Intro

Worked on a project for a few hours or even days and ended up frustrated by a watermark from your video editor? We're familiar with that. Don't worry, next time you can avoid this issue. Choose a video editor that won't cause such a problem. Wondering where to find it? The answer is in this article! We have collected our top 10 best video editing software without watermarks.

Key Takeaways

For your easy navigation through the article use the small table of contents below.

1. What is a Watermark?
2. What Watermark is Used For?
3. Best Free Video Editing Software Without Watermark
• VSDC Free Video Editor
• Kapwing (Web-based)
• iMovie (Mac and iPhone)
• Kdenlive (Windows, Mac, and Linux)
• Lightworks (Windows, Mac, and Linux)
• Avid Media Composer First (Windows, Mac)
• Openshot (Windows, Mac, and Linux)
• Clipchamp (Web-based)
• Videopad (Windows, Mac)
• Davinci Resolve (Windows, Mac)
4. Honorable mentions
5. Conclusion

What is a Watermark?

Watermarks can come as an unexpected surprise to users who haven't fully read about the editor they've chosen. Well, jokes aside, what exactly is a watermark? It is a special logo, signature or other pattern widely used nowadays for copyright protection of digital content.

The term watermark dates back several centuries when such marks were applied to wet paper and were visible only when viewed against the light or when the paper was rewetted. So, despite the name, rest assured that no program will actually drench your project.

What Watermark is Used For?

This method was initially used to protect securities and documents from counterfeiting. Today, while still used in paper production, watermarks have also made a significant leap into the digital realm.

Actually, their purpose is primarily the same: copyright protection. But many companies use watermarks not only for legal security but also to enhance brand visibility and recognition. Some platforms also often embed watermarks on images or videos that can be downloaded. It serves both as a copyright claim and as subtle advertisement signaling that content originated from some particular service. Similarly, when video editors leave their watermarks on user content, it becomes a tool for brand extension. Viewers can easily identify where some video was edited. Additionally, you can use watermarks for your own benefit. More and more it is recommended to add your personal watermark to images and videos shared, for instance, on social media. This not only prevents unauthorized use but also helps in establishing your identity online.

Best Free Video Editing Software Without Watermark

Now let's dive into the most interesting part of our article where you learn what video editors to use in order to avoid unwanted watermarks and keep your videos advertisement-free.

VSDC Free Video Editor (Windows PC)

Number one in our ranking, both in features and performance, is VSDC Free Video Editor. It is a perfect option for users with Windows-based computers. Not only does it avoid adding watermarks, but it's also incredibly lightweight, making it ideal even for older PCs. It has no limitation on file size and duration, and you can export your files up to 8K.

It has a wide toolset, allowing you to easily split and merge files, rotate videos, crop borders, create slideshows, apply color correction, and more. For a cinematic look, you can enhance your footage with LUTs (Look-Up Tables). To create smooth transitions, effects like motion blur or zoom can be added. You can also apply filters such as glitch to set a specific style. If you're working with green or blue screen footage, the Chroma Key tool lets you replace the background with any image or video. For minimizing camera shake the stabilization tool is available.

Supporting all formats and codecs, VSDC saves time on conversions and ensures compatibility with any media, making it stand out among other editors.

It is available in both free and pro versions, but even in the free version it offers most of the features you need to create professional-quality content. Thanks to its user-friendly interface it is easy for beginners, but at the same time capable enough to meet the needs of professionals.

It is only a small number of all VSDC features. To find out more, go to the official website and best of all try this editor in action.

DOWNLOAD VSDC VIDEO EDITOR

Kapwing (Web-based)

Kapwing is an online video editor that's perfect for quick projects and collaborative work. It supports many video and audio formats through the use of FFmpeg and offers a wide range of tools for non-linear video editing.

Here you’ll find tools for trimming, resizing, adding text, applying filters and even incorporating subtitles. For amateur projects this number is more than enough, but for unlocking advanced features you’ll need paid options.

Besides, as it’s web-based, you can access your projects from anywhere without the need to install the software, that is why, this editor is ideal for teamwork.

iMovie (Mac and iPhone)

The iMovie application is a video editor for Mac OS X that can be used for capturing, editing and sharing videos. You can use it to edit movies, add effects and create titles and credits. It has an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate and menus that are all well-organized with different options.

The main features of iMovie include simple video and audio editing: users can crop, combine clips, add music and voice acting, apply effects and filters. In this editor you can create videos in the style of Hollywood trailers thanks to ready-made templates of iMovie with music, lyrics and titles.

Besides, this editor supports editing and exporting high-resolution videos, including 4K, and has iCloud integration that helps you easily synchronize projects and work on them on different devices.

For beginners iMovie provides helpful tutorials to quickly get you up to speed, while offering advanced features for those looking to elevate their video editing skills further.

Kdenlive (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Kdenlive is a powerful video editing application with support for a variety of audio and video formats. This video editor has a wide range of features, including advanced editing tools, various effects and transitions, as well as powerful tools for color correction, audio postprocessing and adding subtitles.

One of the key features of Kdenlive is the support for nested sequences, which allow users to conveniently manage complex projects by combining editing elements into separate sequences.

Kdenlive also provides access to a variety of video analysis tools such as Histogram, Vectoroscope, RGB Parade, oscilloscope and audiometer, which is especially useful for accurate color correction and sound quality control. To improve performance when working with heavy projects, Kdenlive supports proxy editing, which allows you to edit videos in low resolution followed by high-quality rendering.

In addition, this editor offers free online resources, including templates and assets that help speed up the video creation process.

The latest versions of Kdenlive have introduced AI-based tools that automate some editing processes and simplify complex tasks.

Lightworks (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Lightworks is known for its powerful editing tools and support for a wide range of formats and real time sync. It offers two versions: free and professional. The free version has a limited number of features including multicam editing, second monitor output, export to Vimeo and YouTube (H.264/MPEG-4) up to 720p.

It is possible here to edit without interruption thanks to its background rendering. Besides, it has an automatically configurable timeline and an opportunity to edit with proxy files, ensuring smooth performance without compromising on quality.

Professional version of Lightworks provides access to more advanced tools. It has features for working with 4K, as well as a wider selection of export formats. In addition, the professional version offers advanced features for color correction, sound and visual effects. Lightworks also supports plug-ins for integration with various third-party applications, making it a flexible tool for creating movies and television.

Other key features of Lightworks include support for teamwork, which allows multiple users to work on the project at the same time.

Avid Media Composer First (Windows, Mac)

Avid Media Composer First is a free version of a professional video editor designed for novice editors and enthusiasts. It supports working with 4K, HD and SD video formats, providing various project specifications. The program supports mono, stereo and dual mono audio, which allows you to flexibly control the sound in the project.

Media Composer First offers a set of video effects, including the main functions of Source Side Motion Effects, TimeWarp, stabilization and color correction. Tools such as HSL controls, hue shifting and brightness range adjustment are available for color correction. Users can also use classic caption tools and take advantage of multi-camera editing.

The app supports exporting videos directly to social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo.

However, Media Composer First has some limitations. You can work with a maximum of four video tracks and eight audio tracks. Besides, it is important to note that projects created in Media Composer First cannot be opened in the full version of Media Composer, and vice versa, projects from the full version cannot be used in the free version.

Openshot (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Openshot is a cross-platform video editing software that supports a wide range of video, audio and image formats through the use of the FFmpeg library.

Integration with the desktop makes using the program convenient: file drag and drop functions, working with native file managers and window border management are supported. Openshot has an unlimited number of tracks and layers which can be used to overlay images, video and audio. It supports clip resizing, scaling, cropping, snapping, rotating and time trimming, offers compositing tools and templates for creating titles and subtitles and allows you to create 3D animated titles and effects using Blender.

Here you can also find digital video effects such as adjusting brightness, gamma, hue, applying a black and white filter and chroma key (blue/green screens).

Clipchamp (Web-based)

Clipchamp is an online video editor that provides powerful tools for creating, editing and sharing videos right in your browser. It offers a simple and intuitive interface, making it suitable for users of all levels, from beginners to professionals.

Clipchamp's main features include support for multiple formats, ready-made templates, basic functions such as slicing, cropping, rotating, resizing, and applying filters and effects. It allows exporting videos in various resolutions, including 720p, 1080p and 4K.

This editor allows you to add text, titles, graphic elements to personalize your content. It has a built-in library of stock video, images and audio, allowing users to quickly add quality content to their projects.

Clipchamp provides the ability to record screen and webcam video, which is useful for creating training videos and presentations. Users can add music tracks, sound effects and adjust the audio volume.

Finished videos can be quickly exported to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive and other platforms, as well as published to social networks such as Facebook and Instagram.

Videopad (Windows, Mac)

One of the main advantages of VideoPad is its ease of use, which makes video editing accessible even for beginners. The software is optimized for fast video rendering, even in high resolutions, such as 4K.

VideoPad's main features include the ability to add and edit multiple video and audio tracks simultaneously, which allows you to easily apply effects and manage multiple elements on the timeline. More than 50 visual effects and transitions are available in the editor, as well as color correction tools with which users can adjust video brightness, contrast and saturation and apply sepia or black and white effects. VideoPad allows you to edit 3D-videos and supports working with 360-degree video.

Here you can work with audio tracks, including cutting, overlaying and adding sound effects, record voice comments and add music tracks.

Finished projects can be exported to popular formats such as MP4, AVI, MOV and others. VideoPad also supports direct publishing to YouTube, Vimeo and other platforms.

Davinci Resolve (Windows, Mac)

DaVinci Resolve is one of the most powerful color correction tools. It includes a wide range of tools for adjusting the color of your footage, including curves, levels, hue, saturation and more.

It also has a broad set of tools for creating visual effects. You can use them to add effects such as motion blur, lens flare, etc.

For audio post-processing it offers lots of tools for audio mixing, mastering and editing.

The studio version of DaVinci Resolve supports multi-user collaboration and HDR grading.

Honorable mentions

All the video editors suggested in our article are feature-rich, and you're sure to enjoy using them. If you're just starting out, consider beginning with something simpler, then gradually move on to more advanced options as you strengthen your knowledge and experience.

Looking for even more options? You can try Shotcut (open source), HitFilm Express, Olive Editor (open source) or VN Video Editor (for macOS). All four video editors are free and have no watermark. Shotcut is a cross-platform editor that supports a wide range of formats and offers advanced features. HitFilm Express is known for its extensive visual effects tools and powerful editing suite. Olive Editor is a fast and intuitive editor under development that offers a simplified interface and professional-grade functionality. VN Video Editor is an easy-to-use software for macOS, perfect for quick edits without having to learn complex features.

Conclusion

In this article we have reviewed popular video editing software that offer different sets of features for processing. If you are a beginner, we advise you to try VSDC Video Editor. You won't have any difficulties with it, and tutorials available on the Internet will help you quickly understand how the program works. The set of tools in the free version will help you perform almost any task in a short time. If you prefer working in the browser, Kapwing and Clipchamp are both great options for non-professional use. And if you need a tool to start your professional journey as a filmmaker, consider Davinci Resolve, Avid or Lightworks.

The choice will depend on exactly what you need. Try different options to see which editor is right for you and meets your expectations and needs.

Last week, we received the long-awaited silver button from YouTube for reaching 100K subscribers.

The button arrived in a neat black box, along with a letter of encouragement from the YouTube team. For us, it’s an exciting moment, and judging by the comments on our channel, we have the best, most empathetic audience to share it with.

As creators who have reached their first big milestone, we decided to share some of the lessons we’ve learned during this journey.

You can read them below.

It’s okay not to get things right the first time

Our growth journey has never been straightforward. For a small team with zero experience in video marketing, it was a steep learning curve. For example, although the VSDC’s channel is almost 8 years old, it’s the last 3 years that have made the biggest impact on its growth. During that period, we jumped from 23K to 100K subscribers.

Before we got to those 23K, there had been a long way of trial and error.

If you ever decide to scroll all the way down our channel uploads, you’ll notice that we’ve dramatically changed our approach to YouTube videos several times. For example, during the first few years, we used the channel to educate users about specific features and settings using short, technical videos, often with no intro or narration. The channel was an extension of our Help center, not a marketing tool. Today, we use the channel to both educate current VSDC users and attract new creators looking for a specific solution or guidance.

As we switched from single-feature-centered tutorials, our workflow has also changed. Here are the three steps we take each time when we want to post a new video:

• Research – that’s when we look and search queries, trends, and comments
• Production – that’s when we record a video and put it together with the voiceover
• Optimization – that’s when we craft the copy, thumbnail, end screen, and other elements

Overnight success doesn’t exist. But if you continuously test new hypotheses, ask your audience for feedback, and use analytics tools, you’ll inevitably figure things out. However (here comes a spoiler) even when you do, you should still be ready for numerous ups and downs. That brings us to the next lesson.

Growing a channel is a rollercoaster

Way too many factors are involved in a channel’s success. The biggest ones are often out of your control: search trends, algorithms, and global events.

For example, we saw a huge spike in views and subscriptions at the beginning of the pandemic.

This is easy to explain: people stayed home, spent more time on YouTube, and many returned to their hobbies — video editing being one of them.

The year 2021 (that’s when many countries started lifting the stay-at-home mandate) was visibly less successful for the channel, despite us pouring the same amount of effort into it. Seeing a drop in subscribers growth was upsetting, but it was something out of our control.

As a creator, it’s important that you learn to spot anomalies in your channel’s performance and tell whether they are the result of your actions or one of those outside factors.

That being said, it’s also crucial to focus on the factors you can control. Here are some of them:

• Consistency – set a publishing schedule and stick to it
• Video structure – use the “PPP formula" described by Brian Dean
• Engagement – ask questions, use calls to action, and always, always respond to comments

Each of these factors affects different metrics that influence your overall channel performance. For example, consistency is believed to be a good SEO signal for YouTube. A clear and cohesive video structure helps increase video retention. Engagement helps you build relationships with your audience and discover content ideas.

YouTube analytics is an underused tool that has plenty of answers

Every creator knows that YouTube provides access to detailed performance reports. However, some creators tend to focus on vanity metrics, such as the overall number of views and subscribers.

A large number of views and subscribers have little value if people stop watching your videos after a few seconds, and the comments section is empty.

That’s why it’s essential to look at other metrics, such as:

• Impression click-through rate (CTR) – helps quickly evaluate your thumbnail and copy
• Average percentage viewed – shows for how long your video can hold the viewer’s attention
• Subscribers gained – identifies which videos drive subscribers to your channel

Notice how the two videos in the screenshot below have almost the same number of impressions and views. However, if you look at the CTR, percentage viewed, and the number of subscribers each video gained, you’ll see that the second video is hugely underperforming.

Understanding your channel’s and each video’s performance will help you spot trends (both positive and negative) and optimize your content creation strategy.

For example, in the past three years, our 5 best-performing videos are:

• How to create an amazing title intro (317K views)
• Getting started with VSDC (234K views)
• How to cut and split a video in VSDC (223K views)
• How to make a green screen (163K views)
• How to make any video look cinematic (137K views)

These videos don’t just bring lots of new subscribers — they also have high retention rates. Of course, for you, success metrics may be different.

Now, when is the next milestone?

Now that we’ve reached 100K subscribers, we’re on to the next milestone. SocialBlade, an analytics platform for YouTube channels, predicts our channel will reach 200K subscribers in 2027. Let’s speed things up together!

The new version of VSDC includes two new video effects, expands the functionality of the LUT editor, and makes video editing more convenient by bringing an improved interface, optimized timeline, and custom shortcuts.

Let’s have a look at each update in more detail.

DOWNLOAD VSDC 7.1

Matrix effect (PRO)

The Matrix video effect has become available in the list of Special FX so that now you can replicate the raining code from the famous movie trilogy. As you would expect, the effect is fully customizable: you’ll be able to decide whether you want it to consist of alphabet letters or runes; how frequently the symbols should be changing, and how fast they should be falling. On top of that, you can work with the background and foreground ‘layers’ which adds depth to the effect.

Color twist effect

The Color twist effect from the Adjustments menu has been updated and included in the Basic effects window for easier access. As the name suggests, it allows you to adjust colors in the footage by working directly with the GRB color channels and changing tone values for each component. In many scenarios, the purpose of the Color Twist effect is similar to the LUT editor – however, the former option will be much easier to use for basic tasks. For example, you can quickly change cool color tones to warm color tones, create color inversion, and so on.

LUT editor upgrade

The LUT editor has become more versatile, as it now allows for performing color correction of the same object in stages. At each stage, you’ll be able to define a scope of color tones you’re working with and set the desired Hue, Saturation, and Lightness values for them. In other words, if you need to perform correction of several different color tones, there’s no need to use the same histogram – you can create a separate stage for each tone, which is way more convenient.

On top of that, it’s now possible to view color scopes and histograms for each separate scene or object. Finally, you’ll be able to apply fade-in transitions to LUTs and use adjustments for brightness, contrast, gamma, temperature, and saturation values.

Optimized GUI and timeline

In addition to the user interface enhancements, there’s been a series of minor functional improvements as well. For example, you can now quickly trim videos by grabbing side handlers and dragging them inwards.

To streamline the editing process, we’ve also added a storyboard and a simplified version of an audio waveform to the pop-up Cutting and splitting window. If you were looking for a more precise tool to edit videos to the beat in the free version, this might be the best solution for your needs.

Finally, the timeline has received 3 new scrolling modes to help you better control the playhead position when previewing a scene at an increased timeline scale.

Here are the names of the new timeline scrolling modes:

• Fixed smooth scrolling
• Adaptive smooth scrolling
• Scrolling from the timeline center

To switch between them, open the Options menu in the top right corner of the editor’s interface and proceed to Timeline options.

Custom shortcuts

The ability to create custom shortcuts is a long-awaited feature, and we’re excited to finally announce its release. Although VSDC has been supporting a list of commonly used shortcuts for a few years now, the freedom to create your own hotkey combinations will make the editing process more convenient for creators.

To get started, open the general settings, type the desired hotkey combination, and select the action you want to associate it with. If you change your mind, you can always restore the default shortcut scheme.

Subtitle markdown

Those using subtitles in videos can now take advantage of a markdown. Markdown is a feature that automatically creates markers for each subsequent line of subtitles that appears in the scene. To activate the markdown, upload the file with subtitles to the editor, select it on the timeline, and click Add markers in the Properties window. This way, you’ll be able to see each moment on the timeline when subtitles appear and align other objects if needed.

It’s time to download VSDC 7.1

Without further ado, we suggest that you download the latest version of VSDC and see all the updates with your own eyes. Got any questions? Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or leave a comment under the release video on our channel.

DOWNLOAD VSDC 7.1

Ask any successful content creator, and they’ll tell you there’s no single best video editor for YouTube.

For some, the built-in YouTube Studio editor might be sufficient. It allows you to cut out unwanted pieces of footage, add music and text. If that’s all you need – great! Your search is over. However, if you want to use more sophisticated effects, transitions, and overlays, you’ll need a more powerful piece of software.

In this article, we’ll review 5 beginner-friendly video editors for YouTube that happen to be completely free.

Let’s dive right in.

VSDC – free video editor for YouTube creators on PC

VSDC is a free video editor for Windows PC. It’s lightweight, intuitive, and feature-rich. VSDC requires 2GB RAM, and its installation file is less than 80 Mb, so it’s a great option for those struggling to find software with low system requirements.

Although the program interface might seem tricky at first, there’s plenty of tutorials both in text and video format, so you’ll quickly get the hang of it.

One of the biggest advantages of VSDC is the ability to easily open videos in any format, regardless of the recording device. Furthermore, this editor handles 120fps and allows you to export footage using the newest H.265/HEVC codec (if you haven’t heard of it, H.265 is designed to preserve high video quality after maximum file compression). For these reasons, VSDC is officially recommended by the GoPro team and a few popular drone YouTubers, including Quadcopter 101.

Now, speaking of the feature set, VSDC brings editing tools some paid programs wouldn’t be ashamed of. Apart from the basic montage toolset, color correction, and animated text, there’s an array of effects you can apply to your footage and customize. For example, you'll be able to make the picture-in-picture, split-screen, gradual zoom, video-in-text, news ticker, and plenty of other effects commonly used for YouTube videos.

Once you’ve finished your project, you can upload it directly to your YouTube channel without having to save the video to your PC first. If you want to save the video for other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Vimeo, there are pre-configured export profiles that will apply the required parameters to your video.

Finally, VSDC boasts a powerful screen recorder you can access right from the program interface, which is a big advantage. The recorder lets you use several capturing devices simultaneously, grab external video via HDMI, and record 2D and 3D games in high quality.

Download VSDC Free Video Editor from the official website

iMovie – free video editor for Mac

iMovie makes an excellent free video editor for YouTube creators using Mac computers or iPads, especially at the beginning of the blogging journey. As a matter of fact, even after becoming relatively popular, many YouTubers continue using iMovie for editing, according to the Influencer Equipment database. Because why not? It’s free, it delivers great results, and it’s pre-installed on most Apple devices by default.

If you think you must only use a fancy expensive piece of video editing software to stand out on YouTube, you're wrong. What really matters is your content quality, creativity, and consistency.

iMovie has a minimalistic intuitive interface, and most operations are performed via a simple drag-n-drop motion. Known for being meticulous about design, Apple made sure to create an extended library featuring backdrop themes and title templates you can use in a video. Templates come in especially handy if you're working on a series of videos or slideshows and you want to apply the same style to every episode.

Just like VSDC, iMovie allows you to remove a green or blue background from your footage. You can also add a soundtrack to your video, fine-tune title animations, and use more than 200 different video effects including popular ones, like picture-in-picture, slow motion, fast-forward, fade transitions, zoom, freeze frames, and others.

The best part about this video editor? Perhaps, the Apple product ecosystem. As a video creator, you can benefit from it in many ways. For example, you can use pre-uploaded royalty-free audio tracks, import songs from your iTunes, fetch any media file from your iCloud, or even start editing on your tablet and continue on your Mac or vice versa.

Download iMovie from the Apple App Store

Kdenlive – free video editor for YouTubers on Linux

Kdenlive is a free open-source video editor. For many Linux users, it’s a go-to option because compared to many other open-source video editors, it’s very lightweight, rather stable, and it works well with 4K footage (of course, given that you have a decent CPU).

For beginners and intermediate-level users, Kdenlive has everything to put a video together and make it look more aesthetic. The program allows you to use multiple video and audio tracks, overlay files, add titles, transitions, and custom effects.

Two things make Kdenlive stand out, compared to many other video editors: proxies and ripple editing. Proxies or “proxy files” are file copies reduced in size and quality that allow you to speed up previewing and editing. This means that the software “replaces” the original files with the copies to save resources during the preview, and uses the original files during export, so there’s no impact on the resulting project quality.

The Ripple delete feature allows you to cut out footage from multiple layers simultaneously and merge the remaining pieces within a single Ctrl+X click.

Although Kdenlive is cross-platform software, its Windows solution has received a significant amount of criticism, and therefore, our recommendation is addressed to Linux users only.

Download Kdenlive for Linux

Davinci Resolve – professional color grading for PC, Mac, and Linux

Davinci Resolve is a free cross-platform video editor for those who want to achieve Hollywood-level video post-production. Resolve has a premium version (that comes with a hefty price tag!), but it targets professional filmmakers, so for the sake of this review, it’s irrelevant.

Recommended by indie filmmakers and professional videographers alike, Resolve can be a great video editor for YouTube creators who have a more serious approach to color grading. For example, if your long-term goal is to do video editing for a living, Davinci Resolve is definitely worth your attention. It will help you achieve breathtaking results, but to benefit from it, you need to understand the color theory and be passionate about it enough to invest time into this software.

Even those with experience may expect a steep learning curve because the program interface is rather overwhelming. Luckily, there are dozens of tutorials and even online courses available for those willing to master Davinci Resolve.

The basic editing toolset of Davinci includes a multi-track timeline, convenient cutting and trimming tools, audio editing features, lots of transition effects, speed settings, and titles. Truth be told, if you work with large volumes of footage and you need to trim a lot, Resolve is incomparably convenient. It brings a real-time timeline zooming feature that guarantees a more precise cut, and a long list of hotkeys you can use when applying repetitive actions. At the export level, the software allows you to upload your project directly to YouTube (or Vimeo) in 1080p resolution.

One thing to be aware of before you jump to download the installation file is the system requirements which can be a dealbreaker for low-end computer owners. Your machine must have at least 8GB of system RAM, at least 4GB of graphics RAM, and enough storage space. The installation file alone weighs 780MB.

Download Davinci Resolve from the official website

Lightworks

Like Davinci Resolve, Lightworks is a professional league player that has been in the market since 1989. This tool is a pioneer in the world of non-linear video editing, and according to the developer’s website, this software has brought multiple Oscar-winning Hollywood movies to life.

Lightworks runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux and brings 3 subscription plans: Free, Create ($9,99 per month), and Pro ($23 per month). For an average user, the free plan has everything to create a good-looking video: its key limitation is the maximum 720p export resolution.

The program brings a clean interface including a multi-track timeline (although you need to add new video tracks manually each time) and three dedicated tabs for video editing, audio editing, and visual effects. Additionally, the main screen includes a file log and a source preview window that allows you to preview files before adding them to the scene. What’s really convenient about it is the ability to add the desired piece of the footage directly to the timeline, already cut out from the source file.

The VFX tab includes all the popular visual effects and a vast selection of color grading tools. You also get a convenient audio editing toolset with keyframes, a set of templates for titles and transitions, cloud storage access, and the local backup feature.

Now, if you’re switching from tools like Movie Maker or iMovie, getting started with Lightworks might be slightly challenging. Luckily, you can find a plethora of helpful video tutorials on YouTube as well as beginner’s guides on the official website. Lightworks is compatible with all the common video formats and employs proxy files to go easy on your computer. The biggest drawback of the free version appears to be a 720p export limitation. However, given that many watch YouTube videos on their smartphones, it doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker.

Get Lightworks from the official website

Why you should choose free video editors for YouTube over paid solutions

You probably want to know what video editing software most YouTubers use; however, the answer might not be helpful if you’re on a budget. The most frequently mentioned software is Adobe Premiere (starts at $19.99/mo, that is if you purchase an annual subscription). The second most common answer is Final Cut Pro (Mac only, one-time $299 payment) and Sony Vegas (Windows only, starts at $400).

But guess what? A lot of those bloggers you’re following on YouTube started their careers as a hobby using free video editors. In fact, many still use freeware for their channels, and that's noteworthy. Why? Because there’s no correlation between the price tag of the software you’re using and the success of your channel.

There's no need to break your piggy bank to purchase a video editor for your brand-new YouTube channel. No matter how much your software costs, no amount of post-production can turn low-quality footage into a masterpiece. Focus on production instead. If you're willing to invest, consider upgrading your hardware! A decent source of light and a microphone are already half the battle, as you probably won't have to sweat the color balance and the audio settings afterward.

What makes a good video editor for YouTube beginners anyway?

It all comes down to your skills and needs. For instance, if you're planning to publish game walkthroughs, you might need a built-in screen recorder (VSDC and Lightworks have it). If reaction videos are your thing, look for an intuitive picture-in-picture tool. If you tend to shoot long pieces before uploading them to the editor, make sure the splitting tool is intuitive.

Bottom line? You might want to try at least a couple of video editors before making the final decision. The tools we’ve included in the list are reliable and genuinely free – meaning there will be no watermarks or other unpleasant surprises after export. For someone who’s getting started, this should be enough to get that YouTube channel rolling with content. You can always switch between tools as you grow!