Looking Beyond VSDC: Top Mac Video Editing Alternatives

VSDC Free Video Editor for Mac: Get Best Alternatives

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

VSDC is one of the most popular freeware software among beginners and intermediate-level video editors. But it is limited only to Windows users. Even after multiple requests from the users and tech-critics, VSDC isn’t likely to release a VSDC Mac version soon. So, it is best to look for VSDC alternatives for Mac.

Scroll down to find the best alternatives to VSDC for a Mac.

• Part 1: Best VSDC for Mac Alternative - Filmora for Mac (Recommended)
• Part 2: Top 3 VSDC Video Editor for Mac Alternatives

Part 1: Best VSDC for Mac Alternative - Filmora for Mac (Recommended)

Although not completely free, Wondershare Filmora is one of the most suitable video-editing tool for Mac users. Not only is it superior to the VSDC, but it is also considered one of the most powerful utilities in the video-editing realm by critics and users. Why? Well…

• Starting with the simple interface that includes an array of features to distinguish as a sophisticated video editing tool for Mac.
• The regular addition of new features like Auto Reframe to smartly crop your video and integration of the cloud-based stock library are what make this software powerful and superior
• Plus, you can choose the presets and edit up to 4K videos at 60fps. The drag-and-drop feature allows you to add media files, and the preview section lets you see the edited video in real-time.
• The timeline is simple yet powerful, and the customizable settings allow you to use the combination of mouse, keyboard, and icons controls and make the video-editing process seamless.

So, it is not tough to discern why Filmora is considered as one of the most authoritative video editor for Mac users. Moreover, as mentioned, the software is not absolutely free. Still, you can use most of its features in free version.

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Part 2: Top 3 VSDC Video Editor for Mac Alternatives

After reviewing hundreds of freeware software, we have come up with the three best VSDC alternatives.

1. ShotCut

A simple, free, and open-source software that makes the video-making process straightforward. Filled with interesting ideas and powerful features, the greatest thing about ShotCut is that besides being free — it is regularly updated and maintained by the vendor. The interface has a three-panel view and adding media files is as simple as dragging and dropping.

The software also includes rich features like keyframing, color correction, transition and lets you edit up to 4K resolution video with ease. But unlike VSDC, ShotCut does not have multiple preset transition effects and includes only 24 basic wipe-in or out effects. Still, the software has sophisticated features like Chroma Key and allows you to utilize third-party addons for text and titles as the application does not have many of them.

Pros:

• Lightweight for a sophisticated video-editor
• The interface is simple and convenient and allows you to customize the toggles as per your preference
• Numerous output options — supports major formats and offers you to export the footage in any format
• Completely free platforms plus cross-platform support

Cons:

• The app does not allow you to create layers automatically.
• It could be tough for a newbie to work on ShotCut.
• The application takes too long to show the applied effects; even simple transition effects suffer from latency.

2. OpenShot

Another free and open-source program, OpenShot, has the ability to give you high-quality output with minimal effort. The software includes all the basic functions like resizing, scaling, trimming, and audio mixing with real-time previews. Plus, it also incorporates features for animated-based keyframing and creating 2D animation with image sequencing.

Moreover, like the VSDC, there are also presets to give 3D effects like snowfall, text, and lens flares, and other effects to the video. Nonetheless, if you want to take these into your hand and need more flexibility over transition, effects, filters, and more then you will have to look elsewhere. Because although great, OpenShot does have gaps and excludes critical features, meaning if you want to give artistic effects and personalize the video as much as possible, OpenShot is not suitable for you.

Pros:

• OpenShot user-friendly, intuitive interface enables users to utilize all the editing functions effortlessly.
• The dedicated preview-video section allows you to view the edited video in real-time and see if everything is done perfectly or not.
• Includes some basic 2D and 3D transition, plus it also includes filters and effects.
• Audio equalizer lets you work on every aspect of the audio and tune the music finely.

Cons:

• Many users have criticized the OpenShot video editor for lagging and crashing issues while editing high-resolution videos
• Even after multiple requests from the users, OpenShot does not support GPU acceleration for encoding and decoding the video files.
• Some critical features are missing.

3. Avidemux

Like VSDC, Avidemux is also a freeware that includes all the basic options to edit the video and is much suitable for beginner-level users. However, if you are intermediate or expert in video editing, Avidemux is not the one you need. The reason: Avidemux does have basic options like cutting, trimming, splitting, and more. Still, when it comes to sophisticated features like creative effects, transition, Avidemux does not have dedicated functions for that. Moreover, as usual for the video editors, the Timeline feature is also missing from the software.

Of course, in comparison to VSDC, Avidemux falls short. Because all it can do is the basic video editing, encoding, and de-noising. Other than that, it cannot boast about anything. Still, given the simple interface, Avidemux is perfect for newbies who do not have much experience with video editing. Be that as it may, if you are serious regarding video-editing, you should get a more powerful video editor on Mac.

Pros:

• The simple interface allows even the naivest users to use the application to the fullest
• The application has all the basic video-editing features like cutting, splitting, trimming
• Avidemux is excellent for encoding options; one of the industry’s finest, in fact.
• Sharpening and de-noising filters to give fine details to the video

Cons:

• Avidemux does not have advanced video-editing options like effects and transition
• Lack the much important timeline feature

Part 3: Final Words

VSDC is a powerful and unique tool. The above-listed freeware like ShotCut, OpenShot, and Avidemux are good alternatives to it. But after reviewing several video editors — this is the closest we came to finding something similar to VSDC. And understanding that Mac users will need all the powerful functions that VSDC incorporates, Filmora for Mac that includes everything that VSDC has and more! The Filmora for Mac is also free to utilize, so you can simply download the software and edit videos like professionals.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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