Online Broadcast Battle: FACEbook Vs. YOUTube & TWITSpaces

Facebook Live Vs YouTube Live Vs Twitter Periscope

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

• It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
• News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

• It offers quite simple operations.
• Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
• YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

• You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

• It offers wide range of settings and functions.
• Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
• Well designed with user friendly interface.
• More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

• Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

• It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
• News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

• It offers quite simple operations.
• Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
• YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

• You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

• It offers wide range of settings and functions.
• Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
• Well designed with user friendly interface.
• More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

• Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

• It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
• News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

• It offers quite simple operations.
• Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
• YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

• You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

• It offers wide range of settings and functions.
• Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
• Well designed with user friendly interface.
• More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

• Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

• It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
• News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

• It offers quite simple operations.
• Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
• YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

• You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

• It offers wide range of settings and functions.
• Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
• Well designed with user friendly interface.
• More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

• Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

The Cutting Edge Without Costs - Navigating Through These 8 Tools

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.

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