2024 Approved Unleash Your Creativity 12 Free Animation Apps for Windows and Mac

2024 Approved Unleash Your Creativity 12 Free Animation Apps for Windows and Mac

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Unleash Your Creativity: 12 Free Animation Apps for Windows and Mac

Best 12 Free Download Animation Software for Windows and Mac

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 Synfig Studio Easy Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2 Pencil2D Animation Easiest Straightforward interface for beginners
3 Tupi Middle Its community is active to offer solutions
4 Blender Difficult It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 DAZ Studio Difficult For professional users with the fast animation process
2 Terragen Middle It can make realistic CG environments
3 Anim8or Difficult 3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4 Seamless3d Easy It has many features for 3d modeling
5 OpenToonz Middle Make cartoon animation with plugins
6 Stykz Easy Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

  • Create various shapes that you like
  • Add keyframing to make it move
  • Fine-tuning to make it smooth
  • Add visual effects/text/color before export it

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

  • It offers support for many layers within the animation.
  • The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
  • It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

  • Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
  • Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
  • Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
  • Completely free and open source.

free animation software Pencil2D

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

  • Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
  • You can import raster images using this program.
  • You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
  • Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

TupiTube free animation software mac

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

  • Creating renders is no problem with this program.
  • Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
  • VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
  • It offers powerful simulation tools.
  • Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

free download 3D animation software blender

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

  • Parametric workflow.
  • 2D and 3D animation tools.
  • Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

K-3D

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

  • HDR painting.
  • PSD support.
  • Python scripting.
  • Selection and transformation tools.
  • Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
  • Complete color management for extraordinary results.
  • Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Krita

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Download Win Version

Features:

  • There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
  • Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
  • Animate integrated and imported assets.
  • Tons of templates that match many script types.

anireel animation software

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

  • Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
  • GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
  • Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
  • Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

DAZ animation software

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

  • Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
  • Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
  • Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
  • Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

Terragen animation software

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

  • A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
  • Features support for TrueType fonts.
  • Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

Anim8or video animation software

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

  • It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
  • It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
  • Has a specialized tree view interface.

animation software for windows Seamless3d

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

  • You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
  • Smooth correction without frame losing.
  • Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

OpenToonz animation program

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

  • There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
  • Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
  • You can share the final work with others including information.

Stykz best free animation software

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 Synfig Studio Easy Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2 Pencil2D Animation Easiest Straightforward interface for beginners
3 Tupi Middle Its community is active to offer solutions
4 Blender Difficult It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 DAZ Studio Difficult For professional users with the fast animation process
2 Terragen Middle It can make realistic CG environments
3 Anim8or Difficult 3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4 Seamless3d Easy It has many features for 3d modeling
5 OpenToonz Middle Make cartoon animation with plugins
6 Stykz Easy Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

  • Create various shapes that you like
  • Add keyframing to make it move
  • Fine-tuning to make it smooth
  • Add visual effects/text/color before export it

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

  • It offers support for many layers within the animation.
  • The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
  • It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

  • Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
  • Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
  • Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
  • Completely free and open source.

free animation software Pencil2D

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

  • Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
  • You can import raster images using this program.
  • You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
  • Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

TupiTube free animation software mac

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

  • Creating renders is no problem with this program.
  • Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
  • VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
  • It offers powerful simulation tools.
  • Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

free download 3D animation software blender

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

  • Parametric workflow.
  • 2D and 3D animation tools.
  • Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

K-3D

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

  • HDR painting.
  • PSD support.
  • Python scripting.
  • Selection and transformation tools.
  • Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
  • Complete color management for extraordinary results.
  • Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Krita

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Download Win Version

Features:

  • There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
  • Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
  • Animate integrated and imported assets.
  • Tons of templates that match many script types.

anireel animation software

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

  • Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
  • GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
  • Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
  • Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

DAZ animation software

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

  • Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
  • Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
  • Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
  • Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

Terragen animation software

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

  • A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
  • Features support for TrueType fonts.
  • Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

Anim8or video animation software

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

  • It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
  • It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
  • Has a specialized tree view interface.

animation software for windows Seamless3d

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

  • You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
  • Smooth correction without frame losing.
  • Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

OpenToonz animation program

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

  • There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
  • Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
  • You can share the final work with others including information.

Stykz best free animation software

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 Synfig Studio Easy Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2 Pencil2D Animation Easiest Straightforward interface for beginners
3 Tupi Middle Its community is active to offer solutions
4 Blender Difficult It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 DAZ Studio Difficult For professional users with the fast animation process
2 Terragen Middle It can make realistic CG environments
3 Anim8or Difficult 3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4 Seamless3d Easy It has many features for 3d modeling
5 OpenToonz Middle Make cartoon animation with plugins
6 Stykz Easy Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

  • Create various shapes that you like
  • Add keyframing to make it move
  • Fine-tuning to make it smooth
  • Add visual effects/text/color before export it

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

  • It offers support for many layers within the animation.
  • The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
  • It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

  • Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
  • Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
  • Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
  • Completely free and open source.

free animation software Pencil2D

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

  • Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
  • You can import raster images using this program.
  • You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
  • Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

TupiTube free animation software mac

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

  • Creating renders is no problem with this program.
  • Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
  • VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
  • It offers powerful simulation tools.
  • Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

free download 3D animation software blender

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

  • Parametric workflow.
  • 2D and 3D animation tools.
  • Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

K-3D

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

  • HDR painting.
  • PSD support.
  • Python scripting.
  • Selection and transformation tools.
  • Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
  • Complete color management for extraordinary results.
  • Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Krita

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Download Win Version

Features:

  • There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
  • Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
  • Animate integrated and imported assets.
  • Tons of templates that match many script types.

anireel animation software

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

  • Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
  • GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
  • Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
  • Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

DAZ animation software

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

  • Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
  • Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
  • Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
  • Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

Terragen animation software

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

  • A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
  • Features support for TrueType fonts.
  • Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

Anim8or video animation software

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

  • It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
  • It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
  • Has a specialized tree view interface.

animation software for windows Seamless3d

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

  • You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
  • Smooth correction without frame losing.
  • Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

OpenToonz animation program

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

  • There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
  • Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
  • You can share the final work with others including information.

Stykz best free animation software

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 Synfig Studio Easy Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2 Pencil2D Animation Easiest Straightforward interface for beginners
3 Tupi Middle Its community is active to offer solutions
4 Blender Difficult It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number Software Difficulty Level Highlight
1 DAZ Studio Difficult For professional users with the fast animation process
2 Terragen Middle It can make realistic CG environments
3 Anim8or Difficult 3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4 Seamless3d Easy It has many features for 3d modeling
5 OpenToonz Middle Make cartoon animation with plugins
6 Stykz Easy Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

  • Create various shapes that you like
  • Add keyframing to make it move
  • Fine-tuning to make it smooth
  • Add visual effects/text/color before export it

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

  • It offers support for many layers within the animation.
  • The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
  • It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

  • Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
  • Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
  • Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
  • Completely free and open source.

free animation software Pencil2D

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

  • Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
  • You can import raster images using this program.
  • You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
  • Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

TupiTube free animation software mac

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

  • Creating renders is no problem with this program.
  • Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
  • VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
  • It offers powerful simulation tools.
  • Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

free download 3D animation software blender

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

  • Parametric workflow.
  • 2D and 3D animation tools.
  • Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

K-3D

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

  • HDR painting.
  • PSD support.
  • Python scripting.
  • Selection and transformation tools.
  • Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
  • Complete color management for extraordinary results.
  • Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Krita

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Download Win Version

Features:

  • There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
  • Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
  • Animate integrated and imported assets.
  • Tons of templates that match many script types.

anireel animation software

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

  • Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
  • GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
  • Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
  • Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

DAZ animation software

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

  • Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
  • Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
  • Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
  • Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

Terragen animation software

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

  • A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
  • Features support for TrueType fonts.
  • Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

Anim8or video animation software

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

  • It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
  • It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
  • Has a specialized tree view interface.

animation software for windows Seamless3d

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

  • You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
  • Smooth correction without frame losing.
  • Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

OpenToonz animation program

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

  • There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
  • Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
  • You can share the final work with others including information.

Stykz best free animation software

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

The Most Cost-Effective Video Editing Tools

Best Cheap Yet Powerful Video Editing Software

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 29, 2024• Proven solutions

The demand for video content on social media is at an all-time high. This also means that the quality of videos posted on social media matters a lot. With the right video editing software, you get the creative freedom to make attention-grabbing videos constantly. In this article, we are going to take you through seven of the most affordable video editing apps for Macs and PCs.

In this article

01 Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

02 Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

03 Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

Statistics indicated the continued growth in the consumption of video content. There is also a significant increase in the use of video editing tools. Here are some notable figures:

  • Video Editing Software market size was valued at US$4079.1 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$5198.23 million by 2028
  • An average person spends about 100 minutes per day watching online videos
  • 54% of people want to see more video content from marketers
  • Over 85% of internet users watch online videos each month
  • 86% of businesses use video as a marketing too
  • 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy
  • 80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales
  • An impressive 93% of companies report to acquire customers through social media

Top Affordable Video Editing Software: A Comparison Table

Video Editing Tool Compatibility Pricing Main Feature
Filmora (Top Recommend) macOS, Windows, Android, iOS Starts US$19.99 AI-powered features; Supports all video file formats; Fit beginners and intermedia users
VideoPad macOS, Windows Starts US$24.90 An impressive collection of transitions, visual effects, and text overlays
Adobe Premiere Elements macOS, Windows Lifetime license - US$99.99 Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
Magix Movie Edit Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$69.99 More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra macOS, Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$139.99 Compatible with a number of plug-ins and video effect packs such as Boris FX or proDAD
Vegas Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$119 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
Final Cut Pro X macOS Lifetime license – US$299 Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline

Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

You no longer need access to professional video editing apps if you want to process the footage recorded in the 4K resolution, apply the Chroma Key effect to a video clip, or color grade a video since there are several options that are available for less than a hundred dollars that allow you to do all these things and much more. Let’s take a look at some of the best video editing apps that are not going to burn a hole in your budget.

Please keep in mind that the list is in no particular order of ranking, and the price may vary over time.

1. Filmora

Thousands of gamers, YouTubers, and social media video creators are already using Filmora because it is loaded with powerful features that are remarkably easy to use. The visual effects, transitions, AI features, or music libraries contain hundreds of different options that enable Filmora’s users to enhance color in their videos, switch between two shots smoothly, or create soundtracks with royalty-free music.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Price:

  • Subscription Plan: US$19.99 per month
  • Cross-Platform Plan: US$69.99 per year
  • Perpetual Plan: US$79.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, iPad, online

What Makes Filmora Unique:

  • AI-powered features for automated video creation and editing
  • Supports nearly all video file formats
  • Processes 4K videos recorded with GoPro cameras or Full HD videos s
  • Export projects to YouTube or Vimeo directly
  • Low learning curve and user-friendly interface
  • Made to fit beginners and intermedia users
  • Free to try

You can check the detailed introduction of Filmora to find out why you should choose Filmora to edit videos .

2. VideoPad Video Editor

Working with 3D video footage, applying visual effects to 360-degree videos, or exporting videos in the 4K resolution are only a few reasons why VideoPad is one of the best cross-platform video editing apps on the market. It also comes with a wide range of features to make your video editing experience straightforward. The app doesn’t offer free music, which can slightly limit your options if you don’t have your own music you can use as a soundtrack. However, VideoPad lets you record voice-overs with a push of a button and it features an audio effects library that contains hundreds of professional sound effects.

videopad

Price:

  • Free demo version available
  • Lifetime license - US$24.99 for a Home Edition
  • Lifetime license – US$34.99 for a Master’s Edition

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes VideoPad Unique:

  • Better control over transitions and other options.
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Editing 360 videos with VideoPad is super easy

3. Adobe Premiere Elements

Adobe Premiere Elements is basically a lighter version of Adobe Premiere Pro that is aimed at social media video creators. Mastering the Adobe Premiere Elements won’t take too much of your time and it will enable you to produce captivating videos with ease.

adobe elements

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Lifetime license - US$99.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes Adobe Premiere Elements Unique:

  • The Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
  • Creates highest quality video content
  • Additional features like Face Detection, Shake Reduction, or Smart Trim

4. Magix Movie Edit Pro

Magix Movie Edit Pro provides several automatic program wizards that are designed to shorten the amount of time required to make a video. You can just choose one of the automatic programs, and import the footage you would like to include in a project and Magix Movie Edit Pro will do the rest for you.

magix movie

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Movie Studio Platinum - US$69.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Suite - US$79.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Ultimate - US$299 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Magix Movie Edit Pro Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

You can hardly go wrong if you decide to purchase this award-winning video editing software, which features hundreds of video templates that enable you to make a new video in just a couple of minutes.

cyberlink

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Perpetual License: US$139.99
  • Annual Plan: US$74.99

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

1. Vegas Pro

It is difficult to imagine a video editing task you can’t perform with Vegas Pro. This video editing software supports nearly all video file formats, so you can edit footage captured with almost all digital video cameras.

vegas pro

Price:

  • Vegas Pro Edit – US$ 199-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Suite – US$ 299-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Post – US$ 399-lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Vegas Pro Unique:

  • HDR color support
  • 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
  • A broad range of compositing modes
  • Quick export directly to YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo platforms.

2. Final Cut Pro X

There are so many reasons why industry professionals hold Final Cut Pro X in such high esteem. FCPX is undoubtedly an excellent choice for all filmmakers who need a wide spectrum of video editing tools to create movies that sweep audiences off their feet.

final cut pro x

Price:

  • 90-day free trial
  • US$299.99 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: macOS

What Makes Final Cut Pro X Unique:

  • Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline
  • Organize huge numbers of files easily
  • Creates stunning 2D and 3D motion graphics
  • Color correction tools with complete control over the hue, saturation, and other color values

Conclusion

Purchasing video editing software is a long-term investment that will enable you to increase the quality of the videos you’re creating over time. This doesn’t mean that the videos you’re producing are going to become better overnight since most video editing apps only offer possibilities that can’t be properly utilized without proper video editing skills.

Well, If you haven’t decided which one to go for so far, I would strongly recommend Filmora to you. It’s free to try, you can download it with the buttons below, and click through to see if it matches your needs.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 29, 2024• Proven solutions

The demand for video content on social media is at an all-time high. This also means that the quality of videos posted on social media matters a lot. With the right video editing software, you get the creative freedom to make attention-grabbing videos constantly. In this article, we are going to take you through seven of the most affordable video editing apps for Macs and PCs.

In this article

01 Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

02 Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

03 Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

Statistics indicated the continued growth in the consumption of video content. There is also a significant increase in the use of video editing tools. Here are some notable figures:

  • Video Editing Software market size was valued at US$4079.1 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$5198.23 million by 2028
  • An average person spends about 100 minutes per day watching online videos
  • 54% of people want to see more video content from marketers
  • Over 85% of internet users watch online videos each month
  • 86% of businesses use video as a marketing too
  • 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy
  • 80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales
  • An impressive 93% of companies report to acquire customers through social media

Top Affordable Video Editing Software: A Comparison Table

Video Editing Tool Compatibility Pricing Main Feature
Filmora (Top Recommend) macOS, Windows, Android, iOS Starts US$19.99 AI-powered features; Supports all video file formats; Fit beginners and intermedia users
VideoPad macOS, Windows Starts US$24.90 An impressive collection of transitions, visual effects, and text overlays
Adobe Premiere Elements macOS, Windows Lifetime license - US$99.99 Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
Magix Movie Edit Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$69.99 More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra macOS, Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$139.99 Compatible with a number of plug-ins and video effect packs such as Boris FX or proDAD
Vegas Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$119 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
Final Cut Pro X macOS Lifetime license – US$299 Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline

Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

You no longer need access to professional video editing apps if you want to process the footage recorded in the 4K resolution, apply the Chroma Key effect to a video clip, or color grade a video since there are several options that are available for less than a hundred dollars that allow you to do all these things and much more. Let’s take a look at some of the best video editing apps that are not going to burn a hole in your budget.

Please keep in mind that the list is in no particular order of ranking, and the price may vary over time.

1. Filmora

Thousands of gamers, YouTubers, and social media video creators are already using Filmora because it is loaded with powerful features that are remarkably easy to use. The visual effects, transitions, AI features, or music libraries contain hundreds of different options that enable Filmora’s users to enhance color in their videos, switch between two shots smoothly, or create soundtracks with royalty-free music.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Price:

  • Subscription Plan: US$19.99 per month
  • Cross-Platform Plan: US$69.99 per year
  • Perpetual Plan: US$79.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, iPad, online

What Makes Filmora Unique:

  • AI-powered features for automated video creation and editing
  • Supports nearly all video file formats
  • Processes 4K videos recorded with GoPro cameras or Full HD videos s
  • Export projects to YouTube or Vimeo directly
  • Low learning curve and user-friendly interface
  • Made to fit beginners and intermedia users
  • Free to try

You can check the detailed introduction of Filmora to find out why you should choose Filmora to edit videos .

2. VideoPad Video Editor

Working with 3D video footage, applying visual effects to 360-degree videos, or exporting videos in the 4K resolution are only a few reasons why VideoPad is one of the best cross-platform video editing apps on the market. It also comes with a wide range of features to make your video editing experience straightforward. The app doesn’t offer free music, which can slightly limit your options if you don’t have your own music you can use as a soundtrack. However, VideoPad lets you record voice-overs with a push of a button and it features an audio effects library that contains hundreds of professional sound effects.

videopad

Price:

  • Free demo version available
  • Lifetime license - US$24.99 for a Home Edition
  • Lifetime license – US$34.99 for a Master’s Edition

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes VideoPad Unique:

  • Better control over transitions and other options.
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Editing 360 videos with VideoPad is super easy

3. Adobe Premiere Elements

Adobe Premiere Elements is basically a lighter version of Adobe Premiere Pro that is aimed at social media video creators. Mastering the Adobe Premiere Elements won’t take too much of your time and it will enable you to produce captivating videos with ease.

adobe elements

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Lifetime license - US$99.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes Adobe Premiere Elements Unique:

  • The Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
  • Creates highest quality video content
  • Additional features like Face Detection, Shake Reduction, or Smart Trim

4. Magix Movie Edit Pro

Magix Movie Edit Pro provides several automatic program wizards that are designed to shorten the amount of time required to make a video. You can just choose one of the automatic programs, and import the footage you would like to include in a project and Magix Movie Edit Pro will do the rest for you.

magix movie

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Movie Studio Platinum - US$69.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Suite - US$79.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Ultimate - US$299 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Magix Movie Edit Pro Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

You can hardly go wrong if you decide to purchase this award-winning video editing software, which features hundreds of video templates that enable you to make a new video in just a couple of minutes.

cyberlink

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Perpetual License: US$139.99
  • Annual Plan: US$74.99

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

1. Vegas Pro

It is difficult to imagine a video editing task you can’t perform with Vegas Pro. This video editing software supports nearly all video file formats, so you can edit footage captured with almost all digital video cameras.

vegas pro

Price:

  • Vegas Pro Edit – US$ 199-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Suite – US$ 299-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Post – US$ 399-lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Vegas Pro Unique:

  • HDR color support
  • 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
  • A broad range of compositing modes
  • Quick export directly to YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo platforms.

2. Final Cut Pro X

There are so many reasons why industry professionals hold Final Cut Pro X in such high esteem. FCPX is undoubtedly an excellent choice for all filmmakers who need a wide spectrum of video editing tools to create movies that sweep audiences off their feet.

final cut pro x

Price:

  • 90-day free trial
  • US$299.99 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: macOS

What Makes Final Cut Pro X Unique:

  • Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline
  • Organize huge numbers of files easily
  • Creates stunning 2D and 3D motion graphics
  • Color correction tools with complete control over the hue, saturation, and other color values

Conclusion

Purchasing video editing software is a long-term investment that will enable you to increase the quality of the videos you’re creating over time. This doesn’t mean that the videos you’re producing are going to become better overnight since most video editing apps only offer possibilities that can’t be properly utilized without proper video editing skills.

Well, If you haven’t decided which one to go for so far, I would strongly recommend Filmora to you. It’s free to try, you can download it with the buttons below, and click through to see if it matches your needs.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 29, 2024• Proven solutions

The demand for video content on social media is at an all-time high. This also means that the quality of videos posted on social media matters a lot. With the right video editing software, you get the creative freedom to make attention-grabbing videos constantly. In this article, we are going to take you through seven of the most affordable video editing apps for Macs and PCs.

In this article

01 Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

02 Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

03 Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

Statistics indicated the continued growth in the consumption of video content. There is also a significant increase in the use of video editing tools. Here are some notable figures:

  • Video Editing Software market size was valued at US$4079.1 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$5198.23 million by 2028
  • An average person spends about 100 minutes per day watching online videos
  • 54% of people want to see more video content from marketers
  • Over 85% of internet users watch online videos each month
  • 86% of businesses use video as a marketing too
  • 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy
  • 80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales
  • An impressive 93% of companies report to acquire customers through social media

Top Affordable Video Editing Software: A Comparison Table

Video Editing Tool Compatibility Pricing Main Feature
Filmora (Top Recommend) macOS, Windows, Android, iOS Starts US$19.99 AI-powered features; Supports all video file formats; Fit beginners and intermedia users
VideoPad macOS, Windows Starts US$24.90 An impressive collection of transitions, visual effects, and text overlays
Adobe Premiere Elements macOS, Windows Lifetime license - US$99.99 Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
Magix Movie Edit Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$69.99 More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra macOS, Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$139.99 Compatible with a number of plug-ins and video effect packs such as Boris FX or proDAD
Vegas Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$119 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
Final Cut Pro X macOS Lifetime license – US$299 Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline

Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

You no longer need access to professional video editing apps if you want to process the footage recorded in the 4K resolution, apply the Chroma Key effect to a video clip, or color grade a video since there are several options that are available for less than a hundred dollars that allow you to do all these things and much more. Let’s take a look at some of the best video editing apps that are not going to burn a hole in your budget.

Please keep in mind that the list is in no particular order of ranking, and the price may vary over time.

1. Filmora

Thousands of gamers, YouTubers, and social media video creators are already using Filmora because it is loaded with powerful features that are remarkably easy to use. The visual effects, transitions, AI features, or music libraries contain hundreds of different options that enable Filmora’s users to enhance color in their videos, switch between two shots smoothly, or create soundtracks with royalty-free music.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Price:

  • Subscription Plan: US$19.99 per month
  • Cross-Platform Plan: US$69.99 per year
  • Perpetual Plan: US$79.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, iPad, online

What Makes Filmora Unique:

  • AI-powered features for automated video creation and editing
  • Supports nearly all video file formats
  • Processes 4K videos recorded with GoPro cameras or Full HD videos s
  • Export projects to YouTube or Vimeo directly
  • Low learning curve and user-friendly interface
  • Made to fit beginners and intermedia users
  • Free to try

You can check the detailed introduction of Filmora to find out why you should choose Filmora to edit videos .

2. VideoPad Video Editor

Working with 3D video footage, applying visual effects to 360-degree videos, or exporting videos in the 4K resolution are only a few reasons why VideoPad is one of the best cross-platform video editing apps on the market. It also comes with a wide range of features to make your video editing experience straightforward. The app doesn’t offer free music, which can slightly limit your options if you don’t have your own music you can use as a soundtrack. However, VideoPad lets you record voice-overs with a push of a button and it features an audio effects library that contains hundreds of professional sound effects.

videopad

Price:

  • Free demo version available
  • Lifetime license - US$24.99 for a Home Edition
  • Lifetime license – US$34.99 for a Master’s Edition

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes VideoPad Unique:

  • Better control over transitions and other options.
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Editing 360 videos with VideoPad is super easy

3. Adobe Premiere Elements

Adobe Premiere Elements is basically a lighter version of Adobe Premiere Pro that is aimed at social media video creators. Mastering the Adobe Premiere Elements won’t take too much of your time and it will enable you to produce captivating videos with ease.

adobe elements

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Lifetime license - US$99.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes Adobe Premiere Elements Unique:

  • The Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
  • Creates highest quality video content
  • Additional features like Face Detection, Shake Reduction, or Smart Trim

4. Magix Movie Edit Pro

Magix Movie Edit Pro provides several automatic program wizards that are designed to shorten the amount of time required to make a video. You can just choose one of the automatic programs, and import the footage you would like to include in a project and Magix Movie Edit Pro will do the rest for you.

magix movie

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Movie Studio Platinum - US$69.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Suite - US$79.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Ultimate - US$299 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Magix Movie Edit Pro Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

You can hardly go wrong if you decide to purchase this award-winning video editing software, which features hundreds of video templates that enable you to make a new video in just a couple of minutes.

cyberlink

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Perpetual License: US$139.99
  • Annual Plan: US$74.99

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

1. Vegas Pro

It is difficult to imagine a video editing task you can’t perform with Vegas Pro. This video editing software supports nearly all video file formats, so you can edit footage captured with almost all digital video cameras.

vegas pro

Price:

  • Vegas Pro Edit – US$ 199-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Suite – US$ 299-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Post – US$ 399-lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Vegas Pro Unique:

  • HDR color support
  • 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
  • A broad range of compositing modes
  • Quick export directly to YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo platforms.

2. Final Cut Pro X

There are so many reasons why industry professionals hold Final Cut Pro X in such high esteem. FCPX is undoubtedly an excellent choice for all filmmakers who need a wide spectrum of video editing tools to create movies that sweep audiences off their feet.

final cut pro x

Price:

  • 90-day free trial
  • US$299.99 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: macOS

What Makes Final Cut Pro X Unique:

  • Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline
  • Organize huge numbers of files easily
  • Creates stunning 2D and 3D motion graphics
  • Color correction tools with complete control over the hue, saturation, and other color values

Conclusion

Purchasing video editing software is a long-term investment that will enable you to increase the quality of the videos you’re creating over time. This doesn’t mean that the videos you’re producing are going to become better overnight since most video editing apps only offer possibilities that can’t be properly utilized without proper video editing skills.

Well, If you haven’t decided which one to go for so far, I would strongly recommend Filmora to you. It’s free to try, you can download it with the buttons below, and click through to see if it matches your needs.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 29, 2024• Proven solutions

The demand for video content on social media is at an all-time high. This also means that the quality of videos posted on social media matters a lot. With the right video editing software, you get the creative freedom to make attention-grabbing videos constantly. In this article, we are going to take you through seven of the most affordable video editing apps for Macs and PCs.

In this article

01 Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

02 Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

03 Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

Part 1. Need for Video Editing Tools: Industry Statistics

Statistics indicated the continued growth in the consumption of video content. There is also a significant increase in the use of video editing tools. Here are some notable figures:

  • Video Editing Software market size was valued at US$4079.1 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$5198.23 million by 2028
  • An average person spends about 100 minutes per day watching online videos
  • 54% of people want to see more video content from marketers
  • Over 85% of internet users watch online videos each month
  • 86% of businesses use video as a marketing too
  • 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy
  • 80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales
  • An impressive 93% of companies report to acquire customers through social media

Top Affordable Video Editing Software: A Comparison Table

Video Editing Tool Compatibility Pricing Main Feature
Filmora (Top Recommend) macOS, Windows, Android, iOS Starts US$19.99 AI-powered features; Supports all video file formats; Fit beginners and intermedia users
VideoPad macOS, Windows Starts US$24.90 An impressive collection of transitions, visual effects, and text overlays
Adobe Premiere Elements macOS, Windows Lifetime license - US$99.99 Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
Magix Movie Edit Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$69.99 More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra macOS, Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$139.99 Compatible with a number of plug-ins and video effect packs such as Boris FX or proDAD
Vegas Pro Windows Lifetime license – Starts US$119 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
Final Cut Pro X macOS Lifetime license – US$299 Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline

Part 2. Video Editing Software for Less Than $100: Top 9 Best Tools

You no longer need access to professional video editing apps if you want to process the footage recorded in the 4K resolution, apply the Chroma Key effect to a video clip, or color grade a video since there are several options that are available for less than a hundred dollars that allow you to do all these things and much more. Let’s take a look at some of the best video editing apps that are not going to burn a hole in your budget.

Please keep in mind that the list is in no particular order of ranking, and the price may vary over time.

1. Filmora

Thousands of gamers, YouTubers, and social media video creators are already using Filmora because it is loaded with powerful features that are remarkably easy to use. The visual effects, transitions, AI features, or music libraries contain hundreds of different options that enable Filmora’s users to enhance color in their videos, switch between two shots smoothly, or create soundtracks with royalty-free music.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Price:

  • Subscription Plan: US$19.99 per month
  • Cross-Platform Plan: US$69.99 per year
  • Perpetual Plan: US$79.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, iPad, online

What Makes Filmora Unique:

  • AI-powered features for automated video creation and editing
  • Supports nearly all video file formats
  • Processes 4K videos recorded with GoPro cameras or Full HD videos s
  • Export projects to YouTube or Vimeo directly
  • Low learning curve and user-friendly interface
  • Made to fit beginners and intermedia users
  • Free to try

You can check the detailed introduction of Filmora to find out why you should choose Filmora to edit videos .

2. VideoPad Video Editor

Working with 3D video footage, applying visual effects to 360-degree videos, or exporting videos in the 4K resolution are only a few reasons why VideoPad is one of the best cross-platform video editing apps on the market. It also comes with a wide range of features to make your video editing experience straightforward. The app doesn’t offer free music, which can slightly limit your options if you don’t have your own music you can use as a soundtrack. However, VideoPad lets you record voice-overs with a push of a button and it features an audio effects library that contains hundreds of professional sound effects.

videopad

Price:

  • Free demo version available
  • Lifetime license - US$24.99 for a Home Edition
  • Lifetime license – US$34.99 for a Master’s Edition

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes VideoPad Unique:

  • Better control over transitions and other options.
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Editing 360 videos with VideoPad is super easy

3. Adobe Premiere Elements

Adobe Premiere Elements is basically a lighter version of Adobe Premiere Pro that is aimed at social media video creators. Mastering the Adobe Premiere Elements won’t take too much of your time and it will enable you to produce captivating videos with ease.

adobe elements

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Lifetime license - US$99.99

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

What Makes Adobe Premiere Elements Unique:

  • The Adobe Sensei AI technology automatically creates slideshows and collages from photos and videos
  • Creates highest quality video content
  • Additional features like Face Detection, Shake Reduction, or Smart Trim

4. Magix Movie Edit Pro

Magix Movie Edit Pro provides several automatic program wizards that are designed to shorten the amount of time required to make a video. You can just choose one of the automatic programs, and import the footage you would like to include in a project and Magix Movie Edit Pro will do the rest for you.

magix movie

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Movie Studio Platinum - US$69.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Suite - US$79.99 for a lifetime license
  • Movie Studio Ultimate - US$299 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Magix Movie Edit Pro Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

You can hardly go wrong if you decide to purchase this award-winning video editing software, which features hundreds of video templates that enable you to make a new video in just a couple of minutes.

cyberlink

Price:

  • 30-day free trial
  • Perpetual License: US$139.99
  • Annual Plan: US$74.99

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes CyberLink PowerDirector Ultra Unique:

  • Automatic and manual video editing
  • More than 1500 visual effects to manipulate video clips
  • Multi-cam video editing option and 360-degree videos are available on the Pro Plus version.

Part 3. Best Professional Video Editing Apps That Cost Under $300

1. Vegas Pro

It is difficult to imagine a video editing task you can’t perform with Vegas Pro. This video editing software supports nearly all video file formats, so you can edit footage captured with almost all digital video cameras.

vegas pro

Price:

  • Vegas Pro Edit – US$ 199-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Suite – US$ 299-lifetime license
  • Vegas Pro Post – US$ 399-lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows

What Makes Vegas Pro Unique:

  • HDR color support
  • 360-degree and multi-camera video editing
  • A broad range of compositing modes
  • Quick export directly to YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo platforms.

2. Final Cut Pro X

There are so many reasons why industry professionals hold Final Cut Pro X in such high esteem. FCPX is undoubtedly an excellent choice for all filmmakers who need a wide spectrum of video editing tools to create movies that sweep audiences off their feet.

final cut pro x

Price:

  • 90-day free trial
  • US$299.99 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: macOS

What Makes Final Cut Pro X Unique:

  • Arrange video clips on the video editor’s magnetic timeline
  • Organize huge numbers of files easily
  • Creates stunning 2D and 3D motion graphics
  • Color correction tools with complete control over the hue, saturation, and other color values

Conclusion

Purchasing video editing software is a long-term investment that will enable you to increase the quality of the videos you’re creating over time. This doesn’t mean that the videos you’re producing are going to become better overnight since most video editing apps only offer possibilities that can’t be properly utilized without proper video editing skills.

Well, If you haven’t decided which one to go for so far, I would strongly recommend Filmora to you. It’s free to try, you can download it with the buttons below, and click through to see if it matches your needs.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Get Started with Video Editing: Top Free Tools for Rookies

Best Video Editor for Beginners on Windows and Mac

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers , download and have a try.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

From Clip to Cohesive: Mastering Color in FCP

How to Easily Match Color in Video Clips with Final Cut Pro

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Aug 18, 2022• Proven solutions

If you are involved in video editing or post-production activities, then you might be familiar with color matching. In this, we make sure that the overall color and tone of our videos are matched throughout. Thankfully, you can easily do color match in Final Cut Pro or any other reliable video editing tool. In this detailed Final Cut Pro match color tutorial, I will help you do the same and would also share details about its best alternative.

Part 1: How to Use Final Cut Pro X to Match Colors: A Stepwise Guide

Final Cut Pro X has to be one of the most resourceful Mac applications that you can use to edit your videos. If you want, you can use the automatic FCPX match color tool in the application to automatically apply the effect. Besides that, you can manually match color in Final Cut Pro X by using its inbuilt features.

Method 1: Using the Final Cut Pro Match Color Tool

To use the Final Cut Pro X Match Color feature, you can simply go through these simple steps:

Step 1: Load and import the video clips

To begin with, you can just launch Final Cut Pro on your Mac and go to its File > Import > Media to load any video clip of your choice. You can simply drag and drop your videos to the Final Cut Pro interface.

Step 2: Apply the FCPX Match Color effect

Now, simply select the clip you want to edit, go to the Enhancement menu, and click on the Match Color icon (below the viewer). You can also find it under the Modify > Match Color option or get the feature by pressing the Option + Command + M key combination.

Afterward, the Color Match FCPX tool will display two different screens in the viewer. On the right, you would have the clip from where you can match the source while the target clip will be displayed on the left.

From the Final Cut Pro timeline or the browser, you can find the appropriate clips. If you want, you can even import a still image to source the respective colors for matching. Simply preview the changes that the FCPX Color Match tool will make and click on the “Apply Match” in the end.

Method 2: Adjust the Video Color Manually

Apart from the match color tool in Final Cut, you can also manually set the color grading and saturation feature. While this will not get you instant or exact results to color match in Final Cut Pro, you can still give it a try.

Once the video clip is loaded on Filmora, just go to the Effects Browser > Inspector and add the Color Correction effect to the video. Now, you can go to the Color Correction tab from the sidebar to manually adjust the value for color, saturation, and exposure to get the desired effects.

Part 2: Wondershare Filmora: The Best Alternative to FCPX Color Match Tool

Since Final Cut Pro is not the most user-friendly application, a lot of people look for other alternatives to perform operations like color match. Therefore, you can also take the assistance of Wondershare Filmora . It is a powerful video editing and post-production tool that is extremely easy to use and runs on all the major macOS versions.

  • On Filmora, you can find seamless options like color matching, color tuning, splitting, resizing, scene detection, and so on.
  • There are also tons of advanced video editing features in Filmora like keyframing, motion detection, green screen edits, etc.
  • You can find a wide range of effects, presets, texts, stickers, transitions, and more in the Filmora library.
  • There are also dedicated options to edit audio in your media files or add voiceovers.
  • Filmora is one of the easiest video editing tools out there with import/export options for all the leading formats.

To perform automatic color matching in your videos using Wondershare Filmora, the following steps can be taken:

Step 1: Import the video to edit on Filmora

At first, you can just launch Filmora on your Mac and drag-and-drop the video you want to edit. You can also go to its File > Import Media to load any video of your choice on Filmora and just drag the clips to the timeline (at the bottom).

Step 2: Apply Color Correction to your Clips

If you want, you can add multiple clips on Filmora and simply add them to the timeline as per your requirements.

You can now take the playhead and place it from where you wish to edit the video. You can select the remaining clip (or photos), right-click, and choose the Color Match option. Alternatively, you can also click on the color palette icon on the timeline’s toolbar and select the “Color Match” button.

This will change the viewer into two screens. Here, you can select the reference picture or clip as a source and preview its effects on the target clip. You can also go to the Color tab on the side and adjust its level under the Comparison View section.

On the viewer window, you can see all the changes, and click on the “Match” button to apply the effect.

Step 3: Export your video to a preferred format

After making the needed changes and applying the color correction feature, you can go to the Export option of the tool. Here, you can choose a preferred format to export your file and even choose its resolution and video quality.

I’m sure that after reading this post you would be able to apply color match in Final Cut Pro. As you can see, I have included a stepwise tutorial that anyone can follow to use the Final Cut Pro Match Color tool. Though, if you are looking for a better and more user-friendly option, then explore Wondershare Filmora. The free video editing application offers a wide range of features and will certainly meet every post-production need of yours in no time!

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Aug 18, 2022• Proven solutions

If you are involved in video editing or post-production activities, then you might be familiar with color matching. In this, we make sure that the overall color and tone of our videos are matched throughout. Thankfully, you can easily do color match in Final Cut Pro or any other reliable video editing tool. In this detailed Final Cut Pro match color tutorial, I will help you do the same and would also share details about its best alternative.

Part 1: How to Use Final Cut Pro X to Match Colors: A Stepwise Guide

Final Cut Pro X has to be one of the most resourceful Mac applications that you can use to edit your videos. If you want, you can use the automatic FCPX match color tool in the application to automatically apply the effect. Besides that, you can manually match color in Final Cut Pro X by using its inbuilt features.

Method 1: Using the Final Cut Pro Match Color Tool

To use the Final Cut Pro X Match Color feature, you can simply go through these simple steps:

Step 1: Load and import the video clips

To begin with, you can just launch Final Cut Pro on your Mac and go to its File > Import > Media to load any video clip of your choice. You can simply drag and drop your videos to the Final Cut Pro interface.

Step 2: Apply the FCPX Match Color effect

Now, simply select the clip you want to edit, go to the Enhancement menu, and click on the Match Color icon (below the viewer). You can also find it under the Modify > Match Color option or get the feature by pressing the Option + Command + M key combination.

Afterward, the Color Match FCPX tool will display two different screens in the viewer. On the right, you would have the clip from where you can match the source while the target clip will be displayed on the left.

From the Final Cut Pro timeline or the browser, you can find the appropriate clips. If you want, you can even import a still image to source the respective colors for matching. Simply preview the changes that the FCPX Color Match tool will make and click on the “Apply Match” in the end.

Method 2: Adjust the Video Color Manually

Apart from the match color tool in Final Cut, you can also manually set the color grading and saturation feature. While this will not get you instant or exact results to color match in Final Cut Pro, you can still give it a try.

Once the video clip is loaded on Filmora, just go to the Effects Browser > Inspector and add the Color Correction effect to the video. Now, you can go to the Color Correction tab from the sidebar to manually adjust the value for color, saturation, and exposure to get the desired effects.

Part 2: Wondershare Filmora: The Best Alternative to FCPX Color Match Tool

Since Final Cut Pro is not the most user-friendly application, a lot of people look for other alternatives to perform operations like color match. Therefore, you can also take the assistance of Wondershare Filmora . It is a powerful video editing and post-production tool that is extremely easy to use and runs on all the major macOS versions.

  • On Filmora, you can find seamless options like color matching, color tuning, splitting, resizing, scene detection, and so on.
  • There are also tons of advanced video editing features in Filmora like keyframing, motion detection, green screen edits, etc.
  • You can find a wide range of effects, presets, texts, stickers, transitions, and more in the Filmora library.
  • There are also dedicated options to edit audio in your media files or add voiceovers.
  • Filmora is one of the easiest video editing tools out there with import/export options for all the leading formats.

To perform automatic color matching in your videos using Wondershare Filmora, the following steps can be taken:

Step 1: Import the video to edit on Filmora

At first, you can just launch Filmora on your Mac and drag-and-drop the video you want to edit. You can also go to its File > Import Media to load any video of your choice on Filmora and just drag the clips to the timeline (at the bottom).

Step 2: Apply Color Correction to your Clips

If you want, you can add multiple clips on Filmora and simply add them to the timeline as per your requirements.

You can now take the playhead and place it from where you wish to edit the video. You can select the remaining clip (or photos), right-click, and choose the Color Match option. Alternatively, you can also click on the color palette icon on the timeline’s toolbar and select the “Color Match” button.

This will change the viewer into two screens. Here, you can select the reference picture or clip as a source and preview its effects on the target clip. You can also go to the Color tab on the side and adjust its level under the Comparison View section.

On the viewer window, you can see all the changes, and click on the “Match” button to apply the effect.

Step 3: Export your video to a preferred format

After making the needed changes and applying the color correction feature, you can go to the Export option of the tool. Here, you can choose a preferred format to export your file and even choose its resolution and video quality.

I’m sure that after reading this post you would be able to apply color match in Final Cut Pro. As you can see, I have included a stepwise tutorial that anyone can follow to use the Final Cut Pro Match Color tool. Though, if you are looking for a better and more user-friendly option, then explore Wondershare Filmora. The free video editing application offers a wide range of features and will certainly meet every post-production need of yours in no time!

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Aug 18, 2022• Proven solutions

If you are involved in video editing or post-production activities, then you might be familiar with color matching. In this, we make sure that the overall color and tone of our videos are matched throughout. Thankfully, you can easily do color match in Final Cut Pro or any other reliable video editing tool. In this detailed Final Cut Pro match color tutorial, I will help you do the same and would also share details about its best alternative.

Part 1: How to Use Final Cut Pro X to Match Colors: A Stepwise Guide

Final Cut Pro X has to be one of the most resourceful Mac applications that you can use to edit your videos. If you want, you can use the automatic FCPX match color tool in the application to automatically apply the effect. Besides that, you can manually match color in Final Cut Pro X by using its inbuilt features.

Method 1: Using the Final Cut Pro Match Color Tool

To use the Final Cut Pro X Match Color feature, you can simply go through these simple steps:

Step 1: Load and import the video clips

To begin with, you can just launch Final Cut Pro on your Mac and go to its File > Import > Media to load any video clip of your choice. You can simply drag and drop your videos to the Final Cut Pro interface.

Step 2: Apply the FCPX Match Color effect

Now, simply select the clip you want to edit, go to the Enhancement menu, and click on the Match Color icon (below the viewer). You can also find it under the Modify > Match Color option or get the feature by pressing the Option + Command + M key combination.

Afterward, the Color Match FCPX tool will display two different screens in the viewer. On the right, you would have the clip from where you can match the source while the target clip will be displayed on the left.

From the Final Cut Pro timeline or the browser, you can find the appropriate clips. If you want, you can even import a still image to source the respective colors for matching. Simply preview the changes that the FCPX Color Match tool will make and click on the “Apply Match” in the end.

Method 2: Adjust the Video Color Manually

Apart from the match color tool in Final Cut, you can also manually set the color grading and saturation feature. While this will not get you instant or exact results to color match in Final Cut Pro, you can still give it a try.

Once the video clip is loaded on Filmora, just go to the Effects Browser > Inspector and add the Color Correction effect to the video. Now, you can go to the Color Correction tab from the sidebar to manually adjust the value for color, saturation, and exposure to get the desired effects.

Part 2: Wondershare Filmora: The Best Alternative to FCPX Color Match Tool

Since Final Cut Pro is not the most user-friendly application, a lot of people look for other alternatives to perform operations like color match. Therefore, you can also take the assistance of Wondershare Filmora . It is a powerful video editing and post-production tool that is extremely easy to use and runs on all the major macOS versions.

  • On Filmora, you can find seamless options like color matching, color tuning, splitting, resizing, scene detection, and so on.
  • There are also tons of advanced video editing features in Filmora like keyframing, motion detection, green screen edits, etc.
  • You can find a wide range of effects, presets, texts, stickers, transitions, and more in the Filmora library.
  • There are also dedicated options to edit audio in your media files or add voiceovers.
  • Filmora is one of the easiest video editing tools out there with import/export options for all the leading formats.

To perform automatic color matching in your videos using Wondershare Filmora, the following steps can be taken:

Step 1: Import the video to edit on Filmora

At first, you can just launch Filmora on your Mac and drag-and-drop the video you want to edit. You can also go to its File > Import Media to load any video of your choice on Filmora and just drag the clips to the timeline (at the bottom).

Step 2: Apply Color Correction to your Clips

If you want, you can add multiple clips on Filmora and simply add them to the timeline as per your requirements.

You can now take the playhead and place it from where you wish to edit the video. You can select the remaining clip (or photos), right-click, and choose the Color Match option. Alternatively, you can also click on the color palette icon on the timeline’s toolbar and select the “Color Match” button.

This will change the viewer into two screens. Here, you can select the reference picture or clip as a source and preview its effects on the target clip. You can also go to the Color tab on the side and adjust its level under the Comparison View section.

On the viewer window, you can see all the changes, and click on the “Match” button to apply the effect.

Step 3: Export your video to a preferred format

After making the needed changes and applying the color correction feature, you can go to the Export option of the tool. Here, you can choose a preferred format to export your file and even choose its resolution and video quality.

I’m sure that after reading this post you would be able to apply color match in Final Cut Pro. As you can see, I have included a stepwise tutorial that anyone can follow to use the Final Cut Pro Match Color tool. Though, if you are looking for a better and more user-friendly option, then explore Wondershare Filmora. The free video editing application offers a wide range of features and will certainly meet every post-production need of yours in no time!

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Aug 18, 2022• Proven solutions

If you are involved in video editing or post-production activities, then you might be familiar with color matching. In this, we make sure that the overall color and tone of our videos are matched throughout. Thankfully, you can easily do color match in Final Cut Pro or any other reliable video editing tool. In this detailed Final Cut Pro match color tutorial, I will help you do the same and would also share details about its best alternative.

Part 1: How to Use Final Cut Pro X to Match Colors: A Stepwise Guide

Final Cut Pro X has to be one of the most resourceful Mac applications that you can use to edit your videos. If you want, you can use the automatic FCPX match color tool in the application to automatically apply the effect. Besides that, you can manually match color in Final Cut Pro X by using its inbuilt features.

Method 1: Using the Final Cut Pro Match Color Tool

To use the Final Cut Pro X Match Color feature, you can simply go through these simple steps:

Step 1: Load and import the video clips

To begin with, you can just launch Final Cut Pro on your Mac and go to its File > Import > Media to load any video clip of your choice. You can simply drag and drop your videos to the Final Cut Pro interface.

Step 2: Apply the FCPX Match Color effect

Now, simply select the clip you want to edit, go to the Enhancement menu, and click on the Match Color icon (below the viewer). You can also find it under the Modify > Match Color option or get the feature by pressing the Option + Command + M key combination.

Afterward, the Color Match FCPX tool will display two different screens in the viewer. On the right, you would have the clip from where you can match the source while the target clip will be displayed on the left.

From the Final Cut Pro timeline or the browser, you can find the appropriate clips. If you want, you can even import a still image to source the respective colors for matching. Simply preview the changes that the FCPX Color Match tool will make and click on the “Apply Match” in the end.

Method 2: Adjust the Video Color Manually

Apart from the match color tool in Final Cut, you can also manually set the color grading and saturation feature. While this will not get you instant or exact results to color match in Final Cut Pro, you can still give it a try.

Once the video clip is loaded on Filmora, just go to the Effects Browser > Inspector and add the Color Correction effect to the video. Now, you can go to the Color Correction tab from the sidebar to manually adjust the value for color, saturation, and exposure to get the desired effects.

Part 2: Wondershare Filmora: The Best Alternative to FCPX Color Match Tool

Since Final Cut Pro is not the most user-friendly application, a lot of people look for other alternatives to perform operations like color match. Therefore, you can also take the assistance of Wondershare Filmora . It is a powerful video editing and post-production tool that is extremely easy to use and runs on all the major macOS versions.

  • On Filmora, you can find seamless options like color matching, color tuning, splitting, resizing, scene detection, and so on.
  • There are also tons of advanced video editing features in Filmora like keyframing, motion detection, green screen edits, etc.
  • You can find a wide range of effects, presets, texts, stickers, transitions, and more in the Filmora library.
  • There are also dedicated options to edit audio in your media files or add voiceovers.
  • Filmora is one of the easiest video editing tools out there with import/export options for all the leading formats.

To perform automatic color matching in your videos using Wondershare Filmora, the following steps can be taken:

Step 1: Import the video to edit on Filmora

At first, you can just launch Filmora on your Mac and drag-and-drop the video you want to edit. You can also go to its File > Import Media to load any video of your choice on Filmora and just drag the clips to the timeline (at the bottom).

Step 2: Apply Color Correction to your Clips

If you want, you can add multiple clips on Filmora and simply add them to the timeline as per your requirements.

You can now take the playhead and place it from where you wish to edit the video. You can select the remaining clip (or photos), right-click, and choose the Color Match option. Alternatively, you can also click on the color palette icon on the timeline’s toolbar and select the “Color Match” button.

This will change the viewer into two screens. Here, you can select the reference picture or clip as a source and preview its effects on the target clip. You can also go to the Color tab on the side and adjust its level under the Comparison View section.

On the viewer window, you can see all the changes, and click on the “Match” button to apply the effect.

Step 3: Export your video to a preferred format

After making the needed changes and applying the color correction feature, you can go to the Export option of the tool. Here, you can choose a preferred format to export your file and even choose its resolution and video quality.

I’m sure that after reading this post you would be able to apply color match in Final Cut Pro. As you can see, I have included a stepwise tutorial that anyone can follow to use the Final Cut Pro Match Color tool. Though, if you are looking for a better and more user-friendly option, then explore Wondershare Filmora. The free video editing application offers a wide range of features and will certainly meet every post-production need of yours in no time!

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: 2024 Approved Unleash Your Creativity 12 Free Animation Apps for Windows and Mac
  • Author: Ava
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 14:41:55
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 14:41:55
  • Link: https://video-content-creator.techidaily.com/2024-approved-unleash-your-creativity-12-free-animation-apps-for-windows-and-mac/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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2024 Approved Unleash Your Creativity 12 Free Animation Apps for Windows and Mac