"Social Sphere Selection Channels, Not Compromises"

Social Sphere Selection: Channels, Not Compromises

Create Your YouTube Shorts with Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube Shorts editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Social media platform is a solace to many users. You get entertained and also have a chance to share your videos with the world. Among the popular apps are TikTok and Shorts. TikTok got to the market earlier but has so far found a new competitor in the field. Shorts video has now fully emerged from YouTube and has almost the same playing ground. But it is still unclear whether YouTube Shorts and TikTok are comparable. While TikTok has over 2 billion downloads, YouTube, on the other hand, already has a massive audience for the tough tussle.

Both TikTok and Shorts give both creators and viewers the chance to share short videos for entertainment and promotional purposes. However, they are different in various aspects. Both the apps have their disadvantages and advantages, depending on a user’s preference. Dive into the next section to discover whether TikTok’s impact is about to be threatened by YouTube Shorts.

In this article

01 Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

02 YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

03 How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

Shorts and TikTok are not the same in various ways. TikTok first emerged in the market way before Shorts. TikTok was initially known as musically; and later revamped fully as TikTok in 2016. It immediately gained a massive audience worldwide. This is what brought about competition from other apps, trying to replicate TikTok. Apps like Instagram and Facebook added some functionality to their platform to no match. Finally, YouTube pulled it off in 2020, rolling its version of Short videos but in beta version. These two apps have adequate similarities and differences.

They are both for short-form videos and allow creators to add music from audio libraries. You can also earn some good bucks with these two apps. However, they differ in some aspects. As Shorts can only be 15-seconds long, TikTok can go as long as three minutes. You can also view TikTok directly from its app while for Shorts, you need a separate app, YouTube.

YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

Let’s focus on the TikTok and Shorts video by perusing the similarities and differences deeply.

- Similiarity

Check out in which aspects TikTok and Shorts are similar to each other.

1) Monetization

Both platforms provide creators with tools to earn money from their content. TikTok’s first move was to pay selected influencers about $500 for joining the app and creating content. Creators make money from TikTok by promoting products and services of their audience as well as launching their careers through the app. Likewise, brands also get to creators through the “TikTok Creator Marketplace” platform for promotions.

You can also earn on YouTube Shorts from Google AdSense. This is an in-built video monetization that creators use for showing ads on their videos. Earnings will accumulate every month-end for withdrawal.

2) Analytics

Both YouTube and Shorts offer analytics like adding comments, likes, shares, and many more. Likewise, you can view your videos on either desktop or mobile platforms. With both platforms, you get an endless number of videos to watch and discover by scrolling. Also, both apps focus on short videos to entertain viewers.

3) Subscribe directly to creators

You can directly get in touch with both YouTube shorts and TikTok creators. This gives an open leeway to discover new creators to follow and subscribe to. All you need to do is go to the creators’ videos in both feeds and hit the “Follow” or “Subscribe” button. Henceforth, you’ll start seeing what they post and keep in touch with their signs of progress.

4) Privacy

Both apps have taken consideration into privacy issues. They allow creators to set their videos to either private or public. By this, your audience will only view what is set as “Public”. You can deter this by setting your content to “Private” or choosing who can view your content. This is a good aspect to let only those who wish to view certain clips as per your wish.

5) Edit video

There’s much that your video can portray. In both apps, you choose what to give to your audience. Both platforms enable you edit your video before posting. You can alter the speed by increasing or decreasing it for slow motion. Also, you can set timers to help with the filming process among other functionalities.

- Difference

1) Instant messaging app

Generally, YouTube is not a traditional social media platform. Even though YouTube Shorts allows users to create videos, it is not a platform that users can engage in communication via instant messaging app. On the other hand, TikTok lets you directly message other users as you share experiences. This makes TikTok a one-stop social media exchange point where you easily interact with your peers and get instant feedback. You can also create group chats and keep the fun going.

2) In dependability

TikTok Shorts videos also differ from the concept of stand along and built-in features. TikTok is a standalone app that doesn’t depend on another app for its normal operations. Users can independently create content directly from the app. On the contrary, Shorts is a built-in app on YouTube and users have to access it via the YouTube platform. This may be a plus for YouTube but it could eventually turn away those who want to work independently from the app.

3) Interface

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

- What More Should You Consider When Choosing - Your Personal Need

Settling on YouTube Shorts and TikTok largely depends on your preferences. But being that TikTok has been in the limelight for a longer time, it has mastered users’ and creators’ preferences, bringing more to the table than YouTube Shorts.

Both TikTok and Shorts have an immense user base. But being a standalone app, TikTok still has a chance of scaling the heights. Remember that Shorts is still in the “Beta” version and has not fully exploded even though it’s a built-in app on YouTube.

TikTok stands a chance of being chosen by many users as it is an independent platform. Users can connect with friends through news feed content or messaging. When it comes to editing tools, the app’s extensive library lets you add presets to your taste. It constantly keeps creators at bay, rolling new filters and effects for the unique creation of content. Additionally, TikTok engages users via its “Q&A” feature where users can pose any hot questions to creators for answers. And beauty is that creators can respond to such comments with a video. More so, you can use the “Discovery” tab to view trending hashtags and sounds, which YouTube Shorts lack.

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Even though TikTok and YouTube Shorts both let you edit your videos, you can stile up your game with other editing apps like Filmora. This app will save your time and effort while giving you compelling video outcomes. Filmora comprises advanced features such as social import to let you import video clips and photos from social media platforms. Filmora is available on both Windows and Mac, widely accessible on a vast array of devices.

• Video effects: Easily discover creative filters, transitions, and other motion elements.
• Split Screen: This feature lets you uniquely create fun videos by multiplying or splitting the screen.
• Color match: Apply color correction settings on various clips at once.
• Remove noise: Filmora lets you remove background noise, giving you quality video output.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Settling on Shorts or Tiktok will largely depend on your preferences and personal needs. If you are looking for short video promotion on YouTube Shorts and Tiktok , you may need to consider different things. Yes, Shorts has some upper hand over TikTok like the ability to edit your videos after being published, a dislike button, and a scheduling tool that lets you schedule when your video goes live. TikTok is still above the cut being that it has been here long before Shorts. More so, it offers advanced editing features for quality video output. Above all, it works independently, a feature that most users adore as compared to the encasing of Shorts within YouTube.

Try It Free Try It Free

Social media platform is a solace to many users. You get entertained and also have a chance to share your videos with the world. Among the popular apps are TikTok and Shorts. TikTok got to the market earlier but has so far found a new competitor in the field. Shorts video has now fully emerged from YouTube and has almost the same playing ground. But it is still unclear whether YouTube Shorts and TikTok are comparable. While TikTok has over 2 billion downloads, YouTube, on the other hand, already has a massive audience for the tough tussle.

Both TikTok and Shorts give both creators and viewers the chance to share short videos for entertainment and promotional purposes. However, they are different in various aspects. Both the apps have their disadvantages and advantages, depending on a user’s preference. Dive into the next section to discover whether TikTok’s impact is about to be threatened by YouTube Shorts.

In this article

01 Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

02 YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

03 How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

Shorts and TikTok are not the same in various ways. TikTok first emerged in the market way before Shorts. TikTok was initially known as musically; and later revamped fully as TikTok in 2016. It immediately gained a massive audience worldwide. This is what brought about competition from other apps, trying to replicate TikTok. Apps like Instagram and Facebook added some functionality to their platform to no match. Finally, YouTube pulled it off in 2020, rolling its version of Short videos but in beta version. These two apps have adequate similarities and differences.

They are both for short-form videos and allow creators to add music from audio libraries. You can also earn some good bucks with these two apps. However, they differ in some aspects. As Shorts can only be 15-seconds long, TikTok can go as long as three minutes. You can also view TikTok directly from its app while for Shorts, you need a separate app, YouTube.

YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

Let’s focus on the TikTok and Shorts video by perusing the similarities and differences deeply.

- Similiarity

Check out in which aspects TikTok and Shorts are similar to each other.

1) Monetization

Both platforms provide creators with tools to earn money from their content. TikTok’s first move was to pay selected influencers about $500 for joining the app and creating content. Creators make money from TikTok by promoting products and services of their audience as well as launching their careers through the app. Likewise, brands also get to creators through the “TikTok Creator Marketplace” platform for promotions.

You can also earn on YouTube Shorts from Google AdSense. This is an in-built video monetization that creators use for showing ads on their videos. Earnings will accumulate every month-end for withdrawal.

2) Analytics

Both YouTube and Shorts offer analytics like adding comments, likes, shares, and many more. Likewise, you can view your videos on either desktop or mobile platforms. With both platforms, you get an endless number of videos to watch and discover by scrolling. Also, both apps focus on short videos to entertain viewers.

3) Subscribe directly to creators

You can directly get in touch with both YouTube shorts and TikTok creators. This gives an open leeway to discover new creators to follow and subscribe to. All you need to do is go to the creators’ videos in both feeds and hit the “Follow” or “Subscribe” button. Henceforth, you’ll start seeing what they post and keep in touch with their signs of progress.

4) Privacy

Both apps have taken consideration into privacy issues. They allow creators to set their videos to either private or public. By this, your audience will only view what is set as “Public”. You can deter this by setting your content to “Private” or choosing who can view your content. This is a good aspect to let only those who wish to view certain clips as per your wish.

5) Edit video

There’s much that your video can portray. In both apps, you choose what to give to your audience. Both platforms enable you edit your video before posting. You can alter the speed by increasing or decreasing it for slow motion. Also, you can set timers to help with the filming process among other functionalities.

- Difference

1) Instant messaging app

Generally, YouTube is not a traditional social media platform. Even though YouTube Shorts allows users to create videos, it is not a platform that users can engage in communication via instant messaging app. On the other hand, TikTok lets you directly message other users as you share experiences. This makes TikTok a one-stop social media exchange point where you easily interact with your peers and get instant feedback. You can also create group chats and keep the fun going.

2) In dependability

TikTok Shorts videos also differ from the concept of stand along and built-in features. TikTok is a standalone app that doesn’t depend on another app for its normal operations. Users can independently create content directly from the app. On the contrary, Shorts is a built-in app on YouTube and users have to access it via the YouTube platform. This may be a plus for YouTube but it could eventually turn away those who want to work independently from the app.

3) Interface

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

- What More Should You Consider When Choosing - Your Personal Need

Settling on YouTube Shorts and TikTok largely depends on your preferences. But being that TikTok has been in the limelight for a longer time, it has mastered users’ and creators’ preferences, bringing more to the table than YouTube Shorts.

Both TikTok and Shorts have an immense user base. But being a standalone app, TikTok still has a chance of scaling the heights. Remember that Shorts is still in the “Beta” version and has not fully exploded even though it’s a built-in app on YouTube.

TikTok stands a chance of being chosen by many users as it is an independent platform. Users can connect with friends through news feed content or messaging. When it comes to editing tools, the app’s extensive library lets you add presets to your taste. It constantly keeps creators at bay, rolling new filters and effects for the unique creation of content. Additionally, TikTok engages users via its “Q&A” feature where users can pose any hot questions to creators for answers. And beauty is that creators can respond to such comments with a video. More so, you can use the “Discovery” tab to view trending hashtags and sounds, which YouTube Shorts lack.

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Even though TikTok and YouTube Shorts both let you edit your videos, you can stile up your game with other editing apps like Filmora. This app will save your time and effort while giving you compelling video outcomes. Filmora comprises advanced features such as social import to let you import video clips and photos from social media platforms. Filmora is available on both Windows and Mac, widely accessible on a vast array of devices.

• Video effects: Easily discover creative filters, transitions, and other motion elements.
• Split Screen: This feature lets you uniquely create fun videos by multiplying or splitting the screen.
• Color match: Apply color correction settings on various clips at once.
• Remove noise: Filmora lets you remove background noise, giving you quality video output.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Settling on Shorts or Tiktok will largely depend on your preferences and personal needs. If you are looking for short video promotion on YouTube Shorts and Tiktok , you may need to consider different things. Yes, Shorts has some upper hand over TikTok like the ability to edit your videos after being published, a dislike button, and a scheduling tool that lets you schedule when your video goes live. TikTok is still above the cut being that it has been here long before Shorts. More so, it offers advanced editing features for quality video output. Above all, it works independently, a feature that most users adore as compared to the encasing of Shorts within YouTube.

Try It Free Try It Free

Social media platform is a solace to many users. You get entertained and also have a chance to share your videos with the world. Among the popular apps are TikTok and Shorts. TikTok got to the market earlier but has so far found a new competitor in the field. Shorts video has now fully emerged from YouTube and has almost the same playing ground. But it is still unclear whether YouTube Shorts and TikTok are comparable. While TikTok has over 2 billion downloads, YouTube, on the other hand, already has a massive audience for the tough tussle.

Both TikTok and Shorts give both creators and viewers the chance to share short videos for entertainment and promotional purposes. However, they are different in various aspects. Both the apps have their disadvantages and advantages, depending on a user’s preference. Dive into the next section to discover whether TikTok’s impact is about to be threatened by YouTube Shorts.

In this article

01 Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

02 YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

03 How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

Shorts and TikTok are not the same in various ways. TikTok first emerged in the market way before Shorts. TikTok was initially known as musically; and later revamped fully as TikTok in 2016. It immediately gained a massive audience worldwide. This is what brought about competition from other apps, trying to replicate TikTok. Apps like Instagram and Facebook added some functionality to their platform to no match. Finally, YouTube pulled it off in 2020, rolling its version of Short videos but in beta version. These two apps have adequate similarities and differences.

They are both for short-form videos and allow creators to add music from audio libraries. You can also earn some good bucks with these two apps. However, they differ in some aspects. As Shorts can only be 15-seconds long, TikTok can go as long as three minutes. You can also view TikTok directly from its app while for Shorts, you need a separate app, YouTube.

YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

Let’s focus on the TikTok and Shorts video by perusing the similarities and differences deeply.

- Similiarity

Check out in which aspects TikTok and Shorts are similar to each other.

1) Monetization

Both platforms provide creators with tools to earn money from their content. TikTok’s first move was to pay selected influencers about $500 for joining the app and creating content. Creators make money from TikTok by promoting products and services of their audience as well as launching their careers through the app. Likewise, brands also get to creators through the “TikTok Creator Marketplace” platform for promotions.

You can also earn on YouTube Shorts from Google AdSense. This is an in-built video monetization that creators use for showing ads on their videos. Earnings will accumulate every month-end for withdrawal.

2) Analytics

Both YouTube and Shorts offer analytics like adding comments, likes, shares, and many more. Likewise, you can view your videos on either desktop or mobile platforms. With both platforms, you get an endless number of videos to watch and discover by scrolling. Also, both apps focus on short videos to entertain viewers.

3) Subscribe directly to creators

You can directly get in touch with both YouTube shorts and TikTok creators. This gives an open leeway to discover new creators to follow and subscribe to. All you need to do is go to the creators’ videos in both feeds and hit the “Follow” or “Subscribe” button. Henceforth, you’ll start seeing what they post and keep in touch with their signs of progress.

4) Privacy

Both apps have taken consideration into privacy issues. They allow creators to set their videos to either private or public. By this, your audience will only view what is set as “Public”. You can deter this by setting your content to “Private” or choosing who can view your content. This is a good aspect to let only those who wish to view certain clips as per your wish.

5) Edit video

There’s much that your video can portray. In both apps, you choose what to give to your audience. Both platforms enable you edit your video before posting. You can alter the speed by increasing or decreasing it for slow motion. Also, you can set timers to help with the filming process among other functionalities.

- Difference

1) Instant messaging app

Generally, YouTube is not a traditional social media platform. Even though YouTube Shorts allows users to create videos, it is not a platform that users can engage in communication via instant messaging app. On the other hand, TikTok lets you directly message other users as you share experiences. This makes TikTok a one-stop social media exchange point where you easily interact with your peers and get instant feedback. You can also create group chats and keep the fun going.

2) In dependability

TikTok Shorts videos also differ from the concept of stand along and built-in features. TikTok is a standalone app that doesn’t depend on another app for its normal operations. Users can independently create content directly from the app. On the contrary, Shorts is a built-in app on YouTube and users have to access it via the YouTube platform. This may be a plus for YouTube but it could eventually turn away those who want to work independently from the app.

3) Interface

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

- What More Should You Consider When Choosing - Your Personal Need

Settling on YouTube Shorts and TikTok largely depends on your preferences. But being that TikTok has been in the limelight for a longer time, it has mastered users’ and creators’ preferences, bringing more to the table than YouTube Shorts.

Both TikTok and Shorts have an immense user base. But being a standalone app, TikTok still has a chance of scaling the heights. Remember that Shorts is still in the “Beta” version and has not fully exploded even though it’s a built-in app on YouTube.

TikTok stands a chance of being chosen by many users as it is an independent platform. Users can connect with friends through news feed content or messaging. When it comes to editing tools, the app’s extensive library lets you add presets to your taste. It constantly keeps creators at bay, rolling new filters and effects for the unique creation of content. Additionally, TikTok engages users via its “Q&A” feature where users can pose any hot questions to creators for answers. And beauty is that creators can respond to such comments with a video. More so, you can use the “Discovery” tab to view trending hashtags and sounds, which YouTube Shorts lack.

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Even though TikTok and YouTube Shorts both let you edit your videos, you can stile up your game with other editing apps like Filmora. This app will save your time and effort while giving you compelling video outcomes. Filmora comprises advanced features such as social import to let you import video clips and photos from social media platforms. Filmora is available on both Windows and Mac, widely accessible on a vast array of devices.

• Video effects: Easily discover creative filters, transitions, and other motion elements.
• Split Screen: This feature lets you uniquely create fun videos by multiplying or splitting the screen.
• Color match: Apply color correction settings on various clips at once.
• Remove noise: Filmora lets you remove background noise, giving you quality video output.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Settling on Shorts or Tiktok will largely depend on your preferences and personal needs. If you are looking for short video promotion on YouTube Shorts and Tiktok , you may need to consider different things. Yes, Shorts has some upper hand over TikTok like the ability to edit your videos after being published, a dislike button, and a scheduling tool that lets you schedule when your video goes live. TikTok is still above the cut being that it has been here long before Shorts. More so, it offers advanced editing features for quality video output. Above all, it works independently, a feature that most users adore as compared to the encasing of Shorts within YouTube.

Try It Free Try It Free

Social media platform is a solace to many users. You get entertained and also have a chance to share your videos with the world. Among the popular apps are TikTok and Shorts. TikTok got to the market earlier but has so far found a new competitor in the field. Shorts video has now fully emerged from YouTube and has almost the same playing ground. But it is still unclear whether YouTube Shorts and TikTok are comparable. While TikTok has over 2 billion downloads, YouTube, on the other hand, already has a massive audience for the tough tussle.

Both TikTok and Shorts give both creators and viewers the chance to share short videos for entertainment and promotional purposes. However, they are different in various aspects. Both the apps have their disadvantages and advantages, depending on a user’s preference. Dive into the next section to discover whether TikTok’s impact is about to be threatened by YouTube Shorts.

In this article

01 Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

02 YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

03 How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Are YouTube Shorts and Tiktok the same thing?

Shorts and TikTok are not the same in various ways. TikTok first emerged in the market way before Shorts. TikTok was initially known as musically; and later revamped fully as TikTok in 2016. It immediately gained a massive audience worldwide. This is what brought about competition from other apps, trying to replicate TikTok. Apps like Instagram and Facebook added some functionality to their platform to no match. Finally, YouTube pulled it off in 2020, rolling its version of Short videos but in beta version. These two apps have adequate similarities and differences.

They are both for short-form videos and allow creators to add music from audio libraries. You can also earn some good bucks with these two apps. However, they differ in some aspects. As Shorts can only be 15-seconds long, TikTok can go as long as three minutes. You can also view TikTok directly from its app while for Shorts, you need a separate app, YouTube.

YouTube Shorts & TikTok: Which one Should You Choose for Personal Usage?

Let’s focus on the TikTok and Shorts video by perusing the similarities and differences deeply.

- Similiarity

Check out in which aspects TikTok and Shorts are similar to each other.

1) Monetization

Both platforms provide creators with tools to earn money from their content. TikTok’s first move was to pay selected influencers about $500 for joining the app and creating content. Creators make money from TikTok by promoting products and services of their audience as well as launching their careers through the app. Likewise, brands also get to creators through the “TikTok Creator Marketplace” platform for promotions.

You can also earn on YouTube Shorts from Google AdSense. This is an in-built video monetization that creators use for showing ads on their videos. Earnings will accumulate every month-end for withdrawal.

2) Analytics

Both YouTube and Shorts offer analytics like adding comments, likes, shares, and many more. Likewise, you can view your videos on either desktop or mobile platforms. With both platforms, you get an endless number of videos to watch and discover by scrolling. Also, both apps focus on short videos to entertain viewers.

3) Subscribe directly to creators

You can directly get in touch with both YouTube shorts and TikTok creators. This gives an open leeway to discover new creators to follow and subscribe to. All you need to do is go to the creators’ videos in both feeds and hit the “Follow” or “Subscribe” button. Henceforth, you’ll start seeing what they post and keep in touch with their signs of progress.

4) Privacy

Both apps have taken consideration into privacy issues. They allow creators to set their videos to either private or public. By this, your audience will only view what is set as “Public”. You can deter this by setting your content to “Private” or choosing who can view your content. This is a good aspect to let only those who wish to view certain clips as per your wish.

5) Edit video

There’s much that your video can portray. In both apps, you choose what to give to your audience. Both platforms enable you edit your video before posting. You can alter the speed by increasing or decreasing it for slow motion. Also, you can set timers to help with the filming process among other functionalities.

- Difference

1) Instant messaging app

Generally, YouTube is not a traditional social media platform. Even though YouTube Shorts allows users to create videos, it is not a platform that users can engage in communication via instant messaging app. On the other hand, TikTok lets you directly message other users as you share experiences. This makes TikTok a one-stop social media exchange point where you easily interact with your peers and get instant feedback. You can also create group chats and keep the fun going.

2) In dependability

TikTok Shorts videos also differ from the concept of stand along and built-in features. TikTok is a standalone app that doesn’t depend on another app for its normal operations. Users can independently create content directly from the app. On the contrary, Shorts is a built-in app on YouTube and users have to access it via the YouTube platform. This may be a plus for YouTube but it could eventually turn away those who want to work independently from the app.

3) Interface

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

- What More Should You Consider When Choosing - Your Personal Need

Settling on YouTube Shorts and TikTok largely depends on your preferences. But being that TikTok has been in the limelight for a longer time, it has mastered users’ and creators’ preferences, bringing more to the table than YouTube Shorts.

Both TikTok and Shorts have an immense user base. But being a standalone app, TikTok still has a chance of scaling the heights. Remember that Shorts is still in the “Beta” version and has not fully exploded even though it’s a built-in app on YouTube.

TikTok stands a chance of being chosen by many users as it is an independent platform. Users can connect with friends through news feed content or messaging. When it comes to editing tools, the app’s extensive library lets you add presets to your taste. It constantly keeps creators at bay, rolling new filters and effects for the unique creation of content. Additionally, TikTok engages users via its “Q&A” feature where users can pose any hot questions to creators for answers. And beauty is that creators can respond to such comments with a video. More so, you can use the “Discovery” tab to view trending hashtags and sounds, which YouTube Shorts lack.

With TikTok, users can add video captions from the bottom left of the screen. It also comprises a large library of editing precepts like filters, greenscreen effects, among others. YouTube Shorts, on the other hand, is rich in a library of music. Users can access popular songs and directly switch to YouTube for trending videos as well.

How to make quality videos for the apps you choose?

Even though TikTok and YouTube Shorts both let you edit your videos, you can stile up your game with other editing apps like Filmora. This app will save your time and effort while giving you compelling video outcomes. Filmora comprises advanced features such as social import to let you import video clips and photos from social media platforms. Filmora is available on both Windows and Mac, widely accessible on a vast array of devices.

• Video effects: Easily discover creative filters, transitions, and other motion elements.
• Split Screen: This feature lets you uniquely create fun videos by multiplying or splitting the screen.
• Color match: Apply color correction settings on various clips at once.
• Remove noise: Filmora lets you remove background noise, giving you quality video output.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Settling on Shorts or Tiktok will largely depend on your preferences and personal needs. If you are looking for short video promotion on YouTube Shorts and Tiktok , you may need to consider different things. Yes, Shorts has some upper hand over TikTok like the ability to edit your videos after being published, a dislike button, and a scheduling tool that lets you schedule when your video goes live. TikTok is still above the cut being that it has been here long before Shorts. More so, it offers advanced editing features for quality video output. Above all, it works independently, a feature that most users adore as compared to the encasing of Shorts within YouTube.

Professional Video Tweaks with These Top 8 Free Editing Apps

The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube (Top 8 Reviews)

Richard Bennett

Dec 02, 2022• Proven solutions

0

What makes a YouTube video good? The most important element is obviously you, the creator. Your personality, ideas, and unique viewpoint are what will make your content special and turn viewers into subscribers.

The next most important thing – even more important than the camera you use – is editing.

Editing a YouTube video doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it should be simple. Your focus when you’re perfecting your video should be on that ‘most important thing’ we mentioned earlier – your creativity. Editing for a YouTube video should be art, not mechanical engineering.

Below is a list of the top free video editing software ranked according to how appropriate it is for YouTube videos.

Rank	Editor	Make Cuts	Audio Features	Multiple Video Tracks	Video Effects	Intuitive Score (1-5)	Compatibility
1.	OpenShot Video Editor	Yes	Fade In/Out, set volume levels	Yes	Transitions, text, ability to animate. Blur/Saturation/Brightness controls.	5	Windows, Mac, Linux
2.	Shotcut	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	You can customize color presets and other effects. No animations.	4	Windows, Mac, Linux
3.	Hitfilm Express	Yes	Audio effects and transitioning.	Yes	Every imaginable picture customization. Some FX (more if you pay). Text tool.	4	Windows, Mac
4.	VideoPad Video Editor	Yes	Noise removal, equalizer, audio effects.	Yes	Moving text, transitions, filters.	5	Windows
5.	Lightworks	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	No premade effects, but you can add text/color edit.	3	Windows, Mac, Linux
6.	VSDC Video Editor	Yes	Some audio features blocked in free version	Yes	Filters, transitions, text, and more.	1	Windows
7.	Machete Video Editor Lite	Yes	None	No	None	3	Windows
8.	Avidemux	Yes	Some audio features	No	Some picture adjustments	2	Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Ready to upgrade to a simple, powerful, paid software that’s perfect for YouTube? Check out the free trial of Wondershare Filmora . It is an advanced tool that is focused more on newbie editors who are new to the videography world but want to compete with professionals!

1. OpenShot Video Editor – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Easy to use
2. Includes transitions
3. Keyframing
4. Alpha Channel
5. Unlimited video tracks

OpenShot Video Editor Review

OpenShot completely lives up to the claim that it was designed to be ‘easy to use, quick to learn, and surprisingly powerful’.

The first time you use OpenShot there will be helpful tutorial notes to guide you through the program. The interface is intuitive enough that you may not always need them, but having them should erase any confusion.

All of the basic editing features, like cutting clips up, are easy to access in the timeline. You have unlimited tracks, and it’s easy to drag your clips between them. There’s a helpful magnet feature that fits clips together if you slide them together, but which still allows for blank space if you choose to leave it.

Most other functions – setting volume levels, adjusting the speed, adding movement/zoom effect – are accessible simply by right-clicking on your clip in the timeline and choosing what you want from the menu that pops up.

Is OpenShot Video Editor good for YouTube?

OpenShot is a great, free, choice for YouTubers at any editing skill level.

Beyond simply ordering your clips, OpenShot includes text and transition options within the program. You can even animate the text, and access Animated Titles if you use OpenShot in tandem with a free animation program called Blender. Titles and transitions are vital to a lot of popular YouTube styles.

OpenShot does not provide the same level of detail as the runner up, Shotcut, when it comes to color correction or audio editing. However, the features it does have (volume levels, control of saturation) will satisfy most YouTubers.

2. Shotcut – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Detailed audio editing
2. Color grading, ability to save presets
3. Fairly intuitive timeline

Shotcut Review

Shotcut delivers a smooth, detailed, editing experience for free. It is not as easy to jump into as some of the other programs on this list, but it still only takes a half-hour or so of playing around to understand it well enough to make a video. There are also tutorials up on Shotcut’s site that can help you.

You can edit using multiple video tracks in Shotcut, making it easy to combine multiple clips, and basic functions like splitting or copying clips are as easy as clicking the right icon on the toolbar.

All of the video and audio effects, including things like chroma key, you might want to apply to your video are found under the Filters menu. It will look empty when you first open it, and you have to click the plus sign to see what your options are. If you want to create a color tint (like what you might think of as an Instagram filter) then you can do that through the Color Grading option. If you want to do something like invert your colors or add an ‘old film’ look, you’ll find that here as well along with all of the audio editing features (balance, bass and treble, and gain to name just a few).

Is Shotcut good for YouTube?

Shotcut is a great choice for YouTubers. It allows you to do some advanced editing, and it’s easy to learn compared to a program targeted at professional editors.

The only complication with Shotcut for entry-level editors who will primarily use the program for YouTube might be that animations – like moving text – are not available through the program (you can add and customize text, but it just sits there). You can get them from elsewhere and use them in the program (Shotcut has an alpha channel), but it’s a bit more involved a process than simply customizing something that’s already provided.

3. Hitfilm Express – Windows, Mac

Pros

1. Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
2. The Most effect customization
3. Helpful User Guide & tutorials

Cons

1. Can be overwhelming
2. Its main strength is FX, but you only get a couple for free. Most have to be bought separately.

Hitfilm Express Review

Hitfilm Express is the best free editor if you want to add special effects to your projects. OpenShot’s alpha channel will be enough for most people, but if you think of yourself as an aspiring filmmaker then it’s hard to beat Hitfilm’s range of functions.

This is an editor designed for people who want to make movies, and it’s a lot more intuitive than most professional-grade software. Film-quality FX (lasers, explosions, etc.) are available through Hitfilm Express for a reasonable price ($10-$50, depending on what you want), and even without paying extra for the packs, there’s a lot you can do to give your video a ‘film look’ using compositing layers and the multitude of customizable effects provided through the program.

Another highlight of Hitfilm Express is the extensive selection of tutorials and helpful information they have available both through YouTube videos and their User Guide. You will need those because this program can be overwhelming. It has so many functions and areas you can customize that it is easy to get lost.

That said, basic editing in Hitfilm Express is not difficult to jump into. It’s only when you start getting fancy that things get dicey.

Is Hitfilm Express good for YouTube?

Yes. It will not be the best option for everyone, but it’s not a bad option for anyone either.

If what you want to make is a vlog where you have a series of clips, and intro, and maybe a couple of title effects, then Hitfilm express might be overkill. You don’t want to have to master compositing just to add some text.

If what you want to make is a vlog that’s interrupted by an alien invasion and turns into an action sequence with lasers and falling debris, it’d be hard to do better than Hitfilm Express.

4. VideoPad Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Easy to jump into
2. Moving text
3. Huge audio waveforms
4. Audio and visual effects
5. Lossless exports

Cons

1. No longer updated

VideoPad Video Editor Review

VideoPad Video Editor is an extremely easy to use program. It may be the easiest program on this list to jump into, which you could also realistically create your entire video inside (there are easier programs, but you can only do some of your work in them). Part of its simplicity comes from not being as feature-rich as the programs ranking higher than it on this list, however.

You do not get the same range of functions with VideoPad as you do from the top 3 free editors, but it has enough to satisfy people who are just starting out. Creating moving text effects is easy, you have huge audio waves to work with while you’re syncing, and effects like transitions and filters are easy to find.

VideoPad does suffer a bit from being dated. This program is no longer being worked on, and the interface doesn’t look particularly modern. This is a bit more than a cosmetic issue because some features, while not difficult to find, are placed a bit oddly compared to other editors.

One slightly annoying feature of VideoPad is that it will prompt you to buy the commercial version sometimes (the free version is only for non-commercial use). There have been reports of exports being blocked in the free version, but I exported several times for the sake of this review and the issue never came up.

Is VideoPad Video Editor good for YouTube?

VideoPad makes a decent YouTube editor. You can jump right in and start making cuts, adding filters, and ordering your clips. If you have the kind of channel where voiceovers are important (like in gaming or makeup), then you’ll be happy with the size of the audio waves you have to work with for syncing.

The thing about VideoPad is that you’re probably going to outgrow it quickly as you become a more capable editor.

5. Lightworks – Windows, Mac, Linux

Pros

1. Detailed color and audio editing
2. Multicam editing

Cons

1. Exports limited to 720p for the free version
2. Difficult to learn compared to other free software

Lightworks Review

On their website, Lightworks claims to have an ‘intuitive interface’ and ‘easy timeline editing’. This is true if you compare it to other professional-level editing suites. Compared to the other programs on this list, Lightworks is complicated.

The first thing I attempt when I review this program is to simply split a clip, and it took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure this feature out in Lightworks (a more advanced editor could have found it faster, but these reviews are meant to help people with less experience). Lightworks does have a whole tutorial series on using the software, so if you are interested in learning to use it there is ample material out there to help you.

Lightworks has a wide range of functions (i.e. detailed audio editing and color correction), and it has been used for big movies like ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’. It is the most professional program on this list, and it’s a great free alternative to something like Adobe Premiere Pro.

Note: there is no time limit on the free version of Lightworks, but it will ask you to renew your free license every 7 days. When it says your license is ‘expired’ it isn’t kicking you off the free version, you just need to renew.

Is Lightworks good for YouTube?

Whether or not Lightworks is right for your YouTube channel depends on your goals as a video editor.

If what you want is to jump in and start making YouTube videos quickly, Lightworks might not be a great choice. It’s not an easy program to just jump into, you’ll have to either take time to learn it or accept that it’ll take some trial and error to get the hang of.

If what you want is to become a professional-level video editor, then Lightworks is a great program to start on (although, Hitfilm Express may still be better). Taking the time to learn it could certainly pay off in the long run.

However, if one of your priorities is for your YouTube channel to come across as professional, then the free version of Lightworks does have some disappointing limitations. You can only export videos in 720p, which is lower quality than viewers on YouTube expect (you probably want at least 1080p). Your output format is limited too. The royalty-free audio and video content Lightworks offers are also not free; you can just buy them through the program.

6. VSDC Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Diagrams and charts
2. How To Get Started Guide
3. Lots of features

Cons

1. Very confusing
2. Paid features show up in the free version, but they’re blocked

Review of VSDC Video Editor

There’s a lot to like about VSDC Video Editor, but you have to do a lot of work to uncover any of it. Accessing even the most basic features is confusing.

One of the first things I tried to do as I tested the program was make a jump cut (where you cut out part of a video so the playback ‘jumps over’ the deleted segment) and, while I was able to do it, it was not an intuitive process. There is a multitude of toolbars and icons surrounding your preview window in VSDC, and none of those icons was for making cuts to your clips. To make any cuts you have to find the ‘cutting and splitting’ option under the Editor tab at the top of the page, which will open a second window in which you still cannot make any cuts. Instead what you can do is place markers, and when you click ‘apply changes’ to exit the window cuts will be made where you placed markers. There is nothing in the window to explain what the markers are for.

Other basic functions, like adding text, are just as complicated.

Is VSDC Video Editor good for YouTube?

I would not recommend VSDC for YouTube. It ranks higher than two other items on this list because they are, do to functional limitations, unable to create full YouTube videos without the support of other programs (at least realistically). You certainly could create your full YouTube video in VSDC, but it’d be a headache.

7. Machete Video Editor Lite – Windows

Pros

1. Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
2. Lossless exports

Cons

1. Cannot swap or add audio
2. Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
3. Slightly awkward timeline

Machete Video Editor Lite Review

Machete Lite claims that you’ll be able to edit your videos “within a few minutes after downloading the program, even if you’ve never edited a video before”, and that is true. It might even be better if you haven’t edited a video before because the interface is slightly awkward if you’ve come from a program with a more traditional timeline setup. Machete Lite is easy to use for the most part, but it doesn’t work like most other editors and that can be awkward to navigate around.

Instead of seeing a timeline with all of your individual clips, Machete treats your entire video as one clip. You will only be able to see where you have inserted a separate video clip or cut out a portion of the video by watching the video back or jumping through it (Machete Lite does allow frame-by-frame scrolling). You won’t be able to see this information at a glance, and you won’t be able to adjust the lengths of clips you’ve added separately.

To take out any portion of your overall video you’ll need to find a keyframe at the beginning, set that as the beginning of your selection, then find a key frame at the end and set that as the end of your selection. You will then be able to delete that selection. This will not work if the frames you have set as the beginning and end are not considered keyframes by the program, so it can be difficult to be precise, but since the program allows you to jump through keyframes it’s not difficult to find a point that works.

Is Machete Video Editor Lite good for YouTube?

Machete Lite is not a good choice for YouTubers unless it is used in combination with another program.

It doesn’t work as a YouTube editor because you cannot edit or swap audio, the transition between clips, or create layers of videos and images.

However, the thing Machete Lite is really good at is cutting out clips from longer videos. You can create a selection of a part of your longer clip and then export it (with no quality loss) as its own video file.

This is what the Machete Lite toolbar looks like when you’ve created a selection. Tools like cut and copy which were greyed out before are now available, as is the save icon on the far right. If you click the save icon, you’ll be able to save that selection as its own video.

You can’t create a complete YouTube video in Machete Lite, but you can harvest clips to use in a different program.

8. Avidemux – Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Pros

1. Can add subtitle files

Cons

1. Not intuitive
2. Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
3. The website is not informative, no tutorials

Avidemux Review

Avidemux is not an easy program to jump into. I almost wrote that it couldn’t do anything besides make cuts to a clip before I saw a YouTube tutorial about how to find the contrast and brightness tools. If you decide to try it out, remember that you have to choose your output format before Avidemux will let you access tools like Hue/Saturation and Contrast (click Filters under Video Output to find them).

There are no official tutorials for Avidemux you can access from their site, so you’ll have to rely on the forums and tutorials from users if you want to learn it.

You can import multiple clips into Avidemux, but you have to import them in the order you want because you can’t drag them around the timeline after. Everything becomes one big clip.

Is Avidemux good for YouTube?

No. It has more functionality than Machete, which is ranked higher on this list, but the difference is that Machete is excellent at one thing. They both suffer from the same main weakness – you could not complete your full YouTube video either (at least not without a lot of trouble). Machete could still be useful to a YouTuber, though, because it allows for the lossless exporting of segments of clips. You can use it to harvest clips for your larger project in another program.

In theory, you could do some picture editing and snipping in Avidemux and then put your project together/add titles in another program, but your other program can probably do all that just as well if not better. Avidemux isn’t a bad program, but it doesn’t excel at anything. There are a lot of better options which are also free.

What has your experience with free video editors been like?

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Dec 02, 2022• Proven solutions

0

What makes a YouTube video good? The most important element is obviously you, the creator. Your personality, ideas, and unique viewpoint are what will make your content special and turn viewers into subscribers.

The next most important thing – even more important than the camera you use – is editing.

Editing a YouTube video doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it should be simple. Your focus when you’re perfecting your video should be on that ‘most important thing’ we mentioned earlier – your creativity. Editing for a YouTube video should be art, not mechanical engineering.

Below is a list of the top free video editing software ranked according to how appropriate it is for YouTube videos.

Rank	Editor	Make Cuts	Audio Features	Multiple Video Tracks	Video Effects	Intuitive Score (1-5)	Compatibility
1.	OpenShot Video Editor	Yes	Fade In/Out, set volume levels	Yes	Transitions, text, ability to animate. Blur/Saturation/Brightness controls.	5	Windows, Mac, Linux
2.	Shotcut	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	You can customize color presets and other effects. No animations.	4	Windows, Mac, Linux
3.	Hitfilm Express	Yes	Audio effects and transitioning.	Yes	Every imaginable picture customization. Some FX (more if you pay). Text tool.	4	Windows, Mac
4.	VideoPad Video Editor	Yes	Noise removal, equalizer, audio effects.	Yes	Moving text, transitions, filters.	5	Windows
5.	Lightworks	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	No premade effects, but you can add text/color edit.	3	Windows, Mac, Linux
6.	VSDC Video Editor	Yes	Some audio features blocked in free version	Yes	Filters, transitions, text, and more.	1	Windows
7.	Machete Video Editor Lite	Yes	None	No	None	3	Windows
8.	Avidemux	Yes	Some audio features	No	Some picture adjustments	2	Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Ready to upgrade to a simple, powerful, paid software that’s perfect for YouTube? Check out the free trial of Wondershare Filmora . It is an advanced tool that is focused more on newbie editors who are new to the videography world but want to compete with professionals!

1. OpenShot Video Editor – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Easy to use
2. Includes transitions
3. Keyframing
4. Alpha Channel
5. Unlimited video tracks

OpenShot Video Editor Review

OpenShot completely lives up to the claim that it was designed to be ‘easy to use, quick to learn, and surprisingly powerful’.

The first time you use OpenShot there will be helpful tutorial notes to guide you through the program. The interface is intuitive enough that you may not always need them, but having them should erase any confusion.

All of the basic editing features, like cutting clips up, are easy to access in the timeline. You have unlimited tracks, and it’s easy to drag your clips between them. There’s a helpful magnet feature that fits clips together if you slide them together, but which still allows for blank space if you choose to leave it.

Most other functions – setting volume levels, adjusting the speed, adding movement/zoom effect – are accessible simply by right-clicking on your clip in the timeline and choosing what you want from the menu that pops up.

Is OpenShot Video Editor good for YouTube?

OpenShot is a great, free, choice for YouTubers at any editing skill level.

Beyond simply ordering your clips, OpenShot includes text and transition options within the program. You can even animate the text, and access Animated Titles if you use OpenShot in tandem with a free animation program called Blender. Titles and transitions are vital to a lot of popular YouTube styles.

OpenShot does not provide the same level of detail as the runner up, Shotcut, when it comes to color correction or audio editing. However, the features it does have (volume levels, control of saturation) will satisfy most YouTubers.

2. Shotcut – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Detailed audio editing
2. Color grading, ability to save presets
3. Fairly intuitive timeline

Shotcut Review

Shotcut delivers a smooth, detailed, editing experience for free. It is not as easy to jump into as some of the other programs on this list, but it still only takes a half-hour or so of playing around to understand it well enough to make a video. There are also tutorials up on Shotcut’s site that can help you.

You can edit using multiple video tracks in Shotcut, making it easy to combine multiple clips, and basic functions like splitting or copying clips are as easy as clicking the right icon on the toolbar.

All of the video and audio effects, including things like chroma key, you might want to apply to your video are found under the Filters menu. It will look empty when you first open it, and you have to click the plus sign to see what your options are. If you want to create a color tint (like what you might think of as an Instagram filter) then you can do that through the Color Grading option. If you want to do something like invert your colors or add an ‘old film’ look, you’ll find that here as well along with all of the audio editing features (balance, bass and treble, and gain to name just a few).

Is Shotcut good for YouTube?

Shotcut is a great choice for YouTubers. It allows you to do some advanced editing, and it’s easy to learn compared to a program targeted at professional editors.

The only complication with Shotcut for entry-level editors who will primarily use the program for YouTube might be that animations – like moving text – are not available through the program (you can add and customize text, but it just sits there). You can get them from elsewhere and use them in the program (Shotcut has an alpha channel), but it’s a bit more involved a process than simply customizing something that’s already provided.

3. Hitfilm Express – Windows, Mac

Pros

1. Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
2. The Most effect customization
3. Helpful User Guide & tutorials

Cons

1. Can be overwhelming
2. Its main strength is FX, but you only get a couple for free. Most have to be bought separately.

Hitfilm Express Review

Hitfilm Express is the best free editor if you want to add special effects to your projects. OpenShot’s alpha channel will be enough for most people, but if you think of yourself as an aspiring filmmaker then it’s hard to beat Hitfilm’s range of functions.

This is an editor designed for people who want to make movies, and it’s a lot more intuitive than most professional-grade software. Film-quality FX (lasers, explosions, etc.) are available through Hitfilm Express for a reasonable price ($10-$50, depending on what you want), and even without paying extra for the packs, there’s a lot you can do to give your video a ‘film look’ using compositing layers and the multitude of customizable effects provided through the program.

Another highlight of Hitfilm Express is the extensive selection of tutorials and helpful information they have available both through YouTube videos and their User Guide. You will need those because this program can be overwhelming. It has so many functions and areas you can customize that it is easy to get lost.

That said, basic editing in Hitfilm Express is not difficult to jump into. It’s only when you start getting fancy that things get dicey.

Is Hitfilm Express good for YouTube?

Yes. It will not be the best option for everyone, but it’s not a bad option for anyone either.

If what you want to make is a vlog where you have a series of clips, and intro, and maybe a couple of title effects, then Hitfilm express might be overkill. You don’t want to have to master compositing just to add some text.

If what you want to make is a vlog that’s interrupted by an alien invasion and turns into an action sequence with lasers and falling debris, it’d be hard to do better than Hitfilm Express.

4. VideoPad Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Easy to jump into
2. Moving text
3. Huge audio waveforms
4. Audio and visual effects
5. Lossless exports

Cons

1. No longer updated

VideoPad Video Editor Review

VideoPad Video Editor is an extremely easy to use program. It may be the easiest program on this list to jump into, which you could also realistically create your entire video inside (there are easier programs, but you can only do some of your work in them). Part of its simplicity comes from not being as feature-rich as the programs ranking higher than it on this list, however.

You do not get the same range of functions with VideoPad as you do from the top 3 free editors, but it has enough to satisfy people who are just starting out. Creating moving text effects is easy, you have huge audio waves to work with while you’re syncing, and effects like transitions and filters are easy to find.

VideoPad does suffer a bit from being dated. This program is no longer being worked on, and the interface doesn’t look particularly modern. This is a bit more than a cosmetic issue because some features, while not difficult to find, are placed a bit oddly compared to other editors.

One slightly annoying feature of VideoPad is that it will prompt you to buy the commercial version sometimes (the free version is only for non-commercial use). There have been reports of exports being blocked in the free version, but I exported several times for the sake of this review and the issue never came up.

Is VideoPad Video Editor good for YouTube?

VideoPad makes a decent YouTube editor. You can jump right in and start making cuts, adding filters, and ordering your clips. If you have the kind of channel where voiceovers are important (like in gaming or makeup), then you’ll be happy with the size of the audio waves you have to work with for syncing.

The thing about VideoPad is that you’re probably going to outgrow it quickly as you become a more capable editor.

5. Lightworks – Windows, Mac, Linux

Pros

1. Detailed color and audio editing
2. Multicam editing

Cons

1. Exports limited to 720p for the free version
2. Difficult to learn compared to other free software

Lightworks Review

On their website, Lightworks claims to have an ‘intuitive interface’ and ‘easy timeline editing’. This is true if you compare it to other professional-level editing suites. Compared to the other programs on this list, Lightworks is complicated.

The first thing I attempt when I review this program is to simply split a clip, and it took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure this feature out in Lightworks (a more advanced editor could have found it faster, but these reviews are meant to help people with less experience). Lightworks does have a whole tutorial series on using the software, so if you are interested in learning to use it there is ample material out there to help you.

Lightworks has a wide range of functions (i.e. detailed audio editing and color correction), and it has been used for big movies like ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’. It is the most professional program on this list, and it’s a great free alternative to something like Adobe Premiere Pro.

Note: there is no time limit on the free version of Lightworks, but it will ask you to renew your free license every 7 days. When it says your license is ‘expired’ it isn’t kicking you off the free version, you just need to renew.

Is Lightworks good for YouTube?

Whether or not Lightworks is right for your YouTube channel depends on your goals as a video editor.

If what you want is to jump in and start making YouTube videos quickly, Lightworks might not be a great choice. It’s not an easy program to just jump into, you’ll have to either take time to learn it or accept that it’ll take some trial and error to get the hang of.

If what you want is to become a professional-level video editor, then Lightworks is a great program to start on (although, Hitfilm Express may still be better). Taking the time to learn it could certainly pay off in the long run.

However, if one of your priorities is for your YouTube channel to come across as professional, then the free version of Lightworks does have some disappointing limitations. You can only export videos in 720p, which is lower quality than viewers on YouTube expect (you probably want at least 1080p). Your output format is limited too. The royalty-free audio and video content Lightworks offers are also not free; you can just buy them through the program.

6. VSDC Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Diagrams and charts
2. How To Get Started Guide
3. Lots of features

Cons

1. Very confusing
2. Paid features show up in the free version, but they’re blocked

Review of VSDC Video Editor

There’s a lot to like about VSDC Video Editor, but you have to do a lot of work to uncover any of it. Accessing even the most basic features is confusing.

One of the first things I tried to do as I tested the program was make a jump cut (where you cut out part of a video so the playback ‘jumps over’ the deleted segment) and, while I was able to do it, it was not an intuitive process. There is a multitude of toolbars and icons surrounding your preview window in VSDC, and none of those icons was for making cuts to your clips. To make any cuts you have to find the ‘cutting and splitting’ option under the Editor tab at the top of the page, which will open a second window in which you still cannot make any cuts. Instead what you can do is place markers, and when you click ‘apply changes’ to exit the window cuts will be made where you placed markers. There is nothing in the window to explain what the markers are for.

Other basic functions, like adding text, are just as complicated.

Is VSDC Video Editor good for YouTube?

I would not recommend VSDC for YouTube. It ranks higher than two other items on this list because they are, do to functional limitations, unable to create full YouTube videos without the support of other programs (at least realistically). You certainly could create your full YouTube video in VSDC, but it’d be a headache.

7. Machete Video Editor Lite – Windows

Pros

1. Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
2. Lossless exports

Cons

1. Cannot swap or add audio
2. Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
3. Slightly awkward timeline

Machete Video Editor Lite Review

Machete Lite claims that you’ll be able to edit your videos “within a few minutes after downloading the program, even if you’ve never edited a video before”, and that is true. It might even be better if you haven’t edited a video before because the interface is slightly awkward if you’ve come from a program with a more traditional timeline setup. Machete Lite is easy to use for the most part, but it doesn’t work like most other editors and that can be awkward to navigate around.

Instead of seeing a timeline with all of your individual clips, Machete treats your entire video as one clip. You will only be able to see where you have inserted a separate video clip or cut out a portion of the video by watching the video back or jumping through it (Machete Lite does allow frame-by-frame scrolling). You won’t be able to see this information at a glance, and you won’t be able to adjust the lengths of clips you’ve added separately.

To take out any portion of your overall video you’ll need to find a keyframe at the beginning, set that as the beginning of your selection, then find a key frame at the end and set that as the end of your selection. You will then be able to delete that selection. This will not work if the frames you have set as the beginning and end are not considered keyframes by the program, so it can be difficult to be precise, but since the program allows you to jump through keyframes it’s not difficult to find a point that works.

Is Machete Video Editor Lite good for YouTube?

Machete Lite is not a good choice for YouTubers unless it is used in combination with another program.

It doesn’t work as a YouTube editor because you cannot edit or swap audio, the transition between clips, or create layers of videos and images.

However, the thing Machete Lite is really good at is cutting out clips from longer videos. You can create a selection of a part of your longer clip and then export it (with no quality loss) as its own video file.

This is what the Machete Lite toolbar looks like when you’ve created a selection. Tools like cut and copy which were greyed out before are now available, as is the save icon on the far right. If you click the save icon, you’ll be able to save that selection as its own video.

You can’t create a complete YouTube video in Machete Lite, but you can harvest clips to use in a different program.

8. Avidemux – Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Pros

1. Can add subtitle files

Cons

1. Not intuitive
2. Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
3. The website is not informative, no tutorials

Avidemux Review

Avidemux is not an easy program to jump into. I almost wrote that it couldn’t do anything besides make cuts to a clip before I saw a YouTube tutorial about how to find the contrast and brightness tools. If you decide to try it out, remember that you have to choose your output format before Avidemux will let you access tools like Hue/Saturation and Contrast (click Filters under Video Output to find them).

There are no official tutorials for Avidemux you can access from their site, so you’ll have to rely on the forums and tutorials from users if you want to learn it.

You can import multiple clips into Avidemux, but you have to import them in the order you want because you can’t drag them around the timeline after. Everything becomes one big clip.

Is Avidemux good for YouTube?

No. It has more functionality than Machete, which is ranked higher on this list, but the difference is that Machete is excellent at one thing. They both suffer from the same main weakness – you could not complete your full YouTube video either (at least not without a lot of trouble). Machete could still be useful to a YouTuber, though, because it allows for the lossless exporting of segments of clips. You can use it to harvest clips for your larger project in another program.

In theory, you could do some picture editing and snipping in Avidemux and then put your project together/add titles in another program, but your other program can probably do all that just as well if not better. Avidemux isn’t a bad program, but it doesn’t excel at anything. There are a lot of better options which are also free.

What has your experience with free video editors been like?

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Dec 02, 2022• Proven solutions

0

What makes a YouTube video good? The most important element is obviously you, the creator. Your personality, ideas, and unique viewpoint are what will make your content special and turn viewers into subscribers.

The next most important thing – even more important than the camera you use – is editing.

Editing a YouTube video doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it should be simple. Your focus when you’re perfecting your video should be on that ‘most important thing’ we mentioned earlier – your creativity. Editing for a YouTube video should be art, not mechanical engineering.

Below is a list of the top free video editing software ranked according to how appropriate it is for YouTube videos.

Rank	Editor	Make Cuts	Audio Features	Multiple Video Tracks	Video Effects	Intuitive Score (1-5)	Compatibility
1.	OpenShot Video Editor	Yes	Fade In/Out, set volume levels	Yes	Transitions, text, ability to animate. Blur/Saturation/Brightness controls.	5	Windows, Mac, Linux
2.	Shotcut	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	You can customize color presets and other effects. No animations.	4	Windows, Mac, Linux
3.	Hitfilm Express	Yes	Audio effects and transitioning.	Yes	Every imaginable picture customization. Some FX (more if you pay). Text tool.	4	Windows, Mac
4.	VideoPad Video Editor	Yes	Noise removal, equalizer, audio effects.	Yes	Moving text, transitions, filters.	5	Windows
5.	Lightworks	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	No premade effects, but you can add text/color edit.	3	Windows, Mac, Linux
6.	VSDC Video Editor	Yes	Some audio features blocked in free version	Yes	Filters, transitions, text, and more.	1	Windows
7.	Machete Video Editor Lite	Yes	None	No	None	3	Windows
8.	Avidemux	Yes	Some audio features	No	Some picture adjustments	2	Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Ready to upgrade to a simple, powerful, paid software that’s perfect for YouTube? Check out the free trial of Wondershare Filmora . It is an advanced tool that is focused more on newbie editors who are new to the videography world but want to compete with professionals!

1. OpenShot Video Editor – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Easy to use
2. Includes transitions
3. Keyframing
4. Alpha Channel
5. Unlimited video tracks

OpenShot Video Editor Review

OpenShot completely lives up to the claim that it was designed to be ‘easy to use, quick to learn, and surprisingly powerful’.

The first time you use OpenShot there will be helpful tutorial notes to guide you through the program. The interface is intuitive enough that you may not always need them, but having them should erase any confusion.

All of the basic editing features, like cutting clips up, are easy to access in the timeline. You have unlimited tracks, and it’s easy to drag your clips between them. There’s a helpful magnet feature that fits clips together if you slide them together, but which still allows for blank space if you choose to leave it.

Most other functions – setting volume levels, adjusting the speed, adding movement/zoom effect – are accessible simply by right-clicking on your clip in the timeline and choosing what you want from the menu that pops up.

Is OpenShot Video Editor good for YouTube?

OpenShot is a great, free, choice for YouTubers at any editing skill level.

Beyond simply ordering your clips, OpenShot includes text and transition options within the program. You can even animate the text, and access Animated Titles if you use OpenShot in tandem with a free animation program called Blender. Titles and transitions are vital to a lot of popular YouTube styles.

OpenShot does not provide the same level of detail as the runner up, Shotcut, when it comes to color correction or audio editing. However, the features it does have (volume levels, control of saturation) will satisfy most YouTubers.

2. Shotcut – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Detailed audio editing
2. Color grading, ability to save presets
3. Fairly intuitive timeline

Shotcut Review

Shotcut delivers a smooth, detailed, editing experience for free. It is not as easy to jump into as some of the other programs on this list, but it still only takes a half-hour or so of playing around to understand it well enough to make a video. There are also tutorials up on Shotcut’s site that can help you.

You can edit using multiple video tracks in Shotcut, making it easy to combine multiple clips, and basic functions like splitting or copying clips are as easy as clicking the right icon on the toolbar.

All of the video and audio effects, including things like chroma key, you might want to apply to your video are found under the Filters menu. It will look empty when you first open it, and you have to click the plus sign to see what your options are. If you want to create a color tint (like what you might think of as an Instagram filter) then you can do that through the Color Grading option. If you want to do something like invert your colors or add an ‘old film’ look, you’ll find that here as well along with all of the audio editing features (balance, bass and treble, and gain to name just a few).

Is Shotcut good for YouTube?

Shotcut is a great choice for YouTubers. It allows you to do some advanced editing, and it’s easy to learn compared to a program targeted at professional editors.

The only complication with Shotcut for entry-level editors who will primarily use the program for YouTube might be that animations – like moving text – are not available through the program (you can add and customize text, but it just sits there). You can get them from elsewhere and use them in the program (Shotcut has an alpha channel), but it’s a bit more involved a process than simply customizing something that’s already provided.

3. Hitfilm Express – Windows, Mac

Pros

1. Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
2. The Most effect customization
3. Helpful User Guide & tutorials

Cons

1. Can be overwhelming
2. Its main strength is FX, but you only get a couple for free. Most have to be bought separately.

Hitfilm Express Review

Hitfilm Express is the best free editor if you want to add special effects to your projects. OpenShot’s alpha channel will be enough for most people, but if you think of yourself as an aspiring filmmaker then it’s hard to beat Hitfilm’s range of functions.

This is an editor designed for people who want to make movies, and it’s a lot more intuitive than most professional-grade software. Film-quality FX (lasers, explosions, etc.) are available through Hitfilm Express for a reasonable price ($10-$50, depending on what you want), and even without paying extra for the packs, there’s a lot you can do to give your video a ‘film look’ using compositing layers and the multitude of customizable effects provided through the program.

Another highlight of Hitfilm Express is the extensive selection of tutorials and helpful information they have available both through YouTube videos and their User Guide. You will need those because this program can be overwhelming. It has so many functions and areas you can customize that it is easy to get lost.

That said, basic editing in Hitfilm Express is not difficult to jump into. It’s only when you start getting fancy that things get dicey.

Is Hitfilm Express good for YouTube?

Yes. It will not be the best option for everyone, but it’s not a bad option for anyone either.

If what you want to make is a vlog where you have a series of clips, and intro, and maybe a couple of title effects, then Hitfilm express might be overkill. You don’t want to have to master compositing just to add some text.

If what you want to make is a vlog that’s interrupted by an alien invasion and turns into an action sequence with lasers and falling debris, it’d be hard to do better than Hitfilm Express.

4. VideoPad Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Easy to jump into
2. Moving text
3. Huge audio waveforms
4. Audio and visual effects
5. Lossless exports

Cons

1. No longer updated

VideoPad Video Editor Review

VideoPad Video Editor is an extremely easy to use program. It may be the easiest program on this list to jump into, which you could also realistically create your entire video inside (there are easier programs, but you can only do some of your work in them). Part of its simplicity comes from not being as feature-rich as the programs ranking higher than it on this list, however.

You do not get the same range of functions with VideoPad as you do from the top 3 free editors, but it has enough to satisfy people who are just starting out. Creating moving text effects is easy, you have huge audio waves to work with while you’re syncing, and effects like transitions and filters are easy to find.

VideoPad does suffer a bit from being dated. This program is no longer being worked on, and the interface doesn’t look particularly modern. This is a bit more than a cosmetic issue because some features, while not difficult to find, are placed a bit oddly compared to other editors.

One slightly annoying feature of VideoPad is that it will prompt you to buy the commercial version sometimes (the free version is only for non-commercial use). There have been reports of exports being blocked in the free version, but I exported several times for the sake of this review and the issue never came up.

Is VideoPad Video Editor good for YouTube?

VideoPad makes a decent YouTube editor. You can jump right in and start making cuts, adding filters, and ordering your clips. If you have the kind of channel where voiceovers are important (like in gaming or makeup), then you’ll be happy with the size of the audio waves you have to work with for syncing.

The thing about VideoPad is that you’re probably going to outgrow it quickly as you become a more capable editor.

5. Lightworks – Windows, Mac, Linux

Pros

1. Detailed color and audio editing
2. Multicam editing

Cons

1. Exports limited to 720p for the free version
2. Difficult to learn compared to other free software

Lightworks Review

On their website, Lightworks claims to have an ‘intuitive interface’ and ‘easy timeline editing’. This is true if you compare it to other professional-level editing suites. Compared to the other programs on this list, Lightworks is complicated.

The first thing I attempt when I review this program is to simply split a clip, and it took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure this feature out in Lightworks (a more advanced editor could have found it faster, but these reviews are meant to help people with less experience). Lightworks does have a whole tutorial series on using the software, so if you are interested in learning to use it there is ample material out there to help you.

Lightworks has a wide range of functions (i.e. detailed audio editing and color correction), and it has been used for big movies like ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’. It is the most professional program on this list, and it’s a great free alternative to something like Adobe Premiere Pro.

Note: there is no time limit on the free version of Lightworks, but it will ask you to renew your free license every 7 days. When it says your license is ‘expired’ it isn’t kicking you off the free version, you just need to renew.

Is Lightworks good for YouTube?

Whether or not Lightworks is right for your YouTube channel depends on your goals as a video editor.

If what you want is to jump in and start making YouTube videos quickly, Lightworks might not be a great choice. It’s not an easy program to just jump into, you’ll have to either take time to learn it or accept that it’ll take some trial and error to get the hang of.

If what you want is to become a professional-level video editor, then Lightworks is a great program to start on (although, Hitfilm Express may still be better). Taking the time to learn it could certainly pay off in the long run.

However, if one of your priorities is for your YouTube channel to come across as professional, then the free version of Lightworks does have some disappointing limitations. You can only export videos in 720p, which is lower quality than viewers on YouTube expect (you probably want at least 1080p). Your output format is limited too. The royalty-free audio and video content Lightworks offers are also not free; you can just buy them through the program.

6. VSDC Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Diagrams and charts
2. How To Get Started Guide
3. Lots of features

Cons

1. Very confusing
2. Paid features show up in the free version, but they’re blocked

Review of VSDC Video Editor

There’s a lot to like about VSDC Video Editor, but you have to do a lot of work to uncover any of it. Accessing even the most basic features is confusing.

One of the first things I tried to do as I tested the program was make a jump cut (where you cut out part of a video so the playback ‘jumps over’ the deleted segment) and, while I was able to do it, it was not an intuitive process. There is a multitude of toolbars and icons surrounding your preview window in VSDC, and none of those icons was for making cuts to your clips. To make any cuts you have to find the ‘cutting and splitting’ option under the Editor tab at the top of the page, which will open a second window in which you still cannot make any cuts. Instead what you can do is place markers, and when you click ‘apply changes’ to exit the window cuts will be made where you placed markers. There is nothing in the window to explain what the markers are for.

Other basic functions, like adding text, are just as complicated.

Is VSDC Video Editor good for YouTube?

I would not recommend VSDC for YouTube. It ranks higher than two other items on this list because they are, do to functional limitations, unable to create full YouTube videos without the support of other programs (at least realistically). You certainly could create your full YouTube video in VSDC, but it’d be a headache.

7. Machete Video Editor Lite – Windows

Pros

1. Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
2. Lossless exports

Cons

1. Cannot swap or add audio
2. Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
3. Slightly awkward timeline

Machete Video Editor Lite Review

Machete Lite claims that you’ll be able to edit your videos “within a few minutes after downloading the program, even if you’ve never edited a video before”, and that is true. It might even be better if you haven’t edited a video before because the interface is slightly awkward if you’ve come from a program with a more traditional timeline setup. Machete Lite is easy to use for the most part, but it doesn’t work like most other editors and that can be awkward to navigate around.

Instead of seeing a timeline with all of your individual clips, Machete treats your entire video as one clip. You will only be able to see where you have inserted a separate video clip or cut out a portion of the video by watching the video back or jumping through it (Machete Lite does allow frame-by-frame scrolling). You won’t be able to see this information at a glance, and you won’t be able to adjust the lengths of clips you’ve added separately.

To take out any portion of your overall video you’ll need to find a keyframe at the beginning, set that as the beginning of your selection, then find a key frame at the end and set that as the end of your selection. You will then be able to delete that selection. This will not work if the frames you have set as the beginning and end are not considered keyframes by the program, so it can be difficult to be precise, but since the program allows you to jump through keyframes it’s not difficult to find a point that works.

Is Machete Video Editor Lite good for YouTube?

Machete Lite is not a good choice for YouTubers unless it is used in combination with another program.

It doesn’t work as a YouTube editor because you cannot edit or swap audio, the transition between clips, or create layers of videos and images.

However, the thing Machete Lite is really good at is cutting out clips from longer videos. You can create a selection of a part of your longer clip and then export it (with no quality loss) as its own video file.

This is what the Machete Lite toolbar looks like when you’ve created a selection. Tools like cut and copy which were greyed out before are now available, as is the save icon on the far right. If you click the save icon, you’ll be able to save that selection as its own video.

You can’t create a complete YouTube video in Machete Lite, but you can harvest clips to use in a different program.

8. Avidemux – Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Pros

1. Can add subtitle files

Cons

1. Not intuitive
2. Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
3. The website is not informative, no tutorials

Avidemux Review

Avidemux is not an easy program to jump into. I almost wrote that it couldn’t do anything besides make cuts to a clip before I saw a YouTube tutorial about how to find the contrast and brightness tools. If you decide to try it out, remember that you have to choose your output format before Avidemux will let you access tools like Hue/Saturation and Contrast (click Filters under Video Output to find them).

There are no official tutorials for Avidemux you can access from their site, so you’ll have to rely on the forums and tutorials from users if you want to learn it.

You can import multiple clips into Avidemux, but you have to import them in the order you want because you can’t drag them around the timeline after. Everything becomes one big clip.

Is Avidemux good for YouTube?

No. It has more functionality than Machete, which is ranked higher on this list, but the difference is that Machete is excellent at one thing. They both suffer from the same main weakness – you could not complete your full YouTube video either (at least not without a lot of trouble). Machete could still be useful to a YouTuber, though, because it allows for the lossless exporting of segments of clips. You can use it to harvest clips for your larger project in another program.

In theory, you could do some picture editing and snipping in Avidemux and then put your project together/add titles in another program, but your other program can probably do all that just as well if not better. Avidemux isn’t a bad program, but it doesn’t excel at anything. There are a lot of better options which are also free.

What has your experience with free video editors been like?

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Dec 02, 2022• Proven solutions

0

What makes a YouTube video good? The most important element is obviously you, the creator. Your personality, ideas, and unique viewpoint are what will make your content special and turn viewers into subscribers.

The next most important thing – even more important than the camera you use – is editing.

Editing a YouTube video doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it should be simple. Your focus when you’re perfecting your video should be on that ‘most important thing’ we mentioned earlier – your creativity. Editing for a YouTube video should be art, not mechanical engineering.

Below is a list of the top free video editing software ranked according to how appropriate it is for YouTube videos.

Rank	Editor	Make Cuts	Audio Features	Multiple Video Tracks	Video Effects	Intuitive Score (1-5)	Compatibility
1.	OpenShot Video Editor	Yes	Fade In/Out, set volume levels	Yes	Transitions, text, ability to animate. Blur/Saturation/Brightness controls.	5	Windows, Mac, Linux
2.	Shotcut	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	You can customize color presets and other effects. No animations.	4	Windows, Mac, Linux
3.	Hitfilm Express	Yes	Audio effects and transitioning.	Yes	Every imaginable picture customization. Some FX (more if you pay). Text tool.	4	Windows, Mac
4.	VideoPad Video Editor	Yes	Noise removal, equalizer, audio effects.	Yes	Moving text, transitions, filters.	5	Windows
5.	Lightworks	Yes	Detailed audio editing	Yes	No premade effects, but you can add text/color edit.	3	Windows, Mac, Linux
6.	VSDC Video Editor	Yes	Some audio features blocked in free version	Yes	Filters, transitions, text, and more.	1	Windows
7.	Machete Video Editor Lite	Yes	None	No	None	3	Windows
8.	Avidemux	Yes	Some audio features	No	Some picture adjustments	2	Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Ready to upgrade to a simple, powerful, paid software that’s perfect for YouTube? Check out the free trial of Wondershare Filmora . It is an advanced tool that is focused more on newbie editors who are new to the videography world but want to compete with professionals!

1. OpenShot Video Editor – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Easy to use
2. Includes transitions
3. Keyframing
4. Alpha Channel
5. Unlimited video tracks

OpenShot Video Editor Review

OpenShot completely lives up to the claim that it was designed to be ‘easy to use, quick to learn, and surprisingly powerful’.

The first time you use OpenShot there will be helpful tutorial notes to guide you through the program. The interface is intuitive enough that you may not always need them, but having them should erase any confusion.

All of the basic editing features, like cutting clips up, are easy to access in the timeline. You have unlimited tracks, and it’s easy to drag your clips between them. There’s a helpful magnet feature that fits clips together if you slide them together, but which still allows for blank space if you choose to leave it.

Most other functions – setting volume levels, adjusting the speed, adding movement/zoom effect – are accessible simply by right-clicking on your clip in the timeline and choosing what you want from the menu that pops up.

Is OpenShot Video Editor good for YouTube?

OpenShot is a great, free, choice for YouTubers at any editing skill level.

Beyond simply ordering your clips, OpenShot includes text and transition options within the program. You can even animate the text, and access Animated Titles if you use OpenShot in tandem with a free animation program called Blender. Titles and transitions are vital to a lot of popular YouTube styles.

OpenShot does not provide the same level of detail as the runner up, Shotcut, when it comes to color correction or audio editing. However, the features it does have (volume levels, control of saturation) will satisfy most YouTubers.

2. Shotcut – Open Source (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Pros

1. Detailed audio editing
2. Color grading, ability to save presets
3. Fairly intuitive timeline

Shotcut Review

Shotcut delivers a smooth, detailed, editing experience for free. It is not as easy to jump into as some of the other programs on this list, but it still only takes a half-hour or so of playing around to understand it well enough to make a video. There are also tutorials up on Shotcut’s site that can help you.

You can edit using multiple video tracks in Shotcut, making it easy to combine multiple clips, and basic functions like splitting or copying clips are as easy as clicking the right icon on the toolbar.

All of the video and audio effects, including things like chroma key, you might want to apply to your video are found under the Filters menu. It will look empty when you first open it, and you have to click the plus sign to see what your options are. If you want to create a color tint (like what you might think of as an Instagram filter) then you can do that through the Color Grading option. If you want to do something like invert your colors or add an ‘old film’ look, you’ll find that here as well along with all of the audio editing features (balance, bass and treble, and gain to name just a few).

Is Shotcut good for YouTube?

Shotcut is a great choice for YouTubers. It allows you to do some advanced editing, and it’s easy to learn compared to a program targeted at professional editors.

The only complication with Shotcut for entry-level editors who will primarily use the program for YouTube might be that animations – like moving text – are not available through the program (you can add and customize text, but it just sits there). You can get them from elsewhere and use them in the program (Shotcut has an alpha channel), but it’s a bit more involved a process than simply customizing something that’s already provided.

3. Hitfilm Express – Windows, Mac

Pros

1. Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
2. The Most effect customization
3. Helpful User Guide & tutorials

Cons

1. Can be overwhelming
2. Its main strength is FX, but you only get a couple for free. Most have to be bought separately.

Hitfilm Express Review

Hitfilm Express is the best free editor if you want to add special effects to your projects. OpenShot’s alpha channel will be enough for most people, but if you think of yourself as an aspiring filmmaker then it’s hard to beat Hitfilm’s range of functions.

This is an editor designed for people who want to make movies, and it’s a lot more intuitive than most professional-grade software. Film-quality FX (lasers, explosions, etc.) are available through Hitfilm Express for a reasonable price ($10-$50, depending on what you want), and even without paying extra for the packs, there’s a lot you can do to give your video a ‘film look’ using compositing layers and the multitude of customizable effects provided through the program.

Another highlight of Hitfilm Express is the extensive selection of tutorials and helpful information they have available both through YouTube videos and their User Guide. You will need those because this program can be overwhelming. It has so many functions and areas you can customize that it is easy to get lost.

That said, basic editing in Hitfilm Express is not difficult to jump into. It’s only when you start getting fancy that things get dicey.

Is Hitfilm Express good for YouTube?

Yes. It will not be the best option for everyone, but it’s not a bad option for anyone either.

If what you want to make is a vlog where you have a series of clips, and intro, and maybe a couple of title effects, then Hitfilm express might be overkill. You don’t want to have to master compositing just to add some text.

If what you want to make is a vlog that’s interrupted by an alien invasion and turns into an action sequence with lasers and falling debris, it’d be hard to do better than Hitfilm Express.

4. VideoPad Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Easy to jump into
2. Moving text
3. Huge audio waveforms
4. Audio and visual effects
5. Lossless exports

Cons

1. No longer updated

VideoPad Video Editor Review

VideoPad Video Editor is an extremely easy to use program. It may be the easiest program on this list to jump into, which you could also realistically create your entire video inside (there are easier programs, but you can only do some of your work in them). Part of its simplicity comes from not being as feature-rich as the programs ranking higher than it on this list, however.

You do not get the same range of functions with VideoPad as you do from the top 3 free editors, but it has enough to satisfy people who are just starting out. Creating moving text effects is easy, you have huge audio waves to work with while you’re syncing, and effects like transitions and filters are easy to find.

VideoPad does suffer a bit from being dated. This program is no longer being worked on, and the interface doesn’t look particularly modern. This is a bit more than a cosmetic issue because some features, while not difficult to find, are placed a bit oddly compared to other editors.

One slightly annoying feature of VideoPad is that it will prompt you to buy the commercial version sometimes (the free version is only for non-commercial use). There have been reports of exports being blocked in the free version, but I exported several times for the sake of this review and the issue never came up.

Is VideoPad Video Editor good for YouTube?

VideoPad makes a decent YouTube editor. You can jump right in and start making cuts, adding filters, and ordering your clips. If you have the kind of channel where voiceovers are important (like in gaming or makeup), then you’ll be happy with the size of the audio waves you have to work with for syncing.

The thing about VideoPad is that you’re probably going to outgrow it quickly as you become a more capable editor.

5. Lightworks – Windows, Mac, Linux

Pros

1. Detailed color and audio editing
2. Multicam editing

Cons

1. Exports limited to 720p for the free version
2. Difficult to learn compared to other free software

Lightworks Review

On their website, Lightworks claims to have an ‘intuitive interface’ and ‘easy timeline editing’. This is true if you compare it to other professional-level editing suites. Compared to the other programs on this list, Lightworks is complicated.

The first thing I attempt when I review this program is to simply split a clip, and it took me a ridiculous amount of time to figure this feature out in Lightworks (a more advanced editor could have found it faster, but these reviews are meant to help people with less experience). Lightworks does have a whole tutorial series on using the software, so if you are interested in learning to use it there is ample material out there to help you.

Lightworks has a wide range of functions (i.e. detailed audio editing and color correction), and it has been used for big movies like ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’. It is the most professional program on this list, and it’s a great free alternative to something like Adobe Premiere Pro.

Note: there is no time limit on the free version of Lightworks, but it will ask you to renew your free license every 7 days. When it says your license is ‘expired’ it isn’t kicking you off the free version, you just need to renew.

Is Lightworks good for YouTube?

Whether or not Lightworks is right for your YouTube channel depends on your goals as a video editor.

If what you want is to jump in and start making YouTube videos quickly, Lightworks might not be a great choice. It’s not an easy program to just jump into, you’ll have to either take time to learn it or accept that it’ll take some trial and error to get the hang of.

If what you want is to become a professional-level video editor, then Lightworks is a great program to start on (although, Hitfilm Express may still be better). Taking the time to learn it could certainly pay off in the long run.

However, if one of your priorities is for your YouTube channel to come across as professional, then the free version of Lightworks does have some disappointing limitations. You can only export videos in 720p, which is lower quality than viewers on YouTube expect (you probably want at least 1080p). Your output format is limited too. The royalty-free audio and video content Lightworks offers are also not free; you can just buy them through the program.

6. VSDC Video Editor – Windows

Pros

1. Diagrams and charts
2. How To Get Started Guide
3. Lots of features

Cons

1. Very confusing
2. Paid features show up in the free version, but they’re blocked

Review of VSDC Video Editor

There’s a lot to like about VSDC Video Editor, but you have to do a lot of work to uncover any of it. Accessing even the most basic features is confusing.

One of the first things I tried to do as I tested the program was make a jump cut (where you cut out part of a video so the playback ‘jumps over’ the deleted segment) and, while I was able to do it, it was not an intuitive process. There is a multitude of toolbars and icons surrounding your preview window in VSDC, and none of those icons was for making cuts to your clips. To make any cuts you have to find the ‘cutting and splitting’ option under the Editor tab at the top of the page, which will open a second window in which you still cannot make any cuts. Instead what you can do is place markers, and when you click ‘apply changes’ to exit the window cuts will be made where you placed markers. There is nothing in the window to explain what the markers are for.

Other basic functions, like adding text, are just as complicated.

Is VSDC Video Editor good for YouTube?

I would not recommend VSDC for YouTube. It ranks higher than two other items on this list because they are, do to functional limitations, unable to create full YouTube videos without the support of other programs (at least realistically). You certainly could create your full YouTube video in VSDC, but it’d be a headache.

7. Machete Video Editor Lite – Windows

Pros

1. Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
2. Lossless exports

Cons

1. Cannot swap or add audio
2. Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
3. Slightly awkward timeline

Machete Video Editor Lite Review

Machete Lite claims that you’ll be able to edit your videos “within a few minutes after downloading the program, even if you’ve never edited a video before”, and that is true. It might even be better if you haven’t edited a video before because the interface is slightly awkward if you’ve come from a program with a more traditional timeline setup. Machete Lite is easy to use for the most part, but it doesn’t work like most other editors and that can be awkward to navigate around.

Instead of seeing a timeline with all of your individual clips, Machete treats your entire video as one clip. You will only be able to see where you have inserted a separate video clip or cut out a portion of the video by watching the video back or jumping through it (Machete Lite does allow frame-by-frame scrolling). You won’t be able to see this information at a glance, and you won’t be able to adjust the lengths of clips you’ve added separately.

To take out any portion of your overall video you’ll need to find a keyframe at the beginning, set that as the beginning of your selection, then find a key frame at the end and set that as the end of your selection. You will then be able to delete that selection. This will not work if the frames you have set as the beginning and end are not considered keyframes by the program, so it can be difficult to be precise, but since the program allows you to jump through keyframes it’s not difficult to find a point that works.

Is Machete Video Editor Lite good for YouTube?

Machete Lite is not a good choice for YouTubers unless it is used in combination with another program.

It doesn’t work as a YouTube editor because you cannot edit or swap audio, the transition between clips, or create layers of videos and images.

However, the thing Machete Lite is really good at is cutting out clips from longer videos. You can create a selection of a part of your longer clip and then export it (with no quality loss) as its own video file.

This is what the Machete Lite toolbar looks like when you’ve created a selection. Tools like cut and copy which were greyed out before are now available, as is the save icon on the far right. If you click the save icon, you’ll be able to save that selection as its own video.

You can’t create a complete YouTube video in Machete Lite, but you can harvest clips to use in a different program.

8. Avidemux – Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD

Pros

1. Can add subtitle files

Cons

1. Not intuitive
2. Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
3. The website is not informative, no tutorials

Avidemux Review

Avidemux is not an easy program to jump into. I almost wrote that it couldn’t do anything besides make cuts to a clip before I saw a YouTube tutorial about how to find the contrast and brightness tools. If you decide to try it out, remember that you have to choose your output format before Avidemux will let you access tools like Hue/Saturation and Contrast (click Filters under Video Output to find them).

There are no official tutorials for Avidemux you can access from their site, so you’ll have to rely on the forums and tutorials from users if you want to learn it.

You can import multiple clips into Avidemux, but you have to import them in the order you want because you can’t drag them around the timeline after. Everything becomes one big clip.

Is Avidemux good for YouTube?

No. It has more functionality than Machete, which is ranked higher on this list, but the difference is that Machete is excellent at one thing. They both suffer from the same main weakness – you could not complete your full YouTube video either (at least not without a lot of trouble). Machete could still be useful to a YouTuber, though, because it allows for the lossless exporting of segments of clips. You can use it to harvest clips for your larger project in another program.

In theory, you could do some picture editing and snipping in Avidemux and then put your project together/add titles in another program, but your other program can probably do all that just as well if not better. Avidemux isn’t a bad program, but it doesn’t excel at anything. There are a lot of better options which are also free.

What has your experience with free video editors been like?

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

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