"The Cutting Edge Without Costs - Navigating Through These 8 Tools"
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
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
- Easy to use
- Includes transitions
- Keyframing
- Alpha Channel
- 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
- Detailed audio editing
- Color grading, ability to save presets
- 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
- Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
- The Most effect customization
- Helpful User Guide & tutorials
Cons
- Can be overwhelming
- 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
- Easy to jump into
- Moving text
- Huge audio waveforms
- Audio and visual effects
- Lossless exports
Cons
- 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
- Detailed color and audio editing
- Multicam editing
Cons
- Exports limited to 720p for the free version
- 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
- Diagrams and charts
- How To Get Started Guide
- Lots of features
Cons
- Very confusing
- 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
- Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
- Lossless exports
Cons
- Cannot swap or add audio
- Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
- 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
- Can add subtitle files
Cons
- Not intuitive
- Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
- 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
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
- Easy to use
- Includes transitions
- Keyframing
- Alpha Channel
- 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
- Detailed audio editing
- Color grading, ability to save presets
- 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
- Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
- The Most effect customization
- Helpful User Guide & tutorials
Cons
- Can be overwhelming
- 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
- Easy to jump into
- Moving text
- Huge audio waveforms
- Audio and visual effects
- Lossless exports
Cons
- 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
- Detailed color and audio editing
- Multicam editing
Cons
- Exports limited to 720p for the free version
- 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
- Diagrams and charts
- How To Get Started Guide
- Lots of features
Cons
- Very confusing
- 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
- Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
- Lossless exports
Cons
- Cannot swap or add audio
- Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
- 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
- Can add subtitle files
Cons
- Not intuitive
- Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
- 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
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
- Easy to use
- Includes transitions
- Keyframing
- Alpha Channel
- 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
- Detailed audio editing
- Color grading, ability to save presets
- 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
- Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
- The Most effect customization
- Helpful User Guide & tutorials
Cons
- Can be overwhelming
- 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
- Easy to jump into
- Moving text
- Huge audio waveforms
- Audio and visual effects
- Lossless exports
Cons
- 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
- Detailed color and audio editing
- Multicam editing
Cons
- Exports limited to 720p for the free version
- 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
- Diagrams and charts
- How To Get Started Guide
- Lots of features
Cons
- Very confusing
- 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
- Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
- Lossless exports
Cons
- Cannot swap or add audio
- Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
- 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
- Can add subtitle files
Cons
- Not intuitive
- Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
- 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
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
- Easy to use
- Includes transitions
- Keyframing
- Alpha Channel
- 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
- Detailed audio editing
- Color grading, ability to save presets
- 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
- Compositing mode (2D and 3D)
- The Most effect customization
- Helpful User Guide & tutorials
Cons
- Can be overwhelming
- 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
- Easy to jump into
- Moving text
- Huge audio waveforms
- Audio and visual effects
- Lossless exports
Cons
- 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
- Detailed color and audio editing
- Multicam editing
Cons
- Exports limited to 720p for the free version
- 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
- Diagrams and charts
- How To Get Started Guide
- Lots of features
Cons
- Very confusing
- 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
- Great for harvesting clips from longer footage
- Lossless exports
Cons
- Cannot swap or add audio
- Only supports two formats (AVI and WMV)
- 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
- Can add subtitle files
Cons
- Not intuitive
- Doesn’t support MOV or WMV
- 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
From Backyard Blogs to Billion-Sub YouTube Channel
Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora
An easy and powerful YouTube video editor
Numerous video and audio effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
Technological advances are offering numerous platforms opportunities to gain recognition. Both the young and the old throng on the internet for all sorts of information. Be it educational, promotional, research, entertainment, among many others. In fact, the recent hit by the COVID-19 pandemic saw learning institutions find help via internet learning. Therefore, more awareness surrounds the media platform, including websites and streaming services. YouTube is available for both learning and promotional events. The platform is easy to use and widely accessible by millions of viewers and promoters. But there is one driving force for promotors – to hit YouTube 1000 subscribers. Attaining this number comes with endless benefits, as this article explains.
In this article
02 What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
03 How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Why 1000 subscribers?
Subscribers hold a special place for your YouTube channel. They make it grow and spend more time watching than viewers who are not subscribed. You need 1,000 subscribers to monetize your channel. You’ll start earning as a creator and even apply for YouTube’s Partner Program. You can finally make money through ads, channel memberships, and subscriptions.
Here’s the kicker! As the channel owner, you’ll have more connections, and that means many viewers on the line. Of course, those who love what you do will tell their friends, and the channel goes on for more prospective subscribers and viewers. Nonetheless, you’ll get enormous people to engage in a conversation with. The fun will only go on if more viewers are on board. Remember, you want to garner as many peoples’ opinions as possible. So, the best platform for this is your channel. Eventually, you’ll sell your brand and continue to grow in your market niche.
What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
Every creator is relieved when they reach the 1k subscribers’ milestone. Expect lots of goodies in store for you.
1) You become part of the Opal club
It is good to feel honored as part of the Opal Club. This is a club reserved for creators whose channels have hit the 1,000 to 9,999 subscribers’ mark. And from the Opal Club, you get in-depth information on how to grow your community. Interacting with your viewers is a great avenue to escalate your channel.
It is also a quick way to get discovered. The Club will enlighten you on how to use metadata and collaborate to get more views.
2) Easily apply for YouTube Partner Program
1,000 subscribers is a ticket for you to apply for YouTube Partner Program. However, you also need to get at least 4,000 hours of views from your subscribers. But being that you have reached the 1k mark, you can take other steps to gain the 4,000 hours of views. These could be keeping up with publishing your videos, linking your Google AdSense account, and many more.
3) Some congratulation email is good enough
It feels good to get a pat on the back for a job well done! You’ll get a congratulatory email for your efforts. That would be a great motivation for you to even aim higher the mark. Likewise, your ranking will start escalating as compared to a content creator who hasn’t reached the 1,000-subscriber level.
How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Now that you’ve seen what comes with 1K subscribers, our focus is to find ways to get to that number.
1) Consider your audience first, not revenue
Remember, it’s the audience that will help you generate revenue. So, if you are a new creator, think of what you can give to your audience instead of what you are getting. What is of value to your audience is more important as they’ll hang around your channel for passion. You can take advantage and tune your ideas to what most viewers like to get.
2) Put in resources to encourage subscriber sign-ups
Focus on getting traffic to your channel. There are several ways to encourage your viewers to subscribe, such as the use of animations on videos. It will not only attract their attention, but you’ll realize many viewers coming over. Several resources are available over the net. Just find what suits you best, or use several options to see which gig fetches the most clicks.
3) Properly advertise your videos
The best way to get more users to subscribe to your channel is to engage them. Make the videos enticing such that when a user views one video, they end up clicking and viewing the next 5 or 10 of your other videos. Let it be enticing and corresponds to the topic of the moment.
4) Add a good channel description
A viewer should know what your channel is all about just by a glance. And the best part to put emphasis on is the channel description. Let them know what you are offering and how it will be of benefit. More so, make it simple to understand so that they don’t waste time trying to figure out what your channel is about.
5) Focus on YouTube content that works
Put double efforts into the content that works for you. Check out which videos perform better than others and add value to them. Sorting them by “most popular video” will help you organize your lines and perform much better while focusing on valuable stuff.
6) A call to action is good enough
Most creators forget this important part. After an introduction and putting up memorable videos, ensure you remind your viewers to subscribe to your channel. You can add a subscribe button to the end of the screen. It is even better to use graphics and animations to attract them to the action.
7) Use a pinned comment
Most viewers want to get answers to their questions or run to the comment section for more opinions. One tactic to gain more subscribers is to write a comment and pin it to your videos. Your pinned comment will appear at the top of the comment list, whereby everyone who has watched the video can’t miss coming across it. It is good, to be honest, and asking for them to subscribe is the best you can do after an engaging video shot.
8) Add value to other channels
Don’t be selfish and want users to subscribe to your channel for nothing. Try to engage also in other people’s works and efforts. You can watch content that appeals to you and engage the community by creating a conversation. Find out what others like, and you might just attract a new subscriber to your channel so simply.
9) Let your homepage be intuitive
Your homepage should be welcoming to both the tech gurus and beginners. Not all YouTube users have mastered the art of navigation on web pages or clicks. It is a good idea to use a channel trailer and a better description of what your channel does and how to reach important buttons. The homepage should not be crowded. You can use links to reach other pages as well.
10) Be innovative
Your video is your voice. You should create a video that attracts your audience by doing it right. Perhaps you don’t know how to come up with a compelling piece. You can engage the best video creator to walk you through the line.
Bonus Tips: Recommended Video Editor – Filmora
Filmora Video Editor comes enriched with stunning video editing effects to help you create amazing videos. The user interface is intuitive, enabling both professional editors and beginners to navigate swiftly. You can use animated elements, filters, overlays, and other editing features to transform your video into any good piece you want. You can easily facilitate communication with the community via its selection of titles.
The process of creating a compelling video is painless, with only 3 steps process. Easily drag and drop moving graphics to the video interface and make your video well organized.
Key Features of Wondershare Filmora
- Easily remove unwanted background noise
- Use the Picture-in-Picture to layer multiple video clips
- Export your videos at a high resolution of up to 4K
- Use zooming movements to still footage
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
Conclusion
● Getting to YouTube 1000 subscribers needs some tactics. You have the highlight from this article and probably just getting ready to attain your first 1k subscribers. The beauty is that it comes with its benefits. Once you hit the mark, you’ll start to monetize and get other favors that you couldn’t get while you were below the mark. Nonetheless, ensure you focus on important aspects like engaging your viewers via quality videos. Are you still wondering how to attain that? The best video creator – Filmora – just got you covered. It will make it easy for you to compose videos that sell your brands simply and professionally.
Technological advances are offering numerous platforms opportunities to gain recognition. Both the young and the old throng on the internet for all sorts of information. Be it educational, promotional, research, entertainment, among many others. In fact, the recent hit by the COVID-19 pandemic saw learning institutions find help via internet learning. Therefore, more awareness surrounds the media platform, including websites and streaming services. YouTube is available for both learning and promotional events. The platform is easy to use and widely accessible by millions of viewers and promoters. But there is one driving force for promotors – to hit YouTube 1000 subscribers. Attaining this number comes with endless benefits, as this article explains.
In this article
02 What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
03 How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Why 1000 subscribers?
Subscribers hold a special place for your YouTube channel. They make it grow and spend more time watching than viewers who are not subscribed. You need 1,000 subscribers to monetize your channel. You’ll start earning as a creator and even apply for YouTube’s Partner Program. You can finally make money through ads, channel memberships, and subscriptions.
Here’s the kicker! As the channel owner, you’ll have more connections, and that means many viewers on the line. Of course, those who love what you do will tell their friends, and the channel goes on for more prospective subscribers and viewers. Nonetheless, you’ll get enormous people to engage in a conversation with. The fun will only go on if more viewers are on board. Remember, you want to garner as many peoples’ opinions as possible. So, the best platform for this is your channel. Eventually, you’ll sell your brand and continue to grow in your market niche.
What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
Every creator is relieved when they reach the 1k subscribers’ milestone. Expect lots of goodies in store for you.
1) You become part of the Opal club
It is good to feel honored as part of the Opal Club. This is a club reserved for creators whose channels have hit the 1,000 to 9,999 subscribers’ mark. And from the Opal Club, you get in-depth information on how to grow your community. Interacting with your viewers is a great avenue to escalate your channel.
It is also a quick way to get discovered. The Club will enlighten you on how to use metadata and collaborate to get more views.
2) Easily apply for YouTube Partner Program
1,000 subscribers is a ticket for you to apply for YouTube Partner Program. However, you also need to get at least 4,000 hours of views from your subscribers. But being that you have reached the 1k mark, you can take other steps to gain the 4,000 hours of views. These could be keeping up with publishing your videos, linking your Google AdSense account, and many more.
3) Some congratulation email is good enough
It feels good to get a pat on the back for a job well done! You’ll get a congratulatory email for your efforts. That would be a great motivation for you to even aim higher the mark. Likewise, your ranking will start escalating as compared to a content creator who hasn’t reached the 1,000-subscriber level.
How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Now that you’ve seen what comes with 1K subscribers, our focus is to find ways to get to that number.
1) Consider your audience first, not revenue
Remember, it’s the audience that will help you generate revenue. So, if you are a new creator, think of what you can give to your audience instead of what you are getting. What is of value to your audience is more important as they’ll hang around your channel for passion. You can take advantage and tune your ideas to what most viewers like to get.
2) Put in resources to encourage subscriber sign-ups
Focus on getting traffic to your channel. There are several ways to encourage your viewers to subscribe, such as the use of animations on videos. It will not only attract their attention, but you’ll realize many viewers coming over. Several resources are available over the net. Just find what suits you best, or use several options to see which gig fetches the most clicks.
3) Properly advertise your videos
The best way to get more users to subscribe to your channel is to engage them. Make the videos enticing such that when a user views one video, they end up clicking and viewing the next 5 or 10 of your other videos. Let it be enticing and corresponds to the topic of the moment.
4) Add a good channel description
A viewer should know what your channel is all about just by a glance. And the best part to put emphasis on is the channel description. Let them know what you are offering and how it will be of benefit. More so, make it simple to understand so that they don’t waste time trying to figure out what your channel is about.
5) Focus on YouTube content that works
Put double efforts into the content that works for you. Check out which videos perform better than others and add value to them. Sorting them by “most popular video” will help you organize your lines and perform much better while focusing on valuable stuff.
6) A call to action is good enough
Most creators forget this important part. After an introduction and putting up memorable videos, ensure you remind your viewers to subscribe to your channel. You can add a subscribe button to the end of the screen. It is even better to use graphics and animations to attract them to the action.
7) Use a pinned comment
Most viewers want to get answers to their questions or run to the comment section for more opinions. One tactic to gain more subscribers is to write a comment and pin it to your videos. Your pinned comment will appear at the top of the comment list, whereby everyone who has watched the video can’t miss coming across it. It is good, to be honest, and asking for them to subscribe is the best you can do after an engaging video shot.
8) Add value to other channels
Don’t be selfish and want users to subscribe to your channel for nothing. Try to engage also in other people’s works and efforts. You can watch content that appeals to you and engage the community by creating a conversation. Find out what others like, and you might just attract a new subscriber to your channel so simply.
9) Let your homepage be intuitive
Your homepage should be welcoming to both the tech gurus and beginners. Not all YouTube users have mastered the art of navigation on web pages or clicks. It is a good idea to use a channel trailer and a better description of what your channel does and how to reach important buttons. The homepage should not be crowded. You can use links to reach other pages as well.
10) Be innovative
Your video is your voice. You should create a video that attracts your audience by doing it right. Perhaps you don’t know how to come up with a compelling piece. You can engage the best video creator to walk you through the line.
Bonus Tips: Recommended Video Editor – Filmora
Filmora Video Editor comes enriched with stunning video editing effects to help you create amazing videos. The user interface is intuitive, enabling both professional editors and beginners to navigate swiftly. You can use animated elements, filters, overlays, and other editing features to transform your video into any good piece you want. You can easily facilitate communication with the community via its selection of titles.
The process of creating a compelling video is painless, with only 3 steps process. Easily drag and drop moving graphics to the video interface and make your video well organized.
Key Features of Wondershare Filmora
- Easily remove unwanted background noise
- Use the Picture-in-Picture to layer multiple video clips
- Export your videos at a high resolution of up to 4K
- Use zooming movements to still footage
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
Conclusion
● Getting to YouTube 1000 subscribers needs some tactics. You have the highlight from this article and probably just getting ready to attain your first 1k subscribers. The beauty is that it comes with its benefits. Once you hit the mark, you’ll start to monetize and get other favors that you couldn’t get while you were below the mark. Nonetheless, ensure you focus on important aspects like engaging your viewers via quality videos. Are you still wondering how to attain that? The best video creator – Filmora – just got you covered. It will make it easy for you to compose videos that sell your brands simply and professionally.
Technological advances are offering numerous platforms opportunities to gain recognition. Both the young and the old throng on the internet for all sorts of information. Be it educational, promotional, research, entertainment, among many others. In fact, the recent hit by the COVID-19 pandemic saw learning institutions find help via internet learning. Therefore, more awareness surrounds the media platform, including websites and streaming services. YouTube is available for both learning and promotional events. The platform is easy to use and widely accessible by millions of viewers and promoters. But there is one driving force for promotors – to hit YouTube 1000 subscribers. Attaining this number comes with endless benefits, as this article explains.
In this article
02 What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
03 How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Why 1000 subscribers?
Subscribers hold a special place for your YouTube channel. They make it grow and spend more time watching than viewers who are not subscribed. You need 1,000 subscribers to monetize your channel. You’ll start earning as a creator and even apply for YouTube’s Partner Program. You can finally make money through ads, channel memberships, and subscriptions.
Here’s the kicker! As the channel owner, you’ll have more connections, and that means many viewers on the line. Of course, those who love what you do will tell their friends, and the channel goes on for more prospective subscribers and viewers. Nonetheless, you’ll get enormous people to engage in a conversation with. The fun will only go on if more viewers are on board. Remember, you want to garner as many peoples’ opinions as possible. So, the best platform for this is your channel. Eventually, you’ll sell your brand and continue to grow in your market niche.
What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
Every creator is relieved when they reach the 1k subscribers’ milestone. Expect lots of goodies in store for you.
1) You become part of the Opal club
It is good to feel honored as part of the Opal Club. This is a club reserved for creators whose channels have hit the 1,000 to 9,999 subscribers’ mark. And from the Opal Club, you get in-depth information on how to grow your community. Interacting with your viewers is a great avenue to escalate your channel.
It is also a quick way to get discovered. The Club will enlighten you on how to use metadata and collaborate to get more views.
2) Easily apply for YouTube Partner Program
1,000 subscribers is a ticket for you to apply for YouTube Partner Program. However, you also need to get at least 4,000 hours of views from your subscribers. But being that you have reached the 1k mark, you can take other steps to gain the 4,000 hours of views. These could be keeping up with publishing your videos, linking your Google AdSense account, and many more.
3) Some congratulation email is good enough
It feels good to get a pat on the back for a job well done! You’ll get a congratulatory email for your efforts. That would be a great motivation for you to even aim higher the mark. Likewise, your ranking will start escalating as compared to a content creator who hasn’t reached the 1,000-subscriber level.
How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Now that you’ve seen what comes with 1K subscribers, our focus is to find ways to get to that number.
1) Consider your audience first, not revenue
Remember, it’s the audience that will help you generate revenue. So, if you are a new creator, think of what you can give to your audience instead of what you are getting. What is of value to your audience is more important as they’ll hang around your channel for passion. You can take advantage and tune your ideas to what most viewers like to get.
2) Put in resources to encourage subscriber sign-ups
Focus on getting traffic to your channel. There are several ways to encourage your viewers to subscribe, such as the use of animations on videos. It will not only attract their attention, but you’ll realize many viewers coming over. Several resources are available over the net. Just find what suits you best, or use several options to see which gig fetches the most clicks.
3) Properly advertise your videos
The best way to get more users to subscribe to your channel is to engage them. Make the videos enticing such that when a user views one video, they end up clicking and viewing the next 5 or 10 of your other videos. Let it be enticing and corresponds to the topic of the moment.
4) Add a good channel description
A viewer should know what your channel is all about just by a glance. And the best part to put emphasis on is the channel description. Let them know what you are offering and how it will be of benefit. More so, make it simple to understand so that they don’t waste time trying to figure out what your channel is about.
5) Focus on YouTube content that works
Put double efforts into the content that works for you. Check out which videos perform better than others and add value to them. Sorting them by “most popular video” will help you organize your lines and perform much better while focusing on valuable stuff.
6) A call to action is good enough
Most creators forget this important part. After an introduction and putting up memorable videos, ensure you remind your viewers to subscribe to your channel. You can add a subscribe button to the end of the screen. It is even better to use graphics and animations to attract them to the action.
7) Use a pinned comment
Most viewers want to get answers to their questions or run to the comment section for more opinions. One tactic to gain more subscribers is to write a comment and pin it to your videos. Your pinned comment will appear at the top of the comment list, whereby everyone who has watched the video can’t miss coming across it. It is good, to be honest, and asking for them to subscribe is the best you can do after an engaging video shot.
8) Add value to other channels
Don’t be selfish and want users to subscribe to your channel for nothing. Try to engage also in other people’s works and efforts. You can watch content that appeals to you and engage the community by creating a conversation. Find out what others like, and you might just attract a new subscriber to your channel so simply.
9) Let your homepage be intuitive
Your homepage should be welcoming to both the tech gurus and beginners. Not all YouTube users have mastered the art of navigation on web pages or clicks. It is a good idea to use a channel trailer and a better description of what your channel does and how to reach important buttons. The homepage should not be crowded. You can use links to reach other pages as well.
10) Be innovative
Your video is your voice. You should create a video that attracts your audience by doing it right. Perhaps you don’t know how to come up with a compelling piece. You can engage the best video creator to walk you through the line.
Bonus Tips: Recommended Video Editor – Filmora
Filmora Video Editor comes enriched with stunning video editing effects to help you create amazing videos. The user interface is intuitive, enabling both professional editors and beginners to navigate swiftly. You can use animated elements, filters, overlays, and other editing features to transform your video into any good piece you want. You can easily facilitate communication with the community via its selection of titles.
The process of creating a compelling video is painless, with only 3 steps process. Easily drag and drop moving graphics to the video interface and make your video well organized.
Key Features of Wondershare Filmora
- Easily remove unwanted background noise
- Use the Picture-in-Picture to layer multiple video clips
- Export your videos at a high resolution of up to 4K
- Use zooming movements to still footage
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
Conclusion
● Getting to YouTube 1000 subscribers needs some tactics. You have the highlight from this article and probably just getting ready to attain your first 1k subscribers. The beauty is that it comes with its benefits. Once you hit the mark, you’ll start to monetize and get other favors that you couldn’t get while you were below the mark. Nonetheless, ensure you focus on important aspects like engaging your viewers via quality videos. Are you still wondering how to attain that? The best video creator – Filmora – just got you covered. It will make it easy for you to compose videos that sell your brands simply and professionally.
Technological advances are offering numerous platforms opportunities to gain recognition. Both the young and the old throng on the internet for all sorts of information. Be it educational, promotional, research, entertainment, among many others. In fact, the recent hit by the COVID-19 pandemic saw learning institutions find help via internet learning. Therefore, more awareness surrounds the media platform, including websites and streaming services. YouTube is available for both learning and promotional events. The platform is easy to use and widely accessible by millions of viewers and promoters. But there is one driving force for promotors – to hit YouTube 1000 subscribers. Attaining this number comes with endless benefits, as this article explains.
In this article
02 What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
03 How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Why 1000 subscribers?
Subscribers hold a special place for your YouTube channel. They make it grow and spend more time watching than viewers who are not subscribed. You need 1,000 subscribers to monetize your channel. You’ll start earning as a creator and even apply for YouTube’s Partner Program. You can finally make money through ads, channel memberships, and subscriptions.
Here’s the kicker! As the channel owner, you’ll have more connections, and that means many viewers on the line. Of course, those who love what you do will tell their friends, and the channel goes on for more prospective subscribers and viewers. Nonetheless, you’ll get enormous people to engage in a conversation with. The fun will only go on if more viewers are on board. Remember, you want to garner as many peoples’ opinions as possible. So, the best platform for this is your channel. Eventually, you’ll sell your brand and continue to grow in your market niche.
What will you get when you reach your 1000 subscribers’ milestone?
Every creator is relieved when they reach the 1k subscribers’ milestone. Expect lots of goodies in store for you.
1) You become part of the Opal club
It is good to feel honored as part of the Opal Club. This is a club reserved for creators whose channels have hit the 1,000 to 9,999 subscribers’ mark. And from the Opal Club, you get in-depth information on how to grow your community. Interacting with your viewers is a great avenue to escalate your channel.
It is also a quick way to get discovered. The Club will enlighten you on how to use metadata and collaborate to get more views.
2) Easily apply for YouTube Partner Program
1,000 subscribers is a ticket for you to apply for YouTube Partner Program. However, you also need to get at least 4,000 hours of views from your subscribers. But being that you have reached the 1k mark, you can take other steps to gain the 4,000 hours of views. These could be keeping up with publishing your videos, linking your Google AdSense account, and many more.
3) Some congratulation email is good enough
It feels good to get a pat on the back for a job well done! You’ll get a congratulatory email for your efforts. That would be a great motivation for you to even aim higher the mark. Likewise, your ranking will start escalating as compared to a content creator who hasn’t reached the 1,000-subscriber level.
How to get 1000 subscribers for your YouTube channel?
Now that you’ve seen what comes with 1K subscribers, our focus is to find ways to get to that number.
1) Consider your audience first, not revenue
Remember, it’s the audience that will help you generate revenue. So, if you are a new creator, think of what you can give to your audience instead of what you are getting. What is of value to your audience is more important as they’ll hang around your channel for passion. You can take advantage and tune your ideas to what most viewers like to get.
2) Put in resources to encourage subscriber sign-ups
Focus on getting traffic to your channel. There are several ways to encourage your viewers to subscribe, such as the use of animations on videos. It will not only attract their attention, but you’ll realize many viewers coming over. Several resources are available over the net. Just find what suits you best, or use several options to see which gig fetches the most clicks.
3) Properly advertise your videos
The best way to get more users to subscribe to your channel is to engage them. Make the videos enticing such that when a user views one video, they end up clicking and viewing the next 5 or 10 of your other videos. Let it be enticing and corresponds to the topic of the moment.
4) Add a good channel description
A viewer should know what your channel is all about just by a glance. And the best part to put emphasis on is the channel description. Let them know what you are offering and how it will be of benefit. More so, make it simple to understand so that they don’t waste time trying to figure out what your channel is about.
5) Focus on YouTube content that works
Put double efforts into the content that works for you. Check out which videos perform better than others and add value to them. Sorting them by “most popular video” will help you organize your lines and perform much better while focusing on valuable stuff.
6) A call to action is good enough
Most creators forget this important part. After an introduction and putting up memorable videos, ensure you remind your viewers to subscribe to your channel. You can add a subscribe button to the end of the screen. It is even better to use graphics and animations to attract them to the action.
7) Use a pinned comment
Most viewers want to get answers to their questions or run to the comment section for more opinions. One tactic to gain more subscribers is to write a comment and pin it to your videos. Your pinned comment will appear at the top of the comment list, whereby everyone who has watched the video can’t miss coming across it. It is good, to be honest, and asking for them to subscribe is the best you can do after an engaging video shot.
8) Add value to other channels
Don’t be selfish and want users to subscribe to your channel for nothing. Try to engage also in other people’s works and efforts. You can watch content that appeals to you and engage the community by creating a conversation. Find out what others like, and you might just attract a new subscriber to your channel so simply.
9) Let your homepage be intuitive
Your homepage should be welcoming to both the tech gurus and beginners. Not all YouTube users have mastered the art of navigation on web pages or clicks. It is a good idea to use a channel trailer and a better description of what your channel does and how to reach important buttons. The homepage should not be crowded. You can use links to reach other pages as well.
10) Be innovative
Your video is your voice. You should create a video that attracts your audience by doing it right. Perhaps you don’t know how to come up with a compelling piece. You can engage the best video creator to walk you through the line.
Bonus Tips: Recommended Video Editor – Filmora
Filmora Video Editor comes enriched with stunning video editing effects to help you create amazing videos. The user interface is intuitive, enabling both professional editors and beginners to navigate swiftly. You can use animated elements, filters, overlays, and other editing features to transform your video into any good piece you want. You can easily facilitate communication with the community via its selection of titles.
The process of creating a compelling video is painless, with only 3 steps process. Easily drag and drop moving graphics to the video interface and make your video well organized.
Key Features of Wondershare Filmora
- Easily remove unwanted background noise
- Use the Picture-in-Picture to layer multiple video clips
- Export your videos at a high resolution of up to 4K
- Use zooming movements to still footage
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
- Make use of more than 800 stunning effects for advanced creativity
Conclusion
● Getting to YouTube 1000 subscribers needs some tactics. You have the highlight from this article and probably just getting ready to attain your first 1k subscribers. The beauty is that it comes with its benefits. Once you hit the mark, you’ll start to monetize and get other favors that you couldn’t get while you were below the mark. Nonetheless, ensure you focus on important aspects like engaging your viewers via quality videos. Are you still wondering how to attain that? The best video creator – Filmora – just got you covered. It will make it easy for you to compose videos that sell your brands simply and professionally.
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- Title: "The Cutting Edge Without Costs - Navigating Through These 8 Tools"
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-06-10 01:41:27
- Updated at : 2024-06-11 01:41:27
- Link: https://youtube-clips.techidaily.com/the-cutting-edge-without-costs-navigating-through-these-8-tools/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
