
It puts a lot of competing software to shame. You can download it for Mac, Linux, or Windows, and you’ll owe Blackmagic nothing.Įarning 4.5 stars in our review, we hailed the video editor best for pros and those serious about editing as "incredibly powerful, it’s updated regularly, and to top it all, it’s free. Not only for the vast number of features it comes with, from high-end video editing capabilities to a powerful node-based special effects system, extensive color correction features, and professional-level audio tools, but the whole thing is available for free.


Once you’re in though, it’s one of the most powerful free video editors you can find. The Lightworks editor is powerful, but the program doesn’t do as much as some other consumer products to help total beginners learn how to use it.

If you set anything different from your video, you’ll have to dive into settings and tweak them until you get it right. While it supports all the import formats that the paid version does, it can be tricky getting everything to import easily for the uninitiated-you have to define project settings like resolution, framerate, and so on before you import your files. Lightworks guides you through the process of setting up your first project with simple tooltips, but they’re a far cry for the powerful tutorials and wizards available in some other software.
