HitFilm Expressfor Windows

HitFilm Express is a free video editing and effects creation software that's powerful and effective. Whether you're a student working on a class project, or are a breakaway filmmaker trying to put out something fresh, this free version of HitFilm is easy to learn and provides a lot of power. With 3D compositing, seamless video editing, and over 400 effects, this is the tool to take your video work to the next level.

HitFilm Express is a versatile multimedia app that is supported on Windows 8, 64-bit, or above. Downloading HitFilm Express may take time since it is packed with features, and the install process involves participating in the developer's current promotion that requires an active social media account. Other similar video and audio editing software are Lightworks and Adobe Premiere.

The aesthetic you want, the guidance you need

A skilled HitFilm Express user can create movie-quality special effects, akin to Marvel movies or Star Wars. It is a professional-grade product with a staggering array of effects, but it’s sheer quantity of features means it is not immediately intuitive to a novice user. Luckily there's a number of helpful tutorials and videos to provide extensive tips and walkthroughs, and a supportive community for when you get stuck.

The guides are especially helpful for indie filmmakers and amateur special effects editors. The app s is a free video editing software that eases the creation of videos while still providing a professional sheen. For those patient enough to learn the ins and outs of HitFilm Express, the software hosts a vast arsenal of creative possibilities with numerous tools and functions.

HitFilm Express has a variety of special effects like blurs, audio and lighting tools, stylized filters, distortion, color correcting, grading and geometry bending. 2D and 3D compositing have also been incorporated to input new dimensions into your filmmaking. You can even record voiceover commentary through the program’s built-in voice recorder. Commentary can then be added as an audio track to your project, making HitFilm Express a great tool for  YouTubers and other media content creators.

Thanks to strong UHD support and RAM preview features, all projects processed through the HitFilm Express app ensure a high-quality output and easy media input to match. The general workflow usually involves importing media like video, audio, and images, which is all done through the simple 'import' button in the app’s media panel. Files are directly imported into the work screen for editing or captioning.

Besides its free nature, HitFilm Express has numerous features similar to paid products on the market, such as Lightworks and Adobe Premiere. In some capacity, it’s on equal or better footing than the competition, providing unlimited accompanying tracks and transitions, and free video tutorials. For the more scrutinizing user, there are also a number of paid add-on packs such as Lighting VFX, Pro Keying, extra color corrections, and better 3D Particles.

HitFilm Express vs. Lightworks

Lightworks is another popular contender for professional video and audio editing, placing particular priority on the editing workflow. Its media manager plays to this strength, expediting the storyboarding process with "mark and park" functions in timelines. Start points in clips can be intuitively adjusted and in multiple ways, providing exceptional attention to detail while still maintaining the ease of use that HitFilm Express is often lacking.

HitFilm Express also falls short with physics-driven particle simulation, as Lightworks can intrinsically import and animate 3D models, and offers several powerful plugins like a denoiser and chroma key to smooth out respective audio and visual effects. The detriment of HitFilm Express is the unconventional interface and complicated branching features are offset only by its freemium nature. Compared to Lightworks, HitFilm Express is far from the perfect program, but if you get accustomed to it, this free product can be just as effective.

Powerful editing software worth the time investment

HitFilm Express is an impressive suite of features and tools, bridging traditional non-linear video editing tools with a high-level video effects compositor. Once you familiarize yourself with the software’s more complex functions, you'll quickly be able to edit and create with ease and professionalism. There's something to be said about simple, straightforward software, but at the end of the day, it's undoubtedly better to have a complex, multi-faceted product that just requires a bit more practice and patience.