Updated 2024 Approved Face Blurring Made Easy A Step-by-Step Guide with the Top 10 Free Apps

Updated 2024 Approved Face Blurring Made Easy A Step-by-Step Guide with the Top 10 Free Apps

Morgan Lv12

Face Blurring Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide with the Top 10 Free Apps

10 Best Free Blur Face Apps

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Respecting the privacy of the people who accidentally ended up in your shot is a common courtesy. In addition, making that material public can have legal consequences. So, to avoid needless complications, you can blur a person’s face before you share a photo or a video on social networks.

There are plenty of Android and iPhone apps that enable you to blur a face or any part of an image just moments after you’ve recorded a video or taken a photo. In this article, we will take you through the ten best free apps you can use to blur faces on your Android devices or iPhone & iPad.

Blurring Face/Object/Private Information With Wondershare Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

As a video editor with rich effects and tools, Filmora offers a few ways to blur a face or object, such as applying the Mosaic effect, Blurring effects, or Face-off. The video tutorial above is made with Filmora. Click Effects at the top, find Filter on the left, and click UTILITY; from there, you will see the mosaic, face-off, tilt-shift circle, and tilt-shift linear tools.

 Filmora Utility features

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Check our picks of the best video editing software to blur faces in videos on Windows & Mac or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

10 Best FREE iPhone and Android Apps for Blurring Faces in Photos and Videos

Concealing the identity of the people in your photos and videos is just the tip of the iceberg because the apps we featured in our top ten list allow you to manipulate images in any way you want. Let’s take a look at some of the best apps that can help you blur a face in just a few easy steps.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Skitch

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.1

iPhone photographers in need of an app that enables them to snap and edit photos quickly will love using Skitch. The app is perfect for editing photos while you are on the go, as you can easily annotate images or add any text, stickers, or emojis to your photos. The Pixelate option lets you select the portion of the image you’d like to blur in just a couple of taps. Skitch’s photo editing capabilities can help you enhance the colors of each photo you take with this app. At the same time, its file-sharing features allow you to post your favorite creations on social media in seconds.

2. Video Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.6

Video Mosaic App for iOS

This app is designed with just one purpose, to enable iPhone users to blur videos while recording is in progress easily**.** You can choose from several different blur options, so you can blur an entire video, add an automatic mosaic over a face in the shot, or choose an area of the screen you’d like to blur. Moreover, the app lets you select the shape of the mosaic so the blurred area of the shot can have any form you want. The only downside is that you will have to make an in-app purchase to get rid of ads.

3. Video Toolbox Movie Maker

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.5

Video Toolbox Movie Maker Mosaic App for iOS

The video editing tools this iOS-based app offers will enable you to create professional-looking social media videos. There are over thirty transitions to choose from and more than twenty video effects. You can experiment with the Green Screen feature to combine two or more clips into a single video or try out the Reverse video option. Despite a solid number of video editing options, Video Toolbox offers only a limited number of face blurring options. The pixelate or blur effect you add to a video will be static, so if your subject moves a lot, you will have to use another app.

4. MovStash

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.7

Movstash  Mosaic Blur App for iOS

There are four types of blur you can choose from, and you can edit your videos in Simple and Timeline modes. You can specify the area of the shot you’d like to blur manually and use the slider to set the intensity of the blur effect. The Timeline mode lets you add as many blur areas to a video as you want so that you can blur multiple faces in a single shot. MovStash is specifically designed to make the process of blurring portions of a video quick and simple, but the app doesn’t offer any other video editing option.

5. KineMaster – Pro Video Editor

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

User Rating: 4.7

KineMaster is a professional video editing app that enables users to trim a video frame by frame, apply the Chroma Key effect or add 3D transitions between video clips. That’s why it is not surprising that iPhone and Android users can easily blur faces in their videos with this app. However, the free version of KineMaster provides you with only a limited amount of options, and you have to make a series of in-app purchases to unlock all the features this app has to offer.

6. Blur Photos

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.3

Blur Photo App for iOS

Blur Photos app allows you to share your photos on all popular social networks in just a few taps. If you have an iOS 8 or a later version of this mobile operating system installed on your iPhone, you will be able to use this app as an extension for the Photos app. Blur Photos is completely free to use on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch, so you can easily conceal the identity of people in your photos, regardless of the device you’re currently using. You can define the area of the picture you’d like to blur manually, and the app lets you control the intensity of the blur effect you’re applying.

7. Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

Price: Free

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.2

Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

You can blur the faces in your photos using the Mosaic, Pixelate, Blur, or Color options. You have to pick one of the options and designate the screen area you’d like to blur, and the app will do the rest for you. However, you can’t zoom into a photo, which means that you won’t have a great deal of control over the face blurring process in certain situations. The Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo doesn’t offer any other photo editing options, which makes it a good choice only if you’re looking for an efficient tool that lets you censor photos quickly.

8. Point Blur

Price: Free, contains ads

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.3

Point Blur DSLR app

It is nothing complicated about blurring faces or any other photo part with this app. You have to use your finger to select the area of a picture you’d like to pixelate or blur and then proceed to choose the brush size and the intensity of the effect. In addition, you can use Point Blur to blur the background of a photo and create a smooth bokeh effect. Once you’ve blurred an image successfully, you can share it on any social media of your choice.

9.iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.9

Learn more details about How to blur faces in iMovie

Even though iMovie offers a rich selection of video editing options, unfortunately, there are no options that enable you to blur or pixelate a face. To conceal a beginning or an object in a video, you’ll have toadd a non-transparent layer over the area of the video you’d like to hide. This is by no means an elegant solution since adding a monochrome rectangle over a video can completely ruin its visual appeal. Using iMovie to conceal faces in videos is only a good option if, for whatever reason, you can’t install any other app that grants you more control over the process of blurring faces in videos.

10. Blur&Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.7


Blur & Mosaic app for iOS

If you are looking for an app that makes obscuring faces in photos and videos easy, then Blur&Mosaic is probably one of the best choices you have at your disposal. You have to use your finger to mark the area you’d like to blur and choose from nine available mosaic styles. Furthermore, four different thickness and strength options allow you to control the amount of effect you’re going to apply to the image. However, the app contains ads, and you have to make an in-app purchase to remove them.

FAQs About Face Blur

1. How Do You Blur Out Faces in Photos on iPhone?

iPhone users can blur out faces with free blurring faces apps for photos and videos, such as Skitch, Video Mosaic, Video Toolbox Movie Maker, MovStash, KineMaster, and iMovie.

2. How Can I Blur Moving Face in a Video?

The Face-Off tool in Filmora can blur human faces or anything that looks like a face. You can also add emojis to the face of the subject. What’s more, the face-changer feature also comes with an in-built motion-tracker mechanism, which automatically sensors the position of a moving face and adjusts the emoji accordingly.

To blur faces , import your video, go to “Effects,” then search “Utility,” and select Face-Off. Choose an emoji if you want to add one; otherwise, click “OK.” The faces have now been blurred, and the video is ready to be exported.

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

Conclusion

Just because a photo or a video contains information, you can’t share publicly shouldn’t be the reason why you can’t post it on your social media accounts. The apps we presented in this article are going to help you blur a face or conceal any other object in just a few easy steps. Which app do you like to use the most to blur faces in your videos and photos? Leave a comment below and share your experiences with us.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Respecting the privacy of the people who accidentally ended up in your shot is a common courtesy. In addition, making that material public can have legal consequences. So, to avoid needless complications, you can blur a person’s face before you share a photo or a video on social networks.

There are plenty of Android and iPhone apps that enable you to blur a face or any part of an image just moments after you’ve recorded a video or taken a photo. In this article, we will take you through the ten best free apps you can use to blur faces on your Android devices or iPhone & iPad.

Blurring Face/Object/Private Information With Wondershare Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

As a video editor with rich effects and tools, Filmora offers a few ways to blur a face or object, such as applying the Mosaic effect, Blurring effects, or Face-off. The video tutorial above is made with Filmora. Click Effects at the top, find Filter on the left, and click UTILITY; from there, you will see the mosaic, face-off, tilt-shift circle, and tilt-shift linear tools.

 Filmora Utility features

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Check our picks of the best video editing software to blur faces in videos on Windows & Mac or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

10 Best FREE iPhone and Android Apps for Blurring Faces in Photos and Videos

Concealing the identity of the people in your photos and videos is just the tip of the iceberg because the apps we featured in our top ten list allow you to manipulate images in any way you want. Let’s take a look at some of the best apps that can help you blur a face in just a few easy steps.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Skitch

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.1

iPhone photographers in need of an app that enables them to snap and edit photos quickly will love using Skitch. The app is perfect for editing photos while you are on the go, as you can easily annotate images or add any text, stickers, or emojis to your photos. The Pixelate option lets you select the portion of the image you’d like to blur in just a couple of taps. Skitch’s photo editing capabilities can help you enhance the colors of each photo you take with this app. At the same time, its file-sharing features allow you to post your favorite creations on social media in seconds.

2. Video Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.6

Video Mosaic App for iOS

This app is designed with just one purpose, to enable iPhone users to blur videos while recording is in progress easily**.** You can choose from several different blur options, so you can blur an entire video, add an automatic mosaic over a face in the shot, or choose an area of the screen you’d like to blur. Moreover, the app lets you select the shape of the mosaic so the blurred area of the shot can have any form you want. The only downside is that you will have to make an in-app purchase to get rid of ads.

3. Video Toolbox Movie Maker

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.5

Video Toolbox Movie Maker Mosaic App for iOS

The video editing tools this iOS-based app offers will enable you to create professional-looking social media videos. There are over thirty transitions to choose from and more than twenty video effects. You can experiment with the Green Screen feature to combine two or more clips into a single video or try out the Reverse video option. Despite a solid number of video editing options, Video Toolbox offers only a limited number of face blurring options. The pixelate or blur effect you add to a video will be static, so if your subject moves a lot, you will have to use another app.

4. MovStash

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.7

Movstash  Mosaic Blur App for iOS

There are four types of blur you can choose from, and you can edit your videos in Simple and Timeline modes. You can specify the area of the shot you’d like to blur manually and use the slider to set the intensity of the blur effect. The Timeline mode lets you add as many blur areas to a video as you want so that you can blur multiple faces in a single shot. MovStash is specifically designed to make the process of blurring portions of a video quick and simple, but the app doesn’t offer any other video editing option.

5. KineMaster – Pro Video Editor

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

User Rating: 4.7

KineMaster is a professional video editing app that enables users to trim a video frame by frame, apply the Chroma Key effect or add 3D transitions between video clips. That’s why it is not surprising that iPhone and Android users can easily blur faces in their videos with this app. However, the free version of KineMaster provides you with only a limited amount of options, and you have to make a series of in-app purchases to unlock all the features this app has to offer.

6. Blur Photos

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.3

Blur Photo App for iOS

Blur Photos app allows you to share your photos on all popular social networks in just a few taps. If you have an iOS 8 or a later version of this mobile operating system installed on your iPhone, you will be able to use this app as an extension for the Photos app. Blur Photos is completely free to use on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch, so you can easily conceal the identity of people in your photos, regardless of the device you’re currently using. You can define the area of the picture you’d like to blur manually, and the app lets you control the intensity of the blur effect you’re applying.

7. Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

Price: Free

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.2

Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

You can blur the faces in your photos using the Mosaic, Pixelate, Blur, or Color options. You have to pick one of the options and designate the screen area you’d like to blur, and the app will do the rest for you. However, you can’t zoom into a photo, which means that you won’t have a great deal of control over the face blurring process in certain situations. The Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo doesn’t offer any other photo editing options, which makes it a good choice only if you’re looking for an efficient tool that lets you censor photos quickly.

8. Point Blur

Price: Free, contains ads

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.3

Point Blur DSLR app

It is nothing complicated about blurring faces or any other photo part with this app. You have to use your finger to select the area of a picture you’d like to pixelate or blur and then proceed to choose the brush size and the intensity of the effect. In addition, you can use Point Blur to blur the background of a photo and create a smooth bokeh effect. Once you’ve blurred an image successfully, you can share it on any social media of your choice.

9.iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.9

Learn more details about How to blur faces in iMovie

Even though iMovie offers a rich selection of video editing options, unfortunately, there are no options that enable you to blur or pixelate a face. To conceal a beginning or an object in a video, you’ll have toadd a non-transparent layer over the area of the video you’d like to hide. This is by no means an elegant solution since adding a monochrome rectangle over a video can completely ruin its visual appeal. Using iMovie to conceal faces in videos is only a good option if, for whatever reason, you can’t install any other app that grants you more control over the process of blurring faces in videos.

10. Blur&Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.7


Blur & Mosaic app for iOS

If you are looking for an app that makes obscuring faces in photos and videos easy, then Blur&Mosaic is probably one of the best choices you have at your disposal. You have to use your finger to mark the area you’d like to blur and choose from nine available mosaic styles. Furthermore, four different thickness and strength options allow you to control the amount of effect you’re going to apply to the image. However, the app contains ads, and you have to make an in-app purchase to remove them.

FAQs About Face Blur

1. How Do You Blur Out Faces in Photos on iPhone?

iPhone users can blur out faces with free blurring faces apps for photos and videos, such as Skitch, Video Mosaic, Video Toolbox Movie Maker, MovStash, KineMaster, and iMovie.

2. How Can I Blur Moving Face in a Video?

The Face-Off tool in Filmora can blur human faces or anything that looks like a face. You can also add emojis to the face of the subject. What’s more, the face-changer feature also comes with an in-built motion-tracker mechanism, which automatically sensors the position of a moving face and adjusts the emoji accordingly.

To blur faces , import your video, go to “Effects,” then search “Utility,” and select Face-Off. Choose an emoji if you want to add one; otherwise, click “OK.” The faces have now been blurred, and the video is ready to be exported.

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

Conclusion

Just because a photo or a video contains information, you can’t share publicly shouldn’t be the reason why you can’t post it on your social media accounts. The apps we presented in this article are going to help you blur a face or conceal any other object in just a few easy steps. Which app do you like to use the most to blur faces in your videos and photos? Leave a comment below and share your experiences with us.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Respecting the privacy of the people who accidentally ended up in your shot is a common courtesy. In addition, making that material public can have legal consequences. So, to avoid needless complications, you can blur a person’s face before you share a photo or a video on social networks.

There are plenty of Android and iPhone apps that enable you to blur a face or any part of an image just moments after you’ve recorded a video or taken a photo. In this article, we will take you through the ten best free apps you can use to blur faces on your Android devices or iPhone & iPad.

Blurring Face/Object/Private Information With Wondershare Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

As a video editor with rich effects and tools, Filmora offers a few ways to blur a face or object, such as applying the Mosaic effect, Blurring effects, or Face-off. The video tutorial above is made with Filmora. Click Effects at the top, find Filter on the left, and click UTILITY; from there, you will see the mosaic, face-off, tilt-shift circle, and tilt-shift linear tools.

 Filmora Utility features

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Check our picks of the best video editing software to blur faces in videos on Windows & Mac or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

10 Best FREE iPhone and Android Apps for Blurring Faces in Photos and Videos

Concealing the identity of the people in your photos and videos is just the tip of the iceberg because the apps we featured in our top ten list allow you to manipulate images in any way you want. Let’s take a look at some of the best apps that can help you blur a face in just a few easy steps.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Skitch

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.1

iPhone photographers in need of an app that enables them to snap and edit photos quickly will love using Skitch. The app is perfect for editing photos while you are on the go, as you can easily annotate images or add any text, stickers, or emojis to your photos. The Pixelate option lets you select the portion of the image you’d like to blur in just a couple of taps. Skitch’s photo editing capabilities can help you enhance the colors of each photo you take with this app. At the same time, its file-sharing features allow you to post your favorite creations on social media in seconds.

2. Video Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.6

Video Mosaic App for iOS

This app is designed with just one purpose, to enable iPhone users to blur videos while recording is in progress easily**.** You can choose from several different blur options, so you can blur an entire video, add an automatic mosaic over a face in the shot, or choose an area of the screen you’d like to blur. Moreover, the app lets you select the shape of the mosaic so the blurred area of the shot can have any form you want. The only downside is that you will have to make an in-app purchase to get rid of ads.

3. Video Toolbox Movie Maker

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.5

Video Toolbox Movie Maker Mosaic App for iOS

The video editing tools this iOS-based app offers will enable you to create professional-looking social media videos. There are over thirty transitions to choose from and more than twenty video effects. You can experiment with the Green Screen feature to combine two or more clips into a single video or try out the Reverse video option. Despite a solid number of video editing options, Video Toolbox offers only a limited number of face blurring options. The pixelate or blur effect you add to a video will be static, so if your subject moves a lot, you will have to use another app.

4. MovStash

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.7

Movstash  Mosaic Blur App for iOS

There are four types of blur you can choose from, and you can edit your videos in Simple and Timeline modes. You can specify the area of the shot you’d like to blur manually and use the slider to set the intensity of the blur effect. The Timeline mode lets you add as many blur areas to a video as you want so that you can blur multiple faces in a single shot. MovStash is specifically designed to make the process of blurring portions of a video quick and simple, but the app doesn’t offer any other video editing option.

5. KineMaster – Pro Video Editor

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

User Rating: 4.7

KineMaster is a professional video editing app that enables users to trim a video frame by frame, apply the Chroma Key effect or add 3D transitions between video clips. That’s why it is not surprising that iPhone and Android users can easily blur faces in their videos with this app. However, the free version of KineMaster provides you with only a limited amount of options, and you have to make a series of in-app purchases to unlock all the features this app has to offer.

6. Blur Photos

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.3

Blur Photo App for iOS

Blur Photos app allows you to share your photos on all popular social networks in just a few taps. If you have an iOS 8 or a later version of this mobile operating system installed on your iPhone, you will be able to use this app as an extension for the Photos app. Blur Photos is completely free to use on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch, so you can easily conceal the identity of people in your photos, regardless of the device you’re currently using. You can define the area of the picture you’d like to blur manually, and the app lets you control the intensity of the blur effect you’re applying.

7. Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

Price: Free

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.2

Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

You can blur the faces in your photos using the Mosaic, Pixelate, Blur, or Color options. You have to pick one of the options and designate the screen area you’d like to blur, and the app will do the rest for you. However, you can’t zoom into a photo, which means that you won’t have a great deal of control over the face blurring process in certain situations. The Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo doesn’t offer any other photo editing options, which makes it a good choice only if you’re looking for an efficient tool that lets you censor photos quickly.

8. Point Blur

Price: Free, contains ads

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.3

Point Blur DSLR app

It is nothing complicated about blurring faces or any other photo part with this app. You have to use your finger to select the area of a picture you’d like to pixelate or blur and then proceed to choose the brush size and the intensity of the effect. In addition, you can use Point Blur to blur the background of a photo and create a smooth bokeh effect. Once you’ve blurred an image successfully, you can share it on any social media of your choice.

9.iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.9

Learn more details about How to blur faces in iMovie

Even though iMovie offers a rich selection of video editing options, unfortunately, there are no options that enable you to blur or pixelate a face. To conceal a beginning or an object in a video, you’ll have toadd a non-transparent layer over the area of the video you’d like to hide. This is by no means an elegant solution since adding a monochrome rectangle over a video can completely ruin its visual appeal. Using iMovie to conceal faces in videos is only a good option if, for whatever reason, you can’t install any other app that grants you more control over the process of blurring faces in videos.

10. Blur&Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.7


Blur & Mosaic app for iOS

If you are looking for an app that makes obscuring faces in photos and videos easy, then Blur&Mosaic is probably one of the best choices you have at your disposal. You have to use your finger to mark the area you’d like to blur and choose from nine available mosaic styles. Furthermore, four different thickness and strength options allow you to control the amount of effect you’re going to apply to the image. However, the app contains ads, and you have to make an in-app purchase to remove them.

FAQs About Face Blur

1. How Do You Blur Out Faces in Photos on iPhone?

iPhone users can blur out faces with free blurring faces apps for photos and videos, such as Skitch, Video Mosaic, Video Toolbox Movie Maker, MovStash, KineMaster, and iMovie.

2. How Can I Blur Moving Face in a Video?

The Face-Off tool in Filmora can blur human faces or anything that looks like a face. You can also add emojis to the face of the subject. What’s more, the face-changer feature also comes with an in-built motion-tracker mechanism, which automatically sensors the position of a moving face and adjusts the emoji accordingly.

To blur faces , import your video, go to “Effects,” then search “Utility,” and select Face-Off. Choose an emoji if you want to add one; otherwise, click “OK.” The faces have now been blurred, and the video is ready to be exported.

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

Conclusion

Just because a photo or a video contains information, you can’t share publicly shouldn’t be the reason why you can’t post it on your social media accounts. The apps we presented in this article are going to help you blur a face or conceal any other object in just a few easy steps. Which app do you like to use the most to blur faces in your videos and photos? Leave a comment below and share your experiences with us.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Respecting the privacy of the people who accidentally ended up in your shot is a common courtesy. In addition, making that material public can have legal consequences. So, to avoid needless complications, you can blur a person’s face before you share a photo or a video on social networks.

There are plenty of Android and iPhone apps that enable you to blur a face or any part of an image just moments after you’ve recorded a video or taken a photo. In this article, we will take you through the ten best free apps you can use to blur faces on your Android devices or iPhone & iPad.

Blurring Face/Object/Private Information With Wondershare Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

As a video editor with rich effects and tools, Filmora offers a few ways to blur a face or object, such as applying the Mosaic effect, Blurring effects, or Face-off. The video tutorial above is made with Filmora. Click Effects at the top, find Filter on the left, and click UTILITY; from there, you will see the mosaic, face-off, tilt-shift circle, and tilt-shift linear tools.

 Filmora Utility features

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Check our picks of the best video editing software to blur faces in videos on Windows & Mac or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

10 Best FREE iPhone and Android Apps for Blurring Faces in Photos and Videos

Concealing the identity of the people in your photos and videos is just the tip of the iceberg because the apps we featured in our top ten list allow you to manipulate images in any way you want. Let’s take a look at some of the best apps that can help you blur a face in just a few easy steps.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Skitch

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.1

iPhone photographers in need of an app that enables them to snap and edit photos quickly will love using Skitch. The app is perfect for editing photos while you are on the go, as you can easily annotate images or add any text, stickers, or emojis to your photos. The Pixelate option lets you select the portion of the image you’d like to blur in just a couple of taps. Skitch’s photo editing capabilities can help you enhance the colors of each photo you take with this app. At the same time, its file-sharing features allow you to post your favorite creations on social media in seconds.

2. Video Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.6

Video Mosaic App for iOS

This app is designed with just one purpose, to enable iPhone users to blur videos while recording is in progress easily**.** You can choose from several different blur options, so you can blur an entire video, add an automatic mosaic over a face in the shot, or choose an area of the screen you’d like to blur. Moreover, the app lets you select the shape of the mosaic so the blurred area of the shot can have any form you want. The only downside is that you will have to make an in-app purchase to get rid of ads.

3. Video Toolbox Movie Maker

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.5

Video Toolbox Movie Maker Mosaic App for iOS

The video editing tools this iOS-based app offers will enable you to create professional-looking social media videos. There are over thirty transitions to choose from and more than twenty video effects. You can experiment with the Green Screen feature to combine two or more clips into a single video or try out the Reverse video option. Despite a solid number of video editing options, Video Toolbox offers only a limited number of face blurring options. The pixelate or blur effect you add to a video will be static, so if your subject moves a lot, you will have to use another app.

4. MovStash

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.7

Movstash  Mosaic Blur App for iOS

There are four types of blur you can choose from, and you can edit your videos in Simple and Timeline modes. You can specify the area of the shot you’d like to blur manually and use the slider to set the intensity of the blur effect. The Timeline mode lets you add as many blur areas to a video as you want so that you can blur multiple faces in a single shot. MovStash is specifically designed to make the process of blurring portions of a video quick and simple, but the app doesn’t offer any other video editing option.

5. KineMaster – Pro Video Editor

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

User Rating: 4.7

KineMaster is a professional video editing app that enables users to trim a video frame by frame, apply the Chroma Key effect or add 3D transitions between video clips. That’s why it is not surprising that iPhone and Android users can easily blur faces in their videos with this app. However, the free version of KineMaster provides you with only a limited amount of options, and you have to make a series of in-app purchases to unlock all the features this app has to offer.

6. Blur Photos

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.3

Blur Photo App for iOS

Blur Photos app allows you to share your photos on all popular social networks in just a few taps. If you have an iOS 8 or a later version of this mobile operating system installed on your iPhone, you will be able to use this app as an extension for the Photos app. Blur Photos is completely free to use on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch, so you can easily conceal the identity of people in your photos, regardless of the device you’re currently using. You can define the area of the picture you’d like to blur manually, and the app lets you control the intensity of the blur effect you’re applying.

7. Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

Price: Free

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.2

Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo

You can blur the faces in your photos using the Mosaic, Pixelate, Blur, or Color options. You have to pick one of the options and designate the screen area you’d like to blur, and the app will do the rest for you. However, you can’t zoom into a photo, which means that you won’t have a great deal of control over the face blurring process in certain situations. The Mosaic Pixelate Censor Photo doesn’t offer any other photo editing options, which makes it a good choice only if you’re looking for an efficient tool that lets you censor photos quickly.

8. Point Blur

Price: Free, contains ads

Compatibility: Android

User Rating: 4.3

Point Blur DSLR app

It is nothing complicated about blurring faces or any other photo part with this app. You have to use your finger to select the area of a picture you’d like to pixelate or blur and then proceed to choose the brush size and the intensity of the effect. In addition, you can use Point Blur to blur the background of a photo and create a smooth bokeh effect. Once you’ve blurred an image successfully, you can share it on any social media of your choice.

9.iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 3.9

Learn more details about How to blur faces in iMovie

Even though iMovie offers a rich selection of video editing options, unfortunately, there are no options that enable you to blur or pixelate a face. To conceal a beginning or an object in a video, you’ll have toadd a non-transparent layer over the area of the video you’d like to hide. This is by no means an elegant solution since adding a monochrome rectangle over a video can completely ruin its visual appeal. Using iMovie to conceal faces in videos is only a good option if, for whatever reason, you can’t install any other app that grants you more control over the process of blurring faces in videos.

10. Blur&Mosaic

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS

User Rating: 4.7


Blur & Mosaic app for iOS

If you are looking for an app that makes obscuring faces in photos and videos easy, then Blur&Mosaic is probably one of the best choices you have at your disposal. You have to use your finger to mark the area you’d like to blur and choose from nine available mosaic styles. Furthermore, four different thickness and strength options allow you to control the amount of effect you’re going to apply to the image. However, the app contains ads, and you have to make an in-app purchase to remove them.

FAQs About Face Blur

1. How Do You Blur Out Faces in Photos on iPhone?

iPhone users can blur out faces with free blurring faces apps for photos and videos, such as Skitch, Video Mosaic, Video Toolbox Movie Maker, MovStash, KineMaster, and iMovie.

2. How Can I Blur Moving Face in a Video?

The Face-Off tool in Filmora can blur human faces or anything that looks like a face. You can also add emojis to the face of the subject. What’s more, the face-changer feature also comes with an in-built motion-tracker mechanism, which automatically sensors the position of a moving face and adjusts the emoji accordingly.

To blur faces , import your video, go to “Effects,” then search “Utility,” and select Face-Off. Choose an emoji if you want to add one; otherwise, click “OK.” The faces have now been blurred, and the video is ready to be exported.

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Conclusion

Just because a photo or a video contains information, you can’t share publicly shouldn’t be the reason why you can’t post it on your social media accounts. The apps we presented in this article are going to help you blur a face or conceal any other object in just a few easy steps. Which app do you like to use the most to blur faces in your videos and photos? Leave a comment below and share your experiences with us.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

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Ubuntu’s Video Editing Powerhouses: Top 10 Free Tools

Ubuntu is well-suited to the multidimensional world, not only in terms of playing music and video but also in creating these materials. Nowadays, Ubuntu allows us to professionally make audio and video files. And the best part is that we can do it at no cost.

Here we’ll talk about some free video editors that we may download and install on Ubuntu in this example. It provides the opportunity to create professional videos and even a way of life, like with YouTubers. But to make it easier to choose among so many apps today, we have shortlisted 10 Ubuntu Video Editor.

AI Video Editor A simple video editor that empowers you to edit video and audio on Windows, Mac, iPhone & Android.

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noteNote: Filmora’s online version is upcoming this October! Stay tuned!

Top 10 Best Free Video Editors for Ubuntu

Picking the right video editor might be difficult for some people, but that’s where FOSS Ubuntu comes in. We’ve gathered a list of the finest video editors for Ubuntu for your benefit. We have tried and tested these apps. And based on our experience, we recomend:

1 - OpenShot 2 - OBS Studio 3 - PiTiVi 4 - Kdenlive
5 - Shotcut 6 - Lightworks 7 - HitFilm Express 8 - VLC
9 - Cinelerra 10 - Blender

1. OpenShot

We are confident that you will not find a more user-friendly video editor than this one. OpenShot is most likely the best choice when you’re new to video production. It is simple to use, but it also has several interesting features.

This editor comes with a plethora of titles and transitions and compatibility for the majority of video and picture formats. You also receive an excellent export option that allows you to save files in various formats. As already mentioned, the application is designed to meet the needs of beginning learners; yet, advanced users will not be dissatisfied because it supports high-quality video formats such as 4K.

OpenShot has several useful audio editing capabilities, including seeing waveforms on the timeline and even displaying the waveform as part of the film. It also allows you to separate the sound from the video clip and tune each sound channel separately.

2. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, open-source tool that can be downloaded and installed on Ubuntu and other operating systems such as Windows and Mac. Because it includes a fantastic screen capturer , OBS Studio is becoming famous for making videos of Ubuntu or other computer programs. OBS Studio is a basic video editor that lets us blend photos, movies, and music easily.

OBS Studio can create movies in the following formats: Flv, Mkv, mp4, mov, ts, and m3u8. Although the formats are not very open, they are compatible with internet video publishing sites. This editor allows us to modify video rather than merely broadcast it, albeit the editing functionality is not as robust as Kdenlive or Openshot.

OBS Studio also links with video streaming sites to create live videos, unlike other video editing software. This has made it a highly popular software among YouTubers and one that we can download on any Ubuntu version.

3. PiTiVi

Like many others, this one lets you perform basic video editing activities such as trimming, cutting, snapping, splitting, and mixing. The program also supports several additional languages for those who aren’t fluent in English. You should probably read the manual before using it since it contains a lot of valuable information on using this application.

In a word, the application provides a touch-capable, hardware-accelerated user experience. Limitless video/audio track layers, full undo/redo history, trimming, cutting, sound editing of several concurrent audio layers upon layer, volume keyframe curves, keyframe audio enhancements, and more are all supported.

Pitivi creates thumbnails and waveforms in the background to provide you with the best performance without interfering with your workflow. Pitivi may be found in most Ubuntu software repositories. If you want, you may also download pre-assembled kits.

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Filmora Free Video Editor

Filmora - No Watermark Video Editing Software

• Easily edit and export video files without watermark

• offers popular effects and filters for making your video professional

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Free Video Editing Free Video Editing Learn More >

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4. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is, without a doubt, one of the best video editing applications for Ubuntu available right now! What sets it apart from other video editors is that it is completely free and includes several useful features. The MLT Framework, which is based on many other open-source projects, handles most of the video editing in Kdenlive, built on Qt and the KDE Frameworks libraries.

Adjustable layout compatibility, a clip list, a multitrack chronology, automatic backup, keyframe special effects, and transitioning are all included in this video editing program. Do you have a special file format or camcorder? Not an issue — Kdenlive works with practically anything.

It’s also worth noting that Kdenlive runs on Mac OSX and FreeBSD. Proxy editing is another useful function. This handy function can produce low-quality duplicates of your source clips for quick editing and render them in full resolution.

5. Shotcut

Another free, open-source, and cross-platform video editor is Shotcut. Unlike Kdenlive, beginner video editors would obtain a comprehensive understanding of Shotcut because of its user-friendly interface. It has indigenous timeline editing, video transitions and filters, and a multitrack timeline, among other things.

Keyframes for digital filters and 3-point editing are supported. Shotcut is useful if you need to remove the audio from a video clip rapidly. Additionally, it allows you to edit audio and 4K films. Furthermore, it allows for external monitoring.

JACK transport sync, audio blending throughout all channels, stereo, mono, and 5.1 surround sound capabilities are supported on the audio front. Shotcut is considered ideal for beginners, and if you are one, we would highly suggest getting this one for your Ubuntu.

6. Lightworks

Because the functions go beyond the world of inexperienced editors, this video editor for Ubuntu computers is suited for specialists in video editing. The award-winning non-linear editing (NLE) program can handle 4K, Blu-Ray, and even SD and HD footage. You’ll also discover Low-Res Proxy workflows for 4K and drag-and-drop support alongside those capabilities.

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

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

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI

Learn More >>

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It features voice-over and just added Mackie MIDI compatibility for Ubuntu users. Lightworks supports the most analog and digital connectors, namely 12G, 3G-SDI, Optical audio, HDMI 2, and AES/EBU connectors. The creators have also included professional-level video editing tools and audio filters and enhancements.

7. HitFilm Express

Check out HitFilm Express from FXhome when you seek the greatest video editing software but don’t want to spend a lot of money. This free video editor offers most of the same capabilities as top-tier production suites, featuring 4K video capability, 360-degree editing, and hundreds of special effects.

In reality, when it comes to editing capabilities, Hitfilm Express is extremely similar to Adobe Premiere Pro.

The major disadvantage of this program is that it consumes a lot of system resources, which means it won’t run on many lightweight laptops. You’ll have to pay extra for things like 360-degree text, extra color grading facilities, and other aesthetic enhancements, among other things. Hitfilm Express is a video editor that is so strong and simple to use that it’s difficult to believe it’s free. It’s a great option for any video creator on a shoestring budget.

8. VLC

VLC Media Player has become one of the most widely used media players . It’s not only simple to use, but it also supports a variety of file types without requiring any further purchases or downloads.

It may be used to optimize audio and video on your device of choice. It can play DivC and MPEG streams. You may also watch videos as they’re downloading. It has a basic and easy user interface.

It can be used to start or join a video broadcast. VLC may be controlled via shortcut keys. Some options can be tweaked to suit your tastes. You don’t need to download any codecs to read music or video files. It includes an equalizer built-in that allows users to increase sound quality without altering it.

Finding a Way to Export Edited Video with No Watermark? Try This Out!

Filmora Video Editor brings you all the convenience of editing videos with handy functions. You can make your creative ideas into realize! More importantly, your edited video can export without a watermark!

Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

9. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a video editor for GNU/Ubuntu, first released in 1998. It was the first non-linear video editor for GNU/Ubuntu that was functional with 64-bit platforms. Cinelerra was a huge hit in its early years since it was a comprehensive and free video editor that was practically unique in its field. However, as time went on, progress slowed, and many users abandoned the project.

Currently, work is ongoing, and new Ubuntu versions are being released in stages. Cinelerra includes a split editing panel that, like Gimp, allows for non-linear video editing. Like all other video editors, Cinelerra provides a variety of video effects and transitions for producing movies and slideshows. We can get Cinelerra from Sourceforge; once we install it, we should run the program using the./ command.

10. Blender

Like Lightworks and KDenlive, this video editor is geared towards advanced users, but the greatest part is that it is free. It focuses on 3D animation rather than traditional video editing. It’s widely used in 3D modeling, visual effects, animation, simulation, pipeline, and game development.

Blender has filters, transitions, keyframes , adjustment layers, speed control, live preview, histogram displays, luma waveform, and chroma vectorscope for video production. Aside from that, it also allows you to mix, sync, and scrub audio files.

Because all of these functions might be a steep learning curve, it is a little challenging for inexperienced video producers. It is, without a doubt, the finest example of a free and open-source community project. Blender is a free program found in practically any software app store.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it – your best Ubuntu Video Editor tools list. Using Ubuntu does not preclude you from installing high-quality apps. Except for the video editors described above, there are many other Ubuntu applications available.

A few are geared for pros (such as Lightworks, HitFilm Express, and Blender), while others are designed for beginners (similar to Shotcut and OpenShot). Additionally, because most video editors are currently accessible on the google play store, you would be able to download and install them on your Ubuntu laptop.

Download Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

noteNote: Filmora’s online version is upcoming this October! Stay tuned!

Top 10 Best Free Video Editors for Ubuntu

Picking the right video editor might be difficult for some people, but that’s where FOSS Ubuntu comes in. We’ve gathered a list of the finest video editors for Ubuntu for your benefit. We have tried and tested these apps. And based on our experience, we recomend:

1 - OpenShot 2 - OBS Studio 3 - PiTiVi 4 - Kdenlive
5 - Shotcut 6 - Lightworks 7 - HitFilm Express 8 - VLC
9 - Cinelerra 10 - Blender

1. OpenShot

We are confident that you will not find a more user-friendly video editor than this one. OpenShot is most likely the best choice when you’re new to video production. It is simple to use, but it also has several interesting features.

This editor comes with a plethora of titles and transitions and compatibility for the majority of video and picture formats. You also receive an excellent export option that allows you to save files in various formats. As already mentioned, the application is designed to meet the needs of beginning learners; yet, advanced users will not be dissatisfied because it supports high-quality video formats such as 4K.

OpenShot has several useful audio editing capabilities, including seeing waveforms on the timeline and even displaying the waveform as part of the film. It also allows you to separate the sound from the video clip and tune each sound channel separately.

2. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, open-source tool that can be downloaded and installed on Ubuntu and other operating systems such as Windows and Mac. Because it includes a fantastic screen capturer , OBS Studio is becoming famous for making videos of Ubuntu or other computer programs. OBS Studio is a basic video editor that lets us blend photos, movies, and music easily.

OBS Studio can create movies in the following formats: Flv, Mkv, mp4, mov, ts, and m3u8. Although the formats are not very open, they are compatible with internet video publishing sites. This editor allows us to modify video rather than merely broadcast it, albeit the editing functionality is not as robust as Kdenlive or Openshot.

OBS Studio also links with video streaming sites to create live videos, unlike other video editing software. This has made it a highly popular software among YouTubers and one that we can download on any Ubuntu version.

3. PiTiVi

Like many others, this one lets you perform basic video editing activities such as trimming, cutting, snapping, splitting, and mixing. The program also supports several additional languages for those who aren’t fluent in English. You should probably read the manual before using it since it contains a lot of valuable information on using this application.

In a word, the application provides a touch-capable, hardware-accelerated user experience. Limitless video/audio track layers, full undo/redo history, trimming, cutting, sound editing of several concurrent audio layers upon layer, volume keyframe curves, keyframe audio enhancements, and more are all supported.

Pitivi creates thumbnails and waveforms in the background to provide you with the best performance without interfering with your workflow. Pitivi may be found in most Ubuntu software repositories. If you want, you may also download pre-assembled kits.

filmora box

Filmora Free Video Editor

Filmora - No Watermark Video Editing Software

• Easily edit and export video files without watermark

• offers popular effects and filters for making your video professional

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Free Video Editing Free Video Editing Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

4. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is, without a doubt, one of the best video editing applications for Ubuntu available right now! What sets it apart from other video editors is that it is completely free and includes several useful features. The MLT Framework, which is based on many other open-source projects, handles most of the video editing in Kdenlive, built on Qt and the KDE Frameworks libraries.

Adjustable layout compatibility, a clip list, a multitrack chronology, automatic backup, keyframe special effects, and transitioning are all included in this video editing program. Do you have a special file format or camcorder? Not an issue — Kdenlive works with practically anything.

It’s also worth noting that Kdenlive runs on Mac OSX and FreeBSD. Proxy editing is another useful function. This handy function can produce low-quality duplicates of your source clips for quick editing and render them in full resolution.

5. Shotcut

Another free, open-source, and cross-platform video editor is Shotcut. Unlike Kdenlive, beginner video editors would obtain a comprehensive understanding of Shotcut because of its user-friendly interface. It has indigenous timeline editing, video transitions and filters, and a multitrack timeline, among other things.

Keyframes for digital filters and 3-point editing are supported. Shotcut is useful if you need to remove the audio from a video clip rapidly. Additionally, it allows you to edit audio and 4K films. Furthermore, it allows for external monitoring.

JACK transport sync, audio blending throughout all channels, stereo, mono, and 5.1 surround sound capabilities are supported on the audio front. Shotcut is considered ideal for beginners, and if you are one, we would highly suggest getting this one for your Ubuntu.

6. Lightworks

Because the functions go beyond the world of inexperienced editors, this video editor for Ubuntu computers is suited for specialists in video editing. The award-winning non-linear editing (NLE) program can handle 4K, Blu-Ray, and even SD and HD footage. You’ll also discover Low-Res Proxy workflows for 4K and drag-and-drop support alongside those capabilities.

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

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

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI

Learn More >>

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

It features voice-over and just added Mackie MIDI compatibility for Ubuntu users. Lightworks supports the most analog and digital connectors, namely 12G, 3G-SDI, Optical audio, HDMI 2, and AES/EBU connectors. The creators have also included professional-level video editing tools and audio filters and enhancements.

7. HitFilm Express

Check out HitFilm Express from FXhome when you seek the greatest video editing software but don’t want to spend a lot of money. This free video editor offers most of the same capabilities as top-tier production suites, featuring 4K video capability, 360-degree editing, and hundreds of special effects.

In reality, when it comes to editing capabilities, Hitfilm Express is extremely similar to Adobe Premiere Pro.

The major disadvantage of this program is that it consumes a lot of system resources, which means it won’t run on many lightweight laptops. You’ll have to pay extra for things like 360-degree text, extra color grading facilities, and other aesthetic enhancements, among other things. Hitfilm Express is a video editor that is so strong and simple to use that it’s difficult to believe it’s free. It’s a great option for any video creator on a shoestring budget.

8. VLC

VLC Media Player has become one of the most widely used media players . It’s not only simple to use, but it also supports a variety of file types without requiring any further purchases or downloads.

It may be used to optimize audio and video on your device of choice. It can play DivC and MPEG streams. You may also watch videos as they’re downloading. It has a basic and easy user interface.

It can be used to start or join a video broadcast. VLC may be controlled via shortcut keys. Some options can be tweaked to suit your tastes. You don’t need to download any codecs to read music or video files. It includes an equalizer built-in that allows users to increase sound quality without altering it.

Finding a Way to Export Edited Video with No Watermark? Try This Out!

Filmora Video Editor brings you all the convenience of editing videos with handy functions. You can make your creative ideas into realize! More importantly, your edited video can export without a watermark!

Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

9. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a video editor for GNU/Ubuntu, first released in 1998. It was the first non-linear video editor for GNU/Ubuntu that was functional with 64-bit platforms. Cinelerra was a huge hit in its early years since it was a comprehensive and free video editor that was practically unique in its field. However, as time went on, progress slowed, and many users abandoned the project.

Currently, work is ongoing, and new Ubuntu versions are being released in stages. Cinelerra includes a split editing panel that, like Gimp, allows for non-linear video editing. Like all other video editors, Cinelerra provides a variety of video effects and transitions for producing movies and slideshows. We can get Cinelerra from Sourceforge; once we install it, we should run the program using the./ command.

10. Blender

Like Lightworks and KDenlive, this video editor is geared towards advanced users, but the greatest part is that it is free. It focuses on 3D animation rather than traditional video editing. It’s widely used in 3D modeling, visual effects, animation, simulation, pipeline, and game development.

Blender has filters, transitions, keyframes , adjustment layers, speed control, live preview, histogram displays, luma waveform, and chroma vectorscope for video production. Aside from that, it also allows you to mix, sync, and scrub audio files.

Because all of these functions might be a steep learning curve, it is a little challenging for inexperienced video producers. It is, without a doubt, the finest example of a free and open-source community project. Blender is a free program found in practically any software app store.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it – your best Ubuntu Video Editor tools list. Using Ubuntu does not preclude you from installing high-quality apps. Except for the video editors described above, there are many other Ubuntu applications available.

A few are geared for pros (such as Lightworks, HitFilm Express, and Blender), while others are designed for beginners (similar to Shotcut and OpenShot). Additionally, because most video editors are currently accessible on the google play store, you would be able to download and install them on your Ubuntu laptop.

Download Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

noteNote: Filmora’s online version is upcoming this October! Stay tuned!

Top 10 Best Free Video Editors for Ubuntu

Picking the right video editor might be difficult for some people, but that’s where FOSS Ubuntu comes in. We’ve gathered a list of the finest video editors for Ubuntu for your benefit. We have tried and tested these apps. And based on our experience, we recomend:

1 - OpenShot 2 - OBS Studio 3 - PiTiVi 4 - Kdenlive
5 - Shotcut 6 - Lightworks 7 - HitFilm Express 8 - VLC
9 - Cinelerra 10 - Blender

1. OpenShot

We are confident that you will not find a more user-friendly video editor than this one. OpenShot is most likely the best choice when you’re new to video production. It is simple to use, but it also has several interesting features.

This editor comes with a plethora of titles and transitions and compatibility for the majority of video and picture formats. You also receive an excellent export option that allows you to save files in various formats. As already mentioned, the application is designed to meet the needs of beginning learners; yet, advanced users will not be dissatisfied because it supports high-quality video formats such as 4K.

OpenShot has several useful audio editing capabilities, including seeing waveforms on the timeline and even displaying the waveform as part of the film. It also allows you to separate the sound from the video clip and tune each sound channel separately.

2. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, open-source tool that can be downloaded and installed on Ubuntu and other operating systems such as Windows and Mac. Because it includes a fantastic screen capturer , OBS Studio is becoming famous for making videos of Ubuntu or other computer programs. OBS Studio is a basic video editor that lets us blend photos, movies, and music easily.

OBS Studio can create movies in the following formats: Flv, Mkv, mp4, mov, ts, and m3u8. Although the formats are not very open, they are compatible with internet video publishing sites. This editor allows us to modify video rather than merely broadcast it, albeit the editing functionality is not as robust as Kdenlive or Openshot.

OBS Studio also links with video streaming sites to create live videos, unlike other video editing software. This has made it a highly popular software among YouTubers and one that we can download on any Ubuntu version.

3. PiTiVi

Like many others, this one lets you perform basic video editing activities such as trimming, cutting, snapping, splitting, and mixing. The program also supports several additional languages for those who aren’t fluent in English. You should probably read the manual before using it since it contains a lot of valuable information on using this application.

In a word, the application provides a touch-capable, hardware-accelerated user experience. Limitless video/audio track layers, full undo/redo history, trimming, cutting, sound editing of several concurrent audio layers upon layer, volume keyframe curves, keyframe audio enhancements, and more are all supported.

Pitivi creates thumbnails and waveforms in the background to provide you with the best performance without interfering with your workflow. Pitivi may be found in most Ubuntu software repositories. If you want, you may also download pre-assembled kits.

filmora box

Filmora Free Video Editor

Filmora - No Watermark Video Editing Software

• Easily edit and export video files without watermark

• offers popular effects and filters for making your video professional

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Free Video Editing Free Video Editing Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

4. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is, without a doubt, one of the best video editing applications for Ubuntu available right now! What sets it apart from other video editors is that it is completely free and includes several useful features. The MLT Framework, which is based on many other open-source projects, handles most of the video editing in Kdenlive, built on Qt and the KDE Frameworks libraries.

Adjustable layout compatibility, a clip list, a multitrack chronology, automatic backup, keyframe special effects, and transitioning are all included in this video editing program. Do you have a special file format or camcorder? Not an issue — Kdenlive works with practically anything.

It’s also worth noting that Kdenlive runs on Mac OSX and FreeBSD. Proxy editing is another useful function. This handy function can produce low-quality duplicates of your source clips for quick editing and render them in full resolution.

5. Shotcut

Another free, open-source, and cross-platform video editor is Shotcut. Unlike Kdenlive, beginner video editors would obtain a comprehensive understanding of Shotcut because of its user-friendly interface. It has indigenous timeline editing, video transitions and filters, and a multitrack timeline, among other things.

Keyframes for digital filters and 3-point editing are supported. Shotcut is useful if you need to remove the audio from a video clip rapidly. Additionally, it allows you to edit audio and 4K films. Furthermore, it allows for external monitoring.

JACK transport sync, audio blending throughout all channels, stereo, mono, and 5.1 surround sound capabilities are supported on the audio front. Shotcut is considered ideal for beginners, and if you are one, we would highly suggest getting this one for your Ubuntu.

6. Lightworks

Because the functions go beyond the world of inexperienced editors, this video editor for Ubuntu computers is suited for specialists in video editing. The award-winning non-linear editing (NLE) program can handle 4K, Blu-Ray, and even SD and HD footage. You’ll also discover Low-Res Proxy workflows for 4K and drag-and-drop support alongside those capabilities.

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

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

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI

Learn More >>

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

It features voice-over and just added Mackie MIDI compatibility for Ubuntu users. Lightworks supports the most analog and digital connectors, namely 12G, 3G-SDI, Optical audio, HDMI 2, and AES/EBU connectors. The creators have also included professional-level video editing tools and audio filters and enhancements.

7. HitFilm Express

Check out HitFilm Express from FXhome when you seek the greatest video editing software but don’t want to spend a lot of money. This free video editor offers most of the same capabilities as top-tier production suites, featuring 4K video capability, 360-degree editing, and hundreds of special effects.

In reality, when it comes to editing capabilities, Hitfilm Express is extremely similar to Adobe Premiere Pro.

The major disadvantage of this program is that it consumes a lot of system resources, which means it won’t run on many lightweight laptops. You’ll have to pay extra for things like 360-degree text, extra color grading facilities, and other aesthetic enhancements, among other things. Hitfilm Express is a video editor that is so strong and simple to use that it’s difficult to believe it’s free. It’s a great option for any video creator on a shoestring budget.

8. VLC

VLC Media Player has become one of the most widely used media players . It’s not only simple to use, but it also supports a variety of file types without requiring any further purchases or downloads.

It may be used to optimize audio and video on your device of choice. It can play DivC and MPEG streams. You may also watch videos as they’re downloading. It has a basic and easy user interface.

It can be used to start or join a video broadcast. VLC may be controlled via shortcut keys. Some options can be tweaked to suit your tastes. You don’t need to download any codecs to read music or video files. It includes an equalizer built-in that allows users to increase sound quality without altering it.

Finding a Way to Export Edited Video with No Watermark? Try This Out!

Filmora Video Editor brings you all the convenience of editing videos with handy functions. You can make your creative ideas into realize! More importantly, your edited video can export without a watermark!

Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

9. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a video editor for GNU/Ubuntu, first released in 1998. It was the first non-linear video editor for GNU/Ubuntu that was functional with 64-bit platforms. Cinelerra was a huge hit in its early years since it was a comprehensive and free video editor that was practically unique in its field. However, as time went on, progress slowed, and many users abandoned the project.

Currently, work is ongoing, and new Ubuntu versions are being released in stages. Cinelerra includes a split editing panel that, like Gimp, allows for non-linear video editing. Like all other video editors, Cinelerra provides a variety of video effects and transitions for producing movies and slideshows. We can get Cinelerra from Sourceforge; once we install it, we should run the program using the./ command.

10. Blender

Like Lightworks and KDenlive, this video editor is geared towards advanced users, but the greatest part is that it is free. It focuses on 3D animation rather than traditional video editing. It’s widely used in 3D modeling, visual effects, animation, simulation, pipeline, and game development.

Blender has filters, transitions, keyframes , adjustment layers, speed control, live preview, histogram displays, luma waveform, and chroma vectorscope for video production. Aside from that, it also allows you to mix, sync, and scrub audio files.

Because all of these functions might be a steep learning curve, it is a little challenging for inexperienced video producers. It is, without a doubt, the finest example of a free and open-source community project. Blender is a free program found in practically any software app store.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it – your best Ubuntu Video Editor tools list. Using Ubuntu does not preclude you from installing high-quality apps. Except for the video editors described above, there are many other Ubuntu applications available.

A few are geared for pros (such as Lightworks, HitFilm Express, and Blender), while others are designed for beginners (similar to Shotcut and OpenShot). Additionally, because most video editors are currently accessible on the google play store, you would be able to download and install them on your Ubuntu laptop.

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noteNote: Filmora’s online version is upcoming this October! Stay tuned!

Top 10 Best Free Video Editors for Ubuntu

Picking the right video editor might be difficult for some people, but that’s where FOSS Ubuntu comes in. We’ve gathered a list of the finest video editors for Ubuntu for your benefit. We have tried and tested these apps. And based on our experience, we recomend:

1 - OpenShot 2 - OBS Studio 3 - PiTiVi 4 - Kdenlive
5 - Shotcut 6 - Lightworks 7 - HitFilm Express 8 - VLC
9 - Cinelerra 10 - Blender

1. OpenShot

We are confident that you will not find a more user-friendly video editor than this one. OpenShot is most likely the best choice when you’re new to video production. It is simple to use, but it also has several interesting features.

This editor comes with a plethora of titles and transitions and compatibility for the majority of video and picture formats. You also receive an excellent export option that allows you to save files in various formats. As already mentioned, the application is designed to meet the needs of beginning learners; yet, advanced users will not be dissatisfied because it supports high-quality video formats such as 4K.

OpenShot has several useful audio editing capabilities, including seeing waveforms on the timeline and even displaying the waveform as part of the film. It also allows you to separate the sound from the video clip and tune each sound channel separately.

2. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, open-source tool that can be downloaded and installed on Ubuntu and other operating systems such as Windows and Mac. Because it includes a fantastic screen capturer , OBS Studio is becoming famous for making videos of Ubuntu or other computer programs. OBS Studio is a basic video editor that lets us blend photos, movies, and music easily.

OBS Studio can create movies in the following formats: Flv, Mkv, mp4, mov, ts, and m3u8. Although the formats are not very open, they are compatible with internet video publishing sites. This editor allows us to modify video rather than merely broadcast it, albeit the editing functionality is not as robust as Kdenlive or Openshot.

OBS Studio also links with video streaming sites to create live videos, unlike other video editing software. This has made it a highly popular software among YouTubers and one that we can download on any Ubuntu version.

3. PiTiVi

Like many others, this one lets you perform basic video editing activities such as trimming, cutting, snapping, splitting, and mixing. The program also supports several additional languages for those who aren’t fluent in English. You should probably read the manual before using it since it contains a lot of valuable information on using this application.

In a word, the application provides a touch-capable, hardware-accelerated user experience. Limitless video/audio track layers, full undo/redo history, trimming, cutting, sound editing of several concurrent audio layers upon layer, volume keyframe curves, keyframe audio enhancements, and more are all supported.

Pitivi creates thumbnails and waveforms in the background to provide you with the best performance without interfering with your workflow. Pitivi may be found in most Ubuntu software repositories. If you want, you may also download pre-assembled kits.

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Filmora Free Video Editor

Filmora - No Watermark Video Editing Software

• Easily edit and export video files without watermark

• offers popular effects and filters for making your video professional

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Free Video Editing Free Video Editing Learn More >

iOS Android

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4. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is, without a doubt, one of the best video editing applications for Ubuntu available right now! What sets it apart from other video editors is that it is completely free and includes several useful features. The MLT Framework, which is based on many other open-source projects, handles most of the video editing in Kdenlive, built on Qt and the KDE Frameworks libraries.

Adjustable layout compatibility, a clip list, a multitrack chronology, automatic backup, keyframe special effects, and transitioning are all included in this video editing program. Do you have a special file format or camcorder? Not an issue — Kdenlive works with practically anything.

It’s also worth noting that Kdenlive runs on Mac OSX and FreeBSD. Proxy editing is another useful function. This handy function can produce low-quality duplicates of your source clips for quick editing and render them in full resolution.

5. Shotcut

Another free, open-source, and cross-platform video editor is Shotcut. Unlike Kdenlive, beginner video editors would obtain a comprehensive understanding of Shotcut because of its user-friendly interface. It has indigenous timeline editing, video transitions and filters, and a multitrack timeline, among other things.

Keyframes for digital filters and 3-point editing are supported. Shotcut is useful if you need to remove the audio from a video clip rapidly. Additionally, it allows you to edit audio and 4K films. Furthermore, it allows for external monitoring.

JACK transport sync, audio blending throughout all channels, stereo, mono, and 5.1 surround sound capabilities are supported on the audio front. Shotcut is considered ideal for beginners, and if you are one, we would highly suggest getting this one for your Ubuntu.

6. Lightworks

Because the functions go beyond the world of inexperienced editors, this video editor for Ubuntu computers is suited for specialists in video editing. The award-winning non-linear editing (NLE) program can handle 4K, Blu-Ray, and even SD and HD footage. You’ll also discover Low-Res Proxy workflows for 4K and drag-and-drop support alongside those capabilities.

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

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

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI

Learn More >>

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

It features voice-over and just added Mackie MIDI compatibility for Ubuntu users. Lightworks supports the most analog and digital connectors, namely 12G, 3G-SDI, Optical audio, HDMI 2, and AES/EBU connectors. The creators have also included professional-level video editing tools and audio filters and enhancements.

7. HitFilm Express

Check out HitFilm Express from FXhome when you seek the greatest video editing software but don’t want to spend a lot of money. This free video editor offers most of the same capabilities as top-tier production suites, featuring 4K video capability, 360-degree editing, and hundreds of special effects.

In reality, when it comes to editing capabilities, Hitfilm Express is extremely similar to Adobe Premiere Pro.

The major disadvantage of this program is that it consumes a lot of system resources, which means it won’t run on many lightweight laptops. You’ll have to pay extra for things like 360-degree text, extra color grading facilities, and other aesthetic enhancements, among other things. Hitfilm Express is a video editor that is so strong and simple to use that it’s difficult to believe it’s free. It’s a great option for any video creator on a shoestring budget.

8. VLC

VLC Media Player has become one of the most widely used media players . It’s not only simple to use, but it also supports a variety of file types without requiring any further purchases or downloads.

It may be used to optimize audio and video on your device of choice. It can play DivC and MPEG streams. You may also watch videos as they’re downloading. It has a basic and easy user interface.

It can be used to start or join a video broadcast. VLC may be controlled via shortcut keys. Some options can be tweaked to suit your tastes. You don’t need to download any codecs to read music or video files. It includes an equalizer built-in that allows users to increase sound quality without altering it.

Finding a Way to Export Edited Video with No Watermark? Try This Out!

Filmora Video Editor brings you all the convenience of editing videos with handy functions. You can make your creative ideas into realize! More importantly, your edited video can export without a watermark!

Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

9. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a video editor for GNU/Ubuntu, first released in 1998. It was the first non-linear video editor for GNU/Ubuntu that was functional with 64-bit platforms. Cinelerra was a huge hit in its early years since it was a comprehensive and free video editor that was practically unique in its field. However, as time went on, progress slowed, and many users abandoned the project.

Currently, work is ongoing, and new Ubuntu versions are being released in stages. Cinelerra includes a split editing panel that, like Gimp, allows for non-linear video editing. Like all other video editors, Cinelerra provides a variety of video effects and transitions for producing movies and slideshows. We can get Cinelerra from Sourceforge; once we install it, we should run the program using the./ command.

10. Blender

Like Lightworks and KDenlive, this video editor is geared towards advanced users, but the greatest part is that it is free. It focuses on 3D animation rather than traditional video editing. It’s widely used in 3D modeling, visual effects, animation, simulation, pipeline, and game development.

Blender has filters, transitions, keyframes , adjustment layers, speed control, live preview, histogram displays, luma waveform, and chroma vectorscope for video production. Aside from that, it also allows you to mix, sync, and scrub audio files.

Because all of these functions might be a steep learning curve, it is a little challenging for inexperienced video producers. It is, without a doubt, the finest example of a free and open-source community project. Blender is a free program found in practically any software app store.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it – your best Ubuntu Video Editor tools list. Using Ubuntu does not preclude you from installing high-quality apps. Except for the video editors described above, there are many other Ubuntu applications available.

A few are geared for pros (such as Lightworks, HitFilm Express, and Blender), while others are designed for beginners (similar to Shotcut and OpenShot). Additionally, because most video editors are currently accessible on the google play store, you would be able to download and install them on your Ubuntu laptop.

Top 10 2D Animation Tools : Free and Paid Options

10 Best 2D Animation Software in 2024 [Free/Paid]

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

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

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for
1 Synfig Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
2 Opentoonz Windows and OSX Free Beginners
3 Maefloresta iPhone and Android Free Beginners
4 Pencil 2D Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
5 Toon Boom Harmony Windows, Linux, and OSX $109 per month Professionals
6 CelAction2D Windows, Linux, and OSX $1300 for one single license Professionals
7 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro Windows and OSX $399.99 for the full package Professionals
8 Stop Motion Studio Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS $59.99 for the full package Professionals
9 FlipBook Windows and OSX $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 Professionals
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator Windows and OSX $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

  • Supports multiple layers of content
  • The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
  • Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

  • GTS scanning tool
  • Ability to change picture styles
  • Add distortion and light effects
  • Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

  • The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
  • Easy animation software with tutorials
  • Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

  • Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
  • Raster and vector workflow switching
  • Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

  • Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
  • Advanced color palettes and paint options
  • 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
  • Cut-out animation tools
  • Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

  • Easy and fast to use for professional users
  • Features ergonomic controls
  • Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
  • Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
  • The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

  • Enhanced freehand drawing tools
  • Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
  • Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
  • Realistic motion blur
  • Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

  • Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
  • Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
  • Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
  • DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

  • Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
  • You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
  • Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
  • You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

  • Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
  • Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
  • For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Put forward an idea

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

make storyboard

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Produce materials

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Animation

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

anireel animation software

Download Win Version

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

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

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

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

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for
1 Synfig Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
2 Opentoonz Windows and OSX Free Beginners
3 Maefloresta iPhone and Android Free Beginners
4 Pencil 2D Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
5 Toon Boom Harmony Windows, Linux, and OSX $109 per month Professionals
6 CelAction2D Windows, Linux, and OSX $1300 for one single license Professionals
7 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro Windows and OSX $399.99 for the full package Professionals
8 Stop Motion Studio Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS $59.99 for the full package Professionals
9 FlipBook Windows and OSX $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 Professionals
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator Windows and OSX $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

  • Supports multiple layers of content
  • The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
  • Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

  • GTS scanning tool
  • Ability to change picture styles
  • Add distortion and light effects
  • Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

  • The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
  • Easy animation software with tutorials
  • Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

  • Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
  • Raster and vector workflow switching
  • Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

  • Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
  • Advanced color palettes and paint options
  • 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
  • Cut-out animation tools
  • Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

  • Easy and fast to use for professional users
  • Features ergonomic controls
  • Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
  • Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
  • The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

  • Enhanced freehand drawing tools
  • Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
  • Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
  • Realistic motion blur
  • Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

  • Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
  • Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
  • Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
  • DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

  • Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
  • You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
  • Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
  • You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

  • Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
  • Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
  • For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Put forward an idea

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

make storyboard

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Produce materials

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Animation

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

anireel animation software

Download Win Version

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

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

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

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

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for
1 Synfig Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
2 Opentoonz Windows and OSX Free Beginners
3 Maefloresta iPhone and Android Free Beginners
4 Pencil 2D Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
5 Toon Boom Harmony Windows, Linux, and OSX $109 per month Professionals
6 CelAction2D Windows, Linux, and OSX $1300 for one single license Professionals
7 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro Windows and OSX $399.99 for the full package Professionals
8 Stop Motion Studio Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS $59.99 for the full package Professionals
9 FlipBook Windows and OSX $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 Professionals
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator Windows and OSX $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

  • Supports multiple layers of content
  • The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
  • Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

  • GTS scanning tool
  • Ability to change picture styles
  • Add distortion and light effects
  • Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

  • The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
  • Easy animation software with tutorials
  • Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

  • Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
  • Raster and vector workflow switching
  • Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

  • Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
  • Advanced color palettes and paint options
  • 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
  • Cut-out animation tools
  • Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

  • Easy and fast to use for professional users
  • Features ergonomic controls
  • Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
  • Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
  • The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

  • Enhanced freehand drawing tools
  • Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
  • Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
  • Realistic motion blur
  • Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

  • Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
  • Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
  • Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
  • DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

  • Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
  • You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
  • Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
  • You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

  • Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
  • Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
  • For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Put forward an idea

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

make storyboard

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Produce materials

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Animation

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

anireel animation software

Download Win Version

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

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

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

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

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for
1 Synfig Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
2 Opentoonz Windows and OSX Free Beginners
3 Maefloresta iPhone and Android Free Beginners
4 Pencil 2D Windows, Linux, and OSX Free Beginners
5 Toon Boom Harmony Windows, Linux, and OSX $109 per month Professionals
6 CelAction2D Windows, Linux, and OSX $1300 for one single license Professionals
7 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro Windows and OSX $399.99 for the full package Professionals
8 Stop Motion Studio Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS $59.99 for the full package Professionals
9 FlipBook Windows and OSX $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 Professionals
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator Windows and OSX $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

  • Supports multiple layers of content
  • The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
  • Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

  • GTS scanning tool
  • Ability to change picture styles
  • Add distortion and light effects
  • Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

  • The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
  • Easy animation software with tutorials
  • Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

  • Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
  • Raster and vector workflow switching
  • Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

  • Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
  • Advanced color palettes and paint options
  • 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
  • Cut-out animation tools
  • Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

  • Easy and fast to use for professional users
  • Features ergonomic controls
  • Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
  • Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
  • The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

  • Enhanced freehand drawing tools
  • Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
  • Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
  • Realistic motion blur
  • Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

  • Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
  • Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
  • Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
  • DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

  • Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
  • You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
  • Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
  • You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

  • Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
  • Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
  • For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Put forward an idea

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

make storyboard

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Produce materials

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Animation

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

anireel animation software

Download Win Version

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Top Video Editing Tools for Professionals

Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software [Free Download]

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The advent of digital video technology has opened an unprecedented opportunity for novice and professional filmmakers alike. Professional video editing software is an essential tool to create high-quality productions and visuals with accuracy, speed, and flexibility.

Whether you are a filmmaker looking to create content for the big screen or a commercial director trying to make your mark in the industry, a professional video editing program can give you the tools needed to produce highly polished visuals. Today’s advanced editors come with preloaded templates and effects that enable filmmakers to save time without sacrificing quality.

We’ve done some extensive research on what some consider to be the 10 best professional video editing software currently on the market, and we’re here to present what we’ve managed to find.

Part 1: Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software Free Download

Here is the 10 best professional video editing software for you to free download.

1 - Filmora 2 - EDIUS
3 - Autodesk Smoke 4 - Avid Media Composer
5 - Adobe Premiere Pro CC 6 - Final Cut Pro
7 - HitFilm Pr 8 - Lightworks
9 - Blender 10 - Magix Video Pro X

1. Filmora

Price: $79.99 Customers can add $36.96/month for effects and plugins, $49.99 Customers can add $18.99/month for effects and plugins

Pros: The best value on the list, covers everything a pro video editor should have, Easy-to-use.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

The newly released professional video editor app from Wondershare is specially designed for pros looking for a quick way to edit videos in a professional way.

The Filmora video editing software makes professional video editing easy. You can add unlimited video and audio tracks and control the panels at your hand.

You can also use customizable animations to establish your style and use high-quality presets to get a detailed color correction.

2. EDIUS

Price: $499, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Genderless video editing, 4K HDR workflow, flexible user interface, real-time conversion rates, support for a wide variety of video formats, fast AVCHD editing, motion tracking, 3-way color correction.

Cons: Relatively broadcast-oriented.

EDIUS is a free download video editing software that evolved out of what was originally a number of Adobe Premiere Plus plugins.

Ever since its release, EDIUS has gained a loyal following that appreciates both its business model and the operations that the program can perform.

More than a handful of broadcasters worldwide use EDIUS as their program of choice, both due to its flexibility when dealing with various video formats and because it’s quite easy to use when compared to some of its competitors.

Why do so many people swear by EDIUS? Well, according to its fanbase, EDIUS tends to be quite fast when processing, importing, editing, and exporting videos - couple that with the fact that EDIUS doesn’t require a subscription, and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly solid video editing software that can go toe to toe with its rivals.

3. Autodesk Smoke

Price: $190, Monthly Subscription, 1505$, Yearly Subscription

Pros: Timeline-based creative workflow, node-based compositing, ability to flawlessly make use of 3D animations and modeling, a high degree of stability (no crashes!).

Cons: Can only be used on a single monitor. Furthermore, Autodesk Smoke is exclusively for Mac users.

video editor for professional autodesk smoke

Autodesk is a video editing software that is favored by many people to due to its node-based compositing.

To put it as simple as possible, the video editor achieves a higher level of complexity than other popular software.

Smoke’s real strength lies in editorial and finishing functions. While the professional video editing software that is free to download doesn’t necessarily offer anything that its competitors don’t, this video editing software comes out on top when it comes to 3D effects.

4. Avid Media Composer

Price: $199.99 for a Year’s Subscription, or $24.99 Monthly

Pros: Free download, Advanced color-correction, built-in metadata and effect tools, HDR support, Multicam editing, FrameFlex, keyboard mapping, background rendering, real-time editing, a very high degree of stability, and serves as a great starting point for budding video editors.

Cons: Steep learning curve and outdated interface. However, learning how to use Avid Media Composer will enable you to jump right into other video editing software with ease.

avid media composer video editor

Check the detailed tutorial about How to Edit Videos with avidemux

Most people interested in the business have heard of Avid Media Composer because it’s what most professional video editors use for big blockbuster Hollywood movies.

Avid Media Composer is, arguably, the video editing industry’s preferred software you can download freely - and it’s easy to see why, since it pretty much has everything you might ever need, all rolled up into one neat package.

While some complain that it’s hard to use and the interface looks very outdated, many insist that this allows you to build a solid foundation from which your video editing career can skyrocket.

As a matter of fact, its popularity only serves to show that people prefer it for a reason: and that’s because Avid Media Composer is stunningly robust.

filmora box

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - Best Professional Video Editor Ever

• Easily to create and edit videos with plenty of pro effects and filters

• Automatically convert audio to text for adding subtitiles and captions

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Learn More >

5. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Price: $31.49 Monthly Subscription, $239.88 Yearly Subscription

Pros: Highly customizable and streamlined interface, easy to use for people with past experience in Adobe products but no previous video editing experience, a large variety of tools such as color matching and multi-camera rendering, and a fast rendering speed.

Cons: New updates might have a couple of bugs, so you should be a bit patient before you update if you want to keep it on the safe side. Mac users also report that it runs a bit slow on their systems.

premiere pro cc video editor

You may also like: Best Transition Plugins for Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is one of the best choices an amateur video editor could make when choosing his apparatus.

Both affordable and intuitive, this software has been at the top of the market for more than a couple of years, and now shows no sign of stopping, since it is constantly being supplied with new updates with free downloading.

If you’re looking to achieve a professional level of video editing with little to no previous experience, then look no further, as Adobe Premiere Pro CC might just be the perfect tool for you. With that being said, professional video editors should not shy away from this Adobe video editing software.

6. Final Cut Pro

Price: $299, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Support for 360-degree VR, HDR, multi-camera editing, fast rendering speed, a large variety of interesting tools, expansive library of plugins, and easy-to-use color correction, grading, and adjustment tools. Final Cut Pro has also been designed and optimized for Mac operating systems.

Cons: Only for Mac users. Large project files can also be slow.

final cut pro video editor

You may also like: How to Edit YouTube Videos in FCP

Final Cut Pro is Apple’s response to video editing software. The UI design is sleek and modern, the workflow is intuitive and easy to work with, and the program is impressively fast, even when working with 4K resolutions.

For many Mac users, Final Cut Pro is the definitive answer to their search for a strong video editing software that has been created with macOS in mind (free download).

7. HitFilm Pro

Price: $341.01, One-Time Purchase, $0 for Hitfilm Express (Free)

Pros: Color grading, familiar workflow, a large variety of video effects and presets, automatic audio syncing, impressive 3D graphics.

Cons: Complex for beginners. Effects oriented.

free download hitfilm pro

HitFilm Pro is an NLE that puts a heavy focus on the graphical aspect of such free download software. Additions like the automatic audio syncing is highly valued as a convenient quality of life tool. Multiple plugins can be added, though they cost a fee.

The program features several video tutorials that are targeted towards amateur video editors, as well.

filmora box

Filmora Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality. Combine AI with this professional video editing software!

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI Learn More >

8. Lightworks

Price: $24.99 monthly for Lightworks Pro, $0 (Free)

Pros: Simplified video editing process, extensive format and codec support, a large number of effects and tools, photo slideshows, 4K support, audio mixing, and 60 fps rendering.

Cons: Outdated UI, learning curve.

lightworks

You may also like: Best Plugins for Lightworks

Lightworks is a flexible video editing software that has gained a good position on the mark due to its consistent design structure.

The workspace is customizable, and while the UI can feel outdated at first, those with experience in video editing should not find it too much of a hassle.

Lightworks is the type of software that is robust all-around - and there’s also a free version out there, so amateurs can get to know what they’re getting into.

9. Blender

Price: $0 (Free)

Pros: Easy to use, with a good variety of tools and the ability to quickly add text and effects to produced animations. Compositing is very impressive.

Cons: No audio editing. Lacks complexity when compared to a couple of its competitors.

blender

While Blender is mostly known for being a software whose main focus is animation, it also features a built-in video editor that is by no means lackluster. Blender has the bonus of being able to work on 3D animations and take care of the video editing process at the same time.

10. Magix Video Pro X

Price: $399, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Supports free download, Wide format support, multi-cam editing, lookup table handling, 3-way color correction, 360 degree video support, many available effects, strong performance.

Cons: Does not work with Mac operating systems. No import tools.

magix video pro x

Learn some Magix Movie Edit Pro Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Magix Video Pro X is an NLE that has recently been making a name for itself due to its consistency and welcoming attitude towards amateur video editors. This tool is versatile and can deal with a wide range of situations head-on with no issue whatsoever.

While this isn’t the easiest program to start using, if you don’t quite know what you’re doing, you’ll be happy to know that Magix Video Pro X features a basic mode that has been designed to ease newcomers into the industry.

Try Filmora to Make Professional Videos!

Filmora Video Editor is an expert in creating and editing videos, you can follow the easy-to-use interface to make videos like a pro! It can also capture any area of the PC screen and webcam, and add different effects and filters to upgrade your video to an upper level! Worth to have a try!

Start Video Recording Start Video Recording Start Video Recording Learn More >

Part 2: Tips for Choosing Professional Video Editing Software

1. Check your computer specification and performance before purchasing

Professional video editing software may use lots of resources. It is recommended that you check computer specification and the system requirements of the professional editing software that you want to purchase.

To get the full experience of professional video editing, your computer would be better to equipped higher than meeting the mini requirements.

2. How to master the professional video editing software

If you have limited video editing experience and want to become a professional video editor, it is recommended to spend time in editing and take some training or course to master it.

You can find many tutorials about Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro X on YouTube. Or, you can attain online courses on Udemy or Lynda. If you want to convince people that you are a professional video editor, it is recommended to take some certifications.

As you may know that Adobe and Apple both provide official certification exams. A certification will be more convincing when people doubt your editing skills.

3. What should I consider before going for a Pro video editor

If you are reading this line, you can ask yourself a question ‘what intrigues me to choose a pro video editor? It is because you see other professional YouTuber using them? Do I have the time to learn these professional video editors?;’ If it is the case, you should consider the price you’re paying and whether those high-end features and functions are the things you’ll need.

With its extremely low-learning-curve and user-friendly interface, Filmora can deal with 95% of your video editing needs with just $49.99 per year. With Filmora, you don’t have to spend time on a boring guide and you can do video editing right away since everything is designed for this purpose.

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

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Part 3: FAQ about Professional Video Editing Software

What software do professional video editors use?

Many people ask what software professional video editors use. The truth is for professional editors use various tools to improve video editing efficiency. For audio editing, they use Adobe Audition. For color grading, many people choose Final Cut Pro. For video editing workflow, they also use Premiere Pro and Lightworks. For semi-pros, they use Filmora to accelerate the video editing process.

What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?

Most YouTubers, they like easy to use a video editor to make YouTube videos. They choose Filmora to add more than 300 built-in effects, intros, text, and transitions. A group of YouTubers with advanced video editing skills, tend to use Premiere Pro.

What is the best video editing software for beginners?

For beginners, the most important criteria you need to consider are simplicity and price. They like to use Filmora, Movavi, Powerdirector, and iMovie on their PC. For mobile video editing, they like to use LumaFusion, KineMaster, and Apple Clips.

Is Adobe Premiere Pro free?

No, it is not free. Adobe Premiere Pro includes 3 different price plans. Annual plan, paid monthly at $20.99/month. Annual plan, prepaid $239.98/year. A monthly plan, $31.48/month.

Conclusion

We hope this list will have guided you toward making the right choice when it comes to investing in professional video editing software. While this was by no means an extensive list, we aimed to summarize professional video editing software information to help you make an informed decision when purchasing your tool of the trade.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The advent of digital video technology has opened an unprecedented opportunity for novice and professional filmmakers alike. Professional video editing software is an essential tool to create high-quality productions and visuals with accuracy, speed, and flexibility.

Whether you are a filmmaker looking to create content for the big screen or a commercial director trying to make your mark in the industry, a professional video editing program can give you the tools needed to produce highly polished visuals. Today’s advanced editors come with preloaded templates and effects that enable filmmakers to save time without sacrificing quality.

We’ve done some extensive research on what some consider to be the 10 best professional video editing software currently on the market, and we’re here to present what we’ve managed to find.

Part 1: Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software Free Download

Here is the 10 best professional video editing software for you to free download.

1 - Filmora 2 - EDIUS
3 - Autodesk Smoke 4 - Avid Media Composer
5 - Adobe Premiere Pro CC 6 - Final Cut Pro
7 - HitFilm Pr 8 - Lightworks
9 - Blender 10 - Magix Video Pro X

1. Filmora

Price: $79.99 Customers can add $36.96/month for effects and plugins, $49.99 Customers can add $18.99/month for effects and plugins

Pros: The best value on the list, covers everything a pro video editor should have, Easy-to-use.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

The newly released professional video editor app from Wondershare is specially designed for pros looking for a quick way to edit videos in a professional way.

The Filmora video editing software makes professional video editing easy. You can add unlimited video and audio tracks and control the panels at your hand.

You can also use customizable animations to establish your style and use high-quality presets to get a detailed color correction.

2. EDIUS

Price: $499, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Genderless video editing, 4K HDR workflow, flexible user interface, real-time conversion rates, support for a wide variety of video formats, fast AVCHD editing, motion tracking, 3-way color correction.

Cons: Relatively broadcast-oriented.

EDIUS is a free download video editing software that evolved out of what was originally a number of Adobe Premiere Plus plugins.

Ever since its release, EDIUS has gained a loyal following that appreciates both its business model and the operations that the program can perform.

More than a handful of broadcasters worldwide use EDIUS as their program of choice, both due to its flexibility when dealing with various video formats and because it’s quite easy to use when compared to some of its competitors.

Why do so many people swear by EDIUS? Well, according to its fanbase, EDIUS tends to be quite fast when processing, importing, editing, and exporting videos - couple that with the fact that EDIUS doesn’t require a subscription, and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly solid video editing software that can go toe to toe with its rivals.

3. Autodesk Smoke

Price: $190, Monthly Subscription, 1505$, Yearly Subscription

Pros: Timeline-based creative workflow, node-based compositing, ability to flawlessly make use of 3D animations and modeling, a high degree of stability (no crashes!).

Cons: Can only be used on a single monitor. Furthermore, Autodesk Smoke is exclusively for Mac users.

video editor for professional autodesk smoke

Autodesk is a video editing software that is favored by many people to due to its node-based compositing.

To put it as simple as possible, the video editor achieves a higher level of complexity than other popular software.

Smoke’s real strength lies in editorial and finishing functions. While the professional video editing software that is free to download doesn’t necessarily offer anything that its competitors don’t, this video editing software comes out on top when it comes to 3D effects.

4. Avid Media Composer

Price: $199.99 for a Year’s Subscription, or $24.99 Monthly

Pros: Free download, Advanced color-correction, built-in metadata and effect tools, HDR support, Multicam editing, FrameFlex, keyboard mapping, background rendering, real-time editing, a very high degree of stability, and serves as a great starting point for budding video editors.

Cons: Steep learning curve and outdated interface. However, learning how to use Avid Media Composer will enable you to jump right into other video editing software with ease.

avid media composer video editor

Check the detailed tutorial about How to Edit Videos with avidemux

Most people interested in the business have heard of Avid Media Composer because it’s what most professional video editors use for big blockbuster Hollywood movies.

Avid Media Composer is, arguably, the video editing industry’s preferred software you can download freely - and it’s easy to see why, since it pretty much has everything you might ever need, all rolled up into one neat package.

While some complain that it’s hard to use and the interface looks very outdated, many insist that this allows you to build a solid foundation from which your video editing career can skyrocket.

As a matter of fact, its popularity only serves to show that people prefer it for a reason: and that’s because Avid Media Composer is stunningly robust.

filmora box

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - Best Professional Video Editor Ever

• Easily to create and edit videos with plenty of pro effects and filters

• Automatically convert audio to text for adding subtitiles and captions

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Learn More >

5. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Price: $31.49 Monthly Subscription, $239.88 Yearly Subscription

Pros: Highly customizable and streamlined interface, easy to use for people with past experience in Adobe products but no previous video editing experience, a large variety of tools such as color matching and multi-camera rendering, and a fast rendering speed.

Cons: New updates might have a couple of bugs, so you should be a bit patient before you update if you want to keep it on the safe side. Mac users also report that it runs a bit slow on their systems.

premiere pro cc video editor

You may also like: Best Transition Plugins for Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is one of the best choices an amateur video editor could make when choosing his apparatus.

Both affordable and intuitive, this software has been at the top of the market for more than a couple of years, and now shows no sign of stopping, since it is constantly being supplied with new updates with free downloading.

If you’re looking to achieve a professional level of video editing with little to no previous experience, then look no further, as Adobe Premiere Pro CC might just be the perfect tool for you. With that being said, professional video editors should not shy away from this Adobe video editing software.

6. Final Cut Pro

Price: $299, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Support for 360-degree VR, HDR, multi-camera editing, fast rendering speed, a large variety of interesting tools, expansive library of plugins, and easy-to-use color correction, grading, and adjustment tools. Final Cut Pro has also been designed and optimized for Mac operating systems.

Cons: Only for Mac users. Large project files can also be slow.

final cut pro video editor

You may also like: How to Edit YouTube Videos in FCP

Final Cut Pro is Apple’s response to video editing software. The UI design is sleek and modern, the workflow is intuitive and easy to work with, and the program is impressively fast, even when working with 4K resolutions.

For many Mac users, Final Cut Pro is the definitive answer to their search for a strong video editing software that has been created with macOS in mind (free download).

7. HitFilm Pro

Price: $341.01, One-Time Purchase, $0 for Hitfilm Express (Free)

Pros: Color grading, familiar workflow, a large variety of video effects and presets, automatic audio syncing, impressive 3D graphics.

Cons: Complex for beginners. Effects oriented.

free download hitfilm pro

HitFilm Pro is an NLE that puts a heavy focus on the graphical aspect of such free download software. Additions like the automatic audio syncing is highly valued as a convenient quality of life tool. Multiple plugins can be added, though they cost a fee.

The program features several video tutorials that are targeted towards amateur video editors, as well.

filmora box

Filmora Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality. Combine AI with this professional video editing software!

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI Learn More >

8. Lightworks

Price: $24.99 monthly for Lightworks Pro, $0 (Free)

Pros: Simplified video editing process, extensive format and codec support, a large number of effects and tools, photo slideshows, 4K support, audio mixing, and 60 fps rendering.

Cons: Outdated UI, learning curve.

lightworks

You may also like: Best Plugins for Lightworks

Lightworks is a flexible video editing software that has gained a good position on the mark due to its consistent design structure.

The workspace is customizable, and while the UI can feel outdated at first, those with experience in video editing should not find it too much of a hassle.

Lightworks is the type of software that is robust all-around - and there’s also a free version out there, so amateurs can get to know what they’re getting into.

9. Blender

Price: $0 (Free)

Pros: Easy to use, with a good variety of tools and the ability to quickly add text and effects to produced animations. Compositing is very impressive.

Cons: No audio editing. Lacks complexity when compared to a couple of its competitors.

blender

While Blender is mostly known for being a software whose main focus is animation, it also features a built-in video editor that is by no means lackluster. Blender has the bonus of being able to work on 3D animations and take care of the video editing process at the same time.

10. Magix Video Pro X

Price: $399, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Supports free download, Wide format support, multi-cam editing, lookup table handling, 3-way color correction, 360 degree video support, many available effects, strong performance.

Cons: Does not work with Mac operating systems. No import tools.

magix video pro x

Learn some Magix Movie Edit Pro Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Magix Video Pro X is an NLE that has recently been making a name for itself due to its consistency and welcoming attitude towards amateur video editors. This tool is versatile and can deal with a wide range of situations head-on with no issue whatsoever.

While this isn’t the easiest program to start using, if you don’t quite know what you’re doing, you’ll be happy to know that Magix Video Pro X features a basic mode that has been designed to ease newcomers into the industry.

Try Filmora to Make Professional Videos!

Filmora Video Editor is an expert in creating and editing videos, you can follow the easy-to-use interface to make videos like a pro! It can also capture any area of the PC screen and webcam, and add different effects and filters to upgrade your video to an upper level! Worth to have a try!

Start Video Recording Start Video Recording Start Video Recording Learn More >

Part 2: Tips for Choosing Professional Video Editing Software

1. Check your computer specification and performance before purchasing

Professional video editing software may use lots of resources. It is recommended that you check computer specification and the system requirements of the professional editing software that you want to purchase.

To get the full experience of professional video editing, your computer would be better to equipped higher than meeting the mini requirements.

2. How to master the professional video editing software

If you have limited video editing experience and want to become a professional video editor, it is recommended to spend time in editing and take some training or course to master it.

You can find many tutorials about Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro X on YouTube. Or, you can attain online courses on Udemy or Lynda. If you want to convince people that you are a professional video editor, it is recommended to take some certifications.

As you may know that Adobe and Apple both provide official certification exams. A certification will be more convincing when people doubt your editing skills.

3. What should I consider before going for a Pro video editor

If you are reading this line, you can ask yourself a question ‘what intrigues me to choose a pro video editor? It is because you see other professional YouTuber using them? Do I have the time to learn these professional video editors?;’ If it is the case, you should consider the price you’re paying and whether those high-end features and functions are the things you’ll need.

With its extremely low-learning-curve and user-friendly interface, Filmora can deal with 95% of your video editing needs with just $49.99 per year. With Filmora, you don’t have to spend time on a boring guide and you can do video editing right away since everything is designed for this purpose.

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

Part 3: FAQ about Professional Video Editing Software

What software do professional video editors use?

Many people ask what software professional video editors use. The truth is for professional editors use various tools to improve video editing efficiency. For audio editing, they use Adobe Audition. For color grading, many people choose Final Cut Pro. For video editing workflow, they also use Premiere Pro and Lightworks. For semi-pros, they use Filmora to accelerate the video editing process.

What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?

Most YouTubers, they like easy to use a video editor to make YouTube videos. They choose Filmora to add more than 300 built-in effects, intros, text, and transitions. A group of YouTubers with advanced video editing skills, tend to use Premiere Pro.

What is the best video editing software for beginners?

For beginners, the most important criteria you need to consider are simplicity and price. They like to use Filmora, Movavi, Powerdirector, and iMovie on their PC. For mobile video editing, they like to use LumaFusion, KineMaster, and Apple Clips.

Is Adobe Premiere Pro free?

No, it is not free. Adobe Premiere Pro includes 3 different price plans. Annual plan, paid monthly at $20.99/month. Annual plan, prepaid $239.98/year. A monthly plan, $31.48/month.

Conclusion

We hope this list will have guided you toward making the right choice when it comes to investing in professional video editing software. While this was by no means an extensive list, we aimed to summarize professional video editing software information to help you make an informed decision when purchasing your tool of the trade.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The advent of digital video technology has opened an unprecedented opportunity for novice and professional filmmakers alike. Professional video editing software is an essential tool to create high-quality productions and visuals with accuracy, speed, and flexibility.

Whether you are a filmmaker looking to create content for the big screen or a commercial director trying to make your mark in the industry, a professional video editing program can give you the tools needed to produce highly polished visuals. Today’s advanced editors come with preloaded templates and effects that enable filmmakers to save time without sacrificing quality.

We’ve done some extensive research on what some consider to be the 10 best professional video editing software currently on the market, and we’re here to present what we’ve managed to find.

Part 1: Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software Free Download

Here is the 10 best professional video editing software for you to free download.

1 - Filmora 2 - EDIUS
3 - Autodesk Smoke 4 - Avid Media Composer
5 - Adobe Premiere Pro CC 6 - Final Cut Pro
7 - HitFilm Pr 8 - Lightworks
9 - Blender 10 - Magix Video Pro X

1. Filmora

Price: $79.99 Customers can add $36.96/month for effects and plugins, $49.99 Customers can add $18.99/month for effects and plugins

Pros: The best value on the list, covers everything a pro video editor should have, Easy-to-use.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

The newly released professional video editor app from Wondershare is specially designed for pros looking for a quick way to edit videos in a professional way.

The Filmora video editing software makes professional video editing easy. You can add unlimited video and audio tracks and control the panels at your hand.

You can also use customizable animations to establish your style and use high-quality presets to get a detailed color correction.

2. EDIUS

Price: $499, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Genderless video editing, 4K HDR workflow, flexible user interface, real-time conversion rates, support for a wide variety of video formats, fast AVCHD editing, motion tracking, 3-way color correction.

Cons: Relatively broadcast-oriented.

EDIUS is a free download video editing software that evolved out of what was originally a number of Adobe Premiere Plus plugins.

Ever since its release, EDIUS has gained a loyal following that appreciates both its business model and the operations that the program can perform.

More than a handful of broadcasters worldwide use EDIUS as their program of choice, both due to its flexibility when dealing with various video formats and because it’s quite easy to use when compared to some of its competitors.

Why do so many people swear by EDIUS? Well, according to its fanbase, EDIUS tends to be quite fast when processing, importing, editing, and exporting videos - couple that with the fact that EDIUS doesn’t require a subscription, and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly solid video editing software that can go toe to toe with its rivals.

3. Autodesk Smoke

Price: $190, Monthly Subscription, 1505$, Yearly Subscription

Pros: Timeline-based creative workflow, node-based compositing, ability to flawlessly make use of 3D animations and modeling, a high degree of stability (no crashes!).

Cons: Can only be used on a single monitor. Furthermore, Autodesk Smoke is exclusively for Mac users.

video editor for professional autodesk smoke

Autodesk is a video editing software that is favored by many people to due to its node-based compositing.

To put it as simple as possible, the video editor achieves a higher level of complexity than other popular software.

Smoke’s real strength lies in editorial and finishing functions. While the professional video editing software that is free to download doesn’t necessarily offer anything that its competitors don’t, this video editing software comes out on top when it comes to 3D effects.

4. Avid Media Composer

Price: $199.99 for a Year’s Subscription, or $24.99 Monthly

Pros: Free download, Advanced color-correction, built-in metadata and effect tools, HDR support, Multicam editing, FrameFlex, keyboard mapping, background rendering, real-time editing, a very high degree of stability, and serves as a great starting point for budding video editors.

Cons: Steep learning curve and outdated interface. However, learning how to use Avid Media Composer will enable you to jump right into other video editing software with ease.

avid media composer video editor

Check the detailed tutorial about How to Edit Videos with avidemux

Most people interested in the business have heard of Avid Media Composer because it’s what most professional video editors use for big blockbuster Hollywood movies.

Avid Media Composer is, arguably, the video editing industry’s preferred software you can download freely - and it’s easy to see why, since it pretty much has everything you might ever need, all rolled up into one neat package.

While some complain that it’s hard to use and the interface looks very outdated, many insist that this allows you to build a solid foundation from which your video editing career can skyrocket.

As a matter of fact, its popularity only serves to show that people prefer it for a reason: and that’s because Avid Media Composer is stunningly robust.

filmora box

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - Best Professional Video Editor Ever

• Easily to create and edit videos with plenty of pro effects and filters

• Automatically convert audio to text for adding subtitiles and captions

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Learn More >

5. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Price: $31.49 Monthly Subscription, $239.88 Yearly Subscription

Pros: Highly customizable and streamlined interface, easy to use for people with past experience in Adobe products but no previous video editing experience, a large variety of tools such as color matching and multi-camera rendering, and a fast rendering speed.

Cons: New updates might have a couple of bugs, so you should be a bit patient before you update if you want to keep it on the safe side. Mac users also report that it runs a bit slow on their systems.

premiere pro cc video editor

You may also like: Best Transition Plugins for Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is one of the best choices an amateur video editor could make when choosing his apparatus.

Both affordable and intuitive, this software has been at the top of the market for more than a couple of years, and now shows no sign of stopping, since it is constantly being supplied with new updates with free downloading.

If you’re looking to achieve a professional level of video editing with little to no previous experience, then look no further, as Adobe Premiere Pro CC might just be the perfect tool for you. With that being said, professional video editors should not shy away from this Adobe video editing software.

6. Final Cut Pro

Price: $299, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Support for 360-degree VR, HDR, multi-camera editing, fast rendering speed, a large variety of interesting tools, expansive library of plugins, and easy-to-use color correction, grading, and adjustment tools. Final Cut Pro has also been designed and optimized for Mac operating systems.

Cons: Only for Mac users. Large project files can also be slow.

final cut pro video editor

You may also like: How to Edit YouTube Videos in FCP

Final Cut Pro is Apple’s response to video editing software. The UI design is sleek and modern, the workflow is intuitive and easy to work with, and the program is impressively fast, even when working with 4K resolutions.

For many Mac users, Final Cut Pro is the definitive answer to their search for a strong video editing software that has been created with macOS in mind (free download).

7. HitFilm Pro

Price: $341.01, One-Time Purchase, $0 for Hitfilm Express (Free)

Pros: Color grading, familiar workflow, a large variety of video effects and presets, automatic audio syncing, impressive 3D graphics.

Cons: Complex for beginners. Effects oriented.

free download hitfilm pro

HitFilm Pro is an NLE that puts a heavy focus on the graphical aspect of such free download software. Additions like the automatic audio syncing is highly valued as a convenient quality of life tool. Multiple plugins can be added, though they cost a fee.

The program features several video tutorials that are targeted towards amateur video editors, as well.

filmora box

Filmora Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality. Combine AI with this professional video editing software!

Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI Edit Video with AI Learn More >

8. Lightworks

Price: $24.99 monthly for Lightworks Pro, $0 (Free)

Pros: Simplified video editing process, extensive format and codec support, a large number of effects and tools, photo slideshows, 4K support, audio mixing, and 60 fps rendering.

Cons: Outdated UI, learning curve.

lightworks

You may also like: Best Plugins for Lightworks

Lightworks is a flexible video editing software that has gained a good position on the mark due to its consistent design structure.

The workspace is customizable, and while the UI can feel outdated at first, those with experience in video editing should not find it too much of a hassle.

Lightworks is the type of software that is robust all-around - and there’s also a free version out there, so amateurs can get to know what they’re getting into.

9. Blender

Price: $0 (Free)

Pros: Easy to use, with a good variety of tools and the ability to quickly add text and effects to produced animations. Compositing is very impressive.

Cons: No audio editing. Lacks complexity when compared to a couple of its competitors.

blender

While Blender is mostly known for being a software whose main focus is animation, it also features a built-in video editor that is by no means lackluster. Blender has the bonus of being able to work on 3D animations and take care of the video editing process at the same time.

10. Magix Video Pro X

Price: $399, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Supports free download, Wide format support, multi-cam editing, lookup table handling, 3-way color correction, 360 degree video support, many available effects, strong performance.

Cons: Does not work with Mac operating systems. No import tools.

magix video pro x

Learn some Magix Movie Edit Pro Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Magix Video Pro X is an NLE that has recently been making a name for itself due to its consistency and welcoming attitude towards amateur video editors. This tool is versatile and can deal with a wide range of situations head-on with no issue whatsoever.

While this isn’t the easiest program to start using, if you don’t quite know what you’re doing, you’ll be happy to know that Magix Video Pro X features a basic mode that has been designed to ease newcomers into the industry.

Try Filmora to Make Professional Videos!

Filmora Video Editor is an expert in creating and editing videos, you can follow the easy-to-use interface to make videos like a pro! It can also capture any area of the PC screen and webcam, and add different effects and filters to upgrade your video to an upper level! Worth to have a try!

Start Video Recording Start Video Recording Start Video Recording Learn More >

Part 2: Tips for Choosing Professional Video Editing Software

1. Check your computer specification and performance before purchasing

Professional video editing software may use lots of resources. It is recommended that you check computer specification and the system requirements of the professional editing software that you want to purchase.

To get the full experience of professional video editing, your computer would be better to equipped higher than meeting the mini requirements.

2. How to master the professional video editing software

If you have limited video editing experience and want to become a professional video editor, it is recommended to spend time in editing and take some training or course to master it.

You can find many tutorials about Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro X on YouTube. Or, you can attain online courses on Udemy or Lynda. If you want to convince people that you are a professional video editor, it is recommended to take some certifications.

As you may know that Adobe and Apple both provide official certification exams. A certification will be more convincing when people doubt your editing skills.

3. What should I consider before going for a Pro video editor

If you are reading this line, you can ask yourself a question ‘what intrigues me to choose a pro video editor? It is because you see other professional YouTuber using them? Do I have the time to learn these professional video editors?;’ If it is the case, you should consider the price you’re paying and whether those high-end features and functions are the things you’ll need.

With its extremely low-learning-curve and user-friendly interface, Filmora can deal with 95% of your video editing needs with just $49.99 per year. With Filmora, you don’t have to spend time on a boring guide and you can do video editing right away since everything is designed for this purpose.

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

Part 3: FAQ about Professional Video Editing Software

What software do professional video editors use?

Many people ask what software professional video editors use. The truth is for professional editors use various tools to improve video editing efficiency. For audio editing, they use Adobe Audition. For color grading, many people choose Final Cut Pro. For video editing workflow, they also use Premiere Pro and Lightworks. For semi-pros, they use Filmora to accelerate the video editing process.

What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?

Most YouTubers, they like easy to use a video editor to make YouTube videos. They choose Filmora to add more than 300 built-in effects, intros, text, and transitions. A group of YouTubers with advanced video editing skills, tend to use Premiere Pro.

What is the best video editing software for beginners?

For beginners, the most important criteria you need to consider are simplicity and price. They like to use Filmora, Movavi, Powerdirector, and iMovie on their PC. For mobile video editing, they like to use LumaFusion, KineMaster, and Apple Clips.

Is Adobe Premiere Pro free?

No, it is not free. Adobe Premiere Pro includes 3 different price plans. Annual plan, paid monthly at $20.99/month. Annual plan, prepaid $239.98/year. A monthly plan, $31.48/month.

Conclusion

We hope this list will have guided you toward making the right choice when it comes to investing in professional video editing software. While this was by no means an extensive list, we aimed to summarize professional video editing software information to help you make an informed decision when purchasing your tool of the trade.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The advent of digital video technology has opened an unprecedented opportunity for novice and professional filmmakers alike. Professional video editing software is an essential tool to create high-quality productions and visuals with accuracy, speed, and flexibility.

Whether you are a filmmaker looking to create content for the big screen or a commercial director trying to make your mark in the industry, a professional video editing program can give you the tools needed to produce highly polished visuals. Today’s advanced editors come with preloaded templates and effects that enable filmmakers to save time without sacrificing quality.

We’ve done some extensive research on what some consider to be the 10 best professional video editing software currently on the market, and we’re here to present what we’ve managed to find.

Part 1: Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software Free Download

Here is the 10 best professional video editing software for you to free download.

1 - Filmora 2 - EDIUS
3 - Autodesk Smoke 4 - Avid Media Composer
5 - Adobe Premiere Pro CC 6 - Final Cut Pro
7 - HitFilm Pr 8 - Lightworks
9 - Blender 10 - Magix Video Pro X

1. Filmora

Price: $79.99 Customers can add $36.96/month for effects and plugins, $49.99 Customers can add $18.99/month for effects and plugins

Pros: The best value on the list, covers everything a pro video editor should have, Easy-to-use.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

The newly released professional video editor app from Wondershare is specially designed for pros looking for a quick way to edit videos in a professional way.

The Filmora video editing software makes professional video editing easy. You can add unlimited video and audio tracks and control the panels at your hand.

You can also use customizable animations to establish your style and use high-quality presets to get a detailed color correction.

2. EDIUS

Price: $499, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Genderless video editing, 4K HDR workflow, flexible user interface, real-time conversion rates, support for a wide variety of video formats, fast AVCHD editing, motion tracking, 3-way color correction.

Cons: Relatively broadcast-oriented.

EDIUS is a free download video editing software that evolved out of what was originally a number of Adobe Premiere Plus plugins.

Ever since its release, EDIUS has gained a loyal following that appreciates both its business model and the operations that the program can perform.

More than a handful of broadcasters worldwide use EDIUS as their program of choice, both due to its flexibility when dealing with various video formats and because it’s quite easy to use when compared to some of its competitors.

Why do so many people swear by EDIUS? Well, according to its fanbase, EDIUS tends to be quite fast when processing, importing, editing, and exporting videos - couple that with the fact that EDIUS doesn’t require a subscription, and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly solid video editing software that can go toe to toe with its rivals.

3. Autodesk Smoke

Price: $190, Monthly Subscription, 1505$, Yearly Subscription

Pros: Timeline-based creative workflow, node-based compositing, ability to flawlessly make use of 3D animations and modeling, a high degree of stability (no crashes!).

Cons: Can only be used on a single monitor. Furthermore, Autodesk Smoke is exclusively for Mac users.

video editor for professional autodesk smoke

Autodesk is a video editing software that is favored by many people to due to its node-based compositing.

To put it as simple as possible, the video editor achieves a higher level of complexity than other popular software.

Smoke’s real strength lies in editorial and finishing functions. While the professional video editing software that is free to download doesn’t necessarily offer anything that its competitors don’t, this video editing software comes out on top when it comes to 3D effects.

4. Avid Media Composer

Price: $199.99 for a Year’s Subscription, or $24.99 Monthly

Pros: Free download, Advanced color-correction, built-in metadata and effect tools, HDR support, Multicam editing, FrameFlex, keyboard mapping, background rendering, real-time editing, a very high degree of stability, and serves as a great starting point for budding video editors.

Cons: Steep learning curve and outdated interface. However, learning how to use Avid Media Composer will enable you to jump right into other video editing software with ease.

avid media composer video editor

Check the detailed tutorial about How to Edit Videos with avidemux

Most people interested in the business have heard of Avid Media Composer because it’s what most professional video editors use for big blockbuster Hollywood movies.

Avid Media Composer is, arguably, the video editing industry’s preferred software you can download freely - and it’s easy to see why, since it pretty much has everything you might ever need, all rolled up into one neat package.

While some complain that it’s hard to use and the interface looks very outdated, many insist that this allows you to build a solid foundation from which your video editing career can skyrocket.

As a matter of fact, its popularity only serves to show that people prefer it for a reason: and that’s because Avid Media Composer is stunningly robust.

filmora box

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - Best Professional Video Editor Ever

• Easily to create and edit videos with plenty of pro effects and filters

• Automatically convert audio to text for adding subtitiles and captions

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Try Pro Video Editor Learn More >

5. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Price: $31.49 Monthly Subscription, $239.88 Yearly Subscription

Pros: Highly customizable and streamlined interface, easy to use for people with past experience in Adobe products but no previous video editing experience, a large variety of tools such as color matching and multi-camera rendering, and a fast rendering speed.

Cons: New updates might have a couple of bugs, so you should be a bit patient before you update if you want to keep it on the safe side. Mac users also report that it runs a bit slow on their systems.

premiere pro cc video editor

You may also like: Best Transition Plugins for Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is one of the best choices an amateur video editor could make when choosing his apparatus.

Both affordable and intuitive, this software has been at the top of the market for more than a couple of years, and now shows no sign of stopping, since it is constantly being supplied with new updates with free downloading.

If you’re looking to achieve a professional level of video editing with little to no previous experience, then look no further, as Adobe Premiere Pro CC might just be the perfect tool for you. With that being said, professional video editors should not shy away from this Adobe video editing software.

6. Final Cut Pro

Price: $299, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Support for 360-degree VR, HDR, multi-camera editing, fast rendering speed, a large variety of interesting tools, expansive library of plugins, and easy-to-use color correction, grading, and adjustment tools. Final Cut Pro has also been designed and optimized for Mac operating systems.

Cons: Only for Mac users. Large project files can also be slow.

final cut pro video editor

You may also like: How to Edit YouTube Videos in FCP

Final Cut Pro is Apple’s response to video editing software. The UI design is sleek and modern, the workflow is intuitive and easy to work with, and the program is impressively fast, even when working with 4K resolutions.

For many Mac users, Final Cut Pro is the definitive answer to their search for a strong video editing software that has been created with macOS in mind (free download).

7. HitFilm Pro

Price: $341.01, One-Time Purchase, $0 for Hitfilm Express (Free)

Pros: Color grading, familiar workflow, a large variety of video effects and presets, automatic audio syncing, impressive 3D graphics.

Cons: Complex for beginners. Effects oriented.

free download hitfilm pro

HitFilm Pro is an NLE that puts a heavy focus on the graphical aspect of such free download software. Additions like the automatic audio syncing is highly valued as a convenient quality of life tool. Multiple plugins can be added, though they cost a fee.

The program features several video tutorials that are targeted towards amateur video editors, as well.

filmora box

Filmora Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video with Filmora

Filmora video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality. Combine AI with this professional video editing software!

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8. Lightworks

Price: $24.99 monthly for Lightworks Pro, $0 (Free)

Pros: Simplified video editing process, extensive format and codec support, a large number of effects and tools, photo slideshows, 4K support, audio mixing, and 60 fps rendering.

Cons: Outdated UI, learning curve.

lightworks

You may also like: Best Plugins for Lightworks

Lightworks is a flexible video editing software that has gained a good position on the mark due to its consistent design structure.

The workspace is customizable, and while the UI can feel outdated at first, those with experience in video editing should not find it too much of a hassle.

Lightworks is the type of software that is robust all-around - and there’s also a free version out there, so amateurs can get to know what they’re getting into.

9. Blender

Price: $0 (Free)

Pros: Easy to use, with a good variety of tools and the ability to quickly add text and effects to produced animations. Compositing is very impressive.

Cons: No audio editing. Lacks complexity when compared to a couple of its competitors.

blender

While Blender is mostly known for being a software whose main focus is animation, it also features a built-in video editor that is by no means lackluster. Blender has the bonus of being able to work on 3D animations and take care of the video editing process at the same time.

10. Magix Video Pro X

Price: $399, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Supports free download, Wide format support, multi-cam editing, lookup table handling, 3-way color correction, 360 degree video support, many available effects, strong performance.

Cons: Does not work with Mac operating systems. No import tools.

magix video pro x

Learn some Magix Movie Edit Pro Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Magix Video Pro X is an NLE that has recently been making a name for itself due to its consistency and welcoming attitude towards amateur video editors. This tool is versatile and can deal with a wide range of situations head-on with no issue whatsoever.

While this isn’t the easiest program to start using, if you don’t quite know what you’re doing, you’ll be happy to know that Magix Video Pro X features a basic mode that has been designed to ease newcomers into the industry.

Try Filmora to Make Professional Videos!

Filmora Video Editor is an expert in creating and editing videos, you can follow the easy-to-use interface to make videos like a pro! It can also capture any area of the PC screen and webcam, and add different effects and filters to upgrade your video to an upper level! Worth to have a try!

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Part 2: Tips for Choosing Professional Video Editing Software

1. Check your computer specification and performance before purchasing

Professional video editing software may use lots of resources. It is recommended that you check computer specification and the system requirements of the professional editing software that you want to purchase.

To get the full experience of professional video editing, your computer would be better to equipped higher than meeting the mini requirements.

2. How to master the professional video editing software

If you have limited video editing experience and want to become a professional video editor, it is recommended to spend time in editing and take some training or course to master it.

You can find many tutorials about Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro X on YouTube. Or, you can attain online courses on Udemy or Lynda. If you want to convince people that you are a professional video editor, it is recommended to take some certifications.

As you may know that Adobe and Apple both provide official certification exams. A certification will be more convincing when people doubt your editing skills.

3. What should I consider before going for a Pro video editor

If you are reading this line, you can ask yourself a question ‘what intrigues me to choose a pro video editor? It is because you see other professional YouTuber using them? Do I have the time to learn these professional video editors?;’ If it is the case, you should consider the price you’re paying and whether those high-end features and functions are the things you’ll need.

With its extremely low-learning-curve and user-friendly interface, Filmora can deal with 95% of your video editing needs with just $49.99 per year. With Filmora, you don’t have to spend time on a boring guide and you can do video editing right away since everything is designed for this purpose.

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Part 3: FAQ about Professional Video Editing Software

What software do professional video editors use?

Many people ask what software professional video editors use. The truth is for professional editors use various tools to improve video editing efficiency. For audio editing, they use Adobe Audition. For color grading, many people choose Final Cut Pro. For video editing workflow, they also use Premiere Pro and Lightworks. For semi-pros, they use Filmora to accelerate the video editing process.

What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?

Most YouTubers, they like easy to use a video editor to make YouTube videos. They choose Filmora to add more than 300 built-in effects, intros, text, and transitions. A group of YouTubers with advanced video editing skills, tend to use Premiere Pro.

What is the best video editing software for beginners?

For beginners, the most important criteria you need to consider are simplicity and price. They like to use Filmora, Movavi, Powerdirector, and iMovie on their PC. For mobile video editing, they like to use LumaFusion, KineMaster, and Apple Clips.

Is Adobe Premiere Pro free?

No, it is not free. Adobe Premiere Pro includes 3 different price plans. Annual plan, paid monthly at $20.99/month. Annual plan, prepaid $239.98/year. A monthly plan, $31.48/month.

Conclusion

We hope this list will have guided you toward making the right choice when it comes to investing in professional video editing software. While this was by no means an extensive list, we aimed to summarize professional video editing software information to help you make an informed decision when purchasing your tool of the trade.

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Ollie Mattison

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

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  • Title: Updated 2024 Approved Face Blurring Made Easy A Step-by-Step Guide with the Top 10 Free Apps
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-04-28 05:20:11
  • Updated at : 2024-04-29 05:20:11
  • Link: https://ai-video-tools.techidaily.com/updated-2024-approved-face-blurring-made-easy-a-step-by-step-guide-with-the-top-10-free-apps/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated 2024 Approved Face Blurring Made Easy A Step-by-Step Guide with the Top 10 Free Apps