Lightworks for Mac

Lightworks for Mac is EditShare's Academy and Emmy award-winning, professional Non-Linear Editing (NLE) software supporting resolutions up to 4K as well as video in SD and HD formats.

In the last 25 years Lightworks has been used to edit some of the finest films in cinema history: The Wolf of Wall Street, LA Confidential, Pulp Fiction, Heat, Road to Perdition, Hugo, The King’s Speech, and many more! It proud of its heritage and it wants to share it with you.

Discover the incredible features of this application and why Oscar-nominated editors around the world use Lightworks Pro every day. The software is the best free video editor for macOS with professional-quality tools!

There are two licenses available for the program: a Free seven-day renewable license that all users can activate immediately after installation, and a Pro license which can be purchased as a Month, Year, or Outright from the product Shop. To receive a Lightworks Free license, simply sign up. Light works 64-bit Free offers you full editing power, and export to preferred upload partner Vimeo at 1080p resolution.

Purchase a Pro license and unlock all features and export options for all broadcast formats including AVID DNxHD, Panasonic and Sony formats, AVCHD, MOV, MXF, AVI.

The interchange with other Applications (Media Composer, Protools, FCP, Resolve) with AAF, EDL, or XML. You can even export to a distribution format MPEG-4 (Web, YouTube, and Vimeo) at a maximum resolution of 4k or to DVD and Blu-ray.

Features and Highlights

• 100's of Inbuilt  Titles, Transitions & Effects
• Advanced Titles
• 4K Export
• Social Media Export Templates
• Cloud Editing & Collaboration
• Access to Stock Music & Video
• Unlimited Project Spaces
• Advanced Metadata
• Unmatched format support
• Dedicated Web Export (MPEG4/H.264)
• Optimized for speed
• World-class Trimming for fast precision editing
• Multicam Editing
• Powerful, real-time effects with inbuilt presets
• Enhanced VFX with Boris FX
• Text Effects with Boris Graffiti
• Project Sharing for groups
• Customizable interface
• Hardware I/O Support
• Unique Patented Console and Dedicated Keyboard

Lightworks Free - Best for newbies and anyone who needs to be able to easily cut & edit video clips together.

• Now comes with a 90 day renewable license
• Now includes the ability to render in the timeline
• Includes free Transitions FX pack from NewBlue.

Lightworks Create - $9.99 user / mo
Best for YouTubers, gamers and anyone who wants to do more more than cut clips together.

Lightworks PRO - $23.99 user / mo
Best for film makers, broadcasters or anyone who wants to be one. Hollywood-level editing.

Alternatives

Movavi Video Editor – Intuitive with built-in effects.

Filmora – User-friendly with creative effects.

Adobe Premiere Pro – Industry-standard video editing.

iMovie – Free, easy-to-use, and great for beginners.

Final Cut Pro – Professional editing with advanced tools.

DaVinci Resolve – High-end editing with color grading.

Shotcut – Free, open-source, and feature-rich.

HitFilm – VFX and editing in one package.

How to Use

Create a new project and set frame rate and resolution

Import media files using the Local Files tab

Drag clips to the timeline and trim or cut as needed

Add effects, transitions, and text from the Effects tab

Adjust audio levels and sync tracks in the Audio Mixer

Export your final video using the Export option

System Requirements

macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later

Intel i5 processor or higher

4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended)

200MB disk space for installation

Dedicated GPU recommended for optimal performance

PROS

• Professional-grade editing tools
• Wide format support including 4K
• Multicam editing capabilities
• Customizable interface layout
• Free version includes essential features

CONS

• Free version limits export formats
• Occasional performance lags on older Macs
• Interface may feel dated to some users
• Limited built-in audio editing tools

Note: Limited functionality in demo version.

Also Available: Download Lightworks for Windows