by Do you sometimes browse Youtube and keep on thinking, “Huh, I can make much better content.” Well, maybe you can! So you decide to give it a go. You have a phone to record the actual video, and you have tremendous and hopefully funny scripts ready to be acted out, and then you remember, you need to know about some good Linux video editors!
Video Editing is complex and somewhat fun if I’m honest. Just being able to create whatever you want, that too in motion, is amazing! So how do you get into this new world of video editing? Well, if you’re a Linux user and are confused about which Editor to get, we got your back! Surprisingly, Linux has a very strong and diverse list of Video editing software, and we have our top list for you.
Top 7 Linux Video Editors for Linux
In this article we have From our list of the Best Video Editors for Linux, you can start off with any one of them as they are all-powerful and feature-rich pieces of software.
1. Openshot the Top Linux Video Editor
OpenShot is a multi-track, non-linear video editor with one of the shortest learning curves of any editor you’ll ever use. The user interface is sleek, and it is loaded with impressive and useful features.
With support for an extensive range of video formats, it is very accessible no matter what level of user you might be. Some features include Curve-based keyframe animations, impressive drag/drop integration, and there’s also support for layered tracks. Openshot also has easy transitions for you to use on your clips! That’s not all, you can key videos, use watermarks and make stylish titles too.
OpenShot is a multi-purpose video editor that can handle most of your editing needs. OpenShot may not be the most advanced and powerful Editor in this list, but it really is one of the best Linux video editors when it comes to ease of use. Thus, even the most beginner users can start editing real fast. The one drawback to using animations is that intricate footage takes a long time to render.
Installing OpenShot is straightforward because it is available in the standard repository. To install OpenShot, simply go to your distro’s app store and search for it!
Pros:
- Easy to learn.
- Clean and user-friendly UI
- Support for multiple different formats
Cons:
- Not Professional level and can’t handle a lot of complex edits.
- Some animations can take quite a while to load
- It depends on Blender, and that can really be a hassle. Some animations depend upon Blender so you need to have both updated.
Download Award Winning OpenShot Video Editor
2. Shotcut
Shotcut is similar to OpenShot in terms of functionality. However, Shotcut does have some more features that separate it from the other. Shotcut features 4k videos, ensuring high-quality edits with high resolutions and more advanced features.
Shotcut has several features, including built-in timeline editing, support for multiple resolutions, and framerate clips in a single project. It has a library of insane audio effects and also video filters and effects. They have some transitions that really do go well with any video. The timeline is very modern and simplistic and is easy to work with.
The most significant disadvantage of Shotcut is the steep learning curve. This application is not as straightforward as OpenShot, which might make it sound like it’s not worth it, but the extra time taken to learn can actually produce much better videos. This automatically puts it on one of the best Linux Video Editors list.
Pros:
- 4k support
- The timeline is simple and handy.
- Built-in video and audio effects and filters
Cons:
- It takes longer to learn than other general-purpose video editors
- Still not professional-grade editing.
Download Award Shotcut Video Editor
3. VidCutter
VidCutter shines when it comes to sheer simplicity. This video editor doesn’t really do much when compared to others, all it can do is split and merge videos. But it does that little bit really well. You won’t get any of the other bells and whistles, i.e., no transitions, no effects, and no filters. You won’t have a multi-track timeline either.
VidCutter has a SmartClip function that allows you to quickly pick the area of the footage you wish to edit. VidCutter isn’t ideal if you’re looking for a video editor that can work with several tracks and do sophisticated transitions and animations, but it does do the job when you’re making some simple home movies or just stitching some random video together. This isn’t for the professionals, no, if more for the home editor that needs a simple editor that won’t have them watching 20 videos to learn how to do things.
Although Vidcutter supports the majority of standard file formats, it is limited by framerate so if you record something out of the conventional framerate, you could be out of luck with the import.
Pros:
- Insanely simple and easy to get into.
- It might not have many features, but what it does have, it does it really well.
- It’s very lightweight – So it won’t take much space on your hard drive.
Cons:
- Very limited in scope. As it doesn’t have the bells and whistles.
- Primarily for amateur home video makers and such.
Download Latest VidCutter Video Editor
4. Lightworks
Lightworks is a surprisingly strong free video editing program that comes with a slew of professional-grade features that will make your footage pop. It’s quick and adaptable, and after you’ve gotten used to it’s very interestingly unique workflow, you’ll be out making insane videos in a flash!
Lightworks can assist you with any type of project you have in mind. Lightworks is one of the best-looking Linux video editors too. The timeline is multi-tracked and has insanely powerful features. When you’re finished, Lightworks offers predefined settings that will automatically export your work in the correct format for your preferred video-sharing site.
Lightworks also has quite a lot of video and audio effects. Real-time effects and color correction aid in achieving the ideal appearance. Lightworks is really efficient as it makes rendering and encoding processes run in the background, allowing you to continue working.
Surprisingly, Lightworks was used in many big-time Hollywood movies, from Pulp Fiction to The Wolf of Wall Street. So it definitely deserves its name in our list of the best Linux Video Editors.
Pros:
- Very Flexible and powerful Software.
- Custom effect support with a myriad of different Audio and Video filters.
- Tried and Tested Editor used by Hollywood Production offices
Cons:
- Free Version has some nitpicky bugs
- Very steep learning curve.
Learn more & Download Lightworks Video Editor
5. Blender
We all know Blender. The premiere 3D Modeling software used by the most skillful professionals. But more often than not, we gloss over the fact that Blender has a pretty in-depth Video editor built-in too!
It has your basic run-of-the-mill editing also has support for advanced VFX, sculpting, and even 2D Animation. Blender also has a pretty good Color Grading tool and also supports video masking. The whole editing process is a little different as it focuses on slots. Or as most of us would know, Channels. It has 32 channels that can contain a picture, animation, or many effects.
Something that’s quite unique here is the motion tracking. Blender allows the user to track motion in a video and use effects that accentuate the scene and compliment it.
It is a top-rated 3D Graphics software that performs in the top levels, but its basic video editing features are also spectacular!
Pros:
- Very Powerful Software with support for Animation and advanced level of VFX
- Completely free so you get everything right out of the box.
- Professional Level Editing
Cons:
- Steep Learning curve. Being one of the most difficult to learn on this list, It can take quite a while for someone to learn Blender fully.
- Blender, being Graphics centric, loses a few plus points when it comes to audio.
- Rendering can take hours upon hours.
Learn more about Blender Video Editing
6. Kdenlive
Kdenlive is one of the greatest open-source alternatives to iMovie and was formed from the KDE project. This tool is what you need if you’re moving from macOS. Kdenlive really does give Apple a run for their money!
Kdenlive, like OpenShot, is a multi-track, non-linear video editor that works with a variety of video, audio, and picture formats. Unlike OpenShot, Kdenlive has a configurable layout, allowing you to tailor the procedure to your own needs.
Built-in effects and transitions, audio and video scopes for footage balancing, proxy editing, autosave, and keyframe effects are all supported by Kdenlive. The support is incredible and there is a very wholesome community. This really is one of the best Video Editors for Linux even though it isn’t that powerful.
Pros:
- Easy to Use and beautiful Interface
- Extensive range of supported video files
- Very customizable
Cons:
- No animations included
- Bit slower to process video
- Not Professional Level.
Download Kdenlive Video Deitor
7. DaVinci Resolve – the best Linux Video Editor
Davinci Resolve is one of the most feature-rich and powerful editing software in existence today. It is quite baffling how Black Magic Design, the company that created Davinci Resolve, manages to give this out for free. As it is equal to if not better than most paid Video editing apps! I get better and better with every update, and literally nothing comes close to Davinci Resolve when it comes to Free Video Editing Software.
If you just want to make basic videos or home movies, any of the other options in the list would be a better option for you. But if you want to really learn Video Editing and start creating proper Professional Videos, Davinci Resolve is the way to go. There’s a lot of professionals on record ditching their paid software for Davinci Resolve.
The Interface may seem cluttered, but it actually is one of the most streamlined. Multitrack Timeline along the Bottom, Media Browser in the top left and a preview in the top center. Unlike most other Editing Software, Davinci Resolve is more like a combo. Built into Davinci Resolve is the Award-Winning Fusion: A motion graphics and effects creator that is in itself almost as amazing as standalone software. If you’ve seen The Avengers, and let’s be honest, you probably have, then you’ve already seen Fusion in Action! Davinci Resolve also has Fairlight integrated right into it; an audio editing section that allows you to move seamlessly between editing audio and editing video. With All this being Free, Davinci Resolve is definitely the Best Video Editing Software for Linux
Pros:
- Extremely powerful professional-level Editing.
- Has Fusion and Fairlight Integrated into it, making it all seamless.
- Free with a Premium option which you really don’t need unless you’re working on a Hollywood Blockbuster!
Cons:
- Extremely high learning curve.
Learn more about DaVinchi Resolve
Linux Video Editors are Really Awesome!
Whether you’re planning to learn video editing as an amateur or are just a novice moving to Linux, we hope our list will help you decide between the top Best Video Editing Software options. If you need an editor for the most basic things, go for VidCutter. If you’re looking for a bit more, ShotCut, Openshot and Kdenlive are both very good options. And If you want to go full professional-level editing, Lightworks, Davinci Resolve and Blender is the way to go.
No matter what distro you’re using, you’ll have a blast using any of these Editors. Additionally, as you are reading about video editors, you may definitely be interested in the game engines, here you can know about 9 Best Free Game Engine for Incredible Game Development.
