Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners

It’s no secret that the landscape of video editing is changing. What was once reserved for industry pros is now becoming available to web video novices and/or fanatics at an incredibly low cost. In fact, what used to cost hundreds, or even thousands of dollars through popular applications like Final Cut Pro or Avid, new users can purchase for just a few dollars a month or for no cost at all. This gives new video editors a chance to learn the basics of video editing without breaking the bank in the process.

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Let’s take a look at four of the best free video editing applications available.

Top Four Free Video Editing Applications

1. Lightworks – Arguably, Lightworks is one of the best free editing programs out there. It features a beautiful user interface, a packed timeline, multi-camera support, as well as real-time video effects and easy-to-use trimming tools that help simplify and speed up the editing process. In fact, Lightworks so well-liked that it has even been used to produce some major motion pictures. The main downside to Lightworks is that while some features are incredibly fast and easy to use, there is a steep overall learning curve and the software documentation isn’t has comprehensive as one would like. You may want to learn some basic video editing concepts for tackling Lightworks.
2. WeVideo – A major development in the world of free video editing applications is that more and more of these applications are hosted in the cloud. In very simple terms, this means that you can produce and edit videos from an online interface. WeVideo is one of the most widely used cloud-based video editing applications. For the most part, video editing with WeVideo is incredibly simple, and most of it is based on a drag-and-drop design. The application is deeply integrated with social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, so you can easily publish these videos to social networking sites. The basic editing subscription is free, but if you want access to more sophisticated editing features you will have to upgrade to their paid plans.
3. Avidemux – Avidemux is a basic yet very capable video editing program. It is primarily Windows-based, and gives you options for basic editing. This includes easy clip splicing, as well as a host of filters that give you tools to clean up your videos quickly and easily. While this may sound overly simple, the editing tools are actually robust enough to ensure that your videos look professional. The application even features an extensive online Wiki for an added layer of support as you learn to edit with the software.
4. Windows Movie Maker 2012 – Windows Movie Maker isn’t the coolest kid on the video editing software block, but it is easy to use and produces excellent results. The video editing interface is very much based on a drag-and-drop design. This means you can drag video clips from your computer folders and drop them directly into Windows Movie Maker, and the software automatically assembles them. Effects are easy to implement, and just about any type of video clip is supported. The big idea behind Windows Movie Maker 2012 is to make the video editing process incredibly easy. So if you have some video editing chops the program may seem overly simple, but if you’re just starting out it may the perfect tool you need to get up and running with video editing.

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