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Lightworks

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TL;DR - Lightworks

  • Professional video editing software with versions for all skill levels.
  • Features advanced video, audio, VFX, and color grading tools.
  • Offers seamless sharing and export options for various platforms.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
3.9/5 across review platforms

What is Lightworks?

Editorial review
Lightworks is a comprehensive video editing software designed for users ranging from beginners to Hollywood-level professionals. It offers a robust suite of tools for video and audio editing, visual effects, color correction, and sharing. The software is built around a best-in-class editing timeline that can handle footage of any size, frame rate, and quality, ensuring an uninterrupted creative workflow with features like background rendering and proxy file editing. The platform caters to different skill levels with its Free, Create, and Pro versions, allowing users to grow their editing capabilities within the same ecosystem. It provides extensive audio editing functionalities, a simplified VFX suite with customizable titles and transitions, and advanced color grading tools including LUTs and targeted adjustments. Lightworks also streamlines the sharing process with effortless export options for web, broadcast, and cinema, alongside direct integrations for social media and cloud storage. Lightworks is ideal for anyone looking to produce high-quality videos, from content creators and aspiring filmmakers to seasoned professionals. Its intuitive interface and powerful features empower users to transform raw footage into captivating visual art, making it a versatile tool for various video production needs.

Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Offers a free version for beginners to get started.
  • Scales with user skill level from beginner to professional.
  • Provides a comprehensive suite of editing tools (video, audio, VFX, color).
  • Supports high-quality footage and offers advanced features like HDR workflows.
  • Streamlined sharing and export options, including direct social media integration.

Cons

  • Advanced VFX features (supplied by NewBlue) are only available for Windows and Mac.
  • The full range of professional features requires a paid subscription.

Ratings Across the Web

3.9(64 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Preview

Key Features

Universal editing timeline supporting various footage sizes, frame rates, and qualitiesBackground rendering and exporting for uninterrupted workflowProxy file editing for smooth performanceRefined audio editing with trimming, splitting, layering, and built-in effects (reverb, chorus, distortion)Over 700 customizable titles and motion graphicsHundreds of transitions for scene flow and pacingSimplified VFX suite with advanced compositing capabilitiesColor correction and grading with pre-built and custom LUTs

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Jul 31, 2026

Free

Free

  • Timeline Editing
  • 720p HD Export
  • Automatic Saving
  • Advanced Transitions
  • Simple VFX
  • Import Formats
  • Operating systems
  • Powerful Timeline
  • Background Processing
  • Instant auto-saving
  • No Watermark
  • Custom UI Layout Templates
  • Inbuilt Effects, Titles & Transitions
  • Advanced Transitions
  • Video Mask Effect
  • Audio Leveling and EQ
  • Export Resolution Up to 720p
  • Social Media Presets YouTube, Vimeo
  • Backup
  • Media Files MP4
  • Media Clip LUTs
  • HDR Workflows
  • BRaw Clip Settings
  • Apple ProRes Certified Decode
  • Advanced 10-Bit Pipeline Decode
  • Proxy Generation
  • Codec Selection H.264
  • Quality Selection Low
  • Size Selection Up to 720p
  • Active Cloud Integrations 1
  • Cloud Download
  • Import Exchange Formats
  • Pexels
  • Pond5

Create

User/Pay Monthly

  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • 4K Video Export
  • Social Media Templates
  • NewBlue Titler Pro
  • Dynamic Motion Graphics
  • Powerful Colour Controls
  • Advanced Audio EQ
  • Quick LUT Support
  • High Res Proxy Editing
  • High Res Timeline Rendering
  • Advanced Video Scopes Vectorscope, RGB and Histogram YCbCr CIE, YCbCr & Split View
  • Advanced Titles
  • Native Quick Audio FX Acoustic Sweetner, Dialog Enhancer, Instrument Enhancer, Subtle Sweetner and Voice Enhancer
  • Native Audio FX Compressor, Limiter , Noise Gate, Noise Reducer, Reverb
  • Export Resolution Up to 4K
  • Social Media Presets YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat
  • Cloud Upload
  • Active Cloud Integrations Not limited

Pro

User/Pay Monthly

  • Everything in Create, plus:
  • 10-Bit Support
  • Audio and Video Plugin Support
  • Increased File Formats
  • Advanced Video Effects
  • Custom Format Creation
  • Support for NewBlue TotalFX
  • Export Interchange Formats
  • Advanced Colour Scopes
  • In Timeline QC
  • Cloud Export/Upload
  • Upgrade to TotalFX
  • OpenFX Compatible
  • 3rd Party Audio Plugins AU, VST, LADSPA
  • External Midi Control (Mackie)
  • DAW Workstation
  • Export Resolution Up to 8K
  • Media Files AVI, MP4, Image Sequence, MOV, MXF and WAV
  • Physical Media Targets DVD and Bluray
  • Camera Formats AVC-Intra, AVCHD, P2 AVC-Intra, XAVC-Intra, XDCAM EX and XDCAM HD
  • H.264 Bitrate Config Set Variable/Constant. Set min/max bitrate.
  • Custom Output Formats
  • Subtitles
  • Advanced 10-bit Export
  • RED R3D Clip Settings
  • Advanced Custom Metadata
  • In-Edit Video Quality Control
  • Apple ProRes Certified Decode and Encode
  • Advanced 10-Bit Pipeline Decode and Encode
  • Codec Selection Apple ProRes, AVID DNxHD (additional codec purchase required), AVC-Intra, Cineform or H.264, AVID DNxHR
  • Quality Selection Low/Medium/High Up to Very High
  • Size Selection Up to 4K
  • Export Exchange Formats

Reviews

3.9/5

Across 64 verified user reviews on capterra, g2

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Lightworks FAQ

How does Lightworks support high-quality video production for content creators?

Lightworks provides a comprehensive suite of tools for video and audio editing, visual effects, and color correction, enabling content creators to transform raw footage into captivating visual art. It supports footage of any size, frame rate, and quality, ensuring a professional output for various video production needs.

Which teams or individuals benefit most from using Lightworks?

Lightworks is ideal for anyone looking to produce high-quality videos, including content creators, aspiring filmmakers, and seasoned professionals. Its intuitive interface and powerful features make it a versatile tool for various skill levels and production requirements.

How does Lightworks compare to DaVinci Resolve in terms of editing capabilities?

Lightworks offers a robust suite of tools for video and audio editing, visual effects, and color correction, similar to DaVinci Resolve. It features a best-in-class editing timeline that handles high-quality footage and provides streamlined sharing options, including direct social media integration.

What kind of limitations should users be aware of regarding advanced visual effects in Lightworks?

Advanced VFX features, which are supplied by NewBlue, are exclusively available for users on Windows and Mac operating systems. The full range of professional features also requires a paid subscription to access.

Does Lightworks include a free tier, and how is its pricing structured?

Yes, Lightworks offers a free tier for users to get started, with paid plans available for more extensive usage and additional features. The software scales with user skill level, providing Free, Create, and Pro versions within the same ecosystem.

How does Lightworks facilitate efficient sharing and export of edited videos?

Lightworks streamlines the sharing process with effortless export options tailored for web, broadcast, and cinema. It also includes direct integrations for social media platforms and cloud storage, simplifying the distribution of finished projects.

Can Lightworks handle advanced color grading and audio editing tasks?

Yes, Lightworks provides advanced color grading tools, including support for LUTs and targeted adjustments, to enhance the visual quality of footage. It also offers extensive audio editing functionalities, allowing for comprehensive sound design within the software.

Source: lwks.com