14 free and open-source video editing software

17 April, 2023

Node read time

7 minutes

OpenShot

OpenShot is a free and open-source video editing software that is designed for novice and intermediate users. It was created in 2008 by Jonathan Thomas and has since become a popular option for video editing due to its user-friendly interface and advanced features. The software is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use and navigate Cross-platform compatibility Supports a wide range of video and audio formats Offers advanced features such as keyframe animation, unlimited tracks, and 3D titles Allows for video effects and transitions Can export videos in a variety of formats	Can be slow and sluggish when working with larger files Some advanced features found in professional software are missing Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Windows (7, 8, 10), macOS (10.9 and later), Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and more).

OpenShot is a great option for beginners or those looking for a free and easy-to-use video editing software. It offers a wide range of tools and compatibility for users on multiple operating systems. However, it may not have all of the advanced features found in more professional software and can be slow when working with larger files.

Shotcut

Shotcut is a free, open-source video editor that is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. It was created in 2011 by Dan Dennedy and is known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use and navigate Cross-platform compatibility Supports a wide range of video and audio formats Offers advanced features such as 4K resolution support, video effects, and color grading Allows for keyframe animation and chroma keying Can export videos in a variety of formats	Can be slow and sluggish when working with larger files Limited customer support options Some advanced features may require a bit of technical knowledge to use effectively

Operating Systems: Windows (7, 8, and 10), macOS (10.12 and later), Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and more).

Shotcut is a powerful and user-friendly open-source video editor that is suitable for novice and intermediate users. Its wide range of advanced features, cross-platform compatibility, and support for multiple video and audio formats make it a great option for video editing. However, like other free video editing software, Shotcut may be slow and sluggish when working with larger files, and some advanced features may require a bit of technical knowledge to use effectively.

Kdenlive

Kdenlive is a free and open-source video editor that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It was created in 2002 by a team of developers and is known for its extensive features and user-friendly interface.

Pros	Cons
Supports a wide range of video and audio formats Offers advanced features such as keyframe animation, color correction, and video effects Allows for multiple tracks and unlimited undo/redo Easy to use and navigate Cross-platform compatibility Active community and frequent updates	Can be slow and sluggish when working with larger files Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux, macOS (10.12 and later), Windows (7, 8, and 10).

Kdenlive is a powerful and feature-packed open-source video editor suitable for both novice and experienced users. It offers cross-platform compatibility and an active community, making it a great option for video editing. However, it may be slow when working with larger files.

Blender

Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation software that can also be used as a video editor. It is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows and was created in 1998 by a team of developers.

Pros	Cons
Supports both video editing and 3D creation Offers advanced features such as 3D modeling, animation, and compositing Cross-platform compatibility Active community and frequent updates Open-source and free	Steep learning curve May not be suitable for video editing alone Requires a powerful computer to run effectively

Operating Systems: Linux, macOS (10.13 and later), Windows (8 and 10).

Blender is a powerful open-source software that offers advanced features for both 3D creation and video editing. It is suitable for experienced users but may have a steep learning curve for beginners. It also requires a powerful computer to run effectively.

Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a free and open-source video editing software that is available for Linux. It was created in 2002 by Adam Williams and is known for its advanced features and powerful editing tools.

Pros	Cons
Advanced features such as color correction, video effects, and compositing Multiple tracks and unlimited undo/redo Active community and frequent updates Open-source and free	Not available for macOS or Windows Steep learning curve Can be slow when working with larger files

Operating Systems: Linux.

Cinelerra is a powerful and feature-packed open-source video editor suitable for experienced users. It offers advanced features and powerful editing tools but may have a steep learning curve for beginners. It is only available for Linux and may be slow when working with larger files.

Avidemux

Avidemux is a free and open-source video editor that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It was created in 2002 by Mean and Gruntster and is known for its simple and easy-to-use interface.

Pros	Cons
Simple and easy-to-use interface Supports a wide range of video and audio formats Allows for basic editing and video effects Open-source and free	Limited advanced features Can be slow when working with larger files Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux, macOS (10.7 and later), Windows (7, 8, and 10).

Avidemux is a simple and easy-to-use open-source video editor that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports a wide range of video and audio formats and allows for basic editing and video effects. However, it lacks advanced features and can be slow when working with larger files. It also has limited customer support options. Overall, it is a good option for simple editing tasks but may not be suitable for more complex projects.

Olive

Olive is a free and open-source non-linear video editor that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It has a modern and intuitive interface, with features such as unlimited tracks and support for a variety of file formats.

Pros	Cons
Modern and intuitive interface Unlimited tracks Support for a variety of file formats Keyframe animation capabilities Free and open-source	Still in development, so may have bugs or stability issues Lacks some advanced features compared to other video editors Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux, macOS (10.13 and later), Windows (7, 8, and 10).

Flowblade

Flowblade is a free and open-source non-linear video editor that is available for Linux. It is designed to be fast and stable, with a simple and streamlined interface.

Pros	Cons
Fast and stable performance Simple and streamlined interface Support for unlimited video and audio tracks Non-destructive editing Free and open-source	Limited support for advanced features Only available for Linux

Operating Systems: Linux.

Pitivi

Pitivi is a free and open-source non-linear video editor that is available for Linux. It is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, with features such as automatic video and audio syncing.

Pros	Cons
User-friendly and accessible interface Automatic video and audio syncing Support for a variety of file formats Non-destructive editing Free and open-source	Limited advanced features compared to other video editors Only available for Linux

Operating Systems: Linux.

Natron

Natron is a free and open-source video compositing software that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It is designed for visual effects artists and compositors, with features such as keying, roto/rotopaint, and color correction.

Pros	Cons
Advanced visual effects capabilities Support for 2D and 3D compositing Non-destructive editing Free and open-source	Can be complex and difficult to learn for beginners Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux, macOS (10.9 and later), Windows (7, 8, and 10).

VLMC VideoLAN Movie Creator

VLMC is a free and open-source non-linear video editor that is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It is designed to be easy to use, with a simple and intuitive interface.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use interface Support for a variety of file formats Free and open-source	Limited advanced features compared to other video editors Still in development, so may have bugs or stability issues Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux, macOS (10.7 and later), Windows (7, 8, and 10).

LiVES

LiVES is a free and open-source video editor and VJ tool that is available for Linux. It is designed for real-time video performance and manipulation, with features such as live input from cameras and support for multiple video outputs.

Pros	Cons
Real-time video performance capabilities Support for live input from cameras Multiple video output support Open-source and free Allows for basic editing and video effects	Limited advanced features compared to other video editors Can be difficult to learn for beginners Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, and others).

LosslessCut

LosslessCut is a free and open-source video editor that is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is designed for simple and fast trimming and cutting of video files, without the need for re-encoding.

Pros	Cons
Fast and efficient trimming and cutting of video files Supports a wide range of video formats Open-source and free Easy to use	Limited editing features compared to other video editors Does not support adding effects or transitions

Operating Systems: Windows (7 and later), macOS (10.10 and later), Linux.

GStreamer Editing Services

GStreamer Editing Services is a free and open-source video editor framework that is available for Linux. It is designed to provide a high-level API for editing videos using GStreamer.

Pros	Cons
Powerful and flexible video editing framework Supports a wide range of video formats and codecs Open-source and free Allows for advanced editing and effects	Not a standalone video editor - requires programming knowledge to use Can be difficult to learn for beginners Limited customer support options

Operating Systems: Linux.

Authored by

Simon Adjatan

14 free and open-source video editing software

You May Also Like