In a dream world, we’d all hire Sofia Coppola to shoot our video campaigns, but the reality is that most marketers have to figure out how to create Oscar-winning content within the budget of Oscar Meyer Weiner. The good news is that the internet is full of free video editing software to help you make your video dreams come true.
Whether you’re creating videos for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook Reels, or Twitter, sometimes the in-app editing features aren’t robust enough to get the job done. That’s why we’ve put together this super list of the very best third-party video editing apps to add to your content creation toolkit.
This is a video editing software that will help you turn your original content or stock footage into a mini masterpiece.
So read on, aspiring filmmakers, for our list of the best free video editing software and apps available in 2022… plus answers to all your burning questions about social media videos.
The best free video editing software for 2022
While all of the tools in our list of free video editing software below are great for creating social media content, of course, any freeware has limitations – be it limited features, watermarks, or in-app ads.
But we’ve done our best to put together a list of the most useful and least annoying options here, and frankly, out of these 10 winners, it’s hard to see why anyone would pay for a full-fledged video editing program at all.
iMovie
It is the default video editing software for Mac users as it is pre-installed on all Apple devices. Even though you can only use two video tracks, there’s a beauty to its simplicity: it’s super intuitive and easy to pick up. Explore the app’s decent selection of preset filters, transitions, and title options to quickly give your video a professional look.
The editing toolset is basic, but it really has everything you need: trimming and cropping, color correction, background noise removal, and stabilization for shaky footage. iTunes integration means you can import songs from your music library or overdub sounds from a free selection of audio and sound effects.
Don’t have time to create the perfect video? Use the Magic Movie feature in the latest version to let the AI make all those decisions for you.
One of the best things about iMovie is that it never stops you from upgrading to the premium version. What you see is what you get: no upsells.
(Not a Mac user? Windows has its own home video editor that offers most of the same features, a good choice of free video editing software for PC users.)
lighting technology
Lightworks has been around for 30+ years, so expect a lot of polish from this top-notch free video editor. The pro version is a Hollywood favorite: The King’s Speech was edited using Lightworks, just in case the Colin Firth factor is your deciding factor.
It’s a bit more difficult to get started than iMovie, but watch the tutorial video and you’ll be flying in no time. Professional editors love keyboard controls and trimming tools specifically designed for handling large amounts of footage. The color correction options and built-in video effects are very impressive and unlimited even if you are a free user.
Powerful timeline, instant autosave and background processing make it a super-efficient tool for creating and publishing your video as quickly as possible. The only downside to the free version is that your export options are more limited – export up to 720p and in Youtube, Vimeo or MP4 preset formats.
Da Vinci’s Determination
Want some “Emmy award-winning imaging technology”? Who doesn’t?! Then DaVinci Resolve is probably the free video editing software for you. DaVinci is especially useful for remote collaboration thanks to its cloud-based workflow systems.
Fans also applaud DaVinci’s UX design: Divided into “Pages”, users can focus on every single part of the editing process. Start on the Cut page to trim and go to the Color tab to adjust the hues and shadows. The Media & Delivery page supports a wide range of formats, so you can even output directly to Twitter.
This is a powerful tool that requires a powerful computer, so make sure your hardware can handle it before you hit “download”.
Clipchamp
Microsoft recently acquired Clipchamp, a free web-based video editing platform, so you have to assume they’re doing something right. Designed specifically for content creators, templates and a user-friendly interface make it easy to create videos for social networks – plus you don’t need to take up all your hard drive space in the process.
Free and paid stock (video and audio!) can be accessed directly from Clipchamp, so if you’re missing the perfect shot to complete your incredible TikTok saga, you can quickly find a suitable replacement. Create your video according to the specifications of the social networks of your choice.
HitFilm
HitFilm is famous for its speed. The intuitive interface prompts you to trim, copy, slice and sync with zero latency – allegedly twice as fast as the competition when exporting and eight times faster when it comes to playback.
The tools are simple yet highly effective: use drag-and-drop transitions and pre-made presets to instantly create professional-quality content. Automatic audio sync simplifies audio setup.
Lighting effects are also nice if you want to go deeper into social media video editing: light leaks and glows give shots a cinematic feel.
cutout
Shotcut is an open source, cross-platform, free video editing tool. This means that it has occasional bugs, but overall it’s a very reliable software that makes it into just about every “Best Video Editing Software”list.
Shotcut supports hundreds of video and audio formats, so it’s very handy for merging disparate files. Drag and drop file management makes it easy to get everything you need for your epic social media video.
Videopad
The website looks oddly retro, but VideoPad’s functionality can’t be denied. VideoPad has been designed to be intuitive. In a dream world, you can jump in and create your video in just a few minutes. (The developers claim it’s the fastest tool on the market.)
The software contains over 50 effects and transitions and supports over 60 video formats: animate title text with templates, record comments directly in the app, or use professional-grade templates to instantly create something special.
Available for desktop or for iOS, you can export your movie in all available resolutions or easily share it online or upload to Youtube directly.
openshot
The award-winning free video editing software runs on Mac, Windows or Linux: all video creators are welcome here. Another open source option, OpenShot offers unlimited tracks, so you can add as many layers as you like, including background videos, audio galore, and morbid effects.
The built-in animation structure makes it a unique contender on this list: fade, bounce, slide or animate just about anything in a frame to make your video project pop.
Kdenliv
More Open Source Video Editing Software! It turns out that people on the Internet are still kind and generous. Benefit from the collaborative programming knowledge of kind strangers who contribute to Kdenlive and download this super efficient free video editing software to make your social video dreams come true.
Arrange your interface the way it best suits your workflow, then save it. Keyboard shortcuts can also be customized to suit your particular creative process. Use any audio or video format here.
Avid media composer
Like all the other video editing tools on this list, Avid Media Composer is free, but that doesn’t mean it saves on UX. The modern interface design is conveniently divided into workspaces so you can focus on editing, coloring, sound and effects. Or rearrange the panels and widgets however you like to suit your own creative process.
Avid’s multi-camera editing feature automatically syncs up to 64 different angles so you can quickly start editing and leveling. Sure, you’re editing an Instagram video, not an Emmy-nominated sitcom… but why not use the tools at your fingertips? Built-in visual effects and filters add flair to your shots, but if that’s not enough, download additional plugins and experiment with composite images, motion effects, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Free Video Editing Software
What is Video Editing Software?
Video editing software is any computer program or application that helps you make changes to one or more video files.
Video editing software can be used to cut video clips, compile or rearrange video clips, adjust audio or visual components, or add special effects or sound effects.
You can use video editing software to do something more complex like editing a feature length feature film (we see you Zack Snyder) or do something as simple as adjusting the video’s characteristics to fit a certain social media platform.
TikTok and Instagram Reels creation modes are both video editing tools, albeit very basic ones. More reliable free or paid video editing software can be used to make more complex adjustments to video content before uploading it to social media. Most of the videos you see on social media have been edited with video editing software to some extent. The creator could shorten the length of their video, splice multiple scenes, or add filters or effects.
Is Free Video Editing Software Good Enough?
It depends on what you want to do! In 90% of the cases, free video editing software is absolutely enough on social networks.
All the free video editing software we recommended above will allow you to combine video clips, make adjustments to visual and audio elements, and crop to the correct platform dimensions.
Chances are, that’s all you need to create a social media video that engages and delights your audience.
Of course, if you’re a professional filmmaker, you might want the more specific editing tools that a paid video editing program offers, but for most people and brands, free video editing software offers more than enough functionality. And really, what do you lose by trying a free program? If you don’t like it, feel free to treat yourself to Final Cut Pro: our feelings won’t be hurt.
What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?
iMovie is a common tool that YouTubers use to edit their videos when they first get started, as it’s available for free on Mac devices. It has all the basic features you need to edit scenes, cut ‘um’ and ‘um’ and, importantly, add the Ken Burns effect.
iMovie is extremely easy to use and quite intuitive. In short, an excellent choice for beginners.
But there are only two video “tracks”(also known as layers) that you can use, so there are some limits on how wild the effects can be. (Another disadvantage of iMovie? It’s only available on Apple products.)
Many professional YouTubers end up moving to Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere CC to take advantage of the more robust editing features.
With a plethora of project templates, presets, and effects, both of these video editing software are great tools for unleashing your creativity… and there are plenty of tutorials to help you take advantage of all the fun features.
Of course, this freedom will cost you money: both Final Cut and Premiere can be quite expensive.
How to choose the right free video editing software?
There are many free video editing software out there, so take a close look at their features to determine which ones best suit your needs.
Do you want something that can be easily exported to social media? How often do you use green screen or picture-in-picture? If you collaborate a lot: can you easily share the file with other creators? Are you just merging clips or do you want to add tons of effects and layers?
Think about how you use (or want to use!) video and what made you happy or frustrated about other tools in the past. Then do your research and try to find one with features that match your unique preferences.
That being said, the only thing you really risk by downloading the “wrong”software is, of course, wasting your time on something clumsy or incapable of doing what you want. So don’t expose yourself to too much analysis paralysis: pick one, try it, and move on to the next if you don’t like it.
How can I edit videos like a pro for free?
To edit your videos professionally, you’ll probably want to go beyond the editing features in the TikTok, Instagram Reels, or Facebook Reels apps.
Download the free video editing software to get access to essential tools to help you fix colors, add sound and visual effects, trim, cut or add scenes just like the pros.
Scroll up to check out our list of the best free video editing software for 2022.
What is the best free video editing software without watermark?
Above, we’ve compiled our favorite free video editing software, and none of them comes with a watermark.
Scroll up to see all 10 free video editing software options that will let you edit without the fear of a weird visual trademark ruining your video masterpiece when you go to export.
Of course, having the right video editing tools and skills is only part of the equation when it comes to creating compelling social media content. Your message and your video skills matter too. Download our social media video strategy guide to create a winning game plan: lights, camera, action.