11 Best Free Video Editors For Youtube In 2023

11 Best Free Video Editors For Youtube In 2023

Top 11 Best Free Video Editors for YouTube

Starting from September 20, 2017, the built-in YouTube video editor became unavailable. So the search query for the best free video editor for YouTube has become very popular both among the newbies and more expert vloggers alike.

While putting this list together, I looked at all the tools you might need to create more interesting YouTube content.

1. Lightworks

Most universal choice to edit videos for YouTube

1/4
  • lightworks best free video editor for youtube
  • lightworks best free video editor for youtube
  • lightworks best free video editor for youtube lightworks best free video editor for youtube
     
    Editors' Rating (5/5)
    Mac OS / Windows / Linux
    Pros+
    • 720p video export to YouTube
    • Cross-platform
    • Batch import
    • A lot of visual effects
    • Multi-camera support
    Cons-
    • 4K for YouTube available only in Pro (paid) version
     

    This is one of the free video editors for YouTube that is perfect for vloggers for many reasons. You can add voice directly to the chart, batch import videos, create macros and publish videos in 720p quality, using your Mac for video editing.

    The user interface is quite convenient and has a wide selection of visual effects, transitions and amazing trimming tools. All of these will guarantee that every video you upload to your

    YouTube channel is going to be a small masterpiece. Other features of Lightworks that I can't help mentioning are the drag-and-drop one, fit-to-fill and full-screen modes, layouts that you can customize, very precise trimming that is controlled by the keyboard, etc.

    Most of these are included in the free version. However, the 4K video support for YouTube and Vimeo is available only if you purchase the software.

    2. Blender

    Advanced transitions and masking

    1/4
    • blender best free video editor for youtube
    • blender best free video editor for youtube
    • blender best free video editor for youtube blender best free video editor for youtube
       
      Editors' Rating (4.5/5)
      Mac OS / Windows / Linux
      Pros+
      • Pre-view
      • Masking for spot color correction
      • Unlimited number of video and audio tracks
      • Advanced transitions
      Cons-
      • Few tutorials
       

      Blender is more than just a cross-platform video editing software. This free VFX software can be used for modeling, animation, rendering, VFX and game design.

      The number of features it has is quite impressive. There is a preview mode, brightness signal display, a color vectorscope, histograms, audio and video effects, adjustment layers, transitions and even masking, which is not commonly found in free video editors.

      Sound mixing and waveform rendering give you a lot of creative freedom. The timeline allows you to add an unlimited number of video, audio and other graphic files into your projects.

      All this makes Blender a very flexible photo video maker great for both beginners and more experienced users.

      As a disadvantage, I should mention that most of the tutorials are dedicated to 3D animation/modeling. Video editing resources are minimal.

      3. DaVinci Resolve 16

      Allows you to create 2D and 3D effects

      1/4
      • davinci resolve best free video editor for youtube
      • davinci resolve best free video editor for youtube
      • davinci resolve best free video editor for youtube davinci resolve best free video editor for youtube
         
        Editors' Rating (4.5/5)
        Mac OS / Windows / Linux
        Pros+
        • Creates 2/3D effects
        • 4 modules of UI
        • Advanced color correction
        • Color LUT support
        Cons-
        • May seem overwhelming for beginners
         

        DaVinci Resolve from Blackmagic Design is the best free video editor for YouTube for experienced vloggers. It has a lot of powerful tools and a rather steep learning curve.

        Resolve provides a rather simple UI that includes four high-level modules for video editing, color correction, sound reproduction, video effects and motion graphics.

        It also has audio plugins and features, adjustable page title templates, search table browser, Davinci Resolve LUTs and common color nodes. Besides that, when using DaVinci Resolve, you will be able to create photorealistic visual 2D and 3D effects, animations and headers.

        Finally, Resolve provides you with 16 features for SEO. For example, you will be able to assign keywords and tags for easy sorting, which can be done both automatically and manually.

        4. VideoPad

        Use Chroma key to draw various effects before uploading to YouTube

        1/4
        • videopad best free video editor for youtube
        • videopad best free video editor for youtube
        • videopad best free video editor for youtube videopad best free video editor for youtube
           
          Editors' Rating (4/5)
          Mac OS / Windows
          Pros+
          • Chroma key tool
          • Unlimited video editing tracks
          • Possibility to create your own effects
          • 4K export to YouTube
          Cons-
          • UI may seem cluttered
           

          VideoPad is one of the best tools for YouTube video editing. It has a familiar timeline/storyboard workflow, which means that you can view your project linearly or each object individually no matter how long it takes.

          This program can add unlimited video editing tracks, giving you the versatility you need to create complex projects. It also provides such tools as the Chroma key (for drawing various effects), a video stabilizer, and closed captions for the hearing impaired.

          Besides the built-in transition effects you can insert between clips and images, you can also combine several filters to create your own effects and decide how long the transitions should last.

          VideoPad makes it easy to export your finished work directly to YouTube in Full HD, 2K and 4K. Get this video editor free for YouTube production and share your creativity with everyone.

          5. iMovie

          Best free video editor for YouTube

          1/4
          • imovie best free video editor for youtube
          • imovie best free video editor for youtube
          • imovie best free video editor for youtube imovie best free video editor for youtube
             
            Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
            Mac OS
            Pros+
            • Advanced color correction tools
            • Green screen
            • 4K 60fps video import
            • Connected with iTunes and GarageBand
            Cons-
            • Mac OS only
            • No customizable transitions
             

            If you are a newbie in YouTube video editing and work on macOS devices exclusively, you can try iMovie.

            Follow Clipchamp to find a good YouTube camera at an affordable price if you're just beginning your blogging career.

            Apple iMovie is a free editor for YouTube that has several great tools for organizing multimedia, gradation of color, speed, green-screen effects, narration and sound in your digital films. It supports importing/exporting videos at 4K 60fps and boasts some of the best storyboard-based movie-making tools for beginners, which are trailers and movies.

            In fact, iMovie is connected with iTunes and GarageBand, which means that you will be able to add background music. There are controls for the equalizer, hum suppression, voice amplification, noise reduction, as well as low and high-frequency suppression.

            As for the cons, iMovie does not offer multi-camera mode, customizable transitions and motion tracking options.

            6. Shotcut

            Very simple but efficient YouTube free editing software

            1/4
            • shotcut best free video editor for youtube
            • shotcut best free video editor for youtube
            • shotcut best free video editor for youtube shotcut best free video editor for youtube
               
              Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
              Mac OS / Windows / Linux
              Pros+
              • Customizable video and audio filters
              • Non-linear video editing
              • Screen recording feature
              Cons-
              • Interface needs to be improved
              • No 4K export
               

              Shotcut proves that YouTube editors free to download and use can also be excellent tools. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, and is absolutely free with no adds or embedded adware. Moreover, no features come with hidden paid access.

              At first glance, the UI may seem bare. But in reality, the tool is quite powerful and all of the video and audio filters are fully customizable. The best part is that you can add something or edit your changes at any time since Shotcut offers non-linear video editing.

              You can create several tracks for audio, video and convenient tools like Snap that allows you to easily and accurately join clips. Shotcut also has a recording feature for the users to save and edit webcam footage. It also supports streaming in HTTP, HLS, RTMP, RTSP, MMS and UDP.

              7. YouTube Movie Maker

              For creating high-quality 2D/3D videos

              1/4
              • youtube movie maker free video editor for youtube interface
              • youtube movie maker free video editor for youtube interface
              • youtube movie maker free video editor for youtube interface youtube movie maker free video editor for youtube interface
                 
                Editors' Rating (4/5)
                Windows
                Pros+
                • Excellent effects
                • Batch processing
                • In-built audio editor
                Cons-
                • No version for macOS
                 

                YouTube Movie Maker is a convenient web-based service that allows you to create, edit, and upload YouTube clips. It has a well-thought-out UI, which makes it more convenient to use. You can create 2D or 3D content for YouTube using photo and video files in any format. With it, you can create top-level content and expand your following.

                Due to its advanced editor, you can convert multimedia files to any supported format with little to no effort. It allows you to cut, split, mix, crop, resize, rotate, blur, or mute your videos. In addition, you can use the available tools for adjusting volume, adding fade-ins and fade-outs, as well as tweaking colors.

                Using YouTube Movie Maker, you don’t need to waste your time uploading clips one by one as it supports batch upload. Besides, you can merge several videos to achieve the PIP effect. It has convenient tools for mixing audio tracks, which allows you to use it for creating voice-overs and adding music to your clips.

                8. VSDC Video Editor

                Good free video editing software for YouTube video guides

                1/4
                • vsdc video editor best free video editor for youtube
                • vsdc video editor best free video editor for youtube
                • vsdc video editor best free video editor for youtube vsdc video editor best free video editor for youtube
                   
                  Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
                  Windows
                  Pros+
                  • Screen recording feature
                  • Export 720p directly to YouTube
                  • Masking for spot color correction
                  Cons-
                  • Windows only
                  • Paid customer support
                   

                  VSDC Free Video Editor is a convenient non-linear video editor for Windows that allows you to edit and crop videos professionally, as well as record them directly from a webcam. Therefore, this program is perfect for YouTube vloggers who produce video guides.

                  In addition, VSDC makes it easy to export data directly to YouTube or another social media website.

                  The interface is simple and easy-to-use. The tool provides options for applying Instagram-like filters, voiceovers, captions, shapes and other impressive visual and sound effects.

                  This free editor for YouTube allows you to select individual photos or video objects with the help of a mask and change their color. A video stabilizing tool is also worth mentioning.

                  It allows you to remove shaking frames and creates smoother ones, which is especially relevant for vloggers.

                  Finally, if you want to export video from the free version, you need to select the cog icon in the upper right corner, click “Acceleration Settings”, and then uncheck “Use hardware acceleration for video encoding”.

                  9. OpenShot

                  Great balance between advanced features and simple interface

                  1/4
                  • openshot best free video editor for youtube
                  • openshot best free video editor for youtube
                  • openshot best free video editor for youtube openshot best free video editor for youtube
                     
                    Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
                    Mac OS / Windows
                    Pros+
                    • An impressive number of transitions
                    • Customizable hotkeys
                    • Improved timeline
                    Cons-
                    • No detailed help section
                    • Not for advanced users
                     

                    This cross-platform YouTube free editing software provides a good balance between advanced features and a simple interface.

                    Openshot contains an unlimited number of layers and sound mixing, an impressive number of transitions, 14 movable effects, as well as a host of customizable hotkeys for quick access.

                    You can switch between a simple and advanced interface or customize it manually, according to your needs.

                    Headings are added through a floating window. You select the one you want to use from the list, enter your text in the necessary fields, change the font and color to your liking.

                    The advanced timeline of the program allows you to pan, scroll, zoom, snap and perform simple drag-and-drop. You can preview your clip by right-clicking on it and selecting Preview, although you cannot set entry and exit points.

                    10. Windows Movie Maker

                    Simple features for beginner YouTubers

                    1/4
                    • windows movie maker best free video editor for youtube
                    • windows movie maker best free video editor for youtube
                    • windows movie maker best free video editor for youtube windows movie maker best free video editor for youtube
                       
                      Editors' Rating (3/5)
                      Windows
                      Pros+
                      • Customizable titles and captions
                      • Simplified time scale
                      • Preview effects and transitions
                      Cons-
                      • No advanced features
                      • Export limited to 720p
                       

                      Windows Movie Maker has never been a powerful Hollywood movie editing software, but its functionality may be more than enough for beginner YouTubers.

                      Like iMovie, Movie Maker uses a simplified version of the standard video editor timeline with clips represented by “long thumbnails”. You can crop or split clips using the insertion point in combination with the edit buttons.

                      One of the things that I really like when working with Movie Maker is that most effects, transitions and themes are automatically viewed when you simply hover over their buttons.

                      This video editor free for YouTube is surprisingly powerful at adding captions to digital movies.

                      You can select any font in your system, move the text box to any place on the screen, and even choose from 24 animations so that the text flies, sways or rotates. You can also shift or enlarge the image.

                      11. Avidemux

                      Color grade your YouTube videos before transforming them

                      1/4
                      • avidemux best free video editor for youtube
                      • avidemux best free video editor for youtube
                      • avidemux best free video editor for youtube avidemux best free video editor for youtube
                         
                        Editors' Rating (3/5)
                        Mac OS / Windows / Linux
                        Pros+
                        • A file management system
                        • 4 adjustable audio tracks
                        Cons-
                        • Supports one stream only
                        • Export limited to 720p
                         

                        Avidemux is a free video editing software YouTube content creators are going to love for its simplicity, even those who have never produced their own YouTube content before. It can perform such basic video editing tasks as filtering, cutting and encoding. Also, the program supports multiple video formats, including MPEG, GIF file, DVD, AVI and MP4 file.

                        Using this free video cropping software, you can filter your videos before converting them with cropping, resizing, color profiling tools and more. Although this is not immediately obvious, you can also select audio tracks (up to four), configure each of them and remix them for different speaker settings.

                        There is a good selection of filters found in the Avidemux Video menu. But these are all practical tools, such as noise reduction and deinterlacing, rather than the stylish retro or pop art effects you'll see in other video editors.

                        Avidemux only supports one stream. You cannot overlay or merge tracks, as with some of the more advanced paid video editors.


                        Ann Young

                        Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more

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