Step 1
Assess your editing frequency and time budget
How often do you edit? How much manual time per video is acceptable? This determines whether unlimited free manual software or limited free AI software is the right starting point.
Editly AI
Free Video Editor Software
What is the best free video editor software?
For unlimited professional editing: DaVinci Resolve. For AI-powered editing evaluation: Editly's free tier (3 exports). For cross-platform open-source: Shotcut or Kdenlive. For Windows 11 convenience: Clipchamp. Best depends on your priorities.
Free Video Editor Software: Comprehensive Comparison
Comparing every major free video editor software on the dimensions that matter for ongoing use.
| Decision | Other Apps | Editly |
|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve vs Editly | DaVinci Resolve: unlimited free professional NLE — your time investment is the real cost | Editly: 3 free AI-edited exports — AI does the editorial work, then $28/month |
| AI features | Free NLE software: minimal AI — DaVinci has Speech to Text and some scene detection; others have little AI | Editly: full AI editorial layer — silence removal, captions, segment selection all from a prompt |
| Time per video | Free NLE software: 1-4 hours per video — manual editing always requires manual time | Editly: 15-20 minutes per video — AI makes the decisions |
| Platform and hardware | Free NLE software: local install, hardware-dependent performance (GPU helps significantly) | Editly: browser-based, cloud-processed — no local hardware requirements |
Finding the Right Free Video Editor Software for Your Workflow
Step 2
Try DaVinci Resolve for unlimited free editing
Download and test DaVinci Resolve on your typical footage. Note how long the process takes from import to export.
Step 3
Use Editly's free tier on the same footage
Upload the same footage to Editly. Write a prompt. Note how long the process takes. Compare output quality.
Step 4
Choose based on what you found
If DaVinci's output justifies the time, stick with free. If Editly's AI editing saves enough time, $28/month Pro is the upgrade.
Start Free — 3 AI Exports to Compare Against Free Manual Software
DaVinci Resolve free is waiting. Editly's free tier is waiting. Test both on the same footage and make an informed decision based on your actual results.
- 3 free AI-edited exports — no card, no watermark
- Compare directly against DaVinci Resolve or Shotcut
- Pro $28/month if AI editing saves you meaningful time