TechRadar Verdict
VideoPad is a well designed video editor that puts powerful tools within reach of new users. If you've ever used Windows Movie Maker, you'll get to grips with its settings in moments.
Pros
- +
Lots of tools as your disposal
- +
Supports most video formats
- +
Simple to use
Cons
- -
Fewer options than Lightworks
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VideoPad Video Editor is a beginner-friendly free video editor that makes an ideal replacement for the defunct Windows Movie Maker. In just a few minutes you’ll have mastered its well designed toolkit and be ready to start creating your own masterpiece ready to upload straight to YouTube or Facebook, or in a format optimized for any playback device.
VideoPad Video Editor is free for non-commercial use, and unlike some free video editing software, it won’t apply watermarks to your finished projects when you export them.
Make sure you download the free version from this page; the download available on the product homepage is a trial of the premium product, and will expire after a few days.
User experience
If you’ve ever used Windows Movie Maker, VideoPad Video Editor will look immediately familiar. Simply load your video clips, images and sound files that you want to include in your project, then drag them into the timeline to start cutting them together.
There’s an excellent selection of transitional effects for moving between clips and images, plus a collection of filters to give them a whole new look. You can preview the various filters with a single click, combine several to create a custom effect, and decide how long transitions should last.
There are also manual settings for refining brightness, saturation and color – ideal if you’re using video clips that were shot in different lighting conditions and want to give them a consistent look.
The export functions are extensive, too. Burn your finished videos to DVD, save them to your hard drive in one of several available formats or share them directly to YouTube or Facebook. There are also compatible presets available for selected smartphones and mobile video players.
If you’re in the market for a new video editor but don’t need the raw power of a professional-grade program like Lightworks, VideoPad Video Editor is perfect.
Latest updates
The latest version of VideoPad Video Editor features several enhancements to the 360-degree video mode, including the ability to add a 2D video or picture to a 360-degree compilation, and a scale parameter for the 360-degree effect. See the release notes for full details.
The competition
An amazing video editor that makes even advanced tasks straightforward.
Advanced non-linear video editing made as easy as possible.
Simple video editing tools and advanced encoding options.
- Check out our ultimate guide to the best free video editing software
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