"Cutting-Edge Editing Techniques in YouTube Studio' Written by a Content Writer Who Understands the Nuances of Video Editing Within the Context of YouTube Studio, Aiming to Guide Creators Through Its Functionalities and Features. The Title Is Clear, Concise, and Highlights the Goal of Becoming Proficient at Using YouTube Studio for Video Editing Purposes."
The Economics of Earning via YouTube
Video site YouTube, owned by Google, is one of the biggest money makers for the internet giant. YouTube has changed how content creators share their work, becoming a multi-billion dollar business.
So how does YouTube pay you? It’s simple. YouTube pays you when you watch videos, view ads, search, etc. YouTube also pays you when you are a part of a video’s revenue.
In this article, we’re going to walk you through our 4-step process to outline to illustrate exactly how youtube pays you. First, let’s see the minimum eligibility requirements to join Youtube Partner Program.
- Emma Chamberlain - $12 million
- Roman Atwood – $14.5 million
- JJ Olatunji (AKA KSI) – $15 million
- Stevin John (AKA Blippi) – $16 million
- Sean McLoughlin (AKA Jacksepticeye) – $16 million
- David Dobrik – $20 million
- Anastasia Radzinskaya (AKA Like Nastya) – $20 million
- Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal – $20 million
- Lilly Singh – $20 million
- Preston Arsement – $20 million
- James Charles – $22 million
- Evan Fong – $25 million
- Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast) – $25 million
- Daniel Middleton – $35 million
- Mark Fischbach (AKA Markiplier) – $35 million
- Felix Kjellberg (AKA PewDiePie) – $40 million
- Logan Paul – $45 million
- Dude Perfect - $50 million
- Jake Paul – $60 million
- Ryan Kaji – $100 million
Part 1: When does youtube pay you [threshold to meet]
As a YouTuber, do you feel like you’re always struggling to reach some “threshold” where YouTube finally starts rewarding your efforts with some financial reward? You came to the right place; here’s a list of Youtube minimum criteria to reach the threshold.
1. 1K subscribers
The first requirement to monetize your channel is to increase your subscribers to at least 1000.
2. Follow all the YouTube channel monetization policies
These policies are a collection of documents containing all the policies, guidelines, and terms that apply to the YouTube Partner Program and advertising programs.
3. Availability in your region
It would be best if you were in the listed countries where Youtube Partner Program is available.
4. Strike free channel
Remember to avoid any strikes if you are planning to monetize your channel.
5. 4,000 watch hours
To qualify as a creator with a sustainable audience, you’ll need at least 4,000 public watch hours within 12 months in your channel.
6. AdSense account
You’ll need to ensure that you have a Google Adsense account set up and ready to go. Without an Adsense account, the video isn’t eligible to be monetized.
Part 2: How Do You Get Paid on YouTube?
We know that making money from YouTube can be challenging but not impossible. We’ll help you figure out how to get paid. Whether you want to create your videos and monetize them or you want to take advantage of the huge pool of talent. We’ll show you what the impact of the Youtube Partner program is on the revenue of YouTube channel owners:
Video length
One of the most noteworthy characteristics of a YouTube video is its length. A longer video provides a greater amount of information, which means a greater likelihood of the viewer actually watching it to completion.
Ad Quality
The two main qualities that differentiate high-quality YouTube ads are relevance and timeliness. It would be best if you tailored the ad to what’s happening within the video to be relevant. For instance, an ad about a new study may be relevant if the video is about health or science. The ad should also be timely. If you’re looking to get more revenue out of your channel, the quality of your ads should be high.
Number of clicks each ad receives
The number of times your video ad is shown is an important factor in how much it makes. You can increase your ads’ revenue potential by increasing the ad’s number of clicks. Advertisers use this metric to gauge the effectiveness of their campaigns, which is why optimizing the number of clicks your ads get is so important.
Ad Blockers
And there are two problems with ad blocking. The first is that it cuts off revenue. The second problem is that it reduces user engagement. Ad blocking decreases the amount of time that users spend watching videos. Youtube videos that rely on advertising to generate revenue may decrease their income.
Bonus: See how much you can get by YouTube Pay Calculator
Calculating your potential earnings from YouTube is a great way to see if it is worth your time to start a channel and create videos for certain niches. It can also help you set realistic expectations for the average earnings you can expect.
A YouTube pay calculator is a simple way to estimate how much money you can make from your YouTube channel. These calculators will help you better understand how much money your youtube channel is making. Based on your view count, engagement and various other factors, it can help you to calculate your earnings from a YouTube Video or Channel.
Drag the YouTube Video Views Slider right or left based on your daily video views. It’s important to set your Estimated Click-Through Rate based on your channels. All that combined, you can view your monthly estimated earnings potential in seconds.
This tool only requires your channel URL. Copy and paste the URL and click ‘Check.’ You’ll get a short report of your channel that includes your total subscribers, the last 90 days’ progress, and an estimated earning per video.
The Youtube money calculator will show you the exact profit you are earning per day and will let you track your earnings daily, weekly and monthly. You can use the youtube money calculator to see if you should stop or continue your videos. You will also get to know how to improve your income.
How does YouTube send you money? Illustrate the mechanism
To receive money from Youtube, you must have an AdSense account linked with google and your Youtube channel. Let us find out how YouTube sends you money. Follow the steps mentioned below:
- Connect your AdSense account to your Google account and YouTube channel
- Make sure monetization is enabled.
- Check out the different kinds of video and ad formats you can monetize.
The videos and the ads you’ll put on your channel will get you money from Youtube in your AdSense account. When you have earned $10 in ads using your AdSense account linked to your Google account, Google will send you a confirmation email. Once all the verification has been done, Youtube will send you money in your AdSense account.
Part 3: Top YouTube Earners in 2022
When you think about the top YouTube earners, most name recognition is due to big-name influencers like PewDiePie and T-Series. Both these Youtubers, and the rest of the big names like Emma Chamberlain, Ryan Higa, Markiplier, and Hannah Hart, have significantly impacted the world of YouTube by becoming some of the best at what they do.
Now you must be wondering who the richest YouTubers are. We rounded up the top of the richest YouTubers in 2022. Read on to see which YouTube celebrities are worth the most.
20. Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain, a vlogger and a social media personality, has a net worth of $12 million. Her personality has amassed over 11.8 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion views.
19. Roman Atwood
Roman Atwood became famous with prank videos on his YouTube channel back in 2009. He started another channel, “RomanAtwoodVlogs”, which now has over 15.5 million subscribers and 5.5 billion views. Total of all his endeavors is a staggering net worth of $14.5 million.
18. JJ Olatunji (AKA KSI)
KSI is number 18 on our list, with a net worth of $15 million. In 2009, he created a new channel under the name moniker KSI. Now his channel has about 23.7 million subscribers and over 5.8 billion views.
17. Stevin John (AKA Blippi)
Blippihis is a fun character for kids who make educational videos for them. His channel is available in several languages and has over 16.4 million subscribers, leaving Stevin with a net worth of $16 million.
16. Sean McLoughlin (AKA Jacksepticeye)
This Irish YouTube personality has a vlogging and video games channel. This year, he has over 28 million subscribers and makes about $300,000 per month, making his net worth around $16 million.
15. David Dobrik
David, a viral social media star, has gathered 18.2 million subscribers and over 8 billion views. His combined followers from different social media platforms are over 45 million. David’s other business endeavors and social media success explain his worth of $20 million.
14. Anastasia Radzinskaya (AKA Like Nastya)
Nastya is an eight-year-old Russian girl who, in just a few years, has become one of the known children’s YouTubers in the world. Nowadays, she has over 110 million subscribers combining her six channels with over 42 billion views. In 2017, she partnered with Yoolato to monetize the content. It was worth it – Radzinskaya is now worth a massive $20 million.
13. Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal
They are Best known as the comedy duo Rhett and Link, one of the best comedy channels on youtube. Their YouTube channel has made them a combined $20 million fortune thanks to the success of their TV show Good Mythical Morning, which currently has around 17.5 million subscribers and over 7.8 billion views.
12. Lilly Singh
Lilly Singh has comedic sketches featuring other YouTubers and celebrities in her YouTube videos. She released his first YouTube video in 2010, and his comedy sketches have attracted more than 14 million subscribers. Her total worth is $20 million.
11. Preston Arsement
Preston Arsement has made it to Forbes magazine as one of the most paid internet entrepreneurs of 2022. His channel PrestonPlayz has attracted 21 million subscribers; now, he has a net worth of $20 million.
10. James Charles
James Charles is a makeup artist who started by making YouTube videos about makeup tutorials and has since made a career. His makeup collection and clothing line business, along with youtube tutorials, made him a fortune of $22 million.
9. Evan Fong
Evan Fong started the channel VanossGaming, which produces gaming videos on YouTube. His channel was launched in 2011 and now has over 25 million subscribers and over 7 billion views. His career as a star in computer animated series and directory in games made him an estimated worth of $25 million.
8. Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast)
Jimmy’s YouTube career started in 2012 at the age of 13. With over 100 million subscribers and more than 22.5 billion views on his multiple channels, this social media king is in a league of his own. MrBeast, who can afford to give away $1 million in a single video, has a net worth of $25 million.
7. Daniel Middleton
Daniel Middleton has made millions from his gaming YouTube channel DanTDM. He’s got 26 million subscribers and 10 billion views. This man also amassed a fortune of more than $35 million and set many world records in the most popular games.
6. Mark Fischbach (AKA Markiplier)
Mark’s channel is one of the top 100 most subscribed Youtube channels. His career as a writer, actor, director and producer made him a fortune of $35 million.
5. Felix Kjellberg (AKA PewDiePie)
Pewdiepie channel is often among the most subscribed channels on YouTube, and today it has around a whopping 111 million subscribers and over 28.2 billion views. Despite some setbacks, he still earned a staggering net worth of $40 million.
4. Logan Paul
Logan is one of the most popular YouTubers of today’s generation. His channel of 23.6 million subscribers, along with successful merchandise and boxing career, make a total worth of $45 million.
3. Dude Perfect
Dude Perfect is an entertainment, sports, and comedy brand that creates high-quality entertainment content that makes a whopping net worth of $50 million. Their channel boasts over 58 million YouTube subscribers.
2. Jake Paul
Logan’s little brother Jake Paul started his content creation career at 16. His Youtube channel got hit early, and now he boasts over 20.4 million subscribers and 8.1 billion views.
1. Ryan Kaji
You don’t normally meet a 10-year-old with a $100 million fortune, but Ryan Kaji is a rare exception. Ryan’s toy reviews have attracted more than two million subscribers and more than 50.7 billion views.
Part 4: Alternative ways to earn more money from YouTube
Some people think they can’t make money from YouTube…but that’s not true. You can make good money from YouTube, even as a newbie. It just takes some persistence and hard work to make that happen. We’ll show you some alternative ways to make more money on YouTube.
Make Good Content Continuously
Making good content that people love to watch repeatedly is a great way to earn more money. The key is improving the content continuously every week, month, or year.
Creating content that is both entertaining and informative helps people to make decisions. An audience can get a lot of information from the video, but if it is not of good quality, it will not have a good impression.
Bonus: Spice up your videos with Wondershare Filmora
A powerful video editing software can help you a lot. With an impactful editor software like Filmora, it allows you to add titles, music, and transition effects to give your video more visual appeal.
The current most popular video editing software application on the market is, hands down, Wondershare Filmora. Editing is incredibly easy with Filmora. Even the most inexperienced user can create a compelling, professional-looking video with Filmora in minutes. With Filmora’s video creation tools, anyone can easily edit, add effects, change text, and even make voiceovers. Filmora’s intuitive interface is a dream for non-experts as well. Some of its unique features include:
Stock Media
A royalty-free stock media, smart templates, and visual effects plug-ins will help you add more variety to your videos.
AI Portrait
Remove backgrounds from photographs with great accuracy, plus includes 80+ artificial intelligence portraits and photo editing stickers.
Green Screen
The green screen doesn’t just change your background but creates special effects, too.
Keyframing
It helps your videos look more energetic with smooth animation.
Color Correction
Add or make your own stunning 3D LUTs with color correction.
Join Affiliate
Affiliate marketing is a relatively easy way to turn YouTube viewers into customers. You can join many successful affiliate programs, but if you’re looking for the most money, go for the ones that offer a recurring commission.
Get Brand sponsorships
If you’re wondering if getting brand sponsorships for Youtube is worth the money, the answer is a resounding yes. Sponsorships on Youtube generate tons of views and even more engagement than ads do.
But brands tend to sponsor only content deemed relevant to the brand. So if you want to be a sponsored content creator, you must get to know your audience first and then build out your social media strategy around the products you sell and the messages you want to communicate.
Hot FAQs on YouTube channel monetization
1. What if I don’t meet the program threshold?
While trying to meet the threshold, focus on making content that will stand out from the competition and build your channel.
2. If I meet the threshold, do I automatically get into the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)?
No, the Youtube team will review every channel that passes the threshold. You cannot apply to join the YPP if your account has any active Community Guidelines strike. Plus, your channel must follow Youtube policies and guidelines.
3. How much money does 1 million views make?
For every one million views a YouTube video gets, a YouTuber can make upwards of $5000, based on Forbes’s estimated pay rate of $5. However, these are estimates, and the amount YouTubers earn from Youtube varies wildly.
Final Words
This article is a pretty good overview of the “how” of YouTube monetization, though we would also add that it can take a while to build up a following on YouTube if you’re starting. You’ll want to ensure that you put enough time and effort into your videos.
Your content must be unique so your viewers will want to stick around and engage with you. And lastly, if you’re looking to monetize your YouTube channel, focus on building your channel and growing your audience.
Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)
Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later
Part 1: When does youtube pay you [threshold to meet]
As a YouTuber, do you feel like you’re always struggling to reach some “threshold” where YouTube finally starts rewarding your efforts with some financial reward? You came to the right place; here’s a list of Youtube minimum criteria to reach the threshold.
1. 1K subscribers
The first requirement to monetize your channel is to increase your subscribers to at least 1000.
2. Follow all the YouTube channel monetization policies
These policies are a collection of documents containing all the policies, guidelines, and terms that apply to the YouTube Partner Program and advertising programs.
3. Availability in your region
It would be best if you were in the listed countries where Youtube Partner Program is available.
4. Strike free channel
Remember to avoid any strikes if you are planning to monetize your channel.
5. 4,000 watch hours
To qualify as a creator with a sustainable audience, you’ll need at least 4,000 public watch hours within 12 months in your channel.
6. AdSense account
You’ll need to ensure that you have a Google Adsense account set up and ready to go. Without an Adsense account, the video isn’t eligible to be monetized.
Part 2: How Do You Get Paid on YouTube?
We know that making money from YouTube can be challenging but not impossible. We’ll help you figure out how to get paid. Whether you want to create your videos and monetize them or you want to take advantage of the huge pool of talent. We’ll show you what the impact of the Youtube Partner program is on the revenue of YouTube channel owners:
Video length
One of the most noteworthy characteristics of a YouTube video is its length. A longer video provides a greater amount of information, which means a greater likelihood of the viewer actually watching it to completion.
Ad Quality
The two main qualities that differentiate high-quality YouTube ads are relevance and timeliness. It would be best if you tailored the ad to what’s happening within the video to be relevant. For instance, an ad about a new study may be relevant if the video is about health or science. The ad should also be timely. If you’re looking to get more revenue out of your channel, the quality of your ads should be high.
Number of clicks each ad receives
The number of times your video ad is shown is an important factor in how much it makes. You can increase your ads’ revenue potential by increasing the ad’s number of clicks. Advertisers use this metric to gauge the effectiveness of their campaigns, which is why optimizing the number of clicks your ads get is so important.
Ad Blockers
And there are two problems with ad blocking. The first is that it cuts off revenue. The second problem is that it reduces user engagement. Ad blocking decreases the amount of time that users spend watching videos. Youtube videos that rely on advertising to generate revenue may decrease their income.
Bonus: See how much you can get by YouTube Pay Calculator
Calculating your potential earnings from YouTube is a great way to see if it is worth your time to start a channel and create videos for certain niches. It can also help you set realistic expectations for the average earnings you can expect.
A YouTube pay calculator is a simple way to estimate how much money you can make from your YouTube channel. These calculators will help you better understand how much money your youtube channel is making. Based on your view count, engagement and various other factors, it can help you to calculate your earnings from a YouTube Video or Channel.
Drag the YouTube Video Views Slider right or left based on your daily video views. It’s important to set your Estimated Click-Through Rate based on your channels. All that combined, you can view your monthly estimated earnings potential in seconds.
This tool only requires your channel URL. Copy and paste the URL and click ‘Check.’ You’ll get a short report of your channel that includes your total subscribers, the last 90 days’ progress, and an estimated earning per video.
The Youtube money calculator will show you the exact profit you are earning per day and will let you track your earnings daily, weekly and monthly. You can use the youtube money calculator to see if you should stop or continue your videos. You will also get to know how to improve your income.
How does YouTube send you money? Illustrate the mechanism
To receive money from Youtube, you must have an AdSense account linked with google and your Youtube channel. Let us find out how YouTube sends you money. Follow the steps mentioned below:
- Connect your AdSense account to your Google account and YouTube channel
- Make sure monetization is enabled.
- Check out the different kinds of video and ad formats you can monetize.
The videos and the ads you’ll put on your channel will get you money from Youtube in your AdSense account. When you have earned $10 in ads using your AdSense account linked to your Google account, Google will send you a confirmation email. Once all the verification has been done, Youtube will send you money in your AdSense account.
Part 3: Top YouTube Earners in 2022
When you think about the top YouTube earners, most name recognition is due to big-name influencers like PewDiePie and T-Series. Both these Youtubers, and the rest of the big names like Emma Chamberlain, Ryan Higa, Markiplier, and Hannah Hart, have significantly impacted the world of YouTube by becoming some of the best at what they do.
Now you must be wondering who the richest YouTubers are. We rounded up the top of the richest YouTubers in 2022. Read on to see which YouTube celebrities are worth the most.
20. Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain, a vlogger and a social media personality, has a net worth of $12 million. Her personality has amassed over 11.8 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion views.
19. Roman Atwood
Roman Atwood became famous with prank videos on his YouTube channel back in 2009. He started another channel, “RomanAtwoodVlogs”, which now has over 15.5 million subscribers and 5.5 billion views. Total of all his endeavors is a staggering net worth of $14.5 million.
18. JJ Olatunji (AKA KSI)
KSI is number 18 on our list, with a net worth of $15 million. In 2009, he created a new channel under the name moniker KSI. Now his channel has about 23.7 million subscribers and over 5.8 billion views.
17. Stevin John (AKA Blippi)
Blippihis is a fun character for kids who make educational videos for them. His channel is available in several languages and has over 16.4 million subscribers, leaving Stevin with a net worth of $16 million.
16. Sean McLoughlin (AKA Jacksepticeye)
This Irish YouTube personality has a vlogging and video games channel. This year, he has over 28 million subscribers and makes about $300,000 per month, making his net worth around $16 million.
15. David Dobrik
David, a viral social media star, has gathered 18.2 million subscribers and over 8 billion views. His combined followers from different social media platforms are over 45 million. David’s other business endeavors and social media success explain his worth of $20 million.
14. Anastasia Radzinskaya (AKA Like Nastya)
Nastya is an eight-year-old Russian girl who, in just a few years, has become one of the known children’s YouTubers in the world. Nowadays, she has over 110 million subscribers combining her six channels with over 42 billion views. In 2017, she partnered with Yoolato to monetize the content. It was worth it – Radzinskaya is now worth a massive $20 million.
13. Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal
They are Best known as the comedy duo Rhett and Link, one of the best comedy channels on youtube. Their YouTube channel has made them a combined $20 million fortune thanks to the success of their TV show Good Mythical Morning, which currently has around 17.5 million subscribers and over 7.8 billion views.
12. Lilly Singh
Lilly Singh has comedic sketches featuring other YouTubers and celebrities in her YouTube videos. She released his first YouTube video in 2010, and his comedy sketches have attracted more than 14 million subscribers. Her total worth is $20 million.
11. Preston Arsement
Preston Arsement has made it to Forbes magazine as one of the most paid internet entrepreneurs of 2022. His channel PrestonPlayz has attracted 21 million subscribers; now, he has a net worth of $20 million.
10. James Charles
James Charles is a makeup artist who started by making YouTube videos about makeup tutorials and has since made a career. His makeup collection and clothing line business, along with youtube tutorials, made him a fortune of $22 million.
9. Evan Fong
Evan Fong started the channel VanossGaming, which produces gaming videos on YouTube. His channel was launched in 2011 and now has over 25 million subscribers and over 7 billion views. His career as a star in computer animated series and directory in games made him an estimated worth of $25 million.
8. Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast)
Jimmy’s YouTube career started in 2012 at the age of 13. With over 100 million subscribers and more than 22.5 billion views on his multiple channels, this social media king is in a league of his own. MrBeast, who can afford to give away $1 million in a single video, has a net worth of $25 million.
7. Daniel Middleton
Daniel Middleton has made millions from his gaming YouTube channel DanTDM. He’s got 26 million subscribers and 10 billion views. This man also amassed a fortune of more than $35 million and set many world records in the most popular games.
6. Mark Fischbach (AKA Markiplier)
Mark’s channel is one of the top 100 most subscribed Youtube channels. His career as a writer, actor, director and producer made him a fortune of $35 million.
5. Felix Kjellberg (AKA PewDiePie)
Pewdiepie channel is often among the most subscribed channels on YouTube, and today it has around a whopping 111 million subscribers and over 28.2 billion views. Despite some setbacks, he still earned a staggering net worth of $40 million.
4. Logan Paul
Logan is one of the most popular YouTubers of today’s generation. His channel of 23.6 million subscribers, along with successful merchandise and boxing career, make a total worth of $45 million.
3. Dude Perfect
Dude Perfect is an entertainment, sports, and comedy brand that creates high-quality entertainment content that makes a whopping net worth of $50 million. Their channel boasts over 58 million YouTube subscribers.
2. Jake Paul
Logan’s little brother Jake Paul started his content creation career at 16. His Youtube channel got hit early, and now he boasts over 20.4 million subscribers and 8.1 billion views.
1. Ryan Kaji
You don’t normally meet a 10-year-old with a $100 million fortune, but Ryan Kaji is a rare exception. Ryan’s toy reviews have attracted more than two million subscribers and more than 50.7 billion views.
Part 4: Alternative ways to earn more money from YouTube
Some people think they can’t make money from YouTube…but that’s not true. You can make good money from YouTube, even as a newbie. It just takes some persistence and hard work to make that happen. We’ll show you some alternative ways to make more money on YouTube.
Make Good Content Continuously
Making good content that people love to watch repeatedly is a great way to earn more money. The key is improving the content continuously every week, month, or year.
Creating content that is both entertaining and informative helps people to make decisions. An audience can get a lot of information from the video, but if it is not of good quality, it will not have a good impression.
Bonus: Spice up your videos with Wondershare Filmora
A powerful video editing software can help you a lot. With an impactful editor software like Filmora, it allows you to add titles, music, and transition effects to give your video more visual appeal.
The current most popular video editing software application on the market is, hands down, Wondershare Filmora. Editing is incredibly easy with Filmora. Even the most inexperienced user can create a compelling, professional-looking video with Filmora in minutes. With Filmora’s video creation tools, anyone can easily edit, add effects, change text, and even make voiceovers. Filmora’s intuitive interface is a dream for non-experts as well. Some of its unique features include:
Stock Media
A royalty-free stock media, smart templates, and visual effects plug-ins will help you add more variety to your videos.
AI Portrait
Remove backgrounds from photographs with great accuracy, plus includes 80+ artificial intelligence portraits and photo editing stickers.
Green Screen
The green screen doesn’t just change your background but creates special effects, too.
Keyframing
It helps your videos look more energetic with smooth animation.
Color Correction
Add or make your own stunning 3D LUTs with color correction.
Join Affiliate
Affiliate marketing is a relatively easy way to turn YouTube viewers into customers. You can join many successful affiliate programs, but if you’re looking for the most money, go for the ones that offer a recurring commission.
Get Brand sponsorships
If you’re wondering if getting brand sponsorships for Youtube is worth the money, the answer is a resounding yes. Sponsorships on Youtube generate tons of views and even more engagement than ads do.
But brands tend to sponsor only content deemed relevant to the brand. So if you want to be a sponsored content creator, you must get to know your audience first and then build out your social media strategy around the products you sell and the messages you want to communicate.
Hot FAQs on YouTube channel monetization
1. What if I don’t meet the program threshold?
While trying to meet the threshold, focus on making content that will stand out from the competition and build your channel.
2. If I meet the threshold, do I automatically get into the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)?
No, the Youtube team will review every channel that passes the threshold. You cannot apply to join the YPP if your account has any active Community Guidelines strike. Plus, your channel must follow Youtube policies and guidelines.
3. How much money does 1 million views make?
For every one million views a YouTube video gets, a YouTuber can make upwards of $5000, based on Forbes’s estimated pay rate of $5. However, these are estimates, and the amount YouTubers earn from Youtube varies wildly.
Final Words
This article is a pretty good overview of the “how” of YouTube monetization, though we would also add that it can take a while to build up a following on YouTube if you’re starting. You’ll want to ensure that you put enough time and effort into your videos.
Your content must be unique so your viewers will want to stick around and engage with you. And lastly, if you’re looking to monetize your YouTube channel, focus on building your channel and growing your audience.
Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)
Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later
Free Video Wizardry: Top 8 Editing Programs for YouTube Enthusiasts
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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- Title: "Cutting-Edge Editing Techniques in YouTube Studio' Written by a Content Writer Who Understands the Nuances of Video Editing Within the Context of YouTube Studio, Aiming to Guide Creators Through Its Functionalities and Features. The Title Is Clear, Concise, and Highlights the Goal of Becoming Proficient at Using YouTube Studio for Video Editing Purposes."
- Author: Kevin
- Created at : 2024-06-26 14:16:53
- Updated at : 2024-06-27 14:16:53
- Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/cutting-edge-editing-techniques-in-youtube-studio-written-by-a-content-writer-who-understands-the-nuances-of-video-editing-within-the-context-of-youtube-stu/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
