Ultimate Guide to Making Stunning Photo Videos

According to the current trend in the online world, users prefer watching a video rather than checking out photos. These days, social media platforms are full of creative short videos from users where they make photo music videos. In fact, there are popular video creators who have gained fame from their photo music videos only.

In order to create a video out of your photos and music files, you will need a photo music video maker. There are different types of picture music video makers available to satisfy the requirements of the users. We have picked the best photo music video makers for computer users and mobile phone users. Besides, there are online photo music video editors so that you can make videos from your photos on the go.

Part 1. Best Photo Music Video Maker for PC and Mac

If you are a computer user, you will need a dedicated photo music video editor to create photo music videos. There are loads of such photo music video making and editing applications available. We have picked the top five best photo music video makers for Windows and Mac users.

1. Filmora

We recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best picture music video maker. Creating a photo music video is extremely simple with Filmora. You need to drag and drop your photos and music files and arrange them properly on the timeline. Thereafter, you need to apply transitions, texts, and effects and export the video and share with anyone anywhere.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora also lets you capture your screen video as well as webcam video in case you want to include any video clip on your photo music video. There are also stock media files available that you can use on your videos. Moreover, there are graphical elements and animations present to enhance your video content and quality. Here are the pros and cons of Filmora.

Pros –

• Drag and drop photos from your hard drive instantly.
• Robust timeline to arrange photos and place music.
• Wide range of transitions and effects with animations.
• Add different audio effects and import stock media files.
• Save the video file in different file formats as required.
• Easy-to-use interface for everyone without prior knowledge.

Cons –

• Limited trial and premium video editor.
• Rendering videos can be slow at times.

2. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is an exclusive free photo music video editor for Windows users. You can install the application from Microsoft Store. You can add photos sequentially and add music in the background to create your desired video. The video editor lets you crop, trim as well as join video clips. There are options to enhance photo quality with different filters available, and you can add texts to the photos for more illustrative videos.

The software supports different media files, and hence, you can import your desired music, photos, and video clips as per your requirements. You can adjust video speed and volume, and you can apply animated pan and zoom effects to the photos. The Pro version lets you create videos in 4K resolution, and there are some exclusive quick editing tools available. Here are the pros and cons of Windows Movie Maker.

Pros –

• Add different filters and stickers to photos.
• Trim, flip, rotate, and join video clips.
• Add different types of audio files.
• Create custom titles and credits.
• Useful pan and zoom effect present.
• Publish 4K videos with Pro version.

Cons –

• Free version has limited video resolution.
• Very limited transitions and effects available.

3. Lightworks

Lightworks is a pro-level video editor where you can create stunning photo music videos. The software supports importing all the different types and formats of media files. The platform is tailor-made to create photo music videos for social media sites. You can publish your video in any resolution, shape, and frame rate. Lightworks is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

Lightworks has a fluid timeline with autosave feature, and you can work with proxy files for high-resolution media files. This helps to speed up workflow and render faster. There are options for working on shared projects and connecting with Cloud storage. You can also attach metadata to your videos for advanced users. Here are the pros and cons of Lightworks.

Pros –

• Standard photo editing and advanced video editing options.
• Supports wide range of media file formats.
• Robust timeline for quick addition of photos and music.
• Various motion graphics, transitions, and color correction option.
• Background processing for faster rendering and useful autosave option.

Cons –

• Reports of application crashing for high-resolution videos.
• Advanced features are available for premium users only.

5. OpenShot

If you are looking for a completely free and open-source picture music video maker, OpenShot is the best option. The software is compatible with all desktop operating system. The software supports almost all different types of photos, video clips, and audio file formats. The cross-platform support makes video making and editing seamless for team members.

The user interface is intuitive and you can drag and drop media files. There are options for trimming, rotation, resizing, splitting and various such standard editing. You can opt for time-mapping, speed control, and correction of digital parameters. You can add custom watermarks and overlays to your video. Here are the pros and cons of OpenShot.

Pros –

• Pan and zoom effect, scrolling effects, and speed control.
• Wide range of transitions and filters to enhance video content.
• Add 3D objects and animations to your videos.
• Dedicated audio editing and mixing options.
• Overlay and composting options, templates for titles.

Cons –

• Not suitable for making 4K resolution videos.
• Can crash if your computer is not high-end.

Part 2. Best Online Photo Music Video Editor

If you are someone who makes photo music videos occasionally, installing a dedicated video editor on your computer will unnecessarily take up space. That is why there are online photo music video editors available where you can make videos from photos instantly on the go. Here are the top five best photo music video editors online.

1. Clideo

Clideo is the best online photo music video editor as it is a platform where you will get all the tools for proper video creation and editing. There are tools for merging, resizing, cropping, and compressing video clips. You can adjust video speed as well as add subtitles wherever required. You can add any music from different sources. There is a dedicated slideshow maker available to create instant photo music videos.

Besides, you can opt for the dedicated video maker where you can add photos, video clips, and audio files to create stunning photo music videos. There are loads of presets, effects, and transitions available to enhance your video content. The online tool works on all popular web browsers as well as devices. Here are the pros and cons of Clideo.

Pros –

• Upload photos from different sources.
• Presets for creating videos for social media platforms.
• Supports different file formats for photos, video clips, and audio.
• Wide range of tools available for video and photo editing.
• Suitable for computer as well as smartphone users.

Cons –

• Not suitable to edit 4K videos.
• Limited transitions and effects.

2. Animaker

Animaker is a quick photo music video editor online. You can make photo music video, create Gifs and short videos as well as do live video editing. The platform is designed for beginners to create and edit video without any prior experience. There are templates available to enhance the video creation process. Besides, you get access to a huge video media library.

The platform is particularly popular among users who want to include animated characters in their videos. You can build your character and apply different facial experiences. You can add voiceover and the characters can lip-sync accordingly. You can also create visual animations to make your videos stand out. Here are the pros and cons of Animaker.

Pros –

• Wide range of royalty-free music and stock media files.
• Create animation characters and add voiceover.
• Create 4K resolution live videos and add subtitles.
• Customization of background, actions and expressions.
• Add overlays, transitions, and custom watermark.

Cons –

• Some users have reported lagging issues.
• Based on Flash which may not be supported in future.

3. Animoto

Animoto comes with a huge stock library from where you can get media files for your videos. Upload photos and video clips along with music and create your video instantly. The platform also offers royalty-free music library. There are various templates available for quick video creation and saving time.

Besides, there are different fonts and text effects available. You can add your own music and voiceover and trim and crop photos and videos as required. You can attach custom watermark, work with different aspect ratios, and upload custom fonts. Here are the pros and cons of Animoto that you should know.

Pros –

• Wide range of time-saving video templates.
• Edit photos and video clips and add stylish texts.
• Access to a huge collection of stock library media files.
• Share videos directly on social media platforms and embed in websites.
• Smooth and intuitive user interface for all categories of users.

Cons –

• Free version attaches watermark.
• Premium plans are expensive.

4. Veed.io

Veed.io focuses on allowing users to create videos on the go with a few clicks only. You get to upload photos, add texts and titles with background music and select a few powerful effects to apply on your video. With a few clicks only, you get to create an amazing photo music video. The video editor supports adding images, texts, and music and removing background noise.

There are loads of video effects and filters that you can apply on your videos. The unique thing about the tool online is that there are options for adding subtitles, converting audio to text, and transcribing videos. The platform is relatively faster than most online editors. Here are the pros and cons of Veed.io.

Pros –

• Choose from wide categories of photos and music.
• Screen and webcam recording possible.
• Video compression and converter available.
• Simple but powerful user interface.
• Options to add subtitles and transcription.

Cons –

• Free version comes with lots of limitations and watermark.
• Limited graphical elements available to apply to videos.

5. Biteable

Biteable is a popular online video maker where you can instantly create professional-quality videos. The platform offers several templates for music video, presentation videos, corporate videos and much more. The user interface is super intuitive and there is a huge collection of stock media files that you can use on your videos.

The tools are simple but powerful and you can customize texts, images, and colors as per your requirements. You can also instant export the video on different platforms as per the demand. If you want to make photo music video for social media, Biteable is perfect for you. You should be aware of these pros and cons of Biteable.

Pros –

• Large collection of different video templates.
• Allows color customization, theme selection, and animations.
• Wide range of royalty-free music.
• Directly share videos on social media platforms.
• Supports voiceover and come with intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• Free version puts a Biteable watermark.
• There are limited customization options.

Part 3. Photo Music Video Maker Apps

If you are a smartphone user, you can make amazing photo music videos thanks to the video editor apps available. We have selected the best photo music video makers for Android, iOS, and Windows phone users.

1. Inshot

InShot is an easy-to-use app that lets you convert your photos into a beautiful video. It is an Android app and can be great for making fancy videos with music. With the app, you can add music, emoji, text, and transition effects. It also lets you blur the background or play video in slow motion. The app can also be used as a photo editor so that you can share stories on social media.

It has many distinct features due to the advanced video editor. The voice changer serves perfectly for adding voice effects. It lets you add filters and effects and you can even adjust brightness and contrast. InShot comes with various background patterns and you can even upload your own photos for background. These are the pros and cons of the InShot Android app.

Pros –

• Standard video making and editing options available.
• Advanced video editing with picture-in-picture, chroma key, and color picker.
• Apply audio and video effects as well as choose from texts and stickers.
• Proper photo editor to enhance video content and quality.
• Use voice changer, color picker, voiceover, and adjust speed and volume.

Cons –

• Certain advanced features are reserved for paid users.
• Support team is not readily available.

2. Filmigo Video Maker

Link-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.funcamerastudio.videomaker&hl=en&gl=US

Filmigo Video Maker comes with powerful video editing options. It is a dedicated Android app that can be great for personal and professional video creation. The app lets you duplicate, rotate, split, and trim the clips. The multiple themes and transitions let you make great videos instantly. It is also loaded with animated stickers, GIFs, and emojis. You can even add text and choose from different fonts and styles.

Additionally, it will let you save the video in HD or full HD resolution. There is no limit to video length. The app allows you to share the video directly to social media platforms. You can also use it as a meme generator. Users can even choose from popular music. These are the pros and cons of Filmigo that you must know.

Pros –

• Making artistic subtitles from different text styles and fonts.
• Customize videos with multiple themes and transitions.
• Edit videos by adding animated stickers and emojis.
• Save the video without any quality loss.
• Create appealing videos with voice enhancement and blurred backgrounds.

Cons –

• The app pushes frequent updates.
• Users keep reporting minor bugs.

3. Photo + Music = Video

Link - https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/photo-music-video/9P905MW4XMKM?hl=en-us&gl=US

Photo + Music = Video is an exclusive app for Windows users. Therefore, if you have a Windows device, you can download and install the app to create photo music video. The app lets you select any number of photos to create your videos. You can choose from the themes to create instant video. There are beautiful filters and effects to beautify your video.

Besides, you can add background music from any list as well as your custom music. The app has a dedicated photo editor and you can edit your photos before using them for the video. You can blur the background, add borders and frames, as well as attach custom texts and stickers. Here are the pros and cons of Photo + Music = Video app you should be aware of.

Pros –

• Unlimited photos selection for video creation.
• Choose from different themes, filters, and frames.
• Edit photos as per requirements before using in the video.
• Customize texts and titles and change the background.
• Different effects and stickers to apply to photos.

Cons –

• Has too many ads which could be annoying.
• Limited to Windows 10 device users only.

4. Video Maker with Music Editor

Link - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/video-maker-with-music-editor/id1006386292

If you are an iPhone user, this is the app for making music videos out of your photos. It features a huge collection of music tracks. The app also comes with volume and speed control. You can even use your voice over the video to give life to the videos. The app takes minimum time to process videos.

You can easily trim or cut off the videos for removing unwanted frames. The app is equally useful in editing audio and music tracks. Even after making the video, you can save and share your videos. Here are the pros and cons of Video Maker with Music Editor that you must know.

Pros –

• Add photos, edit video and audio.
• Select music from different categories.
• Add unlimited music to the video.
• Audio fade in and fade out effects.
• Super intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• The app can hang when editing high-resolution videos.
• The in-app purchases are relatively expensive.

Conclusion

We have listed all the best picture music video makers for all categories of users. If you want to make photo music videos on your phone, we have lined up the apps for Android, Mac and Windows users. You can also use photo music video editor online if you want to make a video on the go. For computer users, we recommend Wondershare Filmora for creating professional-quality photo music videos.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora also lets you capture your screen video as well as webcam video in case you want to include any video clip on your photo music video. There are also stock media files available that you can use on your videos. Moreover, there are graphical elements and animations present to enhance your video content and quality. Here are the pros and cons of Filmora.

Pros –

• Drag and drop photos from your hard drive instantly.
• Robust timeline to arrange photos and place music.
• Wide range of transitions and effects with animations.
• Add different audio effects and import stock media files.
• Save the video file in different file formats as required.
• Easy-to-use interface for everyone without prior knowledge.

Cons –

• Limited trial and premium video editor.
• Rendering videos can be slow at times.

2. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is an exclusive free photo music video editor for Windows users. You can install the application from Microsoft Store. You can add photos sequentially and add music in the background to create your desired video. The video editor lets you crop, trim as well as join video clips. There are options to enhance photo quality with different filters available, and you can add texts to the photos for more illustrative videos.

The software supports different media files, and hence, you can import your desired music, photos, and video clips as per your requirements. You can adjust video speed and volume, and you can apply animated pan and zoom effects to the photos. The Pro version lets you create videos in 4K resolution, and there are some exclusive quick editing tools available. Here are the pros and cons of Windows Movie Maker.

Pros –

• Add different filters and stickers to photos.
• Trim, flip, rotate, and join video clips.
• Add different types of audio files.
• Create custom titles and credits.
• Useful pan and zoom effect present.
• Publish 4K videos with Pro version.

Cons –

• Free version has limited video resolution.
• Very limited transitions and effects available.

3. Lightworks

Lightworks is a pro-level video editor where you can create stunning photo music videos. The software supports importing all the different types and formats of media files. The platform is tailor-made to create photo music videos for social media sites. You can publish your video in any resolution, shape, and frame rate. Lightworks is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

Lightworks has a fluid timeline with autosave feature, and you can work with proxy files for high-resolution media files. This helps to speed up workflow and render faster. There are options for working on shared projects and connecting with Cloud storage. You can also attach metadata to your videos for advanced users. Here are the pros and cons of Lightworks.

Pros –

• Standard photo editing and advanced video editing options.
• Supports wide range of media file formats.
• Robust timeline for quick addition of photos and music.
• Various motion graphics, transitions, and color correction option.
• Background processing for faster rendering and useful autosave option.

Cons –

• Reports of application crashing for high-resolution videos.
• Advanced features are available for premium users only.

5. OpenShot

If you are looking for a completely free and open-source picture music video maker, OpenShot is the best option. The software is compatible with all desktop operating system. The software supports almost all different types of photos, video clips, and audio file formats. The cross-platform support makes video making and editing seamless for team members.

The user interface is intuitive and you can drag and drop media files. There are options for trimming, rotation, resizing, splitting and various such standard editing. You can opt for time-mapping, speed control, and correction of digital parameters. You can add custom watermarks and overlays to your video. Here are the pros and cons of OpenShot.

Pros –

• Pan and zoom effect, scrolling effects, and speed control.
• Wide range of transitions and filters to enhance video content.
• Add 3D objects and animations to your videos.
• Dedicated audio editing and mixing options.
• Overlay and composting options, templates for titles.

Cons –

• Not suitable for making 4K resolution videos.
• Can crash if your computer is not high-end.

Part 2. Best Online Photo Music Video Editor

If you are someone who makes photo music videos occasionally, installing a dedicated video editor on your computer will unnecessarily take up space. That is why there are online photo music video editors available where you can make videos from photos instantly on the go. Here are the top five best photo music video editors online.

1. Clideo

Clideo is the best online photo music video editor as it is a platform where you will get all the tools for proper video creation and editing. There are tools for merging, resizing, cropping, and compressing video clips. You can adjust video speed as well as add subtitles wherever required. You can add any music from different sources. There is a dedicated slideshow maker available to create instant photo music videos.

Besides, you can opt for the dedicated video maker where you can add photos, video clips, and audio files to create stunning photo music videos. There are loads of presets, effects, and transitions available to enhance your video content. The online tool works on all popular web browsers as well as devices. Here are the pros and cons of Clideo.

Pros –

• Upload photos from different sources.
• Presets for creating videos for social media platforms.
• Supports different file formats for photos, video clips, and audio.
• Wide range of tools available for video and photo editing.
• Suitable for computer as well as smartphone users.

Cons –

• Not suitable to edit 4K videos.
• Limited transitions and effects.

2. Animaker

Animaker is a quick photo music video editor online. You can make photo music video, create Gifs and short videos as well as do live video editing. The platform is designed for beginners to create and edit video without any prior experience. There are templates available to enhance the video creation process. Besides, you get access to a huge video media library.

The platform is particularly popular among users who want to include animated characters in their videos. You can build your character and apply different facial experiences. You can add voiceover and the characters can lip-sync accordingly. You can also create visual animations to make your videos stand out. Here are the pros and cons of Animaker.

Pros –

• Wide range of royalty-free music and stock media files.
• Create animation characters and add voiceover.
• Create 4K resolution live videos and add subtitles.
• Customization of background, actions and expressions.
• Add overlays, transitions, and custom watermark.

Cons –

• Some users have reported lagging issues.
• Based on Flash which may not be supported in future.

3. Animoto

Animoto comes with a huge stock library from where you can get media files for your videos. Upload photos and video clips along with music and create your video instantly. The platform also offers royalty-free music library. There are various templates available for quick video creation and saving time.

Besides, there are different fonts and text effects available. You can add your own music and voiceover and trim and crop photos and videos as required. You can attach custom watermark, work with different aspect ratios, and upload custom fonts. Here are the pros and cons of Animoto that you should know.

Pros –

• Wide range of time-saving video templates.
• Edit photos and video clips and add stylish texts.
• Access to a huge collection of stock library media files.
• Share videos directly on social media platforms and embed in websites.
• Smooth and intuitive user interface for all categories of users.

Cons –

• Free version attaches watermark.
• Premium plans are expensive.

4. Veed.io

Veed.io focuses on allowing users to create videos on the go with a few clicks only. You get to upload photos, add texts and titles with background music and select a few powerful effects to apply on your video. With a few clicks only, you get to create an amazing photo music video. The video editor supports adding images, texts, and music and removing background noise.

There are loads of video effects and filters that you can apply on your videos. The unique thing about the tool online is that there are options for adding subtitles, converting audio to text, and transcribing videos. The platform is relatively faster than most online editors. Here are the pros and cons of Veed.io.

Pros –

• Choose from wide categories of photos and music.
• Screen and webcam recording possible.
• Video compression and converter available.
• Simple but powerful user interface.
• Options to add subtitles and transcription.

Cons –

• Free version comes with lots of limitations and watermark.
• Limited graphical elements available to apply to videos.

5. Biteable

Biteable is a popular online video maker where you can instantly create professional-quality videos. The platform offers several templates for music video, presentation videos, corporate videos and much more. The user interface is super intuitive and there is a huge collection of stock media files that you can use on your videos.

The tools are simple but powerful and you can customize texts, images, and colors as per your requirements. You can also instant export the video on different platforms as per the demand. If you want to make photo music video for social media, Biteable is perfect for you. You should be aware of these pros and cons of Biteable.

Pros –

• Large collection of different video templates.
• Allows color customization, theme selection, and animations.
• Wide range of royalty-free music.
• Directly share videos on social media platforms.
• Supports voiceover and come with intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• Free version puts a Biteable watermark.
• There are limited customization options.

Part 3. Photo Music Video Maker Apps

If you are a smartphone user, you can make amazing photo music videos thanks to the video editor apps available. We have selected the best photo music video makers for Android, iOS, and Windows phone users.

1. Inshot

InShot is an easy-to-use app that lets you convert your photos into a beautiful video. It is an Android app and can be great for making fancy videos with music. With the app, you can add music, emoji, text, and transition effects. It also lets you blur the background or play video in slow motion. The app can also be used as a photo editor so that you can share stories on social media.

It has many distinct features due to the advanced video editor. The voice changer serves perfectly for adding voice effects. It lets you add filters and effects and you can even adjust brightness and contrast. InShot comes with various background patterns and you can even upload your own photos for background. These are the pros and cons of the InShot Android app.

Pros –

• Standard video making and editing options available.
• Advanced video editing with picture-in-picture, chroma key, and color picker.
• Apply audio and video effects as well as choose from texts and stickers.
• Proper photo editor to enhance video content and quality.
• Use voice changer, color picker, voiceover, and adjust speed and volume.

Cons –

• Certain advanced features are reserved for paid users.
• Support team is not readily available.

2. Filmigo Video Maker

Link-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.funcamerastudio.videomaker&hl=en&gl=US

Filmigo Video Maker comes with powerful video editing options. It is a dedicated Android app that can be great for personal and professional video creation. The app lets you duplicate, rotate, split, and trim the clips. The multiple themes and transitions let you make great videos instantly. It is also loaded with animated stickers, GIFs, and emojis. You can even add text and choose from different fonts and styles.

Additionally, it will let you save the video in HD or full HD resolution. There is no limit to video length. The app allows you to share the video directly to social media platforms. You can also use it as a meme generator. Users can even choose from popular music. These are the pros and cons of Filmigo that you must know.

Pros –

• Making artistic subtitles from different text styles and fonts.
• Customize videos with multiple themes and transitions.
• Edit videos by adding animated stickers and emojis.
• Save the video without any quality loss.
• Create appealing videos with voice enhancement and blurred backgrounds.

Cons –

• The app pushes frequent updates.
• Users keep reporting minor bugs.

3. Photo + Music = Video

Link - https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/photo-music-video/9P905MW4XMKM?hl=en-us&gl=US

Photo + Music = Video is an exclusive app for Windows users. Therefore, if you have a Windows device, you can download and install the app to create photo music video. The app lets you select any number of photos to create your videos. You can choose from the themes to create instant video. There are beautiful filters and effects to beautify your video.

Besides, you can add background music from any list as well as your custom music. The app has a dedicated photo editor and you can edit your photos before using them for the video. You can blur the background, add borders and frames, as well as attach custom texts and stickers. Here are the pros and cons of Photo + Music = Video app you should be aware of.

Pros –

• Unlimited photos selection for video creation.
• Choose from different themes, filters, and frames.
• Edit photos as per requirements before using in the video.
• Customize texts and titles and change the background.
• Different effects and stickers to apply to photos.

Cons –

• Has too many ads which could be annoying.
• Limited to Windows 10 device users only.

4. Video Maker with Music Editor

Link - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/video-maker-with-music-editor/id1006386292

If you are an iPhone user, this is the app for making music videos out of your photos. It features a huge collection of music tracks. The app also comes with volume and speed control. You can even use your voice over the video to give life to the videos. The app takes minimum time to process videos.

You can easily trim or cut off the videos for removing unwanted frames. The app is equally useful in editing audio and music tracks. Even after making the video, you can save and share your videos. Here are the pros and cons of Video Maker with Music Editor that you must know.

Pros –

• Add photos, edit video and audio.
• Select music from different categories.
• Add unlimited music to the video.
• Audio fade in and fade out effects.
• Super intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• The app can hang when editing high-resolution videos.
• The in-app purchases are relatively expensive.

Conclusion

We have listed all the best picture music video makers for all categories of users. If you want to make photo music videos on your phone, we have lined up the apps for Android, Mac and Windows users. You can also use photo music video editor online if you want to make a video on the go. For computer users, we recommend Wondershare Filmora for creating professional-quality photo music videos.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora also lets you capture your screen video as well as webcam video in case you want to include any video clip on your photo music video. There are also stock media files available that you can use on your videos. Moreover, there are graphical elements and animations present to enhance your video content and quality. Here are the pros and cons of Filmora.

Pros –

• Drag and drop photos from your hard drive instantly.
• Robust timeline to arrange photos and place music.
• Wide range of transitions and effects with animations.
• Add different audio effects and import stock media files.
• Save the video file in different file formats as required.
• Easy-to-use interface for everyone without prior knowledge.

Cons –

• Limited trial and premium video editor.
• Rendering videos can be slow at times.

2. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is an exclusive free photo music video editor for Windows users. You can install the application from Microsoft Store. You can add photos sequentially and add music in the background to create your desired video. The video editor lets you crop, trim as well as join video clips. There are options to enhance photo quality with different filters available, and you can add texts to the photos for more illustrative videos.

The software supports different media files, and hence, you can import your desired music, photos, and video clips as per your requirements. You can adjust video speed and volume, and you can apply animated pan and zoom effects to the photos. The Pro version lets you create videos in 4K resolution, and there are some exclusive quick editing tools available. Here are the pros and cons of Windows Movie Maker.

Pros –

• Add different filters and stickers to photos.
• Trim, flip, rotate, and join video clips.
• Add different types of audio files.
• Create custom titles and credits.
• Useful pan and zoom effect present.
• Publish 4K videos with Pro version.

Cons –

• Free version has limited video resolution.
• Very limited transitions and effects available.

3. Lightworks

Lightworks is a pro-level video editor where you can create stunning photo music videos. The software supports importing all the different types and formats of media files. The platform is tailor-made to create photo music videos for social media sites. You can publish your video in any resolution, shape, and frame rate. Lightworks is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

Lightworks has a fluid timeline with autosave feature, and you can work with proxy files for high-resolution media files. This helps to speed up workflow and render faster. There are options for working on shared projects and connecting with Cloud storage. You can also attach metadata to your videos for advanced users. Here are the pros and cons of Lightworks.

Pros –

• Standard photo editing and advanced video editing options.
• Supports wide range of media file formats.
• Robust timeline for quick addition of photos and music.
• Various motion graphics, transitions, and color correction option.
• Background processing for faster rendering and useful autosave option.

Cons –

• Reports of application crashing for high-resolution videos.
• Advanced features are available for premium users only.

5. OpenShot

If you are looking for a completely free and open-source picture music video maker, OpenShot is the best option. The software is compatible with all desktop operating system. The software supports almost all different types of photos, video clips, and audio file formats. The cross-platform support makes video making and editing seamless for team members.

The user interface is intuitive and you can drag and drop media files. There are options for trimming, rotation, resizing, splitting and various such standard editing. You can opt for time-mapping, speed control, and correction of digital parameters. You can add custom watermarks and overlays to your video. Here are the pros and cons of OpenShot.

Pros –

• Pan and zoom effect, scrolling effects, and speed control.
• Wide range of transitions and filters to enhance video content.
• Add 3D objects and animations to your videos.
• Dedicated audio editing and mixing options.
• Overlay and composting options, templates for titles.

Cons –

• Not suitable for making 4K resolution videos.
• Can crash if your computer is not high-end.

Part 2. Best Online Photo Music Video Editor

If you are someone who makes photo music videos occasionally, installing a dedicated video editor on your computer will unnecessarily take up space. That is why there are online photo music video editors available where you can make videos from photos instantly on the go. Here are the top five best photo music video editors online.

1. Clideo

Clideo is the best online photo music video editor as it is a platform where you will get all the tools for proper video creation and editing. There are tools for merging, resizing, cropping, and compressing video clips. You can adjust video speed as well as add subtitles wherever required. You can add any music from different sources. There is a dedicated slideshow maker available to create instant photo music videos.

Besides, you can opt for the dedicated video maker where you can add photos, video clips, and audio files to create stunning photo music videos. There are loads of presets, effects, and transitions available to enhance your video content. The online tool works on all popular web browsers as well as devices. Here are the pros and cons of Clideo.

Pros –

• Upload photos from different sources.
• Presets for creating videos for social media platforms.
• Supports different file formats for photos, video clips, and audio.
• Wide range of tools available for video and photo editing.
• Suitable for computer as well as smartphone users.

Cons –

• Not suitable to edit 4K videos.
• Limited transitions and effects.

2. Animaker

Animaker is a quick photo music video editor online. You can make photo music video, create Gifs and short videos as well as do live video editing. The platform is designed for beginners to create and edit video without any prior experience. There are templates available to enhance the video creation process. Besides, you get access to a huge video media library.

The platform is particularly popular among users who want to include animated characters in their videos. You can build your character and apply different facial experiences. You can add voiceover and the characters can lip-sync accordingly. You can also create visual animations to make your videos stand out. Here are the pros and cons of Animaker.

Pros –

• Wide range of royalty-free music and stock media files.
• Create animation characters and add voiceover.
• Create 4K resolution live videos and add subtitles.
• Customization of background, actions and expressions.
• Add overlays, transitions, and custom watermark.

Cons –

• Some users have reported lagging issues.
• Based on Flash which may not be supported in future.

3. Animoto

Animoto comes with a huge stock library from where you can get media files for your videos. Upload photos and video clips along with music and create your video instantly. The platform also offers royalty-free music library. There are various templates available for quick video creation and saving time.

Besides, there are different fonts and text effects available. You can add your own music and voiceover and trim and crop photos and videos as required. You can attach custom watermark, work with different aspect ratios, and upload custom fonts. Here are the pros and cons of Animoto that you should know.

Pros –

• Wide range of time-saving video templates.
• Edit photos and video clips and add stylish texts.
• Access to a huge collection of stock library media files.
• Share videos directly on social media platforms and embed in websites.
• Smooth and intuitive user interface for all categories of users.

Cons –

• Free version attaches watermark.
• Premium plans are expensive.

4. Veed.io

Veed.io focuses on allowing users to create videos on the go with a few clicks only. You get to upload photos, add texts and titles with background music and select a few powerful effects to apply on your video. With a few clicks only, you get to create an amazing photo music video. The video editor supports adding images, texts, and music and removing background noise.

There are loads of video effects and filters that you can apply on your videos. The unique thing about the tool online is that there are options for adding subtitles, converting audio to text, and transcribing videos. The platform is relatively faster than most online editors. Here are the pros and cons of Veed.io.

Pros –

• Choose from wide categories of photos and music.
• Screen and webcam recording possible.
• Video compression and converter available.
• Simple but powerful user interface.
• Options to add subtitles and transcription.

Cons –

• Free version comes with lots of limitations and watermark.
• Limited graphical elements available to apply to videos.

5. Biteable

Biteable is a popular online video maker where you can instantly create professional-quality videos. The platform offers several templates for music video, presentation videos, corporate videos and much more. The user interface is super intuitive and there is a huge collection of stock media files that you can use on your videos.

The tools are simple but powerful and you can customize texts, images, and colors as per your requirements. You can also instant export the video on different platforms as per the demand. If you want to make photo music video for social media, Biteable is perfect for you. You should be aware of these pros and cons of Biteable.

Pros –

• Large collection of different video templates.
• Allows color customization, theme selection, and animations.
• Wide range of royalty-free music.
• Directly share videos on social media platforms.
• Supports voiceover and come with intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• Free version puts a Biteable watermark.
• There are limited customization options.

Part 3. Photo Music Video Maker Apps

If you are a smartphone user, you can make amazing photo music videos thanks to the video editor apps available. We have selected the best photo music video makers for Android, iOS, and Windows phone users.

1. Inshot

InShot is an easy-to-use app that lets you convert your photos into a beautiful video. It is an Android app and can be great for making fancy videos with music. With the app, you can add music, emoji, text, and transition effects. It also lets you blur the background or play video in slow motion. The app can also be used as a photo editor so that you can share stories on social media.

It has many distinct features due to the advanced video editor. The voice changer serves perfectly for adding voice effects. It lets you add filters and effects and you can even adjust brightness and contrast. InShot comes with various background patterns and you can even upload your own photos for background. These are the pros and cons of the InShot Android app.

Pros –

• Standard video making and editing options available.
• Advanced video editing with picture-in-picture, chroma key, and color picker.
• Apply audio and video effects as well as choose from texts and stickers.
• Proper photo editor to enhance video content and quality.
• Use voice changer, color picker, voiceover, and adjust speed and volume.

Cons –

• Certain advanced features are reserved for paid users.
• Support team is not readily available.

2. Filmigo Video Maker

Link-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.funcamerastudio.videomaker&hl=en&gl=US

Filmigo Video Maker comes with powerful video editing options. It is a dedicated Android app that can be great for personal and professional video creation. The app lets you duplicate, rotate, split, and trim the clips. The multiple themes and transitions let you make great videos instantly. It is also loaded with animated stickers, GIFs, and emojis. You can even add text and choose from different fonts and styles.

Additionally, it will let you save the video in HD or full HD resolution. There is no limit to video length. The app allows you to share the video directly to social media platforms. You can also use it as a meme generator. Users can even choose from popular music. These are the pros and cons of Filmigo that you must know.

Pros –

• Making artistic subtitles from different text styles and fonts.
• Customize videos with multiple themes and transitions.
• Edit videos by adding animated stickers and emojis.
• Save the video without any quality loss.
• Create appealing videos with voice enhancement and blurred backgrounds.

Cons –

• The app pushes frequent updates.
• Users keep reporting minor bugs.

3. Photo + Music = Video

Link - https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/photo-music-video/9P905MW4XMKM?hl=en-us&gl=US

Photo + Music = Video is an exclusive app for Windows users. Therefore, if you have a Windows device, you can download and install the app to create photo music video. The app lets you select any number of photos to create your videos. You can choose from the themes to create instant video. There are beautiful filters and effects to beautify your video.

Besides, you can add background music from any list as well as your custom music. The app has a dedicated photo editor and you can edit your photos before using them for the video. You can blur the background, add borders and frames, as well as attach custom texts and stickers. Here are the pros and cons of Photo + Music = Video app you should be aware of.

Pros –

• Unlimited photos selection for video creation.
• Choose from different themes, filters, and frames.
• Edit photos as per requirements before using in the video.
• Customize texts and titles and change the background.
• Different effects and stickers to apply to photos.

Cons –

• Has too many ads which could be annoying.
• Limited to Windows 10 device users only.

4. Video Maker with Music Editor

Link - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/video-maker-with-music-editor/id1006386292

If you are an iPhone user, this is the app for making music videos out of your photos. It features a huge collection of music tracks. The app also comes with volume and speed control. You can even use your voice over the video to give life to the videos. The app takes minimum time to process videos.

You can easily trim or cut off the videos for removing unwanted frames. The app is equally useful in editing audio and music tracks. Even after making the video, you can save and share your videos. Here are the pros and cons of Video Maker with Music Editor that you must know.

Pros –

• Add photos, edit video and audio.
• Select music from different categories.
• Add unlimited music to the video.
• Audio fade in and fade out effects.
• Super intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• The app can hang when editing high-resolution videos.
• The in-app purchases are relatively expensive.

Conclusion

We have listed all the best picture music video makers for all categories of users. If you want to make photo music videos on your phone, we have lined up the apps for Android, Mac and Windows users. You can also use photo music video editor online if you want to make a video on the go. For computer users, we recommend Wondershare Filmora for creating professional-quality photo music videos.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora also lets you capture your screen video as well as webcam video in case you want to include any video clip on your photo music video. There are also stock media files available that you can use on your videos. Moreover, there are graphical elements and animations present to enhance your video content and quality. Here are the pros and cons of Filmora.

Pros –

• Drag and drop photos from your hard drive instantly.
• Robust timeline to arrange photos and place music.
• Wide range of transitions and effects with animations.
• Add different audio effects and import stock media files.
• Save the video file in different file formats as required.
• Easy-to-use interface for everyone without prior knowledge.

Cons –

• Limited trial and premium video editor.
• Rendering videos can be slow at times.

2. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is an exclusive free photo music video editor for Windows users. You can install the application from Microsoft Store. You can add photos sequentially and add music in the background to create your desired video. The video editor lets you crop, trim as well as join video clips. There are options to enhance photo quality with different filters available, and you can add texts to the photos for more illustrative videos.

The software supports different media files, and hence, you can import your desired music, photos, and video clips as per your requirements. You can adjust video speed and volume, and you can apply animated pan and zoom effects to the photos. The Pro version lets you create videos in 4K resolution, and there are some exclusive quick editing tools available. Here are the pros and cons of Windows Movie Maker.

Pros –

• Add different filters and stickers to photos.
• Trim, flip, rotate, and join video clips.
• Add different types of audio files.
• Create custom titles and credits.
• Useful pan and zoom effect present.
• Publish 4K videos with Pro version.

Cons –

• Free version has limited video resolution.
• Very limited transitions and effects available.

3. Lightworks

Lightworks is a pro-level video editor where you can create stunning photo music videos. The software supports importing all the different types and formats of media files. The platform is tailor-made to create photo music videos for social media sites. You can publish your video in any resolution, shape, and frame rate. Lightworks is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

Lightworks has a fluid timeline with autosave feature, and you can work with proxy files for high-resolution media files. This helps to speed up workflow and render faster. There are options for working on shared projects and connecting with Cloud storage. You can also attach metadata to your videos for advanced users. Here are the pros and cons of Lightworks.

Pros –

• Standard photo editing and advanced video editing options.
• Supports wide range of media file formats.
• Robust timeline for quick addition of photos and music.
• Various motion graphics, transitions, and color correction option.
• Background processing for faster rendering and useful autosave option.

Cons –

• Reports of application crashing for high-resolution videos.
• Advanced features are available for premium users only.

5. OpenShot

If you are looking for a completely free and open-source picture music video maker, OpenShot is the best option. The software is compatible with all desktop operating system. The software supports almost all different types of photos, video clips, and audio file formats. The cross-platform support makes video making and editing seamless for team members.

The user interface is intuitive and you can drag and drop media files. There are options for trimming, rotation, resizing, splitting and various such standard editing. You can opt for time-mapping, speed control, and correction of digital parameters. You can add custom watermarks and overlays to your video. Here are the pros and cons of OpenShot.

Pros –

• Pan and zoom effect, scrolling effects, and speed control.
• Wide range of transitions and filters to enhance video content.
• Add 3D objects and animations to your videos.
• Dedicated audio editing and mixing options.
• Overlay and composting options, templates for titles.

Cons –

• Not suitable for making 4K resolution videos.
• Can crash if your computer is not high-end.

Part 2. Best Online Photo Music Video Editor

If you are someone who makes photo music videos occasionally, installing a dedicated video editor on your computer will unnecessarily take up space. That is why there are online photo music video editors available where you can make videos from photos instantly on the go. Here are the top five best photo music video editors online.

1. Clideo

Clideo is the best online photo music video editor as it is a platform where you will get all the tools for proper video creation and editing. There are tools for merging, resizing, cropping, and compressing video clips. You can adjust video speed as well as add subtitles wherever required. You can add any music from different sources. There is a dedicated slideshow maker available to create instant photo music videos.

Besides, you can opt for the dedicated video maker where you can add photos, video clips, and audio files to create stunning photo music videos. There are loads of presets, effects, and transitions available to enhance your video content. The online tool works on all popular web browsers as well as devices. Here are the pros and cons of Clideo.

Pros –

• Upload photos from different sources.
• Presets for creating videos for social media platforms.
• Supports different file formats for photos, video clips, and audio.
• Wide range of tools available for video and photo editing.
• Suitable for computer as well as smartphone users.

Cons –

• Not suitable to edit 4K videos.
• Limited transitions and effects.

2. Animaker

Animaker is a quick photo music video editor online. You can make photo music video, create Gifs and short videos as well as do live video editing. The platform is designed for beginners to create and edit video without any prior experience. There are templates available to enhance the video creation process. Besides, you get access to a huge video media library.

The platform is particularly popular among users who want to include animated characters in their videos. You can build your character and apply different facial experiences. You can add voiceover and the characters can lip-sync accordingly. You can also create visual animations to make your videos stand out. Here are the pros and cons of Animaker.

Pros –

• Wide range of royalty-free music and stock media files.
• Create animation characters and add voiceover.
• Create 4K resolution live videos and add subtitles.
• Customization of background, actions and expressions.
• Add overlays, transitions, and custom watermark.

Cons –

• Some users have reported lagging issues.
• Based on Flash which may not be supported in future.

3. Animoto

Animoto comes with a huge stock library from where you can get media files for your videos. Upload photos and video clips along with music and create your video instantly. The platform also offers royalty-free music library. There are various templates available for quick video creation and saving time.

Besides, there are different fonts and text effects available. You can add your own music and voiceover and trim and crop photos and videos as required. You can attach custom watermark, work with different aspect ratios, and upload custom fonts. Here are the pros and cons of Animoto that you should know.

Pros –

• Wide range of time-saving video templates.
• Edit photos and video clips and add stylish texts.
• Access to a huge collection of stock library media files.
• Share videos directly on social media platforms and embed in websites.
• Smooth and intuitive user interface for all categories of users.

Cons –

• Free version attaches watermark.
• Premium plans are expensive.

4. Veed.io

Veed.io focuses on allowing users to create videos on the go with a few clicks only. You get to upload photos, add texts and titles with background music and select a few powerful effects to apply on your video. With a few clicks only, you get to create an amazing photo music video. The video editor supports adding images, texts, and music and removing background noise.

There are loads of video effects and filters that you can apply on your videos. The unique thing about the tool online is that there are options for adding subtitles, converting audio to text, and transcribing videos. The platform is relatively faster than most online editors. Here are the pros and cons of Veed.io.

Pros –

• Choose from wide categories of photos and music.
• Screen and webcam recording possible.
• Video compression and converter available.
• Simple but powerful user interface.
• Options to add subtitles and transcription.

Cons –

• Free version comes with lots of limitations and watermark.
• Limited graphical elements available to apply to videos.

5. Biteable

Biteable is a popular online video maker where you can instantly create professional-quality videos. The platform offers several templates for music video, presentation videos, corporate videos and much more. The user interface is super intuitive and there is a huge collection of stock media files that you can use on your videos.

The tools are simple but powerful and you can customize texts, images, and colors as per your requirements. You can also instant export the video on different platforms as per the demand. If you want to make photo music video for social media, Biteable is perfect for you. You should be aware of these pros and cons of Biteable.

Pros –

• Large collection of different video templates.
• Allows color customization, theme selection, and animations.
• Wide range of royalty-free music.
• Directly share videos on social media platforms.
• Supports voiceover and come with intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• Free version puts a Biteable watermark.
• There are limited customization options.

Part 3. Photo Music Video Maker Apps

If you are a smartphone user, you can make amazing photo music videos thanks to the video editor apps available. We have selected the best photo music video makers for Android, iOS, and Windows phone users.

1. Inshot

InShot is an easy-to-use app that lets you convert your photos into a beautiful video. It is an Android app and can be great for making fancy videos with music. With the app, you can add music, emoji, text, and transition effects. It also lets you blur the background or play video in slow motion. The app can also be used as a photo editor so that you can share stories on social media.

It has many distinct features due to the advanced video editor. The voice changer serves perfectly for adding voice effects. It lets you add filters and effects and you can even adjust brightness and contrast. InShot comes with various background patterns and you can even upload your own photos for background. These are the pros and cons of the InShot Android app.

Pros –

• Standard video making and editing options available.
• Advanced video editing with picture-in-picture, chroma key, and color picker.
• Apply audio and video effects as well as choose from texts and stickers.
• Proper photo editor to enhance video content and quality.
• Use voice changer, color picker, voiceover, and adjust speed and volume.

Cons –

• Certain advanced features are reserved for paid users.
• Support team is not readily available.

2. Filmigo Video Maker

Link-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.funcamerastudio.videomaker&hl=en&gl=US

Filmigo Video Maker comes with powerful video editing options. It is a dedicated Android app that can be great for personal and professional video creation. The app lets you duplicate, rotate, split, and trim the clips. The multiple themes and transitions let you make great videos instantly. It is also loaded with animated stickers, GIFs, and emojis. You can even add text and choose from different fonts and styles.

Additionally, it will let you save the video in HD or full HD resolution. There is no limit to video length. The app allows you to share the video directly to social media platforms. You can also use it as a meme generator. Users can even choose from popular music. These are the pros and cons of Filmigo that you must know.

Pros –

• Making artistic subtitles from different text styles and fonts.
• Customize videos with multiple themes and transitions.
• Edit videos by adding animated stickers and emojis.
• Save the video without any quality loss.
• Create appealing videos with voice enhancement and blurred backgrounds.

Cons –

• The app pushes frequent updates.
• Users keep reporting minor bugs.

3. Photo + Music = Video

Link - https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/photo-music-video/9P905MW4XMKM?hl=en-us&gl=US

Photo + Music = Video is an exclusive app for Windows users. Therefore, if you have a Windows device, you can download and install the app to create photo music video. The app lets you select any number of photos to create your videos. You can choose from the themes to create instant video. There are beautiful filters and effects to beautify your video.

Besides, you can add background music from any list as well as your custom music. The app has a dedicated photo editor and you can edit your photos before using them for the video. You can blur the background, add borders and frames, as well as attach custom texts and stickers. Here are the pros and cons of Photo + Music = Video app you should be aware of.

Pros –

• Unlimited photos selection for video creation.
• Choose from different themes, filters, and frames.
• Edit photos as per requirements before using in the video.
• Customize texts and titles and change the background.
• Different effects and stickers to apply to photos.

Cons –

• Has too many ads which could be annoying.
• Limited to Windows 10 device users only.

4. Video Maker with Music Editor

Link - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/video-maker-with-music-editor/id1006386292

If you are an iPhone user, this is the app for making music videos out of your photos. It features a huge collection of music tracks. The app also comes with volume and speed control. You can even use your voice over the video to give life to the videos. The app takes minimum time to process videos.

You can easily trim or cut off the videos for removing unwanted frames. The app is equally useful in editing audio and music tracks. Even after making the video, you can save and share your videos. Here are the pros and cons of Video Maker with Music Editor that you must know.

Pros –

• Add photos, edit video and audio.
• Select music from different categories.
• Add unlimited music to the video.
• Audio fade in and fade out effects.
• Super intuitive user interface.

Cons –

• The app can hang when editing high-resolution videos.
• The in-app purchases are relatively expensive.

Conclusion

We have listed all the best picture music video makers for all categories of users. If you want to make photo music videos on your phone, we have lined up the apps for Android, Mac and Windows users. You can also use photo music video editor online if you want to make a video on the go. For computer users, we recommend Wondershare Filmora for creating professional-quality photo music videos.

No Budget? No Problem! Free Animation Software 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

Linux Premiere Pro Alternatives: Top Picks for Video Editors

Undoubtedly, Adobe products are being used worldwide commercially, but for people with smaller budgets, several high-quality products are available for Linux. Different Adobe Premiere Alternatives for Linux are available, which have a relatively lower cost or are free of charge.

This article will discuss the best alternatives to Adobe Premiere for Linux, which are listed below. Before going through each of them, let’s first check if we can install Premiere Pro on Linux System.

Can I Install Premiere Pro On My Linux System?

No, Adobe Premiere Pro is not available to install on Linux systems. You have to go for its different alternatives,

1. DaVinci Resolve
2. OpenShot
3. Pitivi
4. Shotcut
5. Avidemux
6. Cinelerra
7. Kdenlive
8. Lightworks
9. Flowblade
10. Open Movie Editor

• How to Choose an Alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux?

Best 10 Alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux

1. DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve, a tool being used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, provides features like color correction, editing, motion graphics, and audio post-production.

It is easy to learn and use, yet a handy tool for professionals. Using DaVinci Resolve, you can build your multi-user post-production studio.

DaVinci Resolve interface is divided into different pages, providing you with a dedicated workspace for a specific task. You must buy the paid version to get access to all features.

Main features:

• Multi-user collaboration
• Color correction
• All-in-one software for post-production

Pros

• Multiple resolutions and formats are available.
• Quick processing
• Advanced audio processing

Cons

• Some features are limited only to the paid version
• Confusing interface
• Requires much CPU capacity

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 8 and 10+), OSX (11+)

Best for:

DaVinci Resolve is best for professionals as well as for day-to-day use. It has all the basic as well as professional working programs.

Price: 295$ for DaVinci Resolve Studio

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to TrustRadius Ratings , DaVinci Resolve has almost 75% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 18 positive and two negative reviews.

Summary & user review

DaVinci Resolve is the software that can solve most of your editing-related problems. With many editing options, it is the tool for all your projects. Both free and paid versions are available. A TrustRadius Ratings and Reviews review states, “ None like it out there.”

2. OpenShot

OpenShot is an easy-to-use, simple-to-understand, and surprisingly powerful video editing tool designed to make video editing straightforward. OpenShot is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, and its features make it a valuable and handy video editing software.

It is available in 70+ languages. It might be lacking some features for professional use, but it contains all the essential video editing tools for daily use.

Main features:

• Unlimited tracks
• 3D Animation
• Trim and Cut
• Title Editing
• Different video effects

Pros

• Completely free
• It can be used as a video editing learning tool
• Easy to use

Cons

• Keeps crashing
• Time-consuming tool
• Can’t create good quality animations

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 7,8 and 10+), OSX (10.15+)

Best for:

It is best for most users for day-to-day use, but it is not recommended for professional use. You should use other video editing tools for professional and advanced video editing.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , OpenShot has almost 85% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 27 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

OpenShot video editor is a free and easy-to-use tool for beginners and primary users. With many features and editing options, such as removing the background from the video, inverting color, adjusting brightness, slowing down or speeding up, and reversing the video, it can help create a good-quality video. A review regarding OpenShot on G2 Ratings and Reviews states: “Easy to use even for beginners.”

3. Pitivi

Pitivi video editor is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. It is a simple and unique video editor, that is free and comes with a lot of video editing and transforming features.

It is software designed for beginners and is suitable for creating simple and basic videos for social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Its easy user interface makes it a user-friendly tool.

Main features:

• Automatic backups
• Enhanced audio effects
• Framerate independent timeline
• Background processing of video being edited
• Animations, filters, and different transitions

Pros

• Completely free
• Easy to use
• Audio can be edited precisely
• Changes in the video can be seen in real-time
• Automatic backup
• Background processing of thumbnails

Cons

• Only basic editing can be done
• Not recommended for professional use
• Lagging issues
• Compatible with Linux only

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Best for beginners and people with primary use. Day-to-day videos for social media use can easily be edited.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to Slant Ratings , Pitivi has almost 75% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 13 positive and 03 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, unique, and free video editor for beginners. Casual and basic editing can be done using Pitivi.

A review on Slant Ratings and reviews states ,” Free, open source, and easy to use.” and this sums it all up.

4. Shotcut

Shotcut is a free, regularly updated video editing software, with powerful features and an easy user interface. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It offers a simple, user-friendly UI. Shotcut, in contrast to most free video editors, provides features like chroma key and color correction. It contains all the basic and some advanced video editing options but is not recommended for professional use.

Main features:

• Incredibly easy keyframing
• Editing and transitions
• Exporting
• Sleek, user-friendly interface

Pros

• Easy to use
• Regular updates
• Advanced effects
• High-quality input/output support

Cons

• A bit frustrating because of lag
• No preview for effects and transitions
• No stock music
• Can’t upload external subtitles

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

ShotCut is best for beginners and professionals with basic editing needs. It is your go-to editor for editing Youtube or Facebook videos.

Price: 9.79$ at Microsoft US

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , ShotCut has almost 85% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 33 positive and 04 negative reviews. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states,” Amazing Lightweight Free Basic Video Editor.”

Summary & user review

Shotcut can be used to produce both basic and advanced-level videos. It can be very helpful and handy for professionals in their editing.

5. Avidemux

Avidemux is a perfect tool for simple edits. With limited editing options, it is a very easy-to-use editor for beginners. You can cut, crop, copy or delete parts of your video. 2 or more video clips can also be merged by using Avidemux.

It can render and export at high speeds. Avidemux contains advanced features like a green screen, audio editing, and change speed.

Main features:

• Audio filters
• Video filters and transitions
• Advanced interlacing
• Open source
• Container format
• Encoder

Pros

• Free
• Easy interface
• Standard editing formats available

Cons

• No updates
• No customer support
• No timeline

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Avidemux is best for editing, cutting, resizing, and encoding multiple video formats, including MPEG, AVI, MP4, and DVD.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , Avidemux has almost 90% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 8 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

Avidemux is a handy video editing software for day-to-day use and it can edit your videos in no time. It is easy to use even for beginners. A review on G2 Ratings and reviews states, “ Avidemux is best for beginners.”

6. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a free video editing tool that you can use to edit your video and make it look wonderful with different transitions, effects, and texts. Cinelerra is free and open-source software and is considered one of the most used editing softwares for Linux.

It can edit videos of any quality you want and provides you with a perfect video according to your demands. It is helpful for beginners and also handy for professionals.

Main features:

• Video and audio editing
• Different transitions and effects
• Floating point imaging
• Color correction
• Video stabilization
• Motion tracking
• 400 plus decoders and 150 plus encoders

Pros

• Contains all professional features
• It has 3D editing tools
• Real-time processing of the video
• User friendly

Cons

• Only available for Linux
• Some codecs are not supported
• Four windows might get confusing sometimes

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It is the best free editing tool for professional and non-professional use. With a lot of video effects and transitions, it makes your video look like a movie.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.2/5

According to Slant Ratings , Cinelerra has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 19 positive and 02 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Cinelerra is a user-friendly software that has some advanced features like 3D video editing and is free of cost. A review on VideoHelp ratings and reviews states, “The GG version has many professional features. Easy to install too.”

7. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is a free and open-source video editor that can be used in place of Adobe Premiere Pro on Linux. Its best features include multi-track video editing, audio/video formatting, configurable interface and shortcuts, many effects and transitions, audio and video scopes, proxy editing, automatic backup, timeline preview, keyframeable effects, a simple interface, and much more.

Kdenlive lets you use and mix many audio and video tracks, each of which can be locked or muted as needed.

Main features:

• Multi tracks editing
• It supports almost all audio and video formats
• Many shortcuts available
• Titler
• Multiple effects and transitions
• Automatic backup
• Timeline preview
• Keyframing
• Online resources available

Pros

• Automatic backup
• Dozens of transitions and effects
• User-friendly interface
• Fast and stable performance
• Supports 420 plus formats

Cons

• Basic editing
• Not recommended for professional use
• It crashes if you have a slow computer

Supported OS: Linux , Windows, Mac, FreeBSD , Ubuntu

Best for:

Kdenlive is best for casual video editing for social media platforms. Good videos with multiple effects and transitions can be created using this software.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to Slant Ratings , Kdenlive has almost 70% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 228 positive and 53 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Kdenlive is a free and open-source editing software that is free and easy to use.

A review on AlternativeTo Ratings and Reviews states, “This is so much more awesome and I worked on it for over 2 hours, and it didn’t crash or lag even once.”

8. Lightworks

Lightworks is a video editing software that is used to enhance the content of videos by both film industry experts and social media marketers. Its free version can satisfy most of its users but if you want more advanced features, you’ll need to pay for this. It is a video editing tool with multi-track editing capabilities and is also powerful, and customizable.

Main features:

• Drag and drop interface
• Color correction
• Blend modes
• Rendering effects
• Applying chromakeys
• Video routing
• Keyframing
• Export to Youtube directly

Pros

• Multiplatform
• Audio/Video editing
• Tutorials available
• Active user forum
• Good performance

Cons

• Export option limited to only 720p
• Difficult for beginners
• You’ve to pay for advanced features

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

Its paid version is best for professionals to create videos with multiple effects and transitions. The free version can also be used for casual video editing.

Price: Lightworks pro is available at 9.99$/month. Its free version is also available.

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , Lightworks has almost 75% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 22 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is an easy-to-use, advanced, and paid video editing software for Linux for people with a low budget. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states, “Good editing platform for intermediate users.”

9. Flowblade

Flowblade is a very famous, easy-to-use, simple, and fast video editor which can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. Flowblade is an open-source editor that offers all basic editing options.

It has constantly amazed its users with the smoothness of its playback. There is an inbuilt render UI, which makes the process of delivering your work pretty innocuous.

Main features:

• Editing tool (Insert, Move, Trim, Roll)
• Audio/Video filters
• Proxy editing
• Audio mixer
• Inbuilt rendering
• Titler (Multiple text layers)

Pros

• Powerful
• Multifunctional
• Open source
• Stable

Cons

• For Linux only
• Lack of advanced editing features
• Requires higher display resolutions

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It provides a fast, precise, and robust editing experience. It is best for normal day-to-day use.

Price: 24.99$/month; 174.99$/year

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to Slant Ratings , Flowblade has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 61 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Flowblade is advanced, paid, fast, and precise video editing software for people with a low budget. A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states, “Power, lightweight and multifunctional.”

10. Open Movie Editor

Open Movie Editor is a free and open-source video editing application for generating basic movies. It aspires to be powerful enough for the inexperienced filmmaker while being simple to use. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It helps to create titles in Inkscape. The Open Movie Editor supports a variety of file formats, frame rates, frame sizes, video codecs, and video containers. The Open Movie Editor provides a range of Tools and Filters for adjusting colors and improving the appearance of your videos.

Main features:

• Color grading
• Filter effects
• Different Audio/Video formats
• 3D video editing
• Text overlay
• HD resolution

Pros

• Simple
• Free
• 70 plus languages
• Export your project in 4K, 60FPS

Cons

• Crashes very often
• Rendering speed is slow
• Hard to control video effects

Supported OS: Linux , OS X, Windows

Best for:

It is best for casual use and video editing with limited features. For professional work, you should opt another video editor.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.0/5

According to Slant Ratings , Open Movie Editor has almost 60% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 25 positive and 16 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, free, and easy-to-use video editor that can edit and export videos in high resolutions.

A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states,” An easy to use and powerful video editor.”

How to Choose an Alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux?

Out of these 10 software discussed above, which software you want to use is still a bit confusing. If you need basic editing software that is free and open source, you should go for Kdenlive

DaVinci Resolve provides advanced editing features such as color correction, and multi-track editing. This can be your choice if you have a good budget.

Lightworks and Flowblade are the best options if you have got a low budget and need advanced editing options. They provide a good value for money experience.

Open Movie Editor, Cinelerra, Avidemux, OpenShot, and Pitivi are free and easy-to-use software that are the best options for beginners.

Besides, if you are going to switch from Linux to Windows or MacOS. Wondershare Filmora can be your good choice to go. It owns built-in stock media and features that are not so complicated as compared to other software.

Final Words

It has been discussed in detail that there are many free as well as paid editing software that can be used for Linux. Adobe premiere pro is not available for Linux, so one must go with any of these above-mentioned editing products. Free versions are for beginners as they contain basic editing features but paid versions can fulfill the demands of professional moviemakers too.

You can download and install any software according to your demands very easily as they are available on the app store. In the absence of adobe premiere pro, these products add such effects and transitions to your videos/films that make them amazing and thrilling to watch.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Best 10 Alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux

1. DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve, a tool being used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, provides features like color correction, editing, motion graphics, and audio post-production.

It is easy to learn and use, yet a handy tool for professionals. Using DaVinci Resolve, you can build your multi-user post-production studio.

DaVinci Resolve interface is divided into different pages, providing you with a dedicated workspace for a specific task. You must buy the paid version to get access to all features.

Main features:

• Multi-user collaboration
• Color correction
• All-in-one software for post-production

Pros

• Multiple resolutions and formats are available.
• Quick processing
• Advanced audio processing

Cons

• Some features are limited only to the paid version
• Confusing interface
• Requires much CPU capacity

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 8 and 10+), OSX (11+)

Best for:

DaVinci Resolve is best for professionals as well as for day-to-day use. It has all the basic as well as professional working programs.

Price: 295$ for DaVinci Resolve Studio

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to TrustRadius Ratings , DaVinci Resolve has almost 75% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 18 positive and two negative reviews.

Summary & user review

DaVinci Resolve is the software that can solve most of your editing-related problems. With many editing options, it is the tool for all your projects. Both free and paid versions are available. A TrustRadius Ratings and Reviews review states, “ None like it out there.”

2. OpenShot

OpenShot is an easy-to-use, simple-to-understand, and surprisingly powerful video editing tool designed to make video editing straightforward. OpenShot is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, and its features make it a valuable and handy video editing software.

It is available in 70+ languages. It might be lacking some features for professional use, but it contains all the essential video editing tools for daily use.

Main features:

• Unlimited tracks
• 3D Animation
• Trim and Cut
• Title Editing
• Different video effects

Pros

• Completely free
• It can be used as a video editing learning tool
• Easy to use

Cons

• Keeps crashing
• Time-consuming tool
• Can’t create good quality animations

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 7,8 and 10+), OSX (10.15+)

Best for:

It is best for most users for day-to-day use, but it is not recommended for professional use. You should use other video editing tools for professional and advanced video editing.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , OpenShot has almost 85% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 27 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

OpenShot video editor is a free and easy-to-use tool for beginners and primary users. With many features and editing options, such as removing the background from the video, inverting color, adjusting brightness, slowing down or speeding up, and reversing the video, it can help create a good-quality video. A review regarding OpenShot on G2 Ratings and Reviews states: “Easy to use even for beginners.”

3. Pitivi

Pitivi video editor is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. It is a simple and unique video editor, that is free and comes with a lot of video editing and transforming features.

It is software designed for beginners and is suitable for creating simple and basic videos for social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Its easy user interface makes it a user-friendly tool.

Main features:

• Automatic backups
• Enhanced audio effects
• Framerate independent timeline
• Background processing of video being edited
• Animations, filters, and different transitions

Pros

• Completely free
• Easy to use
• Audio can be edited precisely
• Changes in the video can be seen in real-time
• Automatic backup
• Background processing of thumbnails

Cons

• Only basic editing can be done
• Not recommended for professional use
• Lagging issues
• Compatible with Linux only

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Best for beginners and people with primary use. Day-to-day videos for social media use can easily be edited.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to Slant Ratings , Pitivi has almost 75% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 13 positive and 03 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, unique, and free video editor for beginners. Casual and basic editing can be done using Pitivi.

A review on Slant Ratings and reviews states ,” Free, open source, and easy to use.” and this sums it all up.

4. Shotcut

Shotcut is a free, regularly updated video editing software, with powerful features and an easy user interface. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It offers a simple, user-friendly UI. Shotcut, in contrast to most free video editors, provides features like chroma key and color correction. It contains all the basic and some advanced video editing options but is not recommended for professional use.

Main features:

• Incredibly easy keyframing
• Editing and transitions
• Exporting
• Sleek, user-friendly interface

Pros

• Easy to use
• Regular updates
• Advanced effects
• High-quality input/output support

Cons

• A bit frustrating because of lag
• No preview for effects and transitions
• No stock music
• Can’t upload external subtitles

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

ShotCut is best for beginners and professionals with basic editing needs. It is your go-to editor for editing Youtube or Facebook videos.

Price: 9.79$ at Microsoft US

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , ShotCut has almost 85% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 33 positive and 04 negative reviews. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states,” Amazing Lightweight Free Basic Video Editor.”

Summary & user review

Shotcut can be used to produce both basic and advanced-level videos. It can be very helpful and handy for professionals in their editing.

5. Avidemux

Avidemux is a perfect tool for simple edits. With limited editing options, it is a very easy-to-use editor for beginners. You can cut, crop, copy or delete parts of your video. 2 or more video clips can also be merged by using Avidemux.

It can render and export at high speeds. Avidemux contains advanced features like a green screen, audio editing, and change speed.

Main features:

• Audio filters
• Video filters and transitions
• Advanced interlacing
• Open source
• Container format
• Encoder

Pros

• Free
• Easy interface
• Standard editing formats available

Cons

• No updates
• No customer support
• No timeline

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Avidemux is best for editing, cutting, resizing, and encoding multiple video formats, including MPEG, AVI, MP4, and DVD.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , Avidemux has almost 90% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 8 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

Avidemux is a handy video editing software for day-to-day use and it can edit your videos in no time. It is easy to use even for beginners. A review on G2 Ratings and reviews states, “ Avidemux is best for beginners.”

6. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a free video editing tool that you can use to edit your video and make it look wonderful with different transitions, effects, and texts. Cinelerra is free and open-source software and is considered one of the most used editing softwares for Linux.

It can edit videos of any quality you want and provides you with a perfect video according to your demands. It is helpful for beginners and also handy for professionals.

Main features:

• Video and audio editing
• Different transitions and effects
• Floating point imaging
• Color correction
• Video stabilization
• Motion tracking
• 400 plus decoders and 150 plus encoders

Pros

• Contains all professional features
• It has 3D editing tools
• Real-time processing of the video
• User friendly

Cons

• Only available for Linux
• Some codecs are not supported
• Four windows might get confusing sometimes

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It is the best free editing tool for professional and non-professional use. With a lot of video effects and transitions, it makes your video look like a movie.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.2/5

According to Slant Ratings , Cinelerra has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 19 positive and 02 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Cinelerra is a user-friendly software that has some advanced features like 3D video editing and is free of cost. A review on VideoHelp ratings and reviews states, “The GG version has many professional features. Easy to install too.”

7. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is a free and open-source video editor that can be used in place of Adobe Premiere Pro on Linux. Its best features include multi-track video editing, audio/video formatting, configurable interface and shortcuts, many effects and transitions, audio and video scopes, proxy editing, automatic backup, timeline preview, keyframeable effects, a simple interface, and much more.

Kdenlive lets you use and mix many audio and video tracks, each of which can be locked or muted as needed.

Main features:

• Multi tracks editing
• It supports almost all audio and video formats
• Many shortcuts available
• Titler
• Multiple effects and transitions
• Automatic backup
• Timeline preview
• Keyframing
• Online resources available

Pros

• Automatic backup
• Dozens of transitions and effects
• User-friendly interface
• Fast and stable performance
• Supports 420 plus formats

Cons

• Basic editing
• Not recommended for professional use
• It crashes if you have a slow computer

Supported OS: Linux , Windows, Mac, FreeBSD , Ubuntu

Best for:

Kdenlive is best for casual video editing for social media platforms. Good videos with multiple effects and transitions can be created using this software.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to Slant Ratings , Kdenlive has almost 70% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 228 positive and 53 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Kdenlive is a free and open-source editing software that is free and easy to use.

A review on AlternativeTo Ratings and Reviews states, “This is so much more awesome and I worked on it for over 2 hours, and it didn’t crash or lag even once.”

8. Lightworks

Lightworks is a video editing software that is used to enhance the content of videos by both film industry experts and social media marketers. Its free version can satisfy most of its users but if you want more advanced features, you’ll need to pay for this. It is a video editing tool with multi-track editing capabilities and is also powerful, and customizable.

Main features:

• Drag and drop interface
• Color correction
• Blend modes
• Rendering effects
• Applying chromakeys
• Video routing
• Keyframing
• Export to Youtube directly

Pros

• Multiplatform
• Audio/Video editing
• Tutorials available
• Active user forum
• Good performance

Cons

• Export option limited to only 720p
• Difficult for beginners
• You’ve to pay for advanced features

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

Its paid version is best for professionals to create videos with multiple effects and transitions. The free version can also be used for casual video editing.

Price: Lightworks pro is available at 9.99$/month. Its free version is also available.

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , Lightworks has almost 75% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 22 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is an easy-to-use, advanced, and paid video editing software for Linux for people with a low budget. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states, “Good editing platform for intermediate users.”

9. Flowblade

Flowblade is a very famous, easy-to-use, simple, and fast video editor which can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. Flowblade is an open-source editor that offers all basic editing options.

It has constantly amazed its users with the smoothness of its playback. There is an inbuilt render UI, which makes the process of delivering your work pretty innocuous.

Main features:

• Editing tool (Insert, Move, Trim, Roll)
• Audio/Video filters
• Proxy editing
• Audio mixer
• Inbuilt rendering
• Titler (Multiple text layers)

Pros

• Powerful
• Multifunctional
• Open source
• Stable

Cons

• For Linux only
• Lack of advanced editing features
• Requires higher display resolutions

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It provides a fast, precise, and robust editing experience. It is best for normal day-to-day use.

Price: 24.99$/month; 174.99$/year

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to Slant Ratings , Flowblade has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 61 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Flowblade is advanced, paid, fast, and precise video editing software for people with a low budget. A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states, “Power, lightweight and multifunctional.”

10. Open Movie Editor

Open Movie Editor is a free and open-source video editing application for generating basic movies. It aspires to be powerful enough for the inexperienced filmmaker while being simple to use. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It helps to create titles in Inkscape. The Open Movie Editor supports a variety of file formats, frame rates, frame sizes, video codecs, and video containers. The Open Movie Editor provides a range of Tools and Filters for adjusting colors and improving the appearance of your videos.

Main features:

• Color grading
• Filter effects
• Different Audio/Video formats
• 3D video editing
• Text overlay
• HD resolution

Pros

• Simple
• Free
• 70 plus languages
• Export your project in 4K, 60FPS

Cons

• Crashes very often
• Rendering speed is slow
• Hard to control video effects

Supported OS: Linux , OS X, Windows

Best for:

It is best for casual use and video editing with limited features. For professional work, you should opt another video editor.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.0/5

According to Slant Ratings , Open Movie Editor has almost 60% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 25 positive and 16 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, free, and easy-to-use video editor that can edit and export videos in high resolutions.

A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states,” An easy to use and powerful video editor.”

How to Choose an Alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux?

Out of these 10 software discussed above, which software you want to use is still a bit confusing. If you need basic editing software that is free and open source, you should go for Kdenlive

DaVinci Resolve provides advanced editing features such as color correction, and multi-track editing. This can be your choice if you have a good budget.

Lightworks and Flowblade are the best options if you have got a low budget and need advanced editing options. They provide a good value for money experience.

Open Movie Editor, Cinelerra, Avidemux, OpenShot, and Pitivi are free and easy-to-use software that are the best options for beginners.

Besides, if you are going to switch from Linux to Windows or MacOS. Wondershare Filmora can be your good choice to go. It owns built-in stock media and features that are not so complicated as compared to other software.

Final Words

It has been discussed in detail that there are many free as well as paid editing software that can be used for Linux. Adobe premiere pro is not available for Linux, so one must go with any of these above-mentioned editing products. Free versions are for beginners as they contain basic editing features but paid versions can fulfill the demands of professional moviemakers too.

You can download and install any software according to your demands very easily as they are available on the app store. In the absence of adobe premiere pro, these products add such effects and transitions to your videos/films that make them amazing and thrilling to watch.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Fast Video Resizing: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Change Ratio of Video in a Quick & Easy Way

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

It is important that how your video appears on the screen and for this aspect ratio is one of the most important factors. Several times, when your video appears awkward or cropped on a certain site or a device, it means that its aspect ratio is not correct and the best solution here is to change the aspect ratio. Using related software and programs this task can be done easily.

The article will throw more light on these tools that can change ratio of video.

In this article

01 [What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?](#Part 1)

02 [Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution](#Part 2)

Part 1 What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?

Aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and the height of the video and it defines how your video will appear on the screen. The right aspect ratio is important to offer a pleasing viewing experience. With multiple social media sites supporting different aspect ratios, the need for changing them accordingly arises quite often.

The marketing, business, and all other activities have taken an online route and with this, the video content on several social media sites for promotion has also increased. So, if you upload a video with a certain aspect ratio on a different platform, they will look weird with cropped portions, black borders, and other issues that will lead to a negative viewing experience and impact.

Though there is no fixed or standard aspect ratio that can be considered as the best as different values are suitable for different platforms and sites. Some of the commonly used aspect ratios are as below.

● 16:9- This is one of the most widely used aspect ratios and appears in the form of a wide rectangle. The majority of the video players as well as capturing devices use this aspect ratio as their default settings. The best resolution that can be used with this aspect ratio is 3840 X 2160 pixels.

● 1:1- Originally this aspect ratio was used for square TV sets but now it is majorly used for the videos on Instagram and Facebook. A lot of cameras also support this setting.

● 9:16- The setting for this aspect ratio has become popular after the increased use of smartphones. Used for the tall videos, the setting can be seen in the videos posted as an Instagram story, Snapchat, and Facebook.

● 21:9 – This setting of the aspect ratio is used for cinematic widescreen or videos with the anamorphic format. The use of this aspect ratio is very particular and videos supporting this setting generally can be seen in theme parks, special theatres, and museums.

Regarding social media sites, below listed are the popularly used aspect ratio.

● Square (1:1) – Used for Facebook and Instagram feed videos.

● Vertical (9:16) – Best for Instagram story videos and snaps

● Horizontal (16:9) – Used for (9:16 YouTube videos

● Landscape (5:4) – Apt for landscape videos on Facebook and Twitter.

● Portrait (4:5) – Used for the portrait videos to be posted on Twitter and Facebook.

● For the Facebook cover video, 21:9 is the recommended aspect ratio.

Part 2 Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution

Aspect ratio and resolution are interrelated and go hand-in-hand. For a certain aspect ratio, there is several counterparts’ resolution that can be used. While the aspect ratio defines the width and the height relationship, the resolution is the number of pixels on the screen.

To obtain the resolution of a video, you will multiply the height by the width while for the aspect ratio, width is divided by the height. When the height is multiplied by its width times, the results you get represent the square pixels of your screen and this number dented the quality of the video. The higher the pixels, the higher will be the video quality.

5 Quick Ways to Change Video Aspect Ratio on Windows and Mac

To make your videos suitable for different platforms and sites, you would need to change the aspect ratio, and to get this task done there are several windows and Mac-based tools available. Listed below are the top ones that will let process the videos quickly.

● VideoProc Converter

This is a Windows and Mac-based full-featured software that allows performing multiple tasks like changing the aspect ratio, editing videos, converting files, and more. Using the program, you can easily change the aspect ratio without any quality loss and without adding any black bars or video stretching. Further video customization as needed can also be done using the tool.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Download, install, and run the software on your system and select the Video option.

Step 2. To add the video, click on the + Video button. Next, choose the target format for the video.

Step 3. Next to change the aspect ratio of the video you can either resize the video or can crop it. While resizing the video, you will need to change the resolution from the Codec section. Alternatively, you can also use the Crop toolbar for selecting the desired aspect ratio from the supported options.

Step 4. Finally, choose the output folder and then click on the RUN button to start the file processing.

● AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate

This is a widely used video editing tool that supports multiple functions and features for video customization. Using this program on your Windows and Mac system you can change the aspect ratio of the videos using the pre-set options or manually. All popular video formats are supported by the software and the files are processed in lossless quality.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Run the installed software and add the video by clicking on the +Add Files button.

Step 2. Click on the Edit icon and a pop-up editing window will open. Go to the Crop section and expand the drop-down list at the Aspect Ratio. Choose the desired option. You can also change the aspect ratio manually by moving the crop box. Click on the OK button when selected.

Step 3. Next, choose the output folder, target format, and then finally click on the Convert All button to start the processing.

● MediaCoder

This is among the early transcoding tools and is known for its support of rich features for video customization. Several video parameters including aspect ratio can be adjusted using the tool and it also supports functions like conversion, disc ripping, video enhancement, and more. A wide range of formats for processing is supported by the software that is available for the Windows system.

Step to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Launch the software and add the desired video from the File tab.

Step 2. After the video is added, choose the Picture tab at the bottom menu.

Step 3. At the Aspect Ratio section, pull the menu and choose from the available options. Other parameters can also be changed as needed.

Step 4. Choose the output folder and start processing the file.

● iMovie

To change the aspect ratio of a video on your Mac systems without installing any third-party software, iMovie works as the best tool. Using the program, you can even do basic editing simply and quickly. You can resize the videos in iMovie by simply cropping or exporting them using pre-set aspect ratio options.

Steps for iMovie aspect ratio change

Step 1. Open the iMovie on your system and tap on the Create New button at the top-left corner.

Step 2. Choose the Movie option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. To add the video, click on the Import Media button and then tap on the Crop icon present on the top toolbar.

Step 4. Move the edges of the video and when done tap on the blue-tick icon present at the top-right corner.

Step 5. Next, click on the Share icon at the top-right corner and then the video can be saved to the desired location.

Using iMovie you can also change aspect ratio iphone video.

● Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an excellent Windows and Mac-based software for changing the aspect ratio of your videos and editing it using a variety of functions. The files can be processed in lossless quality using the tool and the interface is also user-friendly. There are multiple ways by which you can change the aspect ratio using the software and these include - changing it from the starting interface, under project settings, while editing, while exporting, and with the Auto reframe option.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

The simplest of all ways is by changing the video aspect ratio from the starting interface and the steps for the same are enlisted below.

Step 1. Launch the installed software on your system.

Step 2. At the starting interface, you can choose the desired aspect ratio from the available options – 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, and 9:16.

Step 3. After the selection is done, you can add the video by clicking on the New Project and then edit the file as required using several features.

The above steps can be used to change aspect ratio MP4 as well as all other popular formats.

Step 4. After the video settings are done you can process it and save it at the desired location.

To edit the aspect ratio using other ways, you can check out the detailshere .

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Aspect ratio defines how a video will appear on a different screen, social media sites, and platforms.

● To use the same video on multiple platforms, you need to change its aspect ratio and for this, good software is needed.

● An array of aspect ratio changer tools for Windows and Mac are available. Wondershare Filmora is one such feature-packed tool that can process your files in lossless quality with added features.

Try It Free Try It Free

It is important that how your video appears on the screen and for this aspect ratio is one of the most important factors. Several times, when your video appears awkward or cropped on a certain site or a device, it means that its aspect ratio is not correct and the best solution here is to change the aspect ratio. Using related software and programs this task can be done easily.

The article will throw more light on these tools that can change ratio of video.

In this article

01 [What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?](#Part 1)

02 [Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution](#Part 2)

Part 1 What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?

Aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and the height of the video and it defines how your video will appear on the screen. The right aspect ratio is important to offer a pleasing viewing experience. With multiple social media sites supporting different aspect ratios, the need for changing them accordingly arises quite often.

The marketing, business, and all other activities have taken an online route and with this, the video content on several social media sites for promotion has also increased. So, if you upload a video with a certain aspect ratio on a different platform, they will look weird with cropped portions, black borders, and other issues that will lead to a negative viewing experience and impact.

Though there is no fixed or standard aspect ratio that can be considered as the best as different values are suitable for different platforms and sites. Some of the commonly used aspect ratios are as below.

● 16:9- This is one of the most widely used aspect ratios and appears in the form of a wide rectangle. The majority of the video players as well as capturing devices use this aspect ratio as their default settings. The best resolution that can be used with this aspect ratio is 3840 X 2160 pixels.

● 1:1- Originally this aspect ratio was used for square TV sets but now it is majorly used for the videos on Instagram and Facebook. A lot of cameras also support this setting.

● 9:16- The setting for this aspect ratio has become popular after the increased use of smartphones. Used for the tall videos, the setting can be seen in the videos posted as an Instagram story, Snapchat, and Facebook.

● 21:9 – This setting of the aspect ratio is used for cinematic widescreen or videos with the anamorphic format. The use of this aspect ratio is very particular and videos supporting this setting generally can be seen in theme parks, special theatres, and museums.

Regarding social media sites, below listed are the popularly used aspect ratio.

● Square (1:1) – Used for Facebook and Instagram feed videos.

● Vertical (9:16) – Best for Instagram story videos and snaps

● Horizontal (16:9) – Used for (9:16 YouTube videos

● Landscape (5:4) – Apt for landscape videos on Facebook and Twitter.

● Portrait (4:5) – Used for the portrait videos to be posted on Twitter and Facebook.

● For the Facebook cover video, 21:9 is the recommended aspect ratio.

Part 2 Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution

Aspect ratio and resolution are interrelated and go hand-in-hand. For a certain aspect ratio, there is several counterparts’ resolution that can be used. While the aspect ratio defines the width and the height relationship, the resolution is the number of pixels on the screen.

To obtain the resolution of a video, you will multiply the height by the width while for the aspect ratio, width is divided by the height. When the height is multiplied by its width times, the results you get represent the square pixels of your screen and this number dented the quality of the video. The higher the pixels, the higher will be the video quality.

5 Quick Ways to Change Video Aspect Ratio on Windows and Mac

To make your videos suitable for different platforms and sites, you would need to change the aspect ratio, and to get this task done there are several windows and Mac-based tools available. Listed below are the top ones that will let process the videos quickly.

● VideoProc Converter

This is a Windows and Mac-based full-featured software that allows performing multiple tasks like changing the aspect ratio, editing videos, converting files, and more. Using the program, you can easily change the aspect ratio without any quality loss and without adding any black bars or video stretching. Further video customization as needed can also be done using the tool.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Download, install, and run the software on your system and select the Video option.

Step 2. To add the video, click on the + Video button. Next, choose the target format for the video.

Step 3. Next to change the aspect ratio of the video you can either resize the video or can crop it. While resizing the video, you will need to change the resolution from the Codec section. Alternatively, you can also use the Crop toolbar for selecting the desired aspect ratio from the supported options.

Step 4. Finally, choose the output folder and then click on the RUN button to start the file processing.

● AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate

This is a widely used video editing tool that supports multiple functions and features for video customization. Using this program on your Windows and Mac system you can change the aspect ratio of the videos using the pre-set options or manually. All popular video formats are supported by the software and the files are processed in lossless quality.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Run the installed software and add the video by clicking on the +Add Files button.

Step 2. Click on the Edit icon and a pop-up editing window will open. Go to the Crop section and expand the drop-down list at the Aspect Ratio. Choose the desired option. You can also change the aspect ratio manually by moving the crop box. Click on the OK button when selected.

Step 3. Next, choose the output folder, target format, and then finally click on the Convert All button to start the processing.

● MediaCoder

This is among the early transcoding tools and is known for its support of rich features for video customization. Several video parameters including aspect ratio can be adjusted using the tool and it also supports functions like conversion, disc ripping, video enhancement, and more. A wide range of formats for processing is supported by the software that is available for the Windows system.

Step to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Launch the software and add the desired video from the File tab.

Step 2. After the video is added, choose the Picture tab at the bottom menu.

Step 3. At the Aspect Ratio section, pull the menu and choose from the available options. Other parameters can also be changed as needed.

Step 4. Choose the output folder and start processing the file.

● iMovie

To change the aspect ratio of a video on your Mac systems without installing any third-party software, iMovie works as the best tool. Using the program, you can even do basic editing simply and quickly. You can resize the videos in iMovie by simply cropping or exporting them using pre-set aspect ratio options.

Steps for iMovie aspect ratio change

Step 1. Open the iMovie on your system and tap on the Create New button at the top-left corner.

Step 2. Choose the Movie option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. To add the video, click on the Import Media button and then tap on the Crop icon present on the top toolbar.

Step 4. Move the edges of the video and when done tap on the blue-tick icon present at the top-right corner.

Step 5. Next, click on the Share icon at the top-right corner and then the video can be saved to the desired location.

Using iMovie you can also change aspect ratio iphone video.

● Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an excellent Windows and Mac-based software for changing the aspect ratio of your videos and editing it using a variety of functions. The files can be processed in lossless quality using the tool and the interface is also user-friendly. There are multiple ways by which you can change the aspect ratio using the software and these include - changing it from the starting interface, under project settings, while editing, while exporting, and with the Auto reframe option.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

The simplest of all ways is by changing the video aspect ratio from the starting interface and the steps for the same are enlisted below.

Step 1. Launch the installed software on your system.

Step 2. At the starting interface, you can choose the desired aspect ratio from the available options – 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, and 9:16.

Step 3. After the selection is done, you can add the video by clicking on the New Project and then edit the file as required using several features.

The above steps can be used to change aspect ratio MP4 as well as all other popular formats.

Step 4. After the video settings are done you can process it and save it at the desired location.

To edit the aspect ratio using other ways, you can check out the detailshere .

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Aspect ratio defines how a video will appear on a different screen, social media sites, and platforms.

● To use the same video on multiple platforms, you need to change its aspect ratio and for this, good software is needed.

● An array of aspect ratio changer tools for Windows and Mac are available. Wondershare Filmora is one such feature-packed tool that can process your files in lossless quality with added features.

Try It Free Try It Free

It is important that how your video appears on the screen and for this aspect ratio is one of the most important factors. Several times, when your video appears awkward or cropped on a certain site or a device, it means that its aspect ratio is not correct and the best solution here is to change the aspect ratio. Using related software and programs this task can be done easily.

The article will throw more light on these tools that can change ratio of video.

In this article

01 [What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?](#Part 1)

02 [Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution](#Part 2)

Part 1 What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?

Aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and the height of the video and it defines how your video will appear on the screen. The right aspect ratio is important to offer a pleasing viewing experience. With multiple social media sites supporting different aspect ratios, the need for changing them accordingly arises quite often.

The marketing, business, and all other activities have taken an online route and with this, the video content on several social media sites for promotion has also increased. So, if you upload a video with a certain aspect ratio on a different platform, they will look weird with cropped portions, black borders, and other issues that will lead to a negative viewing experience and impact.

Though there is no fixed or standard aspect ratio that can be considered as the best as different values are suitable for different platforms and sites. Some of the commonly used aspect ratios are as below.

● 16:9- This is one of the most widely used aspect ratios and appears in the form of a wide rectangle. The majority of the video players as well as capturing devices use this aspect ratio as their default settings. The best resolution that can be used with this aspect ratio is 3840 X 2160 pixels.

● 1:1- Originally this aspect ratio was used for square TV sets but now it is majorly used for the videos on Instagram and Facebook. A lot of cameras also support this setting.

● 9:16- The setting for this aspect ratio has become popular after the increased use of smartphones. Used for the tall videos, the setting can be seen in the videos posted as an Instagram story, Snapchat, and Facebook.

● 21:9 – This setting of the aspect ratio is used for cinematic widescreen or videos with the anamorphic format. The use of this aspect ratio is very particular and videos supporting this setting generally can be seen in theme parks, special theatres, and museums.

Regarding social media sites, below listed are the popularly used aspect ratio.

● Square (1:1) – Used for Facebook and Instagram feed videos.

● Vertical (9:16) – Best for Instagram story videos and snaps

● Horizontal (16:9) – Used for (9:16 YouTube videos

● Landscape (5:4) – Apt for landscape videos on Facebook and Twitter.

● Portrait (4:5) – Used for the portrait videos to be posted on Twitter and Facebook.

● For the Facebook cover video, 21:9 is the recommended aspect ratio.

Part 2 Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution

Aspect ratio and resolution are interrelated and go hand-in-hand. For a certain aspect ratio, there is several counterparts’ resolution that can be used. While the aspect ratio defines the width and the height relationship, the resolution is the number of pixels on the screen.

To obtain the resolution of a video, you will multiply the height by the width while for the aspect ratio, width is divided by the height. When the height is multiplied by its width times, the results you get represent the square pixels of your screen and this number dented the quality of the video. The higher the pixels, the higher will be the video quality.

5 Quick Ways to Change Video Aspect Ratio on Windows and Mac

To make your videos suitable for different platforms and sites, you would need to change the aspect ratio, and to get this task done there are several windows and Mac-based tools available. Listed below are the top ones that will let process the videos quickly.

● VideoProc Converter

This is a Windows and Mac-based full-featured software that allows performing multiple tasks like changing the aspect ratio, editing videos, converting files, and more. Using the program, you can easily change the aspect ratio without any quality loss and without adding any black bars or video stretching. Further video customization as needed can also be done using the tool.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Download, install, and run the software on your system and select the Video option.

Step 2. To add the video, click on the + Video button. Next, choose the target format for the video.

Step 3. Next to change the aspect ratio of the video you can either resize the video or can crop it. While resizing the video, you will need to change the resolution from the Codec section. Alternatively, you can also use the Crop toolbar for selecting the desired aspect ratio from the supported options.

Step 4. Finally, choose the output folder and then click on the RUN button to start the file processing.

● AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate

This is a widely used video editing tool that supports multiple functions and features for video customization. Using this program on your Windows and Mac system you can change the aspect ratio of the videos using the pre-set options or manually. All popular video formats are supported by the software and the files are processed in lossless quality.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Run the installed software and add the video by clicking on the +Add Files button.

Step 2. Click on the Edit icon and a pop-up editing window will open. Go to the Crop section and expand the drop-down list at the Aspect Ratio. Choose the desired option. You can also change the aspect ratio manually by moving the crop box. Click on the OK button when selected.

Step 3. Next, choose the output folder, target format, and then finally click on the Convert All button to start the processing.

● MediaCoder

This is among the early transcoding tools and is known for its support of rich features for video customization. Several video parameters including aspect ratio can be adjusted using the tool and it also supports functions like conversion, disc ripping, video enhancement, and more. A wide range of formats for processing is supported by the software that is available for the Windows system.

Step to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Launch the software and add the desired video from the File tab.

Step 2. After the video is added, choose the Picture tab at the bottom menu.

Step 3. At the Aspect Ratio section, pull the menu and choose from the available options. Other parameters can also be changed as needed.

Step 4. Choose the output folder and start processing the file.

● iMovie

To change the aspect ratio of a video on your Mac systems without installing any third-party software, iMovie works as the best tool. Using the program, you can even do basic editing simply and quickly. You can resize the videos in iMovie by simply cropping or exporting them using pre-set aspect ratio options.

Steps for iMovie aspect ratio change

Step 1. Open the iMovie on your system and tap on the Create New button at the top-left corner.

Step 2. Choose the Movie option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. To add the video, click on the Import Media button and then tap on the Crop icon present on the top toolbar.

Step 4. Move the edges of the video and when done tap on the blue-tick icon present at the top-right corner.

Step 5. Next, click on the Share icon at the top-right corner and then the video can be saved to the desired location.

Using iMovie you can also change aspect ratio iphone video.

● Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an excellent Windows and Mac-based software for changing the aspect ratio of your videos and editing it using a variety of functions. The files can be processed in lossless quality using the tool and the interface is also user-friendly. There are multiple ways by which you can change the aspect ratio using the software and these include - changing it from the starting interface, under project settings, while editing, while exporting, and with the Auto reframe option.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

The simplest of all ways is by changing the video aspect ratio from the starting interface and the steps for the same are enlisted below.

Step 1. Launch the installed software on your system.

Step 2. At the starting interface, you can choose the desired aspect ratio from the available options – 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, and 9:16.

Step 3. After the selection is done, you can add the video by clicking on the New Project and then edit the file as required using several features.

The above steps can be used to change aspect ratio MP4 as well as all other popular formats.

Step 4. After the video settings are done you can process it and save it at the desired location.

To edit the aspect ratio using other ways, you can check out the detailshere .

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Aspect ratio defines how a video will appear on a different screen, social media sites, and platforms.

● To use the same video on multiple platforms, you need to change its aspect ratio and for this, good software is needed.

● An array of aspect ratio changer tools for Windows and Mac are available. Wondershare Filmora is one such feature-packed tool that can process your files in lossless quality with added features.

Try It Free Try It Free

It is important that how your video appears on the screen and for this aspect ratio is one of the most important factors. Several times, when your video appears awkward or cropped on a certain site or a device, it means that its aspect ratio is not correct and the best solution here is to change the aspect ratio. Using related software and programs this task can be done easily.

The article will throw more light on these tools that can change ratio of video.

In this article

01 [What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?](#Part 1)

02 [Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution](#Part 2)

Part 1 What is Aspect Ratio and Why Does It Matter?

Aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and the height of the video and it defines how your video will appear on the screen. The right aspect ratio is important to offer a pleasing viewing experience. With multiple social media sites supporting different aspect ratios, the need for changing them accordingly arises quite often.

The marketing, business, and all other activities have taken an online route and with this, the video content on several social media sites for promotion has also increased. So, if you upload a video with a certain aspect ratio on a different platform, they will look weird with cropped portions, black borders, and other issues that will lead to a negative viewing experience and impact.

Though there is no fixed or standard aspect ratio that can be considered as the best as different values are suitable for different platforms and sites. Some of the commonly used aspect ratios are as below.

● 16:9- This is one of the most widely used aspect ratios and appears in the form of a wide rectangle. The majority of the video players as well as capturing devices use this aspect ratio as their default settings. The best resolution that can be used with this aspect ratio is 3840 X 2160 pixels.

● 1:1- Originally this aspect ratio was used for square TV sets but now it is majorly used for the videos on Instagram and Facebook. A lot of cameras also support this setting.

● 9:16- The setting for this aspect ratio has become popular after the increased use of smartphones. Used for the tall videos, the setting can be seen in the videos posted as an Instagram story, Snapchat, and Facebook.

● 21:9 – This setting of the aspect ratio is used for cinematic widescreen or videos with the anamorphic format. The use of this aspect ratio is very particular and videos supporting this setting generally can be seen in theme parks, special theatres, and museums.

Regarding social media sites, below listed are the popularly used aspect ratio.

● Square (1:1) – Used for Facebook and Instagram feed videos.

● Vertical (9:16) – Best for Instagram story videos and snaps

● Horizontal (16:9) – Used for (9:16 YouTube videos

● Landscape (5:4) – Apt for landscape videos on Facebook and Twitter.

● Portrait (4:5) – Used for the portrait videos to be posted on Twitter and Facebook.

● For the Facebook cover video, 21:9 is the recommended aspect ratio.

Part 2 Difference Between Aspect Ratio and Resolution

Aspect ratio and resolution are interrelated and go hand-in-hand. For a certain aspect ratio, there is several counterparts’ resolution that can be used. While the aspect ratio defines the width and the height relationship, the resolution is the number of pixels on the screen.

To obtain the resolution of a video, you will multiply the height by the width while for the aspect ratio, width is divided by the height. When the height is multiplied by its width times, the results you get represent the square pixels of your screen and this number dented the quality of the video. The higher the pixels, the higher will be the video quality.

5 Quick Ways to Change Video Aspect Ratio on Windows and Mac

To make your videos suitable for different platforms and sites, you would need to change the aspect ratio, and to get this task done there are several windows and Mac-based tools available. Listed below are the top ones that will let process the videos quickly.

● VideoProc Converter

This is a Windows and Mac-based full-featured software that allows performing multiple tasks like changing the aspect ratio, editing videos, converting files, and more. Using the program, you can easily change the aspect ratio without any quality loss and without adding any black bars or video stretching. Further video customization as needed can also be done using the tool.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Download, install, and run the software on your system and select the Video option.

Step 2. To add the video, click on the + Video button. Next, choose the target format for the video.

Step 3. Next to change the aspect ratio of the video you can either resize the video or can crop it. While resizing the video, you will need to change the resolution from the Codec section. Alternatively, you can also use the Crop toolbar for selecting the desired aspect ratio from the supported options.

Step 4. Finally, choose the output folder and then click on the RUN button to start the file processing.

● AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate

This is a widely used video editing tool that supports multiple functions and features for video customization. Using this program on your Windows and Mac system you can change the aspect ratio of the videos using the pre-set options or manually. All popular video formats are supported by the software and the files are processed in lossless quality.

Steps to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Run the installed software and add the video by clicking on the +Add Files button.

Step 2. Click on the Edit icon and a pop-up editing window will open. Go to the Crop section and expand the drop-down list at the Aspect Ratio. Choose the desired option. You can also change the aspect ratio manually by moving the crop box. Click on the OK button when selected.

Step 3. Next, choose the output folder, target format, and then finally click on the Convert All button to start the processing.

● MediaCoder

This is among the early transcoding tools and is known for its support of rich features for video customization. Several video parameters including aspect ratio can be adjusted using the tool and it also supports functions like conversion, disc ripping, video enhancement, and more. A wide range of formats for processing is supported by the software that is available for the Windows system.

Step to change the aspect ratio

Step 1. Launch the software and add the desired video from the File tab.

Step 2. After the video is added, choose the Picture tab at the bottom menu.

Step 3. At the Aspect Ratio section, pull the menu and choose from the available options. Other parameters can also be changed as needed.

Step 4. Choose the output folder and start processing the file.

● iMovie

To change the aspect ratio of a video on your Mac systems without installing any third-party software, iMovie works as the best tool. Using the program, you can even do basic editing simply and quickly. You can resize the videos in iMovie by simply cropping or exporting them using pre-set aspect ratio options.

Steps for iMovie aspect ratio change

Step 1. Open the iMovie on your system and tap on the Create New button at the top-left corner.

Step 2. Choose the Movie option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. To add the video, click on the Import Media button and then tap on the Crop icon present on the top toolbar.

Step 4. Move the edges of the video and when done tap on the blue-tick icon present at the top-right corner.

Step 5. Next, click on the Share icon at the top-right corner and then the video can be saved to the desired location.

Using iMovie you can also change aspect ratio iphone video.

● Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an excellent Windows and Mac-based software for changing the aspect ratio of your videos and editing it using a variety of functions. The files can be processed in lossless quality using the tool and the interface is also user-friendly. There are multiple ways by which you can change the aspect ratio using the software and these include - changing it from the starting interface, under project settings, while editing, while exporting, and with the Auto reframe option.

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The simplest of all ways is by changing the video aspect ratio from the starting interface and the steps for the same are enlisted below.

Step 1. Launch the installed software on your system.

Step 2. At the starting interface, you can choose the desired aspect ratio from the available options – 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, and 9:16.

Step 3. After the selection is done, you can add the video by clicking on the New Project and then edit the file as required using several features.

The above steps can be used to change aspect ratio MP4 as well as all other popular formats.

Step 4. After the video settings are done you can process it and save it at the desired location.

To edit the aspect ratio using other ways, you can check out the detailshere .

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Aspect ratio defines how a video will appear on a different screen, social media sites, and platforms.

● To use the same video on multiple platforms, you need to change its aspect ratio and for this, good software is needed.

● An array of aspect ratio changer tools for Windows and Mac are available. Wondershare Filmora is one such feature-packed tool that can process your files in lossless quality with added features.

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