The Studio version of Da Vinci Resolve costs nearly $1,000
but the basic version is completely free.
Better still it includes the same high quality image processing abilities as the pricier version
a powerful video editor
some of the best color correction capabilities on the planet and even works
with external hardware panels for faster editing.
There are limitations of course, the main one is that Resolve can only
output in SD, HD and Ultra HD (only!) which is likely going to
be more than enough for most users.
There are limitations on some of the more advanced grading
and tracking tools too of course, but these limitations are mainly in
place to convince professional users that they need to upgrade.
There may be quite a learning curve, but Da
Vinci Resolve is one of the most powerful video editing suites on the planet and you get a hell of a lot for free
Verdict: Powerful, feature-rich, with limitations that are
mostly aimed at professional commercial users. Definitely worth a shot for free.
Built with the aim of providing a stable, free, and accessible video editor
OpenShot is a cross-platform open source video editor that’s been around since 2008.
The project last received an update in August of 2016, with
version 2.1 being released to the public.
The list of features has grown over the years to include great
support for a variety of formats, keyframes for animation
unlimited video and audio tracks
transition and compositing support, titles, and a heap of extra features
you’d expect from a modern video editor.
Past criticisms have cited OpenShot’s reliability, but it’s still worth a shot for free.
Verdict: A great cross-platform open source option
with an impressive list of features. The interface feels a bit old-hat
which may put some users off.
Another free, open source, cross-platform video editor
Shotcut is still very much under active development
The features are just as impressive as OpenShot
but Shotcut also features a great-looking interface that more closely resembles
a pro-tier application than a free open source effort.
In addition to supporting a wide range of video files and formats (including 4K video)
Shotcut also includes great support for working with audio
an impressive list of video effects including compositing and transitions
and a flexible UI from which to work.
Verdict: Shotcut is definitely worth a look if you want a free and feature-rich video editor but can’t afford to drop hundreds on a premium package.
We’ve written about Blender before at MakeUseOf, though with a focus on the 3D
modelling aspect with only a brief mention of Blender’s potential as a non-linear video editor.
It might not be pretty, it’s not exactly easy, and it won’t match the top-tier packages
but it’s not bad at all for free.
Lightworks is one of the most powerful apps on this list, and I’d happily
recommend it above all other packages if it wasn’t so restrictive for the free user.
The free version includes video effects, multicam editing
titling, as well as the usual multi layered timeline
approach you’d expect from a comprehensive editor.
Unfortunately rendering (exporting your project) is limited to 1080p output on
Vimeo, and 720p output to YouTube. You can also render to Lightworks Archives,
but there’s no proper H.264, MP4, or even DVD export options.
So while the toolkit is vast, Lightworks isn’t a very
appealing free editor unless you’d like to thoroughly
try it out for free and upgrade at a later time.
Verdict: A powerful editor with plenty of features
but rendering is restricted to 1080p on Vimeo and 720p on YouTube until you rent
for $24.99 per month or buy outright at over $400.
Kdenlive has developed quite a bit over the years, and now
looks more like a professional editing suite than the it used to. The latest version features multi-track video editing,
support for a large number of video formats, effects and transitions, the ability to add titles,
support for keyframes and a customizable interface.
While there are a lack of features found in the big commercial suites,
Kdenlive is a straightforward and functional non-linear editor with plenty
of friendly folks on the forum to help you out if you get stuck.
Verdict: Great range of features for free, but Mac packages are outdated
so some features won’t be available.
Jahshaka, previously known as CineFX, combines video editing, 2D and 3D animation, compositing, color correction, and video effects into across-platform over Mac
Linux and Windows package. It is probably best compared to Adobe After Effects in
terms of what it delivers, but for free it might be worth a punt.
The community doesn’t seem that active, but it’s still nice to see a truly
open source cross-platform stab at a market dominated by Adobe.
Developers have recently set their sights on the
VR market with the launch of a new toolkit called Jahshaka VR.
Many of the tutorials on the website date back to 2013, so you might want to
spend some time experimenting on your own to get the most out of the latest version.
Verdict: More of a video processor than an editor,
Jahshaka focuses on effects rather than providing a non-linear workspace
It’s also a bit outdated, but appears to be under active development.
Another oft-listed Linux variant is Avidemux, and though it’s basic in
nature it works well for simple editing tasks and supports a wide variety of input and output formats.
The project undergoes several updates a year, with development continuing at a steady pace.
Parity is maintained between all three major versions,
so you won’t miss out on any features if you opt for the Mac package.
The last time I used Avidemux for any kind of project it was capable
fiddly, and crashed on a semi regular basis.
Six years have passed since then, and things are considerably better,
though it’s still lacking in features you might expect from a modern video editor.
Verdict: A capable freebie, but lacking in polish and features.
Still in the early stages of development, VideoLan Movie Creator
(VLMC) is a non-linear editor based on the daddy of all media players,
VLC. The project still isn’t available for general release, it’s not even reached beta stage at the moment.
You can compile VLMC from source yourself if you really want to, but there are no
binaries available at present to simply download and try out.
If you’re scratching your head at the mention of VLC then you might want to familiarise
yourself with the world’s best media player.
Verdict: A promising-looking open source free application that’s not quite ready yet.
