While YouTube Studio provides basic editing, some projects need a heavier treatment.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options.
Among all the video editing software, manyfree video editorsperform great as YouTube editors, specifically.
There are options for every platform: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, etc.
There’s a desktop and a web version.
Excels in its free audio collection.
Includes AI characters that speak what you bang out.
Some features work only for a limited time via free Pro credits.
CapCut is from by the same company that owns the wildly popular TikTok app.
It was released in 2020, so it’s much newer than some of these other options.
However, it’sverycapable of making great YouTube videos.
I tested CapCut on Windows.
There’s also a web version and apps for macOS, Android, and iOS.
Big content library of free audios and visuals.
Exports up to 1080p.
Some options you see aren’t free.
Microsoft’s Clipchamp has you covered if you’re only interested in a quick editor for your YouTube video.
It lives entirely online (and is built into Windows 11), so no software download is required.
Plus, it couldn’t be easier to use.
Thisfree video editing websitecan produce HD videos, export toMP4, and accept audio, video, and pictures.
Drag them onto the timeline to arrange the files and clip out what you don’t need.
Because this editor is online, it works with all operating systems.
Quick signup is supported via a Google or Microsoft account.
Lots of customizable options.
Updates often with improvements/features.
Many features must be purchased through add-ons.
HitFilm has lots of features any YouTuber will love.
The free plan supports unlimited HD exports but does have some limitations.
The built-in library is limited to 10 stock music, 25 sound effects, and five templates.
There are also fewer visual effects available compared to the Creator and Pro plans.
This free YouTube editor was designed for Windows 11/10 64-bit and macOS 13/12/11.
The minimum RAM requirement is 8 GB, but they recommend 16 GB.
Filmora: AI-Powered YouTube Editing App
Includes free music and other add-ons.
Forces a watermark at the bottom.
Another free editing app I enjoyed using for YouTube videos is Filmora.
Filmora runs on Android and iOS.
Upload directly to YouTube.
Keep editing while rendering or exporting.
Auto-save and background processing.
Can’t export to UHD 4K.
Lacks collaboration features found in Pro version.
I love that there are video tutorials and an active community forum (LWKS Forum).
I can see this being super helpful for anyone new to using this program.
It’s recommended that you have at least 4 GB of RAM.
