Video Editing Made Easy: A Windows Movie Maker Crash Course

How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.

---

Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.

---

Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

Notes

• Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
• Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
• Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.

---

Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.

---

Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

Notes

• Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
• Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
• Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.

---

Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.

---

Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

Notes

• Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
• Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
• Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.

---

Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.

---

Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

Notes

• Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
• Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
• Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Create Stunning Animations with These 12 Free Tools for Windows and Mac

Best 12 Free Download Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Windows 11/10 Video Editing: Best iMovie-Like Software Options

Are you looking for an iMovie for Windows alternative? If so, that’s hardly surprising. Mac users are blessed with iMovie, a very handy video editing software. Unfortunately, like many Apple products, it’s unavailable on computers that run on Windows OS. But don’t worry. While there’s no iMovie for windows, there are plenty of alternatives. They will make you feel like you are actually using a Windows version of iMovie. This article will introduce you to the best ones.

1. Wondershare Filmora - Best Overall Video Editing Software
2. WeVideo - Best For Templates

• Ultimate Overview on 11 Best Alternatives to iMovie for Windows
• 11 Best Windows Version of iMovie

1. Wondershare Filmora - Enhanced Royalty-Free Stock Library
2. PowerDirector - Top Ranked Video Editor, PC Mag
3. APowerEdit - Easiest Way to Edit Videos
4. Typito - Video Editing Tool Equivalent of Canva
5. Shotcut - Best for Color Adjustments
6. AceThinker Video Master - All in one Video Tool
7. VideoPad Video Editor - Best for Social Media Work
8. Lightworks
9. Flexclip - Easy-to-Use Online Editor
10. WeVideo - Best for Templates
11. OpenShot - Best for Amateurs

• How to Edit a Video with an iMovie Alternative on Windows

Top 2 Picks for iMovie for Windows Alternative

As mentioned above, there’s a lot of video editing software you can use as an iMovie equivalent for Windows. However, they are not of equal quality. Expectedly, some of them are miles better than others. Therefore, it’s best to do your research before installing - or buying one. That allows you to select the best one for you and, thus, ensure your satisfaction.

Here’s a quick comparison of the top 3 iMovie alternatives for Windows:

Wondershare Filmora - Best Overall Video Editing Software

Paid | 4.7 • 693 Ratings

Wondershare Filmora has a slew of powerful video editing tools that let you express your creativity to its fullest. It allows you to make high-quality, impressive, and captivating videos easily.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

WeVideo - Best For Templates

Paid | 4.5 • 783 Ratings

WeVideo is a web-based video editor with customizable templates perfect for beginners and influencers. It has social media-friendly templates for very specific and popular categories like Unboxings and How-To Makeup.

Ultimate Overview on 11 Best Alternatives to iMovie for Windows

There’s a total of 12 best iMovie alternatives for Windows. Each one is different from the others, but they are all solid choices. Here’s a table showing information about each product:

Software	OS	Beginner Friendly (score/5)	AI Editing	Royalty-Free Stock Library	Free Trial	Cost-Effective (score/5)
Wondershare Filmora	Windows, Mac	4.5	√	√	√	4.7
PowerDirector	Windows, Mac	5	√	√	√	4.4
APowerEdit	Windows, Mac, Online	5	X	X	√	4.5
Typito	Windows, Mac	4.5	X	√	√	4.2
ShotCut	Windows, Mac, Linux	3.5	X	√	√	5
AceThinker Video Master	Windows	4	X	√	√	4
VideoPad Video Editor	Windows, Mac, Linux	4.4	X	√	√	4.1
LightWorks	Windows, Mac, Linux	4	√	√	√	4
FlexClip	Windows, Mac, Linux	4	√	√	√	4.5
WeVideo	Windows, Mac, Linux	4	X	√	√	4.5
OpenShot	Windows, Mac, Linux	4.5	√	X	√	4.5

11 Best Windows Version of iMovie

All of these 12 iMovie alternatives for Windows 10+ are good choices. However, they have differences, meaning one may be suited for you more than the others. Here’s more information about each one, including the pros and cons, ratings, supported OS, and even user reviews.

1. Wondershare Filmora - Enhanced Royalty-Free Stock Library

Wondershare Filmora is a powerful video editing tool. Its features allow you to showcase your creativity fully. This tool can make your homemade videos look professionally made.

Key Features

• Picture in Picture - Layer in multiple video clips
• Green Screen - Change the video background and add effects using this feature
• Split Screen - Show numerous videos at once with the split screen feature
• Color Match - Save time by applying color correction settings across multiple clips with one click
• Video Stabilizing - Eliminate Camera Shake
• Speech to Text - Convert voice to subtitles in one click
• Text to Speech - Add AI voiceover to liven up your video

Price

Filmora Costs $49.99 per year for individual users. Meanwhile, it costs $155.88 per year for businesses with one user.

Pros

• PCMag says Wondershare Filmora has an eye-soothing interface. It’s not intimidating for beginners. Furthermore, Filmora’s ergonomic design makes it an easy-to-use video editing tool
• Wondershare Filmora has AI editing tools not found on the pre-installed video editor on your Windows PC. As the name suggests, it uses artificial intelligence to apply changes to video clips. Some examples of things you can do with these tools are erasing the background or applying a color correction to all clips with a single mouse click
• Filmora has lots of effects and overlays you can choose from

Cons

• High RAM consumption that can slow down your PC

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , iPad

User Review

Wondershare Filmora is the video editing software that you need. It has a slew of powerful tools that help you make amazing videos. A TrustRadius Ratings and Review states, “I take advantage of it on a regular basis and make YouTube movies for my shoppers. Simple to create eye-catching movies.”

Takeaway

Wondershare Filmora is filled with AI editing tools that help users produce high-quality videos.

2. PowerDirector - Top Ranked Video Editor, PC Mag

PowerDirector is an iMovie alternative for Windows with a bunch of unique tools and features. Despite being simple and easy to use, it allows you to create Hollywood-level films and clips.

Key Features

• Easy 360-degree video editing
• Keyframing
• Chroma key
• AI Motion Tracking
• Picture in Picture

Price

PowerDirector’s premium subscription costs $4.08/month.

Pros

• User Friendly
• Simple but powerful plugins
• Has AI Editing Tools
• Thousands of built-in transitions, overlay effects, and templates

Cons

• You can’t access the Shutterstock and iStock built-in libraries without a Premium subscription

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac

User Review

Powerdirector enables you to do world-class video editing; it supports 4k, 60 fps video editing! Additionally, it has lots of stickers, transitions, animations, and many more. A G2 reviewer says, “Go for it, guys! It is one of the best editing platforms in the market.”

Takeaway

PowerDirector’s advanced tools make it among the best iMovie alternatives for Windows 10/11.

3. APowerEdit - Easiest Way to Edit Videos

APowerEdit is a straightforward video editing tool with dozens of transitions, text effects, overlays, and filters.

Key Features

• Supports all common media formats
• Includes dynamic title captions
• Dozens of overlays, transitions, and filters
• Picture in Picture
• Quickly correct brightness, contrast, hue, and saturation

Price

APowerEdit is free software with a paid version that costs$29.95 per month.

Pros

• Easy to navigate due to its user-friendly design
• Lots of export options
• Dozens of editing tools

Cons

• Lacks advanced editing tools needed for bigger projects

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Online

User Review

APowerEdit is a simple video editing software best for beginners and not-so-tech-savvy users. An AlternativeTo review says, “Apoweredit is super easy to use. It is suitable for beginners like me. Awesome software!”

Takeaway

APowerEdit is a nice tool to have for beginners. However, if you plan to make impressive short films or bigger projects, it is not the ideal software to use.

4. Typito - Video Editing Tool Equivalent of Canva

Typito is like Canva but for videos. It is a web-based video editing software with drag-and-drop features, stylish typography, images, and brand layouts.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop interface for easy editing
• Features built for creating engaging social media posts.
• Resize video files fast
• Includes 200+ motion graphic templates

Price

Typito subscriptions start at $15 per month.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Multiple Export Options
• Has all the basic video editing tools

Cons

• Too basic for bigger projects
• The free version has a watermark

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

Typito is a web-based video editor and a simple, easy-to-use tool. It receives continuous updates, so it becomes better and better. A G2 review says , “In Typito, even if you are a “Free” user, you can still create a video that looks so professional as if you paid someone to do it for you.”

Takeaway

Typito’s solid selection of tools is enough for simple projects, and it’s one of the best iMovie alternatives for Windows for social media influencers. However, advanced users may find it a little lacking.

5. Shotcut - Best for Color Adjustments

ShotCut is a completely free iMovie alternative for Windows. This tool is an open-source, cross-platform, video-editing software.

Key Features

• Webcam Capture
• Keyframing
• Auto-Rotate
• Blending Modes
• Unlimited Undo and Redo options
• Powerful color correction tools

Price: Free

Pros

• Because ShotCut is an open-source program, it gets updated regularly by the community
• Completely free

Cons

• No social media integrations
• Not user-friendly

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

Shotcut is free video editing software with a toolkit that rivals paid ones. A G2 review states, “We don’t have to pay anything, and we can edit the professional type of videos. It has all the features which any paid software has.”

Takeaway

Do you not want to spend money? If so, Shotcut is the option for you. It also has the strength of being available on many platforms. And because Shotcut is an open-source program, it gets regular updates from the community. However, its interface is not the most beginner-friendly.

6. AceThinker Video Master - All in one Video Tool

AceThinker is a video editor, video converter, and video downloader in one package.

Key Features

• Built-in video player
• HD video converter
• Wide range of customization
• Supports popular video formats
• Basic video editing tools

Price

AceThinker Video Master’s pricing plans start from $29.95.

Pros

• Video converter, downloader, editor, and screen recorder in one
• User-friendly interface

Cons

• Lack of advanced video editing tools

G2 Rating: 5 Stars

Supported OS Windows , Mac

User Review

AceThinker Video Master is all about convenience. It provides you with a video editor, downloader, and converter in one package. An educator left a review on G2 ; they say, “This has saved me lost time, increased student engagement, and [it is] a wonderful training tool for other educators.”

Takeaway

Is the storage space in your Windows PC running out? If that’s the case, AceThinker Video Master is a fantastic tool for you. It’s essentially four video apps in one package. And it’s not too shabby as video editing software, either. Expectedly, it’s not the best choice for making short films for competitions and projects of similar or bigger scale.

7. VideoPad Video Editor - Best for Social Media Work

VideoPad Video Editor is among the most impressive iMovie alternatives for Windows. It has powerful tools that will help you create films that would wow the audience.

Key Features

• Over 50 Effects and Transitions
• Supports all video formats
• 3D Video Editing
• 360-degree video support
• Chroma key compositing
• Camera Stabilizer
• Speech-to-text feature

Price

VideoPad Home Edition costs $34.99, while the Master’s Edition costs $69.95.

Pros

• Has basic and advanced tools
• Direct upload to popular social media channels
• Fast video stream processor

Cons

• The interface is outdated
• The speech-to-text feature is unreliable
• The free version is full of annoying notifications

G2 Rating: 4 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac

User Review

VideoPad is an easy-to-learn video editing software full of helpful tools. A G2 reviewer states, “This complete and powerful media editing tool offers a variety of possibilities and possibilities to optimize every clip to the fullest.”

Takeaway

VideoPad Video Editor has many free features you can use to improve your videos. Admittedly, there are problems with some of these features. Nevertheless, this tool is a solid choice for a Windows iMovie alternative.

8. Lightworks

Lightworks Pro is a video editor used to make some Oscar-winning films, and Lightworks is a free and less complicated version of it. However, Lightworks is still not that beginner-friendly. Therefore, it’s best to consider this as an iMovie alternative only if you are an intermediate user.

Key Features

• Advanced Color Correction
• Some advanced tools
• Tooltips to help you learn how to use the features
• Integration to Cloud services
• Keyframing
• Advanced audio controls
• Autosave

Price

Lightworks is free, but premium subscriptions for Lightworks Create costs $99.9, and Lightworks Pro costs $24.99.

Pros

• Includes Advanced tools
• You would not lose progress because of the autosave feature
• Good performance

Cons

• Not suited for beginners
• You can only export up to 720p using the free version

G2 Rating: 3.5 Stars

Supported OS Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

A TrustRadius Ratings and Review says, “Lightworks is a great tool for a non-designer to use because it provides a number of tools and capabilities that can be quickly learned.” However, they note that Lightworks does not provide advanced video editors with all the tools they need. It’s best for intermediate users.

Takeaway

Lightworks is a fantastic alternative to iMovie for Windows 10+ users. However, it requires you to be quite knowledgeable about video editing tools. This editor has a slightly higher learning curve than others. But once you learn how to use Lightworks, creating quality videos would be super easy.

9. Flexclip - Easy-to-Use Online Editor

FlexClip is a free online editor. It is a good substitute for iMovie for Windows users, regardless if you are a beginner or a professional.

Key Features

• Dozens of useful tools like background remover and gif maker
• Voice and screen recorder
• Integration with social media platforms
• It supports all the popular video formats
• Allows you to export up to 1080p

Price

FlexClip is free, but premium subscriptions are available. Subscriptions start from $9.99 per month.

Pros

• Includes basic and advanced editing tools
• Easy to share your work on social media platforms
• Allows creation of high-quality videos

Cons

• Long loading time before you can use it

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

FlexClip being an online video editor means one thing; it does not use your PC’s processing power. It also delivers what it promises. A G2 reviewe r says, “I have used many video editing tools so far, but none is close to FlexClip when it comes to video editing.”

Takeaway

You can’t go wrong with FlexClip. It has powerful tools making it a great iMovie alternative for Windows. You don’t even have to install it; it’s an online tool. Unfortunately, that has some downsides. You need to wait for the website to finish loading before working because it scrolls down for each line that gets loaded.

10. WeVideo - Best for Templates

WeVideo includes social-media-friendly templates, making it a fantastic choice for editing popular video categories like How-to, Unboxings, and Makeup tutorials.

Key Features

• Color Correction
• Green Screen Editing Tool
• Has support for square videos (for Instagram) and vertical videos (for TikTok)
• Customizable templates plus dozens of pre-made ones

Price

Premium subscriptions start at $60 per year.

Pros

• Includes basic and advanced video editing tools
• Excellent customer support
• User-friendly

Cons

• The free version has lots of limitations
• Importing videos to the website takes a long time

G2 Rating: 4.4 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

Social media influencers and marketers need to check out WeVideo. A reviewer of this video editing tool on G2 said, “It’s got a handful of Templates that you can use to explore your creativity and inventiveness when creating your content.”

Takeaway

WeVideo is a solid alternative for iMovie for Windows 10/11, but only if you are willing to pay. The free version has lots of restrictions. For example, you can only export 5 minutes of content per month.

11. OpenShot - Best for Amateurs

OpenShot has a straightforward interface, making it beginner-friendly. It has some fantastic tools you’ll find helpful. There’s a catch with beginner-friendly editors, though. They don’t have the advanced features you can find on other video editors. You can say that for OpenShot.

Key Features

• 3D Animation
• Text Editor
• Keyframing
• Decent selection of templates and filters

Price: Free

Pros

• Beginner-friendly
• Includes a wide range of editing tools
• Lots of export options

Cons

• Lack of advanced tools like Picture-in-Picture or Chroma Key
• Very laggy to use sometimes

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

OpenShot is a great introductory software for video editing. Its simplicity, ergonomic design, and set of handy tools make it perfect for beginners. A G2 review states, “I do not have a degree in video editing, but the products from my Openshot edits were of high quality.”

Takeaway

Some tools are intimidating for beginners; there are many buttons, and you don’t know what each one does. That’s not a problem when using OpenShot. Its simple interface is easy to understand, making it the best tool for beginners.

How to Edit a Video with an iMovie Alternative on Windows

Knowing which are the best iMovie alternatives on Windows is not enough. Of course, you also need to learn how to use them. Here’s a guide on how to use Wondershare Filmora, the best overall iMovie alternative for Windows.

Step1 Launch Filmora. Then, if you want to, select the aspect ratio.

Step2 Click New Project, then wait for the video editor to load. Then, click Register to register the product.

Step3 Select the aspect ratio for the final cut. Click Project Settings from the File menu, then select your desired aspect ratio.

Step4 Import the files you want to edit. Click the Import button in the upper left corner of the video editor. Select Import Media Files, then navigate to the location on your hard drive where the footage you want to edit is stored. Select the files you want to use in your project, then click Import.

Step5 Drag and drop the files to the timeline. Please note that the last one you add will always be placed after the previous one. Thus, you need to drag the file on the timeline to put it in the desired position. Press Play to preview.

Step6 Apply visual effects, color correction, and other edits you want to make.

Step7 Click Export to publish your video. Don’t forget to select your desired file format and resolution.

Here’s a video tutorial on how to use Wondershare Filmora

image / video 16:9

Final Words

It’s a shame that iMovie is not available on Windows 10/11 computers. Thankfully, there are alternatives you can use. Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding one. It allows you to do what you can do using iMovie and more.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

• Wondershare Filmora - Enhanced Royalty-Free Stock Library
• PowerDirector - Top Ranked Video Editor, PC Mag
• APowerEdit - Easiest Way to Edit Videos
• Typito - Video Editing Tool Equivalent of Canva
• Shotcut - Best for Color Adjustments
• AceThinker Video Master - All in one Video Tool
• VideoPad Video Editor - Best for Social Media Work
• Lightworks
• Flexclip - Easy-to-Use Online Editor
• WeVideo - Best for Templates
• OpenShot - Best for Amateurs
• How to Edit a Video with an iMovie Alternative on Windows

Top 2 Picks for iMovie for Windows Alternative

As mentioned above, there’s a lot of video editing software you can use as an iMovie equivalent for Windows. However, they are not of equal quality. Expectedly, some of them are miles better than others. Therefore, it’s best to do your research before installing - or buying one. That allows you to select the best one for you and, thus, ensure your satisfaction.

Here’s a quick comparison of the top 3 iMovie alternatives for Windows:

Wondershare Filmora - Best Overall Video Editing Software

Paid | 4.7 • 693 Ratings

Wondershare Filmora has a slew of powerful video editing tools that let you express your creativity to its fullest. It allows you to make high-quality, impressive, and captivating videos easily.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

WeVideo - Best For Templates

Paid | 4.5 • 783 Ratings

WeVideo is a web-based video editor with customizable templates perfect for beginners and influencers. It has social media-friendly templates for very specific and popular categories like Unboxings and How-To Makeup.

Ultimate Overview on 11 Best Alternatives to iMovie for Windows

There’s a total of 12 best iMovie alternatives for Windows. Each one is different from the others, but they are all solid choices. Here’s a table showing information about each product:

Software	OS	Beginner Friendly (score/5)	AI Editing	Royalty-Free Stock Library	Free Trial	Cost-Effective (score/5)
Wondershare Filmora	Windows, Mac	4.5	√	√	√	4.7
PowerDirector	Windows, Mac	5	√	√	√	4.4
APowerEdit	Windows, Mac, Online	5	X	X	√	4.5
Typito	Windows, Mac	4.5	X	√	√	4.2
ShotCut	Windows, Mac, Linux	3.5	X	√	√	5
AceThinker Video Master	Windows	4	X	√	√	4
VideoPad Video Editor	Windows, Mac, Linux	4.4	X	√	√	4.1
LightWorks	Windows, Mac, Linux	4	√	√	√	4
FlexClip	Windows, Mac, Linux	4	√	√	√	4.5
WeVideo	Windows, Mac, Linux	4	X	√	√	4.5
OpenShot	Windows, Mac, Linux	4.5	√	X	√	4.5

11 Best Windows Version of iMovie

All of these 12 iMovie alternatives for Windows 10+ are good choices. However, they have differences, meaning one may be suited for you more than the others. Here’s more information about each one, including the pros and cons, ratings, supported OS, and even user reviews.

1. Wondershare Filmora - Enhanced Royalty-Free Stock Library

Wondershare Filmora is a powerful video editing tool. Its features allow you to showcase your creativity fully. This tool can make your homemade videos look professionally made.

Key Features

• Picture in Picture - Layer in multiple video clips
• Green Screen - Change the video background and add effects using this feature
• Split Screen - Show numerous videos at once with the split screen feature
• Color Match - Save time by applying color correction settings across multiple clips with one click
• Video Stabilizing - Eliminate Camera Shake
• Speech to Text - Convert voice to subtitles in one click
• Text to Speech - Add AI voiceover to liven up your video

Price

Filmora Costs $49.99 per year for individual users. Meanwhile, it costs $155.88 per year for businesses with one user.

Pros

• PCMag says Wondershare Filmora has an eye-soothing interface. It’s not intimidating for beginners. Furthermore, Filmora’s ergonomic design makes it an easy-to-use video editing tool
• Wondershare Filmora has AI editing tools not found on the pre-installed video editor on your Windows PC. As the name suggests, it uses artificial intelligence to apply changes to video clips. Some examples of things you can do with these tools are erasing the background or applying a color correction to all clips with a single mouse click
• Filmora has lots of effects and overlays you can choose from

Cons

• High RAM consumption that can slow down your PC

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , iPad

User Review

Wondershare Filmora is the video editing software that you need. It has a slew of powerful tools that help you make amazing videos. A TrustRadius Ratings and Review states, “I take advantage of it on a regular basis and make YouTube movies for my shoppers. Simple to create eye-catching movies.”

Takeaway

Wondershare Filmora is filled with AI editing tools that help users produce high-quality videos.

2. PowerDirector - Top Ranked Video Editor, PC Mag

PowerDirector is an iMovie alternative for Windows with a bunch of unique tools and features. Despite being simple and easy to use, it allows you to create Hollywood-level films and clips.

Key Features

• Easy 360-degree video editing
• Keyframing
• Chroma key
• AI Motion Tracking
• Picture in Picture

Price

PowerDirector’s premium subscription costs $4.08/month.

Pros

• User Friendly
• Simple but powerful plugins
• Has AI Editing Tools
• Thousands of built-in transitions, overlay effects, and templates

Cons

• You can’t access the Shutterstock and iStock built-in libraries without a Premium subscription

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac

User Review

Powerdirector enables you to do world-class video editing; it supports 4k, 60 fps video editing! Additionally, it has lots of stickers, transitions, animations, and many more. A G2 reviewer says, “Go for it, guys! It is one of the best editing platforms in the market.”

Takeaway

PowerDirector’s advanced tools make it among the best iMovie alternatives for Windows 10/11.

3. APowerEdit - Easiest Way to Edit Videos

APowerEdit is a straightforward video editing tool with dozens of transitions, text effects, overlays, and filters.

Key Features

• Supports all common media formats
• Includes dynamic title captions
• Dozens of overlays, transitions, and filters
• Picture in Picture
• Quickly correct brightness, contrast, hue, and saturation

Price

APowerEdit is free software with a paid version that costs$29.95 per month.

Pros

• Easy to navigate due to its user-friendly design
• Lots of export options
• Dozens of editing tools

Cons

• Lacks advanced editing tools needed for bigger projects

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Online

User Review

APowerEdit is a simple video editing software best for beginners and not-so-tech-savvy users. An AlternativeTo review says, “Apoweredit is super easy to use. It is suitable for beginners like me. Awesome software!”

Takeaway

APowerEdit is a nice tool to have for beginners. However, if you plan to make impressive short films or bigger projects, it is not the ideal software to use.

4. Typito - Video Editing Tool Equivalent of Canva

Typito is like Canva but for videos. It is a web-based video editing software with drag-and-drop features, stylish typography, images, and brand layouts.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop interface for easy editing
• Features built for creating engaging social media posts.
• Resize video files fast
• Includes 200+ motion graphic templates

Price

Typito subscriptions start at $15 per month.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Multiple Export Options
• Has all the basic video editing tools

Cons

• Too basic for bigger projects
• The free version has a watermark

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

Typito is a web-based video editor and a simple, easy-to-use tool. It receives continuous updates, so it becomes better and better. A G2 review says , “In Typito, even if you are a “Free” user, you can still create a video that looks so professional as if you paid someone to do it for you.”

Takeaway

Typito’s solid selection of tools is enough for simple projects, and it’s one of the best iMovie alternatives for Windows for social media influencers. However, advanced users may find it a little lacking.

5. Shotcut - Best for Color Adjustments

ShotCut is a completely free iMovie alternative for Windows. This tool is an open-source, cross-platform, video-editing software.

Key Features

• Webcam Capture
• Keyframing
• Auto-Rotate
• Blending Modes
• Unlimited Undo and Redo options
• Powerful color correction tools

Price: Free

Pros

• Because ShotCut is an open-source program, it gets updated regularly by the community
• Completely free

Cons

• No social media integrations
• Not user-friendly

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

Shotcut is free video editing software with a toolkit that rivals paid ones. A G2 review states, “We don’t have to pay anything, and we can edit the professional type of videos. It has all the features which any paid software has.”

Takeaway

Do you not want to spend money? If so, Shotcut is the option for you. It also has the strength of being available on many platforms. And because Shotcut is an open-source program, it gets regular updates from the community. However, its interface is not the most beginner-friendly.

6. AceThinker Video Master - All in one Video Tool

AceThinker is a video editor, video converter, and video downloader in one package.

Key Features

• Built-in video player
• HD video converter
• Wide range of customization
• Supports popular video formats
• Basic video editing tools

Price

AceThinker Video Master’s pricing plans start from $29.95.

Pros

• Video converter, downloader, editor, and screen recorder in one
• User-friendly interface

Cons

• Lack of advanced video editing tools

G2 Rating: 5 Stars

Supported OS Windows , Mac

User Review

AceThinker Video Master is all about convenience. It provides you with a video editor, downloader, and converter in one package. An educator left a review on G2 ; they say, “This has saved me lost time, increased student engagement, and [it is] a wonderful training tool for other educators.”

Takeaway

Is the storage space in your Windows PC running out? If that’s the case, AceThinker Video Master is a fantastic tool for you. It’s essentially four video apps in one package. And it’s not too shabby as video editing software, either. Expectedly, it’s not the best choice for making short films for competitions and projects of similar or bigger scale.

7. VideoPad Video Editor - Best for Social Media Work

VideoPad Video Editor is among the most impressive iMovie alternatives for Windows. It has powerful tools that will help you create films that would wow the audience.

Key Features

• Over 50 Effects and Transitions
• Supports all video formats
• 3D Video Editing
• 360-degree video support
• Chroma key compositing
• Camera Stabilizer
• Speech-to-text feature

Price

VideoPad Home Edition costs $34.99, while the Master’s Edition costs $69.95.

Pros

• Has basic and advanced tools
• Direct upload to popular social media channels
• Fast video stream processor

Cons

• The interface is outdated
• The speech-to-text feature is unreliable
• The free version is full of annoying notifications

G2 Rating: 4 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac

User Review

VideoPad is an easy-to-learn video editing software full of helpful tools. A G2 reviewer states, “This complete and powerful media editing tool offers a variety of possibilities and possibilities to optimize every clip to the fullest.”

Takeaway

VideoPad Video Editor has many free features you can use to improve your videos. Admittedly, there are problems with some of these features. Nevertheless, this tool is a solid choice for a Windows iMovie alternative.

8. Lightworks

Lightworks Pro is a video editor used to make some Oscar-winning films, and Lightworks is a free and less complicated version of it. However, Lightworks is still not that beginner-friendly. Therefore, it’s best to consider this as an iMovie alternative only if you are an intermediate user.

Key Features

• Advanced Color Correction
• Some advanced tools
• Tooltips to help you learn how to use the features
• Integration to Cloud services
• Keyframing
• Advanced audio controls
• Autosave

Price

Lightworks is free, but premium subscriptions for Lightworks Create costs $99.9, and Lightworks Pro costs $24.99.

Pros

• Includes Advanced tools
• You would not lose progress because of the autosave feature
• Good performance

Cons

• Not suited for beginners
• You can only export up to 720p using the free version

G2 Rating: 3.5 Stars

Supported OS Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

A TrustRadius Ratings and Review says, “Lightworks is a great tool for a non-designer to use because it provides a number of tools and capabilities that can be quickly learned.” However, they note that Lightworks does not provide advanced video editors with all the tools they need. It’s best for intermediate users.

Takeaway

Lightworks is a fantastic alternative to iMovie for Windows 10+ users. However, it requires you to be quite knowledgeable about video editing tools. This editor has a slightly higher learning curve than others. But once you learn how to use Lightworks, creating quality videos would be super easy.

9. Flexclip - Easy-to-Use Online Editor

FlexClip is a free online editor. It is a good substitute for iMovie for Windows users, regardless if you are a beginner or a professional.

Key Features

• Dozens of useful tools like background remover and gif maker
• Voice and screen recorder
• Integration with social media platforms
• It supports all the popular video formats
• Allows you to export up to 1080p

Price

FlexClip is free, but premium subscriptions are available. Subscriptions start from $9.99 per month.

Pros

• Includes basic and advanced editing tools
• Easy to share your work on social media platforms
• Allows creation of high-quality videos

Cons

• Long loading time before you can use it

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

FlexClip being an online video editor means one thing; it does not use your PC’s processing power. It also delivers what it promises. A G2 reviewe r says, “I have used many video editing tools so far, but none is close to FlexClip when it comes to video editing.”

Takeaway

You can’t go wrong with FlexClip. It has powerful tools making it a great iMovie alternative for Windows. You don’t even have to install it; it’s an online tool. Unfortunately, that has some downsides. You need to wait for the website to finish loading before working because it scrolls down for each line that gets loaded.

10. WeVideo - Best for Templates

WeVideo includes social-media-friendly templates, making it a fantastic choice for editing popular video categories like How-to, Unboxings, and Makeup tutorials.

Key Features

• Color Correction
• Green Screen Editing Tool
• Has support for square videos (for Instagram) and vertical videos (for TikTok)
• Customizable templates plus dozens of pre-made ones

Price

Premium subscriptions start at $60 per year.

Pros

• Includes basic and advanced video editing tools
• Excellent customer support
• User-friendly

Cons

• The free version has lots of limitations
• Importing videos to the website takes a long time

G2 Rating: 4.4 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

Social media influencers and marketers need to check out WeVideo. A reviewer of this video editing tool on G2 said, “It’s got a handful of Templates that you can use to explore your creativity and inventiveness when creating your content.”

Takeaway

WeVideo is a solid alternative for iMovie for Windows 10/11, but only if you are willing to pay. The free version has lots of restrictions. For example, you can only export 5 minutes of content per month.

11. OpenShot - Best for Amateurs

OpenShot has a straightforward interface, making it beginner-friendly. It has some fantastic tools you’ll find helpful. There’s a catch with beginner-friendly editors, though. They don’t have the advanced features you can find on other video editors. You can say that for OpenShot.

Key Features

• 3D Animation
• Text Editor
• Keyframing
• Decent selection of templates and filters

Price: Free

Pros

• Beginner-friendly
• Includes a wide range of editing tools
• Lots of export options

Cons

• Lack of advanced tools like Picture-in-Picture or Chroma Key
• Very laggy to use sometimes

G2 Rating: 4.5 Stars

Supported OS: Windows , Mac , Linux

User Review

OpenShot is a great introductory software for video editing. Its simplicity, ergonomic design, and set of handy tools make it perfect for beginners. A G2 review states, “I do not have a degree in video editing, but the products from my Openshot edits were of high quality.”

Takeaway

Some tools are intimidating for beginners; there are many buttons, and you don’t know what each one does. That’s not a problem when using OpenShot. Its simple interface is easy to understand, making it the best tool for beginners.

How to Edit a Video with an iMovie Alternative on Windows

Knowing which are the best iMovie alternatives on Windows is not enough. Of course, you also need to learn how to use them. Here’s a guide on how to use Wondershare Filmora, the best overall iMovie alternative for Windows.

Step1 Launch Filmora. Then, if you want to, select the aspect ratio.

Step2 Click New Project, then wait for the video editor to load. Then, click Register to register the product.

Step3 Select the aspect ratio for the final cut. Click Project Settings from the File menu, then select your desired aspect ratio.

Step4 Import the files you want to edit. Click the Import button in the upper left corner of the video editor. Select Import Media Files, then navigate to the location on your hard drive where the footage you want to edit is stored. Select the files you want to use in your project, then click Import.

Step5 Drag and drop the files to the timeline. Please note that the last one you add will always be placed after the previous one. Thus, you need to drag the file on the timeline to put it in the desired position. Press Play to preview.

Step6 Apply visual effects, color correction, and other edits you want to make.

Step7 Click Export to publish your video. Don’t forget to select your desired file format and resolution.

Here’s a video tutorial on how to use Wondershare Filmora

image / video 16:9

Final Words

It’s a shame that iMovie is not available on Windows 10/11 computers. Thankfully, there are alternatives you can use. Wondershare Filmora is an outstanding one. It allows you to do what you can do using iMovie and more.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Trim and Cut MOV Files without Spending a Dime

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Cutters

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The emergence of multimedia technology and its demanding features have made the user think about the best video cutters based on the MOV video format. Finding the amazing video cutter is quite a challenging task and one can attain such a remarkable challenge by just availing some of the free MOV video cutters. However, there are numbers of video cutters used by thousands of people every day and it is quite difficult to narrow down the list of MOV video cutters into the only top 5 video cutters; but some of them are given below:

---

If you need a more professional MOV video cutter, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. The powerful video cutting function allows you to easily cut video files into various fragments. Besides that, the built-in scene detection function can easily cut video even more precisely.

If you want to have an online solution, Filmora video trimmer is a free online tool that can help you trim video instantly. You can upload your video from computer and video link with drag-and-drop. It is easy to use with the slider or just input specific start and end times for precise trim. It also supports various importing and exporting video format, including .mp4, .mov, .wemb, .mpeg, .flv. More importantly, the exported video is free of watermark. It is definitely worth a try!

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Cutters

• Avidemux
• Free Video Cutter
• Video Toolbox
• Cute Video Cutter
• VSDC Video Editor

1. Avidemux

Avidemux is not served as a video cutter but it is also used to as a video joiner; it’s lightweight and neat utility features enable the users to easily select a portion from any video, cut it and can save it the existing file or the new file as well.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Useful presets for common output tasks.

Cons:

• The performance is not very satisfactory.

2. Free Video Cutter

Free video cutter is one of the most remarkable video cutter tools that enable the users to extract or trim specific part of any video. The file can be saved in the different or same format. Free video cutter support different video formats including MOV, M4V, AVI, WMV and many more. It contains one displaying window along with the preview options.

Pros:

• Supports multiple video formats;
• User friendly interface;
• Multiple output format options .

Cons:

• Lacks in sound quality;
• Fewer sound settings.

3. Video Toolbox

Splitting large MOV files into smaller video files is made easier by the use of Video Toolbox. This is the efficient and user friendly online video editor that allows the user to cut, preview and play the video; it pertains the quality of original vide file and cute the particular part which the user exactly want to trim or extract out form the large video file.

Pros:

• Different video editing functions.

Cons:

• Restricts your file sizes to 600MB.

4. Cute Video Cutter

Cute video cutter is a straightforward solution when the user is in need of cutting or removing a particular segment from the video file; it supports various video formats including AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV and more. It has a user friendly interface that is not required any additional knowledge in order to edit and cut the video.

Pros:

• No need to search for an install any other codec;
• Easy user interface.

Cons:

• No audio cues.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free but quality video editor which comes with variety of features. It supports various types of videos such as MKV, FLV, MPG, MP4, WMV, VOB, DAT, AVI, DIVX,, MOV, etc.. With it, cutting and splitting MOV videos can be easier.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The emergence of multimedia technology and its demanding features have made the user think about the best video cutters based on the MOV video format. Finding the amazing video cutter is quite a challenging task and one can attain such a remarkable challenge by just availing some of the free MOV video cutters. However, there are numbers of video cutters used by thousands of people every day and it is quite difficult to narrow down the list of MOV video cutters into the only top 5 video cutters; but some of them are given below:

---

If you need a more professional MOV video cutter, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. The powerful video cutting function allows you to easily cut video files into various fragments. Besides that, the built-in scene detection function can easily cut video even more precisely.

If you want to have an online solution, Filmora video trimmer is a free online tool that can help you trim video instantly. You can upload your video from computer and video link with drag-and-drop. It is easy to use with the slider or just input specific start and end times for precise trim. It also supports various importing and exporting video format, including .mp4, .mov, .wemb, .mpeg, .flv. More importantly, the exported video is free of watermark. It is definitely worth a try!

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Cutters

• Avidemux
• Free Video Cutter
• Video Toolbox
• Cute Video Cutter
• VSDC Video Editor

1. Avidemux

Avidemux is not served as a video cutter but it is also used to as a video joiner; it’s lightweight and neat utility features enable the users to easily select a portion from any video, cut it and can save it the existing file or the new file as well.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Useful presets for common output tasks.

Cons:

• The performance is not very satisfactory.

2. Free Video Cutter

Free video cutter is one of the most remarkable video cutter tools that enable the users to extract or trim specific part of any video. The file can be saved in the different or same format. Free video cutter support different video formats including MOV, M4V, AVI, WMV and many more. It contains one displaying window along with the preview options.

Pros:

• Supports multiple video formats;
• User friendly interface;
• Multiple output format options .

Cons:

• Lacks in sound quality;
• Fewer sound settings.

3. Video Toolbox

Splitting large MOV files into smaller video files is made easier by the use of Video Toolbox. This is the efficient and user friendly online video editor that allows the user to cut, preview and play the video; it pertains the quality of original vide file and cute the particular part which the user exactly want to trim or extract out form the large video file.

Pros:

• Different video editing functions.

Cons:

• Restricts your file sizes to 600MB.

4. Cute Video Cutter

Cute video cutter is a straightforward solution when the user is in need of cutting or removing a particular segment from the video file; it supports various video formats including AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV and more. It has a user friendly interface that is not required any additional knowledge in order to edit and cut the video.

Pros:

• No need to search for an install any other codec;
• Easy user interface.

Cons:

• No audio cues.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free but quality video editor which comes with variety of features. It supports various types of videos such as MKV, FLV, MPG, MP4, WMV, VOB, DAT, AVI, DIVX,, MOV, etc.. With it, cutting and splitting MOV videos can be easier.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The emergence of multimedia technology and its demanding features have made the user think about the best video cutters based on the MOV video format. Finding the amazing video cutter is quite a challenging task and one can attain such a remarkable challenge by just availing some of the free MOV video cutters. However, there are numbers of video cutters used by thousands of people every day and it is quite difficult to narrow down the list of MOV video cutters into the only top 5 video cutters; but some of them are given below:

---

If you need a more professional MOV video cutter, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. The powerful video cutting function allows you to easily cut video files into various fragments. Besides that, the built-in scene detection function can easily cut video even more precisely.

If you want to have an online solution, Filmora video trimmer is a free online tool that can help you trim video instantly. You can upload your video from computer and video link with drag-and-drop. It is easy to use with the slider or just input specific start and end times for precise trim. It also supports various importing and exporting video format, including .mp4, .mov, .wemb, .mpeg, .flv. More importantly, the exported video is free of watermark. It is definitely worth a try!

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Cutters

• Avidemux
• Free Video Cutter
• Video Toolbox
• Cute Video Cutter
• VSDC Video Editor

1. Avidemux

Avidemux is not served as a video cutter but it is also used to as a video joiner; it’s lightweight and neat utility features enable the users to easily select a portion from any video, cut it and can save it the existing file or the new file as well.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Useful presets for common output tasks.

Cons:

• The performance is not very satisfactory.

2. Free Video Cutter

Free video cutter is one of the most remarkable video cutter tools that enable the users to extract or trim specific part of any video. The file can be saved in the different or same format. Free video cutter support different video formats including MOV, M4V, AVI, WMV and many more. It contains one displaying window along with the preview options.

Pros:

• Supports multiple video formats;
• User friendly interface;
• Multiple output format options .

Cons:

• Lacks in sound quality;
• Fewer sound settings.

3. Video Toolbox

Splitting large MOV files into smaller video files is made easier by the use of Video Toolbox. This is the efficient and user friendly online video editor that allows the user to cut, preview and play the video; it pertains the quality of original vide file and cute the particular part which the user exactly want to trim or extract out form the large video file.

Pros:

• Different video editing functions.

Cons:

• Restricts your file sizes to 600MB.

4. Cute Video Cutter

Cute video cutter is a straightforward solution when the user is in need of cutting or removing a particular segment from the video file; it supports various video formats including AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV and more. It has a user friendly interface that is not required any additional knowledge in order to edit and cut the video.

Pros:

• No need to search for an install any other codec;
• Easy user interface.

Cons:

• No audio cues.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free but quality video editor which comes with variety of features. It supports various types of videos such as MKV, FLV, MPG, MP4, WMV, VOB, DAT, AVI, DIVX,, MOV, etc.. With it, cutting and splitting MOV videos can be easier.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The emergence of multimedia technology and its demanding features have made the user think about the best video cutters based on the MOV video format. Finding the amazing video cutter is quite a challenging task and one can attain such a remarkable challenge by just availing some of the free MOV video cutters. However, there are numbers of video cutters used by thousands of people every day and it is quite difficult to narrow down the list of MOV video cutters into the only top 5 video cutters; but some of them are given below:

---

If you need a more professional MOV video cutter, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. The powerful video cutting function allows you to easily cut video files into various fragments. Besides that, the built-in scene detection function can easily cut video even more precisely.

If you want to have an online solution, Filmora video trimmer is a free online tool that can help you trim video instantly. You can upload your video from computer and video link with drag-and-drop. It is easy to use with the slider or just input specific start and end times for precise trim. It also supports various importing and exporting video format, including .mp4, .mov, .wemb, .mpeg, .flv. More importantly, the exported video is free of watermark. It is definitely worth a try!

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Cutters

• Avidemux
• Free Video Cutter
• Video Toolbox
• Cute Video Cutter
• VSDC Video Editor

1. Avidemux

Avidemux is not served as a video cutter but it is also used to as a video joiner; it’s lightweight and neat utility features enable the users to easily select a portion from any video, cut it and can save it the existing file or the new file as well.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Useful presets for common output tasks.

Cons:

• The performance is not very satisfactory.

2. Free Video Cutter

Free video cutter is one of the most remarkable video cutter tools that enable the users to extract or trim specific part of any video. The file can be saved in the different or same format. Free video cutter support different video formats including MOV, M4V, AVI, WMV and many more. It contains one displaying window along with the preview options.

Pros:

• Supports multiple video formats;
• User friendly interface;
• Multiple output format options .

Cons:

• Lacks in sound quality;
• Fewer sound settings.

3. Video Toolbox

Splitting large MOV files into smaller video files is made easier by the use of Video Toolbox. This is the efficient and user friendly online video editor that allows the user to cut, preview and play the video; it pertains the quality of original vide file and cute the particular part which the user exactly want to trim or extract out form the large video file.

Pros:

• Different video editing functions.

Cons:

• Restricts your file sizes to 600MB.

4. Cute Video Cutter

Cute video cutter is a straightforward solution when the user is in need of cutting or removing a particular segment from the video file; it supports various video formats including AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV and more. It has a user friendly interface that is not required any additional knowledge in order to edit and cut the video.

Pros:

• No need to search for an install any other codec;
• Easy user interface.

Cons:

• No audio cues.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free but quality video editor which comes with variety of features. It supports various types of videos such as MKV, FLV, MPG, MP4, WMV, VOB, DAT, AVI, DIVX,, MOV, etc.. With it, cutting and splitting MOV videos can be easier.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

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