Today we will bring you the best free and paid Windows video editing programs. Whether you're looking to make basic video edits or try to find a place on the net like youtuber, this roundup will help you find the right tool depending on the difficulty level or breadth of options you're looking for.
As you might expect, many of these alternatives lack the wide range of options that other paid, professional video making programs have. However, with them you will have more than enough options with the basic and advanced versions, and they are also there with support for 4K resolutions.
In our list you will see some complete but free applications, some that are free versions of other more advanced paid ones, and also some online alternatives that you will find at the end.
We hear his name on everyone's lips. Adobe Premiere dominates the video editing market, forcing fans and professionals to commit financially every month. We have therefore selected for you the best free video editing software for windows that meets the needs of beginners and the more experienced.
The best Windows video editing programs
Programs to edit videos
1. Avidemux - Gratis
Avidemux is an application free and cross-platform software for video editing, which means that its code can be reviewed by anyone to improve it or look for errors, and it will always be free and compatible with various operating systems. In this case, you have versions for GNU / Linux, Windows, macOS, and PC-BSD.
It offers practically all the options you could ask for in a free video editor program. It allows you to add audio tracks and images to your videos, cut and paste snippets of your videos, and a very large collection of filters. It also supports subtitle formats and is compatible with major video formats like MKV, AVI or MP4.
2. Kdenlive
We come to an application designed specifically for GNU / Linux, but in addition to having installable versions for various distributions, it also has clients for BSD, macOS or Windows. Its name is an acronym for KDE Non-Linear Video Editor, and it is a program for creating free videos as described by the Free Software Foundation and complying with the conditions of the GNU General Public License.
Its features include multi-channel video and audio editing, support for almost all video and audio formats and an interface full of shortcuts to speed up processes. It has a huge collection of effects and transitions, a tool for creating titles, automatic backups, and support for multiple hardware. And if that's not enough, it also has an additional system to further improve its features.
3. Blender
Beware of Blender, because it has been one of the best programs for making open source video, for creating XNUMXD graphics, modeling, VFX, animation, drawing and more for many years. It is completely free and is available for Windows, Linux and macOS.
There are options for rendering, modeling, or animation. It also has video editing tools, which earned him the chance to enter the list. It also allows you to create video games and is a fully customizable video editing app to suit your needs.
4. VirtualDub
VirtualDub is another free and open source GNU licensed video editing program, compatible with any version starting from Windows 98. It stands out above all for its compression capacity, subdivisions and the ability to add different video tracks. You can also use batch processing to be able to handle multiple files at the same time.
Its big negative point is that it is already a bit old and it is not compatible with some modern video formats like mp4. However, if you manage to ignore these shortcomings, you have a good tool that has community support, thanks to which we can extend its functions with third-party video filters.
5. OpenShot
Initially developed for Linux, OpenShot has solidified its reputation in the video editing software landscape. Drawing on the FFmpeg libraries, the tool is able to host a large number of multimedia formats, codecs, resolutions, filters, multiplexers and demultiplexers.
We appreciate of OpenShot the clarity of its interface. A short tutorial helps you to get to know its most important features. The structure of the main window itself is similar to what we already know: media manager, timeline and preview window.
Infinite multitrack support is simplified as much as possible to not drown inexperienced editors with a ton of accessory options. Includes video or audio sources which OpenShot detects as such and organizes according to the defined stacking order. Transitions, titles and other effects answer the call based on the Blender engine, the guarantor of clean finishes.
6. Shotcuts
Shotcut offers a compelling editing solution aimed primarily at beginners. Seemingly Spartan, the instrument actually draws its strength from its modular structure. Only panels with the features you are interested in can be integrated into the main window according to your needs and requirements.
Interesting originality: Shotcut offers two ways to make a video montage. Thanks to the playlist, users don't have to worry about timeline subtleties. The dragged sequences, deposited in the block provided for this purpose, are linked together, with the possibility of modifying their order or modifying them independently of each other.
More experienced editors benefit from the traditional multitrack timeline. While it's more technical to master, it offers the ability to add sounds, effects, transitions, or titles, bringing some added value to the final video.
7. VSDC Video Editor
VSDC Video Editor instantly puts users at ease. Its home page knows how to guide the less experienced who, at a glance, adopt all the editing solutions at their disposal. Also listed are the main features of the video making program that refer to intelligible online tutorials.
While creating a new project, VSDC Video Editor invites you to to insert all the technical features of your future editing: name, copyright, resolution, number of frames per second, frequency, background color. The import and export formats are quite numerous.
In terms of ergonomics, VSDC Video Editor has an austere but rather practical modular interface. Project Explorer reproduces the detailed content of your current montages when Object Explorer offers a hand on organizing the scenes, transitions, effects and titles that make up a particular project.
8. Lightworks
The best among Windows video editing programs, preceded by its reputation, Lightworks he has worked extensively with film professionals. He is responsible for editing cult films such as Pulp Fiction or Infiltrates. Opened to the public in a simplified version in 2012, the software remains a complex tool intended for advanced users.
Lightworks shows a fully customizable modular structure. It composes its workspace according to your needs and habits with the possibility to move, lock, hide, enlarge the windows of the features.
Always with a strictly professional focus, the software stands out for its "rooms". These isolated spaces allow you to treat the components of the same project in complete independence.
You can create a “room” for audio settings, another for calibration or another for data management. Any changes made in a room have no effect on the entire assembly, which allows you to delete and recreate them at will without fear of damaging the design.
The formats supported by Lightworks they cover such diversity that it is possible to import ProRes as Avid DNxHD without transcoding. When exporting, rely on MPEG4 / H.264 720p for the free version with the ability to upload your work directly to YouTube.
9. HitFilm Express
HitFilm Express wears the double cap. In addition to offering very complete video editing software, she has many compositing tools that save you from going through third-party video editing programs for special effects.
The interface of HitFilm Express it is comfortable even if minimalist. Multitrack management makes it easy to integrate sounds, transitions and other titles that are edited from the dialog for the occasion.
The integration of special effects takes place directly through the software that supports 3D for an even more refined rendering. HitFilm Express has just over 350 free presets and special effects, including a green background for youtubers, among others.
YouTubeurs also fully benefits from the compatibility of HitFilm Express with social networks as it is possible to associate your YouTube account to directly upload your montages. In addition to this feature, users can locally export their 4K Ultra HD projects with up to 8-bit color depth.
10. DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve offers a complete solution that allows you to do editing, calibration and compositing. The diversity of its functionalities means that the video editing program is intended primarily for professionals. Even beginners can try to familiarize themselves with the software.
In terms of editing, DaVinci Resolve offers an interface full of options that you must learn to master because it cannot be modulated. Multitrack management is obviously included and takes advantage of the high performance multicam support that favors the realization of complex projects.
The synchronization of video and audio tracks benefits from the automatic analysis of sound waves, guaranteeing an excellent result. Software compatibility with OpenFX plugins allows you to perform compositing tasks without going through a third-party solution, ensuring speed and preserved image quality.
We just finished talking about the best Windows video editing programs. Have you always used the paid ones for your video montages or did you already use the free ones?
Read also: How to Download and Install Video Maker for Free in Windows 10
