Best Free Video Editing Software for Mac 2025

Why I picked it: It’s Apple’s own native video editor for Mac, perfectly tuned for macOS performance and slick as a highlight reel after a home run.

iMovie isn’t just a free video editor for Mac. It’s a polished, well-rounded Mac video editor that delivers what you just need: crisp transitions, cinematic templates, and a drag-and-drop workflow. You can piece together 4K clips, tweak color balance, or sync sound with laser precision. The program’s timeline feels tight and clean – pure Apple DNA. Editing video on Mac with iMovie feels like running a quick play: fast, precise, and visually rewarding.

I ran it on a MacBook Pro M2, cutting a short promo with layered tracks and custom LUTs. The render speed was smooth, but the export compression still leaves some artifacts in heavy motion scenes. For a free film editing software for a Mac, it’s powerful, but not flexible enough when you need deep grading or multi-track audio tweaks. I had fun trimming sports footage, though, and the precision cuts feel reliable. It’s the kind of app that works best when you keep things simple, short, and cinematic.

Why I picked it: It’s the kind of video editor Mac users dream about: sharp, packed with pro-level tools, and quick enough to keep up with a creative rush.

Movavi Video Editor is a full-fledged free video editing software for a Mac that doesn’t play around. The drag-and-drop interface hides serious muscle underneath: AI background removal, motion tracking, keyframe animation, and lightning-fast rendering.

You can slice clips, color grade, and sync soundtracks like a studio cutter, all while the app feels feather-light on macOS. The latest update (which happened just in October 2025) brought many nifty revamps. It now adds 30+ fresh subtitle styles, instant English translation of auto-subtitles, 40+ adjustable effects (like dust, light leaks, VHS), ultra-fast playback up to 100× speed, silence removal automation, and the ability to export SRT subtitle files.

In my experience, I ran this free film editing software for Mac on my Pro M2, editing a mini-doc with layered B-roll and multiple audio channels. The workflow felt tight! No lag, no drama. Exporting in 4K was smooth, and transitions hit the timeline like clockwork. I loved the precision of trimming and how AI stabilization cleaned up handheld shots from my phone. For anyone editing video Mac-side, this app gets the job done with flair and focus.

Why I picked it: It’s not every day you come across an Emmy-winning free video editor for Mac that’s been used in blockbusters like Pulp Fiction and The Wolf of Wall Street. Lightworks has a pedigree. And a robust free plan.

Lightworks isn't just another Mac video editor. It's a legend. An Emmy award-winning workhorse that's been instrumental in cutting classic flicks like Pulp Fiction and The Wolf of Wall Street. This isn't some fly-by-night app. Lightworks boasts an industry-standard interface, making the transition from other pro suites feel remarkably familiar.

It’s got a robust, easy-to-use timeline that lets you manipulate multiple video and audio tracks with precision. Furthermore, it truly leverages your hardware, supporting GPU rendering to import, render, and export projects in the background while you keep working – a massive win for efficiency.

For those looking to push boundaries, its open architecture means you can bolt on powerful add-on plugins like Boris FX for enhanced special effects, pushing your creative vision further.

Diving into Lightworks, you immediately feel the professional pedigree. I've spent hours wrangling complex timelines in this free video editing software for Mac, layering clips and audio tracks with a fluidity that belies its free status. Yes, the learning curve is steeper than some other options. But the vast library of tutorial videos and the sheer depth of control it offers are game-changers once you get the hang of it.

Running it on my MacBook, the performance, especially with those GPU-accelerated background processes, genuinely impressed me. It keeps things humming along even on demanding projects and a user doesn’t need to be worried about bugs which are being constantly fixed thanks to regular updates. While the free version’s 1080p web-friendly output may be a constraint for some, it still delivers incredibly sharp results. Packed with pro tools, it’s built for Mac users who want serious editing chops without paying a fortune.

Why I picked it: Top-tier Hollywood magic in a download. Everything from color grading to AI-powered edits, all wrapped in a single award-winning app that doesn’t hold back on features.

DaVinci Resolve is an Emmy award-winning free video editor for Mac that handles everything from 8K editing to Hollywood-grade effects without restrictions. The 2025 DaVinci Resolve 20.1 update added support for immersive video workflows on macOS, enabling timeline preview in Apple Vision Pro, spatial audio monitoring, immersive RAW editing, and stereoscopic 3D viewing. You can cut, trim, color grade, and layer audio all on Mac OS with no slowdown.

In my hands, running this video editor Mac-side on a MacBook Pro was wild. AI tools saved hours, especially AI Detect Music Beats and AI Audio Assistant, which matched dialogue and beats perfectly. Editing video Mac-style felt seamless, even with multiple tracks and 8K clips. The interface is dense, but once you get the hang of it, trimming, transitions, and effects drop like magic. For anyone serious about free video editing software for Mac, this solution is a beast.

Why I picked it: I was drawn to OpenShot for its open-source roots and sheer accessibility; free, powerful, and packed with features that let you go wild without spending a dime.

OpenShot is a free video editor for Mac that delivers a surprisingly deep feature set for zero cost. You can trim and slice clips with precision, animate elements using keyframes, and stack unlimited layers for video, audio, or graphics. The app also offers 3D animations, slow-motion effects, and a clean title editor. The latest version 3.3 introduced ripple editing and zoom enhancements. That can seriously boost workflow efficiency! It’s cross-platform, works on Mac OS, Windows, and Linux. It also supports over 70 languages. For anyone wanting free film editing software for a Mac that doesn’t skimp on creativity, OpenShot does deliver.

Jumping in myself, I dragged multiple video and audio files onto the timeline and got straight to editing. Rendering simple cuts and transitions was snappy, though complex animations could lag a bit. I loved experimenting with the 3D title effects and slow-motion tricks on my MacBook. Editing video Mac-style felt surprisingly smooth. Even though it’s not Hollywood-level like DaVinci Resolve, it handles casual to semi-pro projects effortlessly. Exporting for the web was fun, and the interface stayed pretty responsive.

Why I picked it: It’s a versatile utility for creators. Artlist packs premium stock music, AI-powered tools, and pro-grade video assets under one roof. Fast, reliable, and constantly evolving.

Artlist is a one-stop creative hub for filmmakers, YouTubers, and brands. It combines AI video and image generators, professional voiceovers, and a massive library of royalty-free music, SFX, and footage. Trusted by over 30 million creators worldwide.

Artlist keeps pushing boundaries with fresh drops like AI voice cloning, Seedream 4.0, and Seedance 1.0 for generating visuals straight from text. Its library now includes cinematic footage, sound FX, LUTs, and templates, all royalty-free and ready for editing video Mac workflows. The platform syncs perfectly across macOS and desktop setups, turning any project into broadcast-ready material in minutes.

I’ve used Artlist while cutting clips in a free video editor for Mac, and it felt seamless: drag a beat, match a clip, and export. The AI tools shaved hours off my workflow, especially for YouTube shorts and brand promos. On my MacBook Pro, downloads were instant, and the sound library felt limitless.

I personally give this app five stars, but I was really surprised that its reputation on the web is slightly tarnished. Namely, users complain about hidden fees with "unlimited" plans, subscription auto-renewals they didn’t notice, and copyright claim issues even when licensed content was used.

Why I picked it: Filmora has that slick, pro-level vibe without the headache. It hits a sweet spot for creators who want serious tools packed into a clean setup.

Wondershare is a creative software suite offering tools for video editing, AI-driven media generation, conversions, and more. It’s designed to fuel projects across various platforms.

It calls itself “Creativity, Productivity, Utility” and supports products like Filmora, UniConverter, and Media.io under one umbrella.

The software has recently rolled out its latest version with smarter text-to-video tools, AI thumbnail generator, motion tracking upgrades, and a real-time voice changer. It’s all about trimming downtime and keeping the cut sharp. The app now syncs perfectly across devices on macOS and Windows, so editing video Mac feels fast and grounded. It’s a real deal for creators who want a free video editor for Mac that behaves like premium software.

Running Filmora on my MacBook felt smooth from start to finish. It handles 4K footage like it’s nothing. I tossed in multiple tracks, layered color grades, ran transitions – no lag, no drama. The timeline feels tight, the shortcuts respond instantly. This Mac video editor keeps your edits snappy, which matters when you’ve got clients waiting on delivery. Still, I kept wishing for more color grading depth.

Why I picked it: For the fearless creators who dive into nodes, layers, and curves without blinking. Blender isn’t just a 3D juggernaut. It doubles as a serious video editor Mac users can bank on when vision meets ambition.

Blender is the ultimate free and open-source 3D creation workshop. It's an all-in-one suite that handles the entire 3D pipeline: modeling, sculpting, animation, professional rendering, visual effects, and even video editing. Dreaming of bringing complex 3D ideas to life? Be you an artist or a small studio, Blender can give you all the tools you need. It works on any computer. And it won't cost you a single cent.

Blender 4.5 LTS has just dropped. What does it bring? Well, really many things. Long-term stability until July 2027, alongside some significant upgrades for 3D artists and video editors. Major revamps also include full Vulkan backend support for boosted performance and stability, enhanced Geometry Nodes for even more complex procedural modeling, and smoother Grease Pencil tools for 2D animation.

The developers note that this is the final release for Intel Macs and begin deprecating Collada support. Nevertheless, 4.5 LTS still proves that Blender is a capable, future-ready platform for advanced creative work.

I ran Blender on my MacBook with multiple 4K clips, layered animations, and synced audio. It handled everything without breaking a sweat. Camera tracking and motion effects worked smoothly, and while it’s not a drag-and-drop playground, getting in sync with its workflow is oddly satisfying. Export times were reasonable, and the output? Broadcast-ready quality.

Why I picked it: I gravitated toward Kdenlive for its sheer versatility across platforms. It’s not just a Linux relic. It’s a Mac video editor that punches above its weight. Perfect for those who like tinkering with multiple tracks, effects, and layouts without paying a dime.

Surprise! Kdenlive is a Linux staple. But it is also a strong cross-platform video editor for Mac users, just ideal if you edit across multiple operating systems. The software is built on nearly two decades of open-source evolution. It handles all major audio and video formats, supports multi-track editing, and lets you lock, hide, or adjust clips on the fly.

The most recent 25.08.1 release polished UI quirks, fixed crashes, and improved workflow stability, especially on macOS. Now, timeline adjustments and clip rendering are made smoother than ever. You can add 2D titles, gradients, and filters, though the effects library is lighter than pro-tier editors. For anyone who wants a free film editing software for a Mac that doesn’t skimp on core functionality, Kdenlive holds its own.

In my hands-on run on a MacBook, Kdenlive handled layered footage and multi-audio tracks with surprising fluidity. I tested sequence creation, played with clip transformations, and the app stayed stable even with longer projects. Rendering times were fair, and tweaking the interface to suit my workflow made editing video Mac sessions more efficient. Not flashy, but effective, and the free video editor for Mac tag is fully earned.

Why I picked it: I went for CapCut because it’s a playground for creators who love AI tools and fast workflows. It’s flashy, it’s powerful, and it doesn’t make you jump through hoops to get something done on your Mac.

CapCut downloads as a full-featured free video editor for Mac that packs AI-powered tools for video, image, and audio editing. You get background removal, audio tuning, speed adjustments, and a ton of effects, all in one place. The solution also contains nifty AI templates for shorts and social media content. It’s multi-platform, so your Mac work can sync seamlessly with iOS or Windows setups.

When I ran it on my MacBook, I cranked out a 4-minute montage with layered audio, dynamic transitions, and some AI-generated subtitles in under an hour. The drag-and-drop workflow felt natural, and exporting in 1080p was smooth. The CapCut editing video Mac experience made fast turnaround projects actually fun, not a grind.