Best Free Video Editing Software for Mac

DaVinci Resolve is the most capable free video editor for Mac, with editing, color, effects and audio in one app. Clipchamp and OpenShot are the free picks that state no watermark. This site makes ClipsPal, a paid one-time editor covered after the list, not counted as free.

Free video editors for Mac compared

Editor	Best for	Price	Free version
DaVinci Resolve	Full editing, color and audio in one app	Free; Studio $236	Free download for Mac, Windows and Linux
iMovie	Simple edits on a Mac	See pricing	Apple's editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Clipchamp	No-watermark exports with no install	Free; premium with Microsoft 365	Watermark-free exports up to 1080p, personal Microsoft account
CapCut	Quick social edits from templates	Free plan; paid Pro and Ultra plans	Free templates and basic editing tools
Shotcut	A free open-source timeline editor	Free	Open source for Windows, Mac and Linux
OpenShot	Beginners who want an editor with no limits	Free	No subscriptions, watermarks or project limits
Lightworks	A professional timeline with 1080p export	Free; paid Create and Pro plans	1080p export, effects, color correction, multitrack audio
Kapwing	Quick edits with cloud storage	Free plan; Pro from $16/month	Unlimited exports with a Kapwing watermark, up to 4 minutes, 720p

1. DaVinci Resolve

Best for: full editing, color and audio in one app.

DaVinci Resolve combines editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics and audio post production in one application, and version 21 adds photo editing. The free version downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux. Studio is the paid version at $236. It is a professional suite, so expect more to learn than with iMovie.

2. iMovie

Best for: simple edits on a Mac.

iMovie is Apple's editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad. You add video and sound effects, then share the movie. If a Mac is low on space, the iMovie library can live on an external drive. For what it leaves manual, such as cutting failed takes, see this iMovie alternative for Mac.

3. Clipchamp

Best for: no-watermark exports with no install.

Clipchamp runs online and needs no download, only a personal Microsoft account. The free plan includes AI subtitles, AI voiceovers, silence removal, and a screen, camera and voice recorder. Exports are watermark-free up to 1080p. Exporting in 4K needs a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription.

4. CapCut

Best for: quick social edits from templates.

CapCut works as an online editor and as a desktop download. The free plan gives you free templates to start fast and basic editing tools. Pro and Ultra are paid plans that add premium templates and AI features.

5. Shotcut

Best for: a free open-source timeline editor.

Shotcut handles hundreds of audio and video formats through FFmpeg with no import step, so you can mix formats and frame rates in one project. It supports resolutions up to 4K, captures screen, webcam and audio, and lets you dock and undock panels to suit your layout.

6. OpenShot

Best for: beginners who want a free editor with no limits.

OpenShot is free and open source, with no subscriptions, watermarks or project limits. You get unlimited tracks, keyframe animation, color grading, effects such as chroma key and blur, and video masks. The timeline snaps clips and shows waveforms.

7. Lightworks

Best for: a professional timeline with a 1080p free export.

Lightworks is free forever, with professional timeline editing, effects and transitions, color correction and grading, multitrack audio editing and YouTube and Vimeo upload. Free exports go up to 1080p. The paid Create plan adds 4K export, and Pro goes up to 8K.

8. Kapwing

Best for: quick edits with cloud storage.

Kapwing's free plan has 5 GB of cloud storage and unlimited exports, but every export carries a Kapwing watermark, runs up to 4 minutes and is 720p. Pro, from $16/month, removes the watermark and exports in 4K. It suits short projects where the watermark does not matter.

How to choose a free video editor on Mac

• Watermark. Kapwing's free plan adds one to every export. Clipchamp and OpenShot state that they add none.
• Export resolution. Lightworks and Clipchamp export up to 1080p for free. Kapwing's free plan stops at 720p.
• Installed app or online editor. Resolve, Shotcut and OpenShot install on your Mac. Clipchamp runs online with no download, and CapCut offers both.
• How the cut gets made. For a talking-head recording, estimate how long you spend cutting failed takes and silences by hand, and compare it with a one-time purchase video editor. For more paid and free options, see the best video editing software for YouTubers.

When a free editor is not enough for talking-head videos

This site makes ClipsPal, so it is not in the table above. It is not free to use. It is a local Mac editor built for talking-head recordings:

• Runs on macOS 14 or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel.
• Cuts failed takes, silences and filler words.
• Adds subtitles, zoom-ins and visuals.
• Ends in a multi-track timeline you can edit by hand.
• Keeps video and audio on your computer.

The download is free, but editing starts only once you enter a license, and there is no trial. The license is a $59 one-time lifetime purchase with a 14-day refund. See ClipsPal for the full feature list, or how to edit videos on Mac with any editor in this list.