a new layout panel, improved masking in composite shots, additional workspaces and new export features.
Other great features include the ability to create your own lightsaber battles, support for 4K video, as well as such features as 3D effects, 360-degree video editing and lens distortion correction from action cameras. Our one quibble is that some features, such as picture-in-picture and animated text require a $9.99 expansion pack.
As with previous versions, HitFilm wasn't the fastest at encoding videos, but that's a trade-off we're willing to make for such an expansive feature set.
Editor's Note: Since our initial review, HitFilm has been updated to version 12.3; improvements GPU-accelerated decoding on Nvidia and Intel graphics cards, changes to the interface, and native support for Dolby AC3 audio.
Editor's Note: Since our initial review, HitFilm has been updated to version 12.3; improvements GPU-accelerated decoding on Nvidia and Intel graphics cards, changes to the interface, and native support for Dolby AC3 audio.
MORE: HitFilm Express Full Review
Best for Mac Users
Apple iMovie 10.1.8
Reasons to Buy
Professional-looking themes and trailers
Theater feature shares movies to all Apple devices
Reasons to Avoid
Lacks multicam, motion tracking and 360-degree features
iMovie is the Mac-based amateur filmmaker’s best friend, delivering themes, Hollywood-style trailers and video effects with minimalistic panache, a cinematic flair, and deep integration and optimization with the Mac OS. Recent updates tweaked the interface and added Touch Bar support for the latest MacBooks.
While you can now edit and share 4K videos, iMovie lacks features found in other free apps, such as the ability to edit 360-degree video, multicam editing and motion tracking. You also have limited control over output settings.
Because it's so deeply entwined with the macOS, iMovie was one of the fastest apps when it came to encoding video. Once that's finished, it also gives you plenty of sharing options: You can upload directly to YouTube and Vimeo, and share any video frame as an image. When you couple iMovie with iMovie Theater and iCloud, you can also view your creations on any Apple device or via Apple TV.
Editor's Note: Now on version 10.1.12, you can no longer share movies to iMovie Theater; you have to save your movies to iCloud Photos to watch them on other devices including Apple TV. On a previous update, Apple has removed the ability to share videos directly to Facebook, but has added an option to export Facebook-compatible videos, which you can then manually upload.
Editor's Note: Now on version 10.1.12, you can no longer share movies to iMovie Theater; you have to save your movies to iCloud Photos to watch them on other devices including Apple TV. On a previous update, Apple has removed the ability to share videos directly to Facebook, but has added an option to export Facebook-compatible videos, which you can then manually upload.
MORE: Apple iMovie 10.1.8 Full Review
Best for Beginners/Social Media
VideoPad
Reasons to Buy
Supports 360-degree camera editing and output
Extensive YouTube, social media and mobile-output formats and specs
Reasons to Avoid
Lacks some advanced features like multicam editing and motion tracking
VideoPad Home Edition
VideoPad Masters Edition
This free video editor makes it a cinch to export your creations to YouTube, Facebook, Dropbox, Flickr, Google Drive and an assortment of mobile devices through a simple pull-down menu. You have to sign in to these services first. And while YouTube uploaded directly to my channel without incident, you may have to save your video to your hard drive with social media specs and then upload to the social network yourself.
Compared to HitFilm's high-energy interface, VideoPad has a simple, soothing look which makes it more approachable for novices. It works with both Macs and PCs and still lets you edit 360-degree video with the same ease as you would traditional movies, though adding text to 360-degree clips can be a bit tricky. VideoPad also lacks some of the advanced features you'll find with HitFilm, like multicam editing, high-end special effects and motion tracking, but you can purchase a number of add-ons to expand VideoPad's feature set.
Our biggest issue with VideoPad was not knowing which features were disabled in the free version versus the trial and paid versions. We found VideoPad to be a bit slower on our transcoding tests than Hitfilm, too. But that may not matter for those looking for an app that they can use to quickly and easily edit video and then upload to the social media outlet of their choice.
MORE: VideoPad Full Review
DaVinci Resolve 15
Reasons to Buy
Free with no limits or watermarks
Exquisitely deep app for color grading, compositing and audio production
Reasons to Avoid
A powerful computer is needed for high-end graphics functions
No direct export to social media
DaVinci Resolve 15
A powerful pro-level app, cross platform you’ll want to use a system with discrete graphics to get the most out of this editor.
The latest version of DaVinci incorporates Fusion, previously a stand-alone application, which brings with it four high-end video-production modules for editing, color correction, audio production, and video effects and motion graphics. This video editor is quite powerful, but has a bit of a learning curve. If its 256-page manual doesn't intimidate you, high-level enthusiasts will find a lot of tools at their disposal.
Editor's Note: DaVinci Resolve 16 is now available, and includes such new features as facial recognition, fast export to YouTube and Vimeo, and 3D audio.
Also Reviewed
VSDC
Reasons to Buy
Variety of stylish built-in effects, transitions and audio filters
Consumer-oriented and easy enough for simple video tasks
Includes a screen-capture tool for recording video and taking still images from the desktop
Reasons to Avoid
No popular features like 360-degree, motion tracking or multicam editing
Windows only
VSDC is not bad for basic edits, but its interface has a learning curve, and it lacks some popular features.
Shotcut
Reasons to Buy
Flexible interface
Large selection of audio and video filters
Reasons to Avoid
Different interface conventions than other video apps
Shotcut has a ton of features, but is not as intuitive to use as other programs.
Why You Should Trust Us
We have been testing the leading consumer video-editing suites, both free and paid, for several years. With such knowledge, we can compare things like performance, interfaces and features, and improvements in the various suites over time.
The reviewer, Jackie Dove, is an obsessive, insomniac freelance tech writer and editor in Northern California. A wildlife advocate, cat fan, photo-app fanatic and VR/AR/3D aficionado, her specialties include cross-platform hardware and software, art, design, photography, video, and a wide range of creative and productivity apps and systems.
What to Look for in a Free Video Editor
The Definition of Free: There's free and then there's freemium. Some software, like iMovie, is genuinely free. But just as some video-editing packages are sold in tiers — with more-expensive versions offering more and expanded features — a freemium video program may just be the lowest level of a paid version. Or it may be a trial version that hobbles the end product in various ways, like putting a huge watermark on your video or limiting output formats.
But there are variations on this theme. HitFilm, VideoPad, DaVinci Resolve and VSDC, for example, offer paid versions with high-end features that most consumers probably won't miss, but otherwise allow for full use of the basic program.
MORE: The Best Video Editing Software Under $100
Another hidden 'cost' is periodic or even constant in-line advertising or reminders that an upgrade is available. Our favorite program, HitFilm, never pushes an upgrade on you, but it makes you go through a social media and authorizing song and dance to download the product or switch computers. VideoPad (on the Mac) makes you verify at every launch that you are using the free version for noncommercial purposes.
Both DaVinci and VSDC mix paid features in their basic programs, but they do not explicitly mark these features as such. However, if you try to use them, you'll get an error message and an ad. We can't fault the software companies for trying to get users on board with paid versions, but just be warned that such annoyances are the hidden cost of otherwise-free video apps.
Those looking for a powerful editor with a huge variety of built-in resources and responsive technical support may be better off dropping some cash on a consumer video-editing program, like award winners Adobe Premiere Elements, CyberLink PowerDirector or Corel VideoStudio. However, first consider trying out software such as HitFilm Express 2017, VideoPad, DaVinci Resolve or VSDC, which offer all of the basics for free, and then purchasing additional features à la carte or simply upgrade as your experience and needs grow.
The Best Movie Editing Software
Basic Features: The watchword with free apps is often which one offers the best combination of technically complex software for which you would otherwise have to shell out the big bucks. All video editors should, at the very least, have some combination of familiar features like a viewer or playback window, library, timeline, and access to transitions and effects.
Tech support and documentation: One of the big distinctions between paid and free software is the level of documentation and tech support; paid software has more-explicit and -detailed documentation and guides than the free versions. That said, many software packages post instructional videos of the most popular features to YouTube, and more-complex free packages may offer extensive documentation.
Many independent vendors, who are often sole proprietors in charge of the software, make themselves available to users via social media and email to assist with problems, troubleshoot, take suggestions and criticism, and otherwise oversee the software. Programs with intuitive interfaces and tool-tip hints, and even built-in tutorials to greet new users, make free software popular.
Best Movie Editing Software For Beginners
System requirements: Many free software packages technically serve most consumer hardware systems with integrated graphics, as opposed to more-powerful discrete graphics cards. If you have a consumer machine like a MacBook or a Windows laptop with integrated graphics, make sure your machine is powerful enough to run them efficiently.
Best Movie Editing Program
Export options: Another area where free meets inconvenience may be at the tail end of the project, when you want to export your video, only to discover that the free version will not output to your desired format. Before you start using a free package, make sure that it will save your video to the platform and resolution you need, whether your video will eventually wind up on YouTube or on a Blu-ray disc.