What are the top free watermark-free video editing programs? After spending hours producing a video, finding a watermark on it is annoying. However, some creators of video editing software continue to employ this tactic to restrict the use of their products for free. Watermarks are generally OK as long as you are aware that they will remain after you export your project. But such watermarks usually catch you off guard.
We’ve compiled a list of free video editing programs without watermarks for those who have encountered this issue in the past and those who wish to stay clear of it going forward. Each editor on the list has been put through a personal test to ensure that there won’t be any brand imprinting on the exported video.
There are several video editing programs available outside the built-in Windows Movie Maker in Windows 7, the Windows Photos App in Windows 10, and iMovie or QuickTime for basic editing in macOS. These programs don’t leave a watermark on the final product.
1. Lightworks
One of the company’s first tools for video editing is called Lightworks. It has been on the market for more than 25 years and is known as one of the go-to solutions for professional filmmakers. It was utilized in the making of renowned films including Pulp Fiction and The King’s Speech.
For editing and mastering digital media in a variety of formats, including 2K and 4K resolutions and television in PAL, NTSC, and high-definition formats, use Lightworks, a professional non-linear editing system.
Lightworks is praised by professional filmmakers for its keyboard controls and practical cutting tools created especially for working with big volumes of material. However, the suite also offers a wide range of integrated video effects and settings for color correction.
For varying degrees of creator experience, Lightworks offers three different subscription packages. This video editing software’s free version does not contain any watermarks or other substantial toolkit restrictions, but it does restrict you to 720p resolution and only offers two predetermined export options: YouTube and Vimeo. According to the business, the free toolkit has enough features for beginning designers. Choose between Lightworks Create ($9.99 per month) and Lightworks Pro ($23.99 per month) when you’re ready to raise your video editing game.
2. VSDC Free Video Editor
Long ago, the non-linear free video editor from VSDC took the top spot on the list of the greatest free video editors that could be found online. This application is popular with marketing professionals who want to build product demos that will broaden their audience’s knowledge base. It includes a variety of tools for both simple montage methods like color balancing, FX, and blending, as well as more complex ones like editing, adding text, and eliminating the soundtrack.
Numerous editable video and audio effects, transitions, and color filters are available from VSDC. The comprehensive variety of color correction toolsets is one of its most noticeable characteristics, though. For instance, in VSDC, you can use color scopes, channels, and wheels in addition to manually adjusting brightness, contrast, gamma, and other values. The built-in LUT editor also allows for color adjustment, which is the most significant feature. You can not only use pre-made LUTs to apply to your film, but you can also make your own LUTs and save them as templates.
Through VSDC Pro, a paid version, the project is made profitable. The upgrade comes with premium features like masking, motion tracking, and audio waveform, and it costs $19.99 per year. However, the free edition of VSDC will be more than adequate if you don’t need these expert-level tools.
3. DaVinci Resolve
Blackmagic Design created the acclaimed video editor Davinci Resolve. Resolve offers a wide range of video editing features, but what sets it apart from the competition is its toolkit for color grading and color correction. The use of this application as the preferred software for such films as Avatar, La La Land, and Pirates of the Caribbean has earned it widespread renown.
It is renowned for having a broad range of top-notch features that are suitable for colorists, editors, and skilled video producers. The ability to integrate offline and online video editing with color correction, audio re-recording, and visual effects is provided. While working on 1000 separate channels, you can mix, edit, record, sweeten, and master audio signals using the whole 3D audio environment. It features the usage of Blackmagic RAW, a brand-new codec that guarantees great image quality.
Resolve is a rare instance of completely free, feature-unrestricted, and professional video editing software. But keep in mind that this program demands a powerful system to run in addition to the time commitment. You need also to have enough storage, at least 8 GB of system RAM, and at least 4 GB of graphics memory.
4. Kdenvile
Without any watermarks or other costs, Kdenlive is a totally free piece of video editing software. It is a Windows, Mac, and Linux OS-compatible free and open-source video editor. It doesn’t offer as many options or as much control over video effects and color settings as Kapwing or iMovie, but it has more functions overall.
Kdenlive is an incredibly lightweight software. In addition to having modest system requirements, it is also gentle on your computer thanks to the potent proxy technology. In essence, this implies that when you work on your project, the program makes compact copies of your files for quicker rendering. The utility performs all the adjustments and effects to the source files before exporting the movie, giving you a file with the original quality. The editing of 4K and effect-heavy projects is greatly facilitated by proxies.
5. VideoPad
Anyone who wants to make professional-grade videos without spending a dollar should consider using VideoPad, a fantastic free choice for video editing software. A free version of the video editor Videopad for non-commercial use is available for both Windows and Mac OS X users. The program comes with a tonne of utilities, such as video and audio recorders, a tool for capturing screenshots, and a gallery of template designs (more on that in a moment).
The only video and soundtracks that Videopad provides are one each, but you can add more tracks and overlay files using masking, green screen, or picture-in-picture effects. Additionally, there is a vast array of animation and transition effects, such as Ken Burns, Motion Blur, and Zoom. Similar to VSDC, Videopad offers comprehensive control over the effect parameters so you can customize the effect’s appearance to suit your needs.
The set of integrated libraries with sounds and sound effects, frames, and clipart items will be useful to the majority of producers. As a non-commercial user, you can skip the reminder and go straight to the settings when Videopad prompts you to upgrade to the premium edition of their software during the export process. You can download the film to your computer, burn it to a DVD, or upload it straight to YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Flickr. There are no restrictions on the video’s format, length, or resolution.
