New 2024 Approved Best Bang for Your Buck Top Filmmaking Software for Low Budgets

New 2024 Approved Best Bang for Your Buck Top Filmmaking Software for Low Budgets

Morgan Lv12

Best Bang for Your Buck: Top Filmmaking Software for Low Budgets

7 Best Filmmaking Software You Should Know (Low Budget)

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you’re an amateur filmmaker, then it’s essential to have affordable options for filmmaking software that can help you to achieve your goals. But, what types of options do you have that are going to fit in your budget? In this article, we’ll give you 7 different options for low-budget filmmaking software.

6 Filmmaking Software You Need to Know

Part 1: Film Editing Software to Edit Videos

1. Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - a video editor which has significantly improved overall performance, making the product faster, and more powerful, and taking the user editing experience to a new level.

It is perfect for helping beginners, and intermediate users create stylish videos by providing an intuitive user interface and built-in effects.

Vegas Pro

Free Download

Free Download

2. Vegas Pro

Vegas Pro is one of the most well-known budget options out there when it comes to video editing. It actually started out as editing software for audio (podcasts, radio shows, etc.), but then expanded over time. Because of those beginnings, many people have found that it is one of the best options you’ll have available when it comes to audio editing within a film. It’s also very versatile – you don’t need anything but a Windows PC in order to run it.

Vegas Pro

Part 2: Filmmaking Software to Improve Workflow

2. StudioBinder

Keeping up with the production process takes a lot of work, and Studio Binder was specially designed to help you take care of those things more easily. From script breakdowns (which keep everyone in the loop as to what is next in filming) to lists where you keep track of what shots you’ve taken and which you need to take, it has everything you need to keep your entire team on track throughout the entire process of filming.

StudioBinder

3. Storyboarder

Keeping up with the story and everything around it during the filming process can take a lot of work. That’s why many filmmakers suggest putting together what is known as a storyboard – a rough draft of the storyline, put together in a fashion so that you can follow everything and check it all out properly. Storyboarder is a software package that helps you to visualize everything, check out if the story works, and keep up with your ideas (even if you get distracted during filming).

Storyboarder

4. Adobe Audition

Sometimes, you need something that is a little more advanced and focused when it comes to putting together the sound mix in a way that is pleasing to the ears. Adobe Audition is one of the most popular options for this, because it has all of the tools necessary so that you can get the perfect balance and fullness of sound in your film. Your sound is just as important as your videography, so picking this up can be really helpful in the long run.

Adobe Audition

5. Evernote

Organization is absolutely essential when you’re trying to put a film together and, because of that, you’re likely exploring a lot of different options that can help you to stay organized. Evernote is a lovely option and it’s available for computers and for phones/tablets, so you can take it anywhere with you. You can put together task lists, keep notes on what’s going on during the filming process, and more. It’s a really simple program to use and it’s quite easy to import and export info from it.

Evernote

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is part of the Google Suite, and it’s a smart word processing program that has all of the flexibility of programs like Microsoft Word. One of the biggest differences, however, is the ability to collaborate and work on the same document without the need to send it back and forth via email. Changes are updated in real time, so you can work on a document together, even if you aren’t in the same vicinity.

Google Docs

Conclusion

Do some research on the web and find the options that work best for your team’s budget and for how you plan on working on your films. You can find plenty of low-budget software that can help to make your film look great without breaking the budget you’ve set into place.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you’re an amateur filmmaker, then it’s essential to have affordable options for filmmaking software that can help you to achieve your goals. But, what types of options do you have that are going to fit in your budget? In this article, we’ll give you 7 different options for low-budget filmmaking software.

6 Filmmaking Software You Need to Know

Part 1: Film Editing Software to Edit Videos

1. Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - a video editor which has significantly improved overall performance, making the product faster, and more powerful, and taking the user editing experience to a new level.

It is perfect for helping beginners, and intermediate users create stylish videos by providing an intuitive user interface and built-in effects.

Vegas Pro

Free Download

Free Download

2. Vegas Pro

Vegas Pro is one of the most well-known budget options out there when it comes to video editing. It actually started out as editing software for audio (podcasts, radio shows, etc.), but then expanded over time. Because of those beginnings, many people have found that it is one of the best options you’ll have available when it comes to audio editing within a film. It’s also very versatile – you don’t need anything but a Windows PC in order to run it.

Vegas Pro

Part 2: Filmmaking Software to Improve Workflow

2. StudioBinder

Keeping up with the production process takes a lot of work, and Studio Binder was specially designed to help you take care of those things more easily. From script breakdowns (which keep everyone in the loop as to what is next in filming) to lists where you keep track of what shots you’ve taken and which you need to take, it has everything you need to keep your entire team on track throughout the entire process of filming.

StudioBinder

3. Storyboarder

Keeping up with the story and everything around it during the filming process can take a lot of work. That’s why many filmmakers suggest putting together what is known as a storyboard – a rough draft of the storyline, put together in a fashion so that you can follow everything and check it all out properly. Storyboarder is a software package that helps you to visualize everything, check out if the story works, and keep up with your ideas (even if you get distracted during filming).

Storyboarder

4. Adobe Audition

Sometimes, you need something that is a little more advanced and focused when it comes to putting together the sound mix in a way that is pleasing to the ears. Adobe Audition is one of the most popular options for this, because it has all of the tools necessary so that you can get the perfect balance and fullness of sound in your film. Your sound is just as important as your videography, so picking this up can be really helpful in the long run.

Adobe Audition

5. Evernote

Organization is absolutely essential when you’re trying to put a film together and, because of that, you’re likely exploring a lot of different options that can help you to stay organized. Evernote is a lovely option and it’s available for computers and for phones/tablets, so you can take it anywhere with you. You can put together task lists, keep notes on what’s going on during the filming process, and more. It’s a really simple program to use and it’s quite easy to import and export info from it.

Evernote

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is part of the Google Suite, and it’s a smart word processing program that has all of the flexibility of programs like Microsoft Word. One of the biggest differences, however, is the ability to collaborate and work on the same document without the need to send it back and forth via email. Changes are updated in real time, so you can work on a document together, even if you aren’t in the same vicinity.

Google Docs

Conclusion

Do some research on the web and find the options that work best for your team’s budget and for how you plan on working on your films. You can find plenty of low-budget software that can help to make your film look great without breaking the budget you’ve set into place.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you’re an amateur filmmaker, then it’s essential to have affordable options for filmmaking software that can help you to achieve your goals. But, what types of options do you have that are going to fit in your budget? In this article, we’ll give you 7 different options for low-budget filmmaking software.

6 Filmmaking Software You Need to Know

Part 1: Film Editing Software to Edit Videos

1. Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - a video editor which has significantly improved overall performance, making the product faster, and more powerful, and taking the user editing experience to a new level.

It is perfect for helping beginners, and intermediate users create stylish videos by providing an intuitive user interface and built-in effects.

Vegas Pro

Free Download

Free Download

2. Vegas Pro

Vegas Pro is one of the most well-known budget options out there when it comes to video editing. It actually started out as editing software for audio (podcasts, radio shows, etc.), but then expanded over time. Because of those beginnings, many people have found that it is one of the best options you’ll have available when it comes to audio editing within a film. It’s also very versatile – you don’t need anything but a Windows PC in order to run it.

Vegas Pro

Part 2: Filmmaking Software to Improve Workflow

2. StudioBinder

Keeping up with the production process takes a lot of work, and Studio Binder was specially designed to help you take care of those things more easily. From script breakdowns (which keep everyone in the loop as to what is next in filming) to lists where you keep track of what shots you’ve taken and which you need to take, it has everything you need to keep your entire team on track throughout the entire process of filming.

StudioBinder

3. Storyboarder

Keeping up with the story and everything around it during the filming process can take a lot of work. That’s why many filmmakers suggest putting together what is known as a storyboard – a rough draft of the storyline, put together in a fashion so that you can follow everything and check it all out properly. Storyboarder is a software package that helps you to visualize everything, check out if the story works, and keep up with your ideas (even if you get distracted during filming).

Storyboarder

4. Adobe Audition

Sometimes, you need something that is a little more advanced and focused when it comes to putting together the sound mix in a way that is pleasing to the ears. Adobe Audition is one of the most popular options for this, because it has all of the tools necessary so that you can get the perfect balance and fullness of sound in your film. Your sound is just as important as your videography, so picking this up can be really helpful in the long run.

Adobe Audition

5. Evernote

Organization is absolutely essential when you’re trying to put a film together and, because of that, you’re likely exploring a lot of different options that can help you to stay organized. Evernote is a lovely option and it’s available for computers and for phones/tablets, so you can take it anywhere with you. You can put together task lists, keep notes on what’s going on during the filming process, and more. It’s a really simple program to use and it’s quite easy to import and export info from it.

Evernote

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is part of the Google Suite, and it’s a smart word processing program that has all of the flexibility of programs like Microsoft Word. One of the biggest differences, however, is the ability to collaborate and work on the same document without the need to send it back and forth via email. Changes are updated in real time, so you can work on a document together, even if you aren’t in the same vicinity.

Google Docs

Conclusion

Do some research on the web and find the options that work best for your team’s budget and for how you plan on working on your films. You can find plenty of low-budget software that can help to make your film look great without breaking the budget you’ve set into place.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you’re an amateur filmmaker, then it’s essential to have affordable options for filmmaking software that can help you to achieve your goals. But, what types of options do you have that are going to fit in your budget? In this article, we’ll give you 7 different options for low-budget filmmaking software.

6 Filmmaking Software You Need to Know

Part 1: Film Editing Software to Edit Videos

1. Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - a video editor which has significantly improved overall performance, making the product faster, and more powerful, and taking the user editing experience to a new level.

It is perfect for helping beginners, and intermediate users create stylish videos by providing an intuitive user interface and built-in effects.

Vegas Pro

Free Download

Free Download

2. Vegas Pro

Vegas Pro is one of the most well-known budget options out there when it comes to video editing. It actually started out as editing software for audio (podcasts, radio shows, etc.), but then expanded over time. Because of those beginnings, many people have found that it is one of the best options you’ll have available when it comes to audio editing within a film. It’s also very versatile – you don’t need anything but a Windows PC in order to run it.

Vegas Pro

Part 2: Filmmaking Software to Improve Workflow

2. StudioBinder

Keeping up with the production process takes a lot of work, and Studio Binder was specially designed to help you take care of those things more easily. From script breakdowns (which keep everyone in the loop as to what is next in filming) to lists where you keep track of what shots you’ve taken and which you need to take, it has everything you need to keep your entire team on track throughout the entire process of filming.

StudioBinder

3. Storyboarder

Keeping up with the story and everything around it during the filming process can take a lot of work. That’s why many filmmakers suggest putting together what is known as a storyboard – a rough draft of the storyline, put together in a fashion so that you can follow everything and check it all out properly. Storyboarder is a software package that helps you to visualize everything, check out if the story works, and keep up with your ideas (even if you get distracted during filming).

Storyboarder

4. Adobe Audition

Sometimes, you need something that is a little more advanced and focused when it comes to putting together the sound mix in a way that is pleasing to the ears. Adobe Audition is one of the most popular options for this, because it has all of the tools necessary so that you can get the perfect balance and fullness of sound in your film. Your sound is just as important as your videography, so picking this up can be really helpful in the long run.

Adobe Audition

5. Evernote

Organization is absolutely essential when you’re trying to put a film together and, because of that, you’re likely exploring a lot of different options that can help you to stay organized. Evernote is a lovely option and it’s available for computers and for phones/tablets, so you can take it anywhere with you. You can put together task lists, keep notes on what’s going on during the filming process, and more. It’s a really simple program to use and it’s quite easy to import and export info from it.

Evernote

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is part of the Google Suite, and it’s a smart word processing program that has all of the flexibility of programs like Microsoft Word. One of the biggest differences, however, is the ability to collaborate and work on the same document without the need to send it back and forth via email. Changes are updated in real time, so you can work on a document together, even if you aren’t in the same vicinity.

Google Docs

Conclusion

Do some research on the web and find the options that work best for your team’s budget and for how you plan on working on your films. You can find plenty of low-budget software that can help to make your film look great without breaking the budget you’ve set into place.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Unlock Free Animation: Top Software 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

Lightweight Video Editing Solutions for All

If you are new to video editing and you simply want to do basic editing to your video, you need a light video editor. There is no need for a heavyweight video editor that is generally used by professionals. Besides, an industry-grade video editor demands high-end computer as they put pressure on your system resources for video processing and rendering.

Therefore, if you do not have a high-end computer for video editing, a lightweight video editor is perfect for you. There are so many lightweight video editing software applications available to choose from for video editing. We have picked the best light video editing software for smooth and satisfying video editing work.

Part 1. The Features for Light Video Editor

Here are the main features of a good lightweight video editor that you should be aware of.

Small File Size – A light video editor comes in a small size file, and you will understand the file size when you download it on your computer. Ideally, a light video editor should not be above a couple of hundred MBs in size.

Wide OS Compatibility – A good light video editor should not only be compatible with the latest version of computer operating system but also with older versions. This is because older operating systems fail to run a heavyweight video editor smoothly.

Low System Requirements – Every video editor lists out their system requirements starting from processor version to RAM capacity and free disk space. A light video editor should have low system requirements such as 4GB RAM, 5GB free disk space, Intel i3 or likewise.

Low CPU Usage – How much CPU resource a video editor uses determines whether the video editor is truly lightweight. You can monitor how much CPU resource an application is using from Task Manager. For a light video editor, it should never be more than 33% of the total CPU usage at any given time.

Faster Processing – A lightweight video editor is generally faster in processing and rendering videos. They use different techniques such as compression, background processing and proxy workflow to boost processing speed without affecting system performance.

Part 2. Best Light Video Editors

Here is the list of the best light video editing software with complete review so that you can pick the best one for your video editing purposes.

1. Filmora

Best for: beginners as well as advanced users.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files from your hard drive.
  • Robust timeline to arrange photos, videos, and audio files.
  • Wide categories of transitions, effects and graphical elements.
  • Take screenshot from videos and instant preview of the changes.
  • Export in different file formats with adjusted video parameters.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

The Ultimate List: Free Open-Source Video Editors

What could be nicer than having the best software to organize your media content? The difference between open source and other software is that open source allows coding changes to personalize your experience. Essentially, video editing is the process of modifying video pictures. Find out the best Open Source Video Editors to do all that in an instant!

1 - OpenShot 2 - Shotcut
3 - Lightworks 4 - Blender
5 - Kdenlive 6 - Olive
7 - VLC 8 - NATRON
9 - Flowbade 10 - Avidemux

Want to Use a More Intelligent Way to Add Custom Video Effects than Coding?

Filmora Free Video Editor is an easy-to-use editor for creating videos. Instead of coding to change the video, Filmora offers various functions and video effects to realize the video upgrade. Furthermore, built-in AI tools will bring more convenience to you.

Use AI to Edit Video Use AI to Edit Video Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10 Best Open Source Video Editors in 2024 [Free]

Check out this list of best open source video editors that you can use to produce long-form content for YouTube, your online marketplace, or several other venues when you’re on a small budget:

Free Download

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Free Download

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. OpenShot

OpenShot is a free and open-source video editor with no premium features. In contrast, the website provides a donation option. You may use the complete range of functions without paying anything. This works with all versions of Windows, including Windows 7, Mac OS 10.15, and most Linux variants.

For a free site, it also has a fairly large variety of graphic effects, ranging from title themes and video transitions to 3D animations. OpenShot also differs from many other video editors in that it is updated regularly.

Unlike some other systems, OpenShot has had many major versions in 2021 alone, which addressed issues and added new capabilities. However, many users have reported substantial slowdowns when using OpenShot, so remember to look out for any efficiency difficulties.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Unlimited layers
  • Super engaging

Cons

  • It sometimes lags, which is inconvenient

2. Shotcut

Shotcut is a cross-platform, open-source video editing software with a large library of instructional videos. It also works with FFmpeg, 4K , ProRes, and DNxHD, among other formats. However, because Shotcut was created for Linux, many users may find the UI a little strange. Regardless, it’s still a fantastic editor.

Shotcut also has a lot of sound editing capabilities, so it’s great for audiophiles. Customers may change bass and treble, construct bandpass filters, alter gain, apply dynamic compression, and more with its array of audio fine-tuning options. FFmpeg, the dominant multimedia foundation, provides shortcut support for the newest video and audio codecs.

The native timeline editing enables customers to instantly add video files into their project folder instead of using a media library. A project uses multi-format timelines to mix up resolutions and frames per second.

Pros

  • Excellent editing features
  • Offers decoding and encoding features
  • Multi-format timeline

Cons

  • Takes a good chunk of space on your computer

3. Lightworks

Another famous video editor that can be downloaded for free is Lightworks . Lightworks is compatible with most major operating systems and devices, such as Mac, Windows, and Linux. Nevertheless, because there is no Lightworks application for iOS or Android, the system is only available on the PC at this time.

Lightworks is a powerful platform, featuring transitions, timeline-based editing, cloud and local storing, and no watermarks on the final video, yet being completely free to use. As a result, several additional features are only available with a Lightworks subscription account.

The premium edition of Lightworks charges $23.99 monthly, $239.99 annually, or $389.99 for a lifetime membership for a single user. In less than two years, the annual and monthly choices would cost more than a lifetime membership, so if you want to use Lightworks for a lot longer, you should select for lifetime access.

Pros

  • A nice video editor with a lot of options
  • Ideal tool for YouTube video makers who wish to edit their videos regularly
  • Offers smooth service

Cons

  • Only one option to save the project to MP4

filmora box

Filmora AI Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora AI video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality.

Create Video with AI Create Video with AI Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

4. Blender

Blender is a free, open-source content creation program on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows systems. Unlike many other open-source editing software, Blender has no paid memberships or add-ons.

Blender differentiates apart from other software in the domain of 3D editing. Customers may sketch directly in a 3D environment by opening the 3D viewport, providing artists greater freedom than ever to tinker with both 2D and 3D concepts.

Blender also has an animated pose editor and non-linear animator features for autonomous motion and a fairly strong set of animation editing capabilities. Designers and other experienced users may use Python scripting to modify the program and expand its native toolset.

Blender has benefited from donations by hundreds of everyday users who have added several additional capabilities as an open-source platform. It is among the most comprehensive and adaptable free video editors presently accessible.

Pros

  • Almost limitless customization
  • Good enough to be used by experts
  • Optimal features for beginner users

Cons

  • Buggy format support

5. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is an open-source video editor that runs on the KDE windows desktop and is developed on Microsoft and Linux. The program provides several editorial and management features based on a specific application for executing editing tasks.

KDEnlive supports all FFmpeg-compatible formats, including MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG, XviD, and FLV. It also has experimental support for AVCHD and covers 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios for PAL, NTSC, and other HD standards using HDV. You may also transfer the files to a DVD or export them to DV devices with KDEnlive.

Its common functions include preview pane, multitrack recording, artistic effects, tilting functions, video and audio thumbnails, flexible layouts, and desktop compatibility. This software supports various audio/video/image formats, including MPEG, avi, dv, vob, wav, and mp3.

Pros

  • It includes light graffiti
  • It has an audio spectrum and spectrogram
  • An abundance of top-notch features

Cons

  • Mostly for professional use

6. Olive

Olive is a total redesign from the bottom up, with cutting-edge tools to assist you in creating the greatest videos imaginable. Olive 0.2 offers node-based compositing that is both powerful and versatile.

Node editing is a type of visual programming that allows you to customize how Olive produces your video completely. OpenColorIO provides end-to-end color control for the applications.

This should help users match video from many cameras and export your movie to whichever color space you require if you’re delivering to broadcast TV online. It has a powerful, fast disk cache to ensure the cleanest possible playback. It operates quietly in the background to render pictures ahead of time, so they’re available whenever you need them.

Pros

  • Decent interface
  • User-friendly application
  • Quick and powerful disk cache

Cons

  • Lacks some high-end features

filmora logo

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

filmora-02

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

  • 100 Million+ Users
  • 150+ Countries and Regions
  • 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
  • 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

filmora12

7. VLC

VLC media player is cross-platform open-source multimedia which is extremely popular, and for a good reason: it’s entirely free, it endorses almost every file type without any need for additional file formats, it can maximize audio and video playback for your gadget, it appears to support streaming, and it can be stretched nearly endlessly with downloadable plugins.

VLC Media Player supports MPEG and DivX streaming. ZIP files may also be played without extracting them one by one. After the download is complete, you may manually boost the volume of a movie up to 200 percent if it is too quiet. VLC Media Player also can look for album covers. Several films may be played one after the other using the playlist feature.

Pros

  • A life-saver for many
  • Supports a large variety of formats
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Editing metadata isn’t as straightforward as in different editors

8. Natron

On the surface, Natron appears to be a versatile and straightforward multi-platform node-based platform with a robust GUI interface. Although Natron appears to be a basic compositing program , it contains layers of intricacy that will allow your imagination to soar to new heights.

Natron’s Roto and Rotopaint toolkits are versatile, allowing for the creation of endless layers of masks, mattes, and forms. Natron features a strong 2D and Planar tracker that may help you cut down on the number of hours you spend rotoscoping to fulfill personal or business deadlines.

It includes several powerful keying and matte generating tools created by the core OFX software engineers and various tools created by the open-source plugin development community.

Pros

  • Smooth functionality
  • 2D tracking tools
  • Offers decent editing tools

Cons

  • Lacks 3D tracking tools

9. Flowblade

Flowbade is a multitrack non-linear video editor for Linux distributed under the GPL 3. You can make movies out of video clips, audio snippets, and graphics files using Flowblade Movie Editor.

Clips may be clipped at certain frames, filters can be applied to clips, and compositor elements can be used to generate multilayer composite pictures.

The toolbox, ordering, the default tool, and key timeline behaviors are all user adjustable in Flowblade. There is a drag and drop option on the interface for the video files to be imported.

Pros

  • Decent default settings to accommodate users
  • A good amount of editing features
  • 40+ pattern wipes

Cons

  • It sometimes lags on heavy videos

Professional Video Editor

Filmora is an expert in editing videos with your creation. You can use powerful tools to make your video like a masterpiece.

Edit Video Like a Pro Edit Video Like a Pro Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free video editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux that doesn’t aim to be a full-fledged timeline-based video editing software. Rather, it’s made to make a few minor modifications and then splits out a new file.

You may import your source video and pick the start and finish frames to chop off segments. You may add filters to enhance the video by sharpening the picture or decreasing noise.

Some of the aesthetic options include color effects and borders, while others enhance the clip by sharpening the image or reducing noise. You may even add other clips to the end of your existing one, although this type of work would be better suited to a complete non-linear editor.

If you don’t need to make any changes to the video, Avidemux may come in handy; as part of its exporting process, it allows you to do so.

Pros

  • Decent aesthetic options for video editing
  • Edit multiple videos at the same time
  • Multiple stickers to add to your videos

Cons

  • Lags sometimes

FAQs About Open Source Video Editor

  • What is an open-source video editor?

Open-source video editing software includes source code that allows you to tailor the application to your requirements. Everyone with a basic understanding of coding and video editing skills will almost certainly want to utilize an open-source video editor.

  • Does OpenShot have a watermark?

Openshot is a free, open-source video editing program with no watermark. As a result, although being a completely free tool, it’s doesn’t advertise its brand on your final video. Even though the marketplace is filled with open video editing tools, most of them leave a big watermark on your movie project.

Conclusion

All of the video editors on this shortlist offer fantastic features and are completely free to use. They all have advantages and disadvantages, and you must choose depending on your requirements and usage.

We can’t state that VLC is excellent for users and Shotcut and OpenShot are fantastic for desktops, as much as we’d like to. Based on what you want to get out of it, you must choose the correct tool. And here, we hope the Open Source Video Editors reviewed will help you massively.

Want to Use a More Intelligent Way to Add Custom Video Effects than Coding?

Filmora Free Video Editor is an easy-to-use editor for creating videos. Instead of coding to change the video, Filmora offers various functions and video effects to realize the video upgrade. Furthermore, built-in AI tools will bring more convenience to you.

Use AI to Edit Video Use AI to Edit Video Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10 Best Open Source Video Editors in 2024 [Free]

Check out this list of best open source video editors that you can use to produce long-form content for YouTube, your online marketplace, or several other venues when you’re on a small budget:

Free Download

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Free Download

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. OpenShot

OpenShot is a free and open-source video editor with no premium features. In contrast, the website provides a donation option. You may use the complete range of functions without paying anything. This works with all versions of Windows, including Windows 7, Mac OS 10.15, and most Linux variants.

For a free site, it also has a fairly large variety of graphic effects, ranging from title themes and video transitions to 3D animations. OpenShot also differs from many other video editors in that it is updated regularly.

Unlike some other systems, OpenShot has had many major versions in 2021 alone, which addressed issues and added new capabilities. However, many users have reported substantial slowdowns when using OpenShot, so remember to look out for any efficiency difficulties.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Unlimited layers
  • Super engaging

Cons

  • It sometimes lags, which is inconvenient

2. Shotcut

Shotcut is a cross-platform, open-source video editing software with a large library of instructional videos. It also works with FFmpeg, 4K , ProRes, and DNxHD, among other formats. However, because Shotcut was created for Linux, many users may find the UI a little strange. Regardless, it’s still a fantastic editor.

Shotcut also has a lot of sound editing capabilities, so it’s great for audiophiles. Customers may change bass and treble, construct bandpass filters, alter gain, apply dynamic compression, and more with its array of audio fine-tuning options. FFmpeg, the dominant multimedia foundation, provides shortcut support for the newest video and audio codecs.

The native timeline editing enables customers to instantly add video files into their project folder instead of using a media library. A project uses multi-format timelines to mix up resolutions and frames per second.

Pros

  • Excellent editing features
  • Offers decoding and encoding features
  • Multi-format timeline

Cons

  • Takes a good chunk of space on your computer

3. Lightworks

Another famous video editor that can be downloaded for free is Lightworks . Lightworks is compatible with most major operating systems and devices, such as Mac, Windows, and Linux. Nevertheless, because there is no Lightworks application for iOS or Android, the system is only available on the PC at this time.

Lightworks is a powerful platform, featuring transitions, timeline-based editing, cloud and local storing, and no watermarks on the final video, yet being completely free to use. As a result, several additional features are only available with a Lightworks subscription account.

The premium edition of Lightworks charges $23.99 monthly, $239.99 annually, or $389.99 for a lifetime membership for a single user. In less than two years, the annual and monthly choices would cost more than a lifetime membership, so if you want to use Lightworks for a lot longer, you should select for lifetime access.

Pros

  • A nice video editor with a lot of options
  • Ideal tool for YouTube video makers who wish to edit their videos regularly
  • Offers smooth service

Cons

  • Only one option to save the project to MP4

filmora box

Filmora AI Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora AI video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality.

Create Video with AI Create Video with AI Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

4. Blender

Blender is a free, open-source content creation program on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows systems. Unlike many other open-source editing software, Blender has no paid memberships or add-ons.

Blender differentiates apart from other software in the domain of 3D editing. Customers may sketch directly in a 3D environment by opening the 3D viewport, providing artists greater freedom than ever to tinker with both 2D and 3D concepts.

Blender also has an animated pose editor and non-linear animator features for autonomous motion and a fairly strong set of animation editing capabilities. Designers and other experienced users may use Python scripting to modify the program and expand its native toolset.

Blender has benefited from donations by hundreds of everyday users who have added several additional capabilities as an open-source platform. It is among the most comprehensive and adaptable free video editors presently accessible.

Pros

  • Almost limitless customization
  • Good enough to be used by experts
  • Optimal features for beginner users

Cons

  • Buggy format support

5. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is an open-source video editor that runs on the KDE windows desktop and is developed on Microsoft and Linux. The program provides several editorial and management features based on a specific application for executing editing tasks.

KDEnlive supports all FFmpeg-compatible formats, including MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG, XviD, and FLV. It also has experimental support for AVCHD and covers 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios for PAL, NTSC, and other HD standards using HDV. You may also transfer the files to a DVD or export them to DV devices with KDEnlive.

Its common functions include preview pane, multitrack recording, artistic effects, tilting functions, video and audio thumbnails, flexible layouts, and desktop compatibility. This software supports various audio/video/image formats, including MPEG, avi, dv, vob, wav, and mp3.

Pros

  • It includes light graffiti
  • It has an audio spectrum and spectrogram
  • An abundance of top-notch features

Cons

  • Mostly for professional use

6. Olive

Olive is a total redesign from the bottom up, with cutting-edge tools to assist you in creating the greatest videos imaginable. Olive 0.2 offers node-based compositing that is both powerful and versatile.

Node editing is a type of visual programming that allows you to customize how Olive produces your video completely. OpenColorIO provides end-to-end color control for the applications.

This should help users match video from many cameras and export your movie to whichever color space you require if you’re delivering to broadcast TV online. It has a powerful, fast disk cache to ensure the cleanest possible playback. It operates quietly in the background to render pictures ahead of time, so they’re available whenever you need them.

Pros

  • Decent interface
  • User-friendly application
  • Quick and powerful disk cache

Cons

  • Lacks some high-end features

filmora logo

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

filmora-02

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

  • 100 Million+ Users
  • 150+ Countries and Regions
  • 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
  • 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

filmora12

7. VLC

VLC media player is cross-platform open-source multimedia which is extremely popular, and for a good reason: it’s entirely free, it endorses almost every file type without any need for additional file formats, it can maximize audio and video playback for your gadget, it appears to support streaming, and it can be stretched nearly endlessly with downloadable plugins.

VLC Media Player supports MPEG and DivX streaming. ZIP files may also be played without extracting them one by one. After the download is complete, you may manually boost the volume of a movie up to 200 percent if it is too quiet. VLC Media Player also can look for album covers. Several films may be played one after the other using the playlist feature.

Pros

  • A life-saver for many
  • Supports a large variety of formats
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Editing metadata isn’t as straightforward as in different editors

8. Natron

On the surface, Natron appears to be a versatile and straightforward multi-platform node-based platform with a robust GUI interface. Although Natron appears to be a basic compositing program , it contains layers of intricacy that will allow your imagination to soar to new heights.

Natron’s Roto and Rotopaint toolkits are versatile, allowing for the creation of endless layers of masks, mattes, and forms. Natron features a strong 2D and Planar tracker that may help you cut down on the number of hours you spend rotoscoping to fulfill personal or business deadlines.

It includes several powerful keying and matte generating tools created by the core OFX software engineers and various tools created by the open-source plugin development community.

Pros

  • Smooth functionality
  • 2D tracking tools
  • Offers decent editing tools

Cons

  • Lacks 3D tracking tools

9. Flowblade

Flowbade is a multitrack non-linear video editor for Linux distributed under the GPL 3. You can make movies out of video clips, audio snippets, and graphics files using Flowblade Movie Editor.

Clips may be clipped at certain frames, filters can be applied to clips, and compositor elements can be used to generate multilayer composite pictures.

The toolbox, ordering, the default tool, and key timeline behaviors are all user adjustable in Flowblade. There is a drag and drop option on the interface for the video files to be imported.

Pros

  • Decent default settings to accommodate users
  • A good amount of editing features
  • 40+ pattern wipes

Cons

  • It sometimes lags on heavy videos

Professional Video Editor

Filmora is an expert in editing videos with your creation. You can use powerful tools to make your video like a masterpiece.

Edit Video Like a Pro Edit Video Like a Pro Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free video editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux that doesn’t aim to be a full-fledged timeline-based video editing software. Rather, it’s made to make a few minor modifications and then splits out a new file.

You may import your source video and pick the start and finish frames to chop off segments. You may add filters to enhance the video by sharpening the picture or decreasing noise.

Some of the aesthetic options include color effects and borders, while others enhance the clip by sharpening the image or reducing noise. You may even add other clips to the end of your existing one, although this type of work would be better suited to a complete non-linear editor.

If you don’t need to make any changes to the video, Avidemux may come in handy; as part of its exporting process, it allows you to do so.

Pros

  • Decent aesthetic options for video editing
  • Edit multiple videos at the same time
  • Multiple stickers to add to your videos

Cons

  • Lags sometimes

FAQs About Open Source Video Editor

  • What is an open-source video editor?

Open-source video editing software includes source code that allows you to tailor the application to your requirements. Everyone with a basic understanding of coding and video editing skills will almost certainly want to utilize an open-source video editor.

  • Does OpenShot have a watermark?

Openshot is a free, open-source video editing program with no watermark. As a result, although being a completely free tool, it’s doesn’t advertise its brand on your final video. Even though the marketplace is filled with open video editing tools, most of them leave a big watermark on your movie project.

Conclusion

All of the video editors on this shortlist offer fantastic features and are completely free to use. They all have advantages and disadvantages, and you must choose depending on your requirements and usage.

We can’t state that VLC is excellent for users and Shotcut and OpenShot are fantastic for desktops, as much as we’d like to. Based on what you want to get out of it, you must choose the correct tool. And here, we hope the Open Source Video Editors reviewed will help you massively.

Want to Use a More Intelligent Way to Add Custom Video Effects than Coding?

Filmora Free Video Editor is an easy-to-use editor for creating videos. Instead of coding to change the video, Filmora offers various functions and video effects to realize the video upgrade. Furthermore, built-in AI tools will bring more convenience to you.

Use AI to Edit Video Use AI to Edit Video Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10 Best Open Source Video Editors in 2024 [Free]

Check out this list of best open source video editors that you can use to produce long-form content for YouTube, your online marketplace, or several other venues when you’re on a small budget:

Free Download

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Free Download

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. OpenShot

OpenShot is a free and open-source video editor with no premium features. In contrast, the website provides a donation option. You may use the complete range of functions without paying anything. This works with all versions of Windows, including Windows 7, Mac OS 10.15, and most Linux variants.

For a free site, it also has a fairly large variety of graphic effects, ranging from title themes and video transitions to 3D animations. OpenShot also differs from many other video editors in that it is updated regularly.

Unlike some other systems, OpenShot has had many major versions in 2021 alone, which addressed issues and added new capabilities. However, many users have reported substantial slowdowns when using OpenShot, so remember to look out for any efficiency difficulties.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Unlimited layers
  • Super engaging

Cons

  • It sometimes lags, which is inconvenient

2. Shotcut

Shotcut is a cross-platform, open-source video editing software with a large library of instructional videos. It also works with FFmpeg, 4K , ProRes, and DNxHD, among other formats. However, because Shotcut was created for Linux, many users may find the UI a little strange. Regardless, it’s still a fantastic editor.

Shotcut also has a lot of sound editing capabilities, so it’s great for audiophiles. Customers may change bass and treble, construct bandpass filters, alter gain, apply dynamic compression, and more with its array of audio fine-tuning options. FFmpeg, the dominant multimedia foundation, provides shortcut support for the newest video and audio codecs.

The native timeline editing enables customers to instantly add video files into their project folder instead of using a media library. A project uses multi-format timelines to mix up resolutions and frames per second.

Pros

  • Excellent editing features
  • Offers decoding and encoding features
  • Multi-format timeline

Cons

  • Takes a good chunk of space on your computer

3. Lightworks

Another famous video editor that can be downloaded for free is Lightworks . Lightworks is compatible with most major operating systems and devices, such as Mac, Windows, and Linux. Nevertheless, because there is no Lightworks application for iOS or Android, the system is only available on the PC at this time.

Lightworks is a powerful platform, featuring transitions, timeline-based editing, cloud and local storing, and no watermarks on the final video, yet being completely free to use. As a result, several additional features are only available with a Lightworks subscription account.

The premium edition of Lightworks charges $23.99 monthly, $239.99 annually, or $389.99 for a lifetime membership for a single user. In less than two years, the annual and monthly choices would cost more than a lifetime membership, so if you want to use Lightworks for a lot longer, you should select for lifetime access.

Pros

  • A nice video editor with a lot of options
  • Ideal tool for YouTube video makers who wish to edit their videos regularly
  • Offers smooth service

Cons

  • Only one option to save the project to MP4

filmora box

Filmora AI Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora AI video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality.

Create Video with AI Create Video with AI Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

4. Blender

Blender is a free, open-source content creation program on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows systems. Unlike many other open-source editing software, Blender has no paid memberships or add-ons.

Blender differentiates apart from other software in the domain of 3D editing. Customers may sketch directly in a 3D environment by opening the 3D viewport, providing artists greater freedom than ever to tinker with both 2D and 3D concepts.

Blender also has an animated pose editor and non-linear animator features for autonomous motion and a fairly strong set of animation editing capabilities. Designers and other experienced users may use Python scripting to modify the program and expand its native toolset.

Blender has benefited from donations by hundreds of everyday users who have added several additional capabilities as an open-source platform. It is among the most comprehensive and adaptable free video editors presently accessible.

Pros

  • Almost limitless customization
  • Good enough to be used by experts
  • Optimal features for beginner users

Cons

  • Buggy format support

5. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is an open-source video editor that runs on the KDE windows desktop and is developed on Microsoft and Linux. The program provides several editorial and management features based on a specific application for executing editing tasks.

KDEnlive supports all FFmpeg-compatible formats, including MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG, XviD, and FLV. It also has experimental support for AVCHD and covers 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios for PAL, NTSC, and other HD standards using HDV. You may also transfer the files to a DVD or export them to DV devices with KDEnlive.

Its common functions include preview pane, multitrack recording, artistic effects, tilting functions, video and audio thumbnails, flexible layouts, and desktop compatibility. This software supports various audio/video/image formats, including MPEG, avi, dv, vob, wav, and mp3.

Pros

  • It includes light graffiti
  • It has an audio spectrum and spectrogram
  • An abundance of top-notch features

Cons

  • Mostly for professional use

6. Olive

Olive is a total redesign from the bottom up, with cutting-edge tools to assist you in creating the greatest videos imaginable. Olive 0.2 offers node-based compositing that is both powerful and versatile.

Node editing is a type of visual programming that allows you to customize how Olive produces your video completely. OpenColorIO provides end-to-end color control for the applications.

This should help users match video from many cameras and export your movie to whichever color space you require if you’re delivering to broadcast TV online. It has a powerful, fast disk cache to ensure the cleanest possible playback. It operates quietly in the background to render pictures ahead of time, so they’re available whenever you need them.

Pros

  • Decent interface
  • User-friendly application
  • Quick and powerful disk cache

Cons

  • Lacks some high-end features

filmora logo

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

filmora-02

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

  • 100 Million+ Users
  • 150+ Countries and Regions
  • 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
  • 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

filmora12

7. VLC

VLC media player is cross-platform open-source multimedia which is extremely popular, and for a good reason: it’s entirely free, it endorses almost every file type without any need for additional file formats, it can maximize audio and video playback for your gadget, it appears to support streaming, and it can be stretched nearly endlessly with downloadable plugins.

VLC Media Player supports MPEG and DivX streaming. ZIP files may also be played without extracting them one by one. After the download is complete, you may manually boost the volume of a movie up to 200 percent if it is too quiet. VLC Media Player also can look for album covers. Several films may be played one after the other using the playlist feature.

Pros

  • A life-saver for many
  • Supports a large variety of formats
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Editing metadata isn’t as straightforward as in different editors

8. Natron

On the surface, Natron appears to be a versatile and straightforward multi-platform node-based platform with a robust GUI interface. Although Natron appears to be a basic compositing program , it contains layers of intricacy that will allow your imagination to soar to new heights.

Natron’s Roto and Rotopaint toolkits are versatile, allowing for the creation of endless layers of masks, mattes, and forms. Natron features a strong 2D and Planar tracker that may help you cut down on the number of hours you spend rotoscoping to fulfill personal or business deadlines.

It includes several powerful keying and matte generating tools created by the core OFX software engineers and various tools created by the open-source plugin development community.

Pros

  • Smooth functionality
  • 2D tracking tools
  • Offers decent editing tools

Cons

  • Lacks 3D tracking tools

9. Flowblade

Flowbade is a multitrack non-linear video editor for Linux distributed under the GPL 3. You can make movies out of video clips, audio snippets, and graphics files using Flowblade Movie Editor.

Clips may be clipped at certain frames, filters can be applied to clips, and compositor elements can be used to generate multilayer composite pictures.

The toolbox, ordering, the default tool, and key timeline behaviors are all user adjustable in Flowblade. There is a drag and drop option on the interface for the video files to be imported.

Pros

  • Decent default settings to accommodate users
  • A good amount of editing features
  • 40+ pattern wipes

Cons

  • It sometimes lags on heavy videos

Professional Video Editor

Filmora is an expert in editing videos with your creation. You can use powerful tools to make your video like a masterpiece.

Edit Video Like a Pro Edit Video Like a Pro Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free video editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux that doesn’t aim to be a full-fledged timeline-based video editing software. Rather, it’s made to make a few minor modifications and then splits out a new file.

You may import your source video and pick the start and finish frames to chop off segments. You may add filters to enhance the video by sharpening the picture or decreasing noise.

Some of the aesthetic options include color effects and borders, while others enhance the clip by sharpening the image or reducing noise. You may even add other clips to the end of your existing one, although this type of work would be better suited to a complete non-linear editor.

If you don’t need to make any changes to the video, Avidemux may come in handy; as part of its exporting process, it allows you to do so.

Pros

  • Decent aesthetic options for video editing
  • Edit multiple videos at the same time
  • Multiple stickers to add to your videos

Cons

  • Lags sometimes

FAQs About Open Source Video Editor

  • What is an open-source video editor?

Open-source video editing software includes source code that allows you to tailor the application to your requirements. Everyone with a basic understanding of coding and video editing skills will almost certainly want to utilize an open-source video editor.

  • Does OpenShot have a watermark?

Openshot is a free, open-source video editing program with no watermark. As a result, although being a completely free tool, it’s doesn’t advertise its brand on your final video. Even though the marketplace is filled with open video editing tools, most of them leave a big watermark on your movie project.

Conclusion

All of the video editors on this shortlist offer fantastic features and are completely free to use. They all have advantages and disadvantages, and you must choose depending on your requirements and usage.

We can’t state that VLC is excellent for users and Shotcut and OpenShot are fantastic for desktops, as much as we’d like to. Based on what you want to get out of it, you must choose the correct tool. And here, we hope the Open Source Video Editors reviewed will help you massively.

Want to Use a More Intelligent Way to Add Custom Video Effects than Coding?

Filmora Free Video Editor is an easy-to-use editor for creating videos. Instead of coding to change the video, Filmora offers various functions and video effects to realize the video upgrade. Furthermore, built-in AI tools will bring more convenience to you.

Use AI to Edit Video Use AI to Edit Video Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10 Best Open Source Video Editors in 2024 [Free]

Check out this list of best open source video editors that you can use to produce long-form content for YouTube, your online marketplace, or several other venues when you’re on a small budget:

Free Download

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Free Download

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. OpenShot

OpenShot is a free and open-source video editor with no premium features. In contrast, the website provides a donation option. You may use the complete range of functions without paying anything. This works with all versions of Windows, including Windows 7, Mac OS 10.15, and most Linux variants.

For a free site, it also has a fairly large variety of graphic effects, ranging from title themes and video transitions to 3D animations. OpenShot also differs from many other video editors in that it is updated regularly.

Unlike some other systems, OpenShot has had many major versions in 2021 alone, which addressed issues and added new capabilities. However, many users have reported substantial slowdowns when using OpenShot, so remember to look out for any efficiency difficulties.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Unlimited layers
  • Super engaging

Cons

  • It sometimes lags, which is inconvenient

2. Shotcut

Shotcut is a cross-platform, open-source video editing software with a large library of instructional videos. It also works with FFmpeg, 4K , ProRes, and DNxHD, among other formats. However, because Shotcut was created for Linux, many users may find the UI a little strange. Regardless, it’s still a fantastic editor.

Shotcut also has a lot of sound editing capabilities, so it’s great for audiophiles. Customers may change bass and treble, construct bandpass filters, alter gain, apply dynamic compression, and more with its array of audio fine-tuning options. FFmpeg, the dominant multimedia foundation, provides shortcut support for the newest video and audio codecs.

The native timeline editing enables customers to instantly add video files into their project folder instead of using a media library. A project uses multi-format timelines to mix up resolutions and frames per second.

Pros

  • Excellent editing features
  • Offers decoding and encoding features
  • Multi-format timeline

Cons

  • Takes a good chunk of space on your computer

3. Lightworks

Another famous video editor that can be downloaded for free is Lightworks . Lightworks is compatible with most major operating systems and devices, such as Mac, Windows, and Linux. Nevertheless, because there is no Lightworks application for iOS or Android, the system is only available on the PC at this time.

Lightworks is a powerful platform, featuring transitions, timeline-based editing, cloud and local storing, and no watermarks on the final video, yet being completely free to use. As a result, several additional features are only available with a Lightworks subscription account.

The premium edition of Lightworks charges $23.99 monthly, $239.99 annually, or $389.99 for a lifetime membership for a single user. In less than two years, the annual and monthly choices would cost more than a lifetime membership, so if you want to use Lightworks for a lot longer, you should select for lifetime access.

Pros

  • A nice video editor with a lot of options
  • Ideal tool for YouTube video makers who wish to edit their videos regularly
  • Offers smooth service

Cons

  • Only one option to save the project to MP4

filmora box

Filmora AI Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora AI video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality.

Create Video with AI Create Video with AI Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

4. Blender

Blender is a free, open-source content creation program on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows systems. Unlike many other open-source editing software, Blender has no paid memberships or add-ons.

Blender differentiates apart from other software in the domain of 3D editing. Customers may sketch directly in a 3D environment by opening the 3D viewport, providing artists greater freedom than ever to tinker with both 2D and 3D concepts.

Blender also has an animated pose editor and non-linear animator features for autonomous motion and a fairly strong set of animation editing capabilities. Designers and other experienced users may use Python scripting to modify the program and expand its native toolset.

Blender has benefited from donations by hundreds of everyday users who have added several additional capabilities as an open-source platform. It is among the most comprehensive and adaptable free video editors presently accessible.

Pros

  • Almost limitless customization
  • Good enough to be used by experts
  • Optimal features for beginner users

Cons

  • Buggy format support

5. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is an open-source video editor that runs on the KDE windows desktop and is developed on Microsoft and Linux. The program provides several editorial and management features based on a specific application for executing editing tasks.

KDEnlive supports all FFmpeg-compatible formats, including MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG, XviD, and FLV. It also has experimental support for AVCHD and covers 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios for PAL, NTSC, and other HD standards using HDV. You may also transfer the files to a DVD or export them to DV devices with KDEnlive.

Its common functions include preview pane, multitrack recording, artistic effects, tilting functions, video and audio thumbnails, flexible layouts, and desktop compatibility. This software supports various audio/video/image formats, including MPEG, avi, dv, vob, wav, and mp3.

Pros

  • It includes light graffiti
  • It has an audio spectrum and spectrogram
  • An abundance of top-notch features

Cons

  • Mostly for professional use

6. Olive

Olive is a total redesign from the bottom up, with cutting-edge tools to assist you in creating the greatest videos imaginable. Olive 0.2 offers node-based compositing that is both powerful and versatile.

Node editing is a type of visual programming that allows you to customize how Olive produces your video completely. OpenColorIO provides end-to-end color control for the applications.

This should help users match video from many cameras and export your movie to whichever color space you require if you’re delivering to broadcast TV online. It has a powerful, fast disk cache to ensure the cleanest possible playback. It operates quietly in the background to render pictures ahead of time, so they’re available whenever you need them.

Pros

  • Decent interface
  • User-friendly application
  • Quick and powerful disk cache

Cons

  • Lacks some high-end features

filmora logo

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

filmora-02

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

  • 100 Million+ Users
  • 150+ Countries and Regions
  • 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
  • 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

filmora12

7. VLC

VLC media player is cross-platform open-source multimedia which is extremely popular, and for a good reason: it’s entirely free, it endorses almost every file type without any need for additional file formats, it can maximize audio and video playback for your gadget, it appears to support streaming, and it can be stretched nearly endlessly with downloadable plugins.

VLC Media Player supports MPEG and DivX streaming. ZIP files may also be played without extracting them one by one. After the download is complete, you may manually boost the volume of a movie up to 200 percent if it is too quiet. VLC Media Player also can look for album covers. Several films may be played one after the other using the playlist feature.

Pros

  • A life-saver for many
  • Supports a large variety of formats
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Editing metadata isn’t as straightforward as in different editors

8. Natron

On the surface, Natron appears to be a versatile and straightforward multi-platform node-based platform with a robust GUI interface. Although Natron appears to be a basic compositing program , it contains layers of intricacy that will allow your imagination to soar to new heights.

Natron’s Roto and Rotopaint toolkits are versatile, allowing for the creation of endless layers of masks, mattes, and forms. Natron features a strong 2D and Planar tracker that may help you cut down on the number of hours you spend rotoscoping to fulfill personal or business deadlines.

It includes several powerful keying and matte generating tools created by the core OFX software engineers and various tools created by the open-source plugin development community.

Pros

  • Smooth functionality
  • 2D tracking tools
  • Offers decent editing tools

Cons

  • Lacks 3D tracking tools

9. Flowblade

Flowbade is a multitrack non-linear video editor for Linux distributed under the GPL 3. You can make movies out of video clips, audio snippets, and graphics files using Flowblade Movie Editor.

Clips may be clipped at certain frames, filters can be applied to clips, and compositor elements can be used to generate multilayer composite pictures.

The toolbox, ordering, the default tool, and key timeline behaviors are all user adjustable in Flowblade. There is a drag and drop option on the interface for the video files to be imported.

Pros

  • Decent default settings to accommodate users
  • A good amount of editing features
  • 40+ pattern wipes

Cons

  • It sometimes lags on heavy videos

Professional Video Editor

Filmora is an expert in editing videos with your creation. You can use powerful tools to make your video like a masterpiece.

Edit Video Like a Pro Edit Video Like a Pro Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

10. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free video editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux that doesn’t aim to be a full-fledged timeline-based video editing software. Rather, it’s made to make a few minor modifications and then splits out a new file.

You may import your source video and pick the start and finish frames to chop off segments. You may add filters to enhance the video by sharpening the picture or decreasing noise.

Some of the aesthetic options include color effects and borders, while others enhance the clip by sharpening the image or reducing noise. You may even add other clips to the end of your existing one, although this type of work would be better suited to a complete non-linear editor.

If you don’t need to make any changes to the video, Avidemux may come in handy; as part of its exporting process, it allows you to do so.

Pros

  • Decent aesthetic options for video editing
  • Edit multiple videos at the same time
  • Multiple stickers to add to your videos

Cons

  • Lags sometimes

FAQs About Open Source Video Editor

  • What is an open-source video editor?

Open-source video editing software includes source code that allows you to tailor the application to your requirements. Everyone with a basic understanding of coding and video editing skills will almost certainly want to utilize an open-source video editor.

  • Does OpenShot have a watermark?

Openshot is a free, open-source video editing program with no watermark. As a result, although being a completely free tool, it’s doesn’t advertise its brand on your final video. Even though the marketplace is filled with open video editing tools, most of them leave a big watermark on your movie project.

Conclusion

All of the video editors on this shortlist offer fantastic features and are completely free to use. They all have advantages and disadvantages, and you must choose depending on your requirements and usage.

We can’t state that VLC is excellent for users and Shotcut and OpenShot are fantastic for desktops, as much as we’d like to. Based on what you want to get out of it, you must choose the correct tool. And here, we hope the Open Source Video Editors reviewed will help you massively.

Also read:

  • Title: New 2024 Approved Best Bang for Your Buck Top Filmmaking Software for Low Budgets
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 16:01:20
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 16:01:20
  • Link: https://ai-video-tools.techidaily.com/new-2024-approved-best-bang-for-your-buck-top-filmmaking-software-for-low-budgets/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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New 2024 Approved Best Bang for Your Buck Top Filmmaking Software for Low Budgets