Lightworks

RATING:

4.2

(34)

About Lightworks

Lightworks is a video editing platform designed to help businesses develop and export video content across several platforms such as Vimeo or YouTube. Features include stereoscopic output, trimming, data backup, project archive and timeline rendering Lightworks enables users to produce video content in multiple formats, collaborate with team members in real-time and share media, edits, or bins. Professionals can import a batch of files, render third-party FX or export documents while performing edits. With its GPU pipeline architecture, users can add various effects such as primary or secondary color correction, masking and blurring. Lightworks is available on monthly and yearly subscriptions and also for a one-time fee. Support is extended via community forums, docu...

Lightworks Pricing

Lightworks Free: Free Lightworks Pro: $24.99/month, $174.99/year, $437.99 (one-time)

Starting price: 

$49.99 per month

Free trial: 

Not Available

Free version: 

Available

Lightworks project content

Lightworks Reviews

Overall Rating

4.2

Ratings Breakdown

Secondary Ratings

Ease-of-use

3.5

Customer Support

4

Value for money

4.5

Functionality

4

Most Helpful Reviews for Lightworks

1 - 5 of 34 Reviews

User Profile

Feldriana

Verified reviewer

Used weekly for less than 12 months

Review Source: Capterra
This reviewer was invited by us to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you.

OVERALL RATING:

5

EASE OF USE

5

VALUE FOR MONEY

4

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

4

FUNCTIONALITY

4

Reviewed May 2018

One of the best coincidences of my life, a comfortable and friendly software

Lightworks was an excellent option to get started in the world of video editing; easy to use, excellent editing tools, cuts of videos, union of videos, sounds, images, compatibility with several video formats and a fresh and simple interface make me not to regret using this program. I recommend it a lot.

PROS

Like the edition of images and photographs, I am also an enthusiast of video editing, and one day reviewing software through the network, I got this excellent program of video editing, which is shown as a starting point for all that enthusiast , that like me, we have been learning to use video editing programs on our own. Among the benefits of this program is its ability to edit videos and movies, with a tolerance level for several formats such as 2k, 4k, PAL, NTSC and high definition, making the user experience more rich and varied, as well as having an interface quite friendly and easy to use

CONS

While this program is quite successful in the world of film and some professional video editors, I think there is software to edit videos with higher quality and more innovative and elegant tools, however, this program is excellent for learning everything you need to know editing of videos and makes it a unique and quite useful software

User Profile

Cristhian Josue

Verified reviewer

Design, 2-10 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review Source: Capterra
This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered

OVERALL RATING:

4

EASE OF USE

5

VALUE FOR MONEY

4

FUNCTIONALITY

5

Reviewed September 2021

Martin Scorsese uses this video editor, But should you use it?

PROS

Lightworks is very easy to use, it's a video editor that I could recommend to any newbie, it's simple and you can make good videos with it, even great quality movies with this video editor, It's fast, flexible, and once you get used to its workflow you'll find it remarkably easy to use. I think anyone looking for good quality editing should give this software a try, as its credentials stand it out, and compared to other video editors, Lightworks isn't difficult to use, in fact, it's very user-friendly.

CONS

Lightworks can feel somewhat... limited as I said, this video editor offers a great opportunity for people interested in joining the world of video editing to do it in a simple and attractive way, but for the average user it can be complicated to recreate some functions of other video editors in this software because its learning curve can be very unusual, Lightworks is managed and feels different from other video editors. Personally, I would consider how used I am to work in other video editors before using Lightworks, because maybe by wanting to follow in the footsteps of our idols, we only get frustration and dissatisfaction in this video editor.

Reasons for switching to Lightworks

I like to try out different video editors and see what they have to offer.

Tristan

Entertainment, 1 employee

Used monthly for more than 2 years

Review Source: Capterra
This review was submitted organically. No incentive was offered

OVERALL RATING:

2

EASE OF USE

1

VALUE FOR MONEY

5

FUNCTIONALITY

3

Reviewed January 2024

Look for a different program if you desire easy to learn UI

Bad, I hate it so much please find another free video editing program.

PROS

I like that Lightworks is a freeware software. Importing media into the project files is simple and easy, uploading straight to youtube is useful.

CONS

For a program that I have used on and off for about 10 years, I would expect it to be easy to come back to and remember where I left off. That has never once been the case. The program makes use of the absolute least intuitive design features I've ever used and makes for a clunky, confusing, and disastrous workflow. I find that I can click on things on the timeline in similar fashions and produce extremely different results. The rest of the program works rather well, the effects are easy to use, but the fact that video editing is timeline intensive means that I am always running into problems with this software. Sure, you can study on how to use it and get it right, but if you find yourself not using the program for a long period you will easily forget how. Not to mention that internet searches for fixes during use often produce confusing results that don't help.

Kris

Marketing and Advertising, 1 employee

Used monthly for more than 2 years

Review Source: Capterra
This reviewer was invited by us to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you.

OVERALL RATING:

4

EASE OF USE

3

VALUE FOR MONEY

5

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

5

FUNCTIONALITY

4

Reviewed January 2023

User-friendly video editing platform for all kinds of video projects.

Lightworks offers different packages to suit all budgets and needs. However, their free version offers plenty of features to allow users to produce professional-looking results. Lightworks is a great option for all types of video editing, from social media videos to professional promotional videos.

PROS

The Lightworks video editing platform is highly versatile and offers a range of features to suit all types of users, no matter the kind of project they are working on. It really does have something for everyone!

CONS

It can be difficult at first to find out how to do certain things, such as cuts or dissolves. Although there are plenty of tutorial videos on the Lightworks website, if you don't know the right term for the type of edit you want to achieve, it can be difficult to find the right video. Luckily, there are plenty of videos available online that are made by other users.

Reason for choosing Lightworks

Lightworks had great reviews and is used by professionals, just like Adobe Premiere Pro. However, it did not come with the hefty price tag.

Reasons for switching to Lightworks

I was using a Windows machine for a while and needed a reliable video editor that offered plenty of features.

Benu

Used less than 6 months

Review Source: Capterra
This reviewer was invited by us to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you.

OVERALL RATING:

4

EASE OF USE

4

VALUE FOR MONEY

5

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

3

FUNCTIONALITY

3

Reviewed April 2018

Lightworks is to video what Gimp is to photos - powerful and free

Lightworks is free, capable, and flexible. For new editors, it's a good first step into the world of nonlinear editing, and it opens the door for Linux users to practice better digital creativity.

PROS

Lightworks is a capable, flexible, and valuable video editor that almost anyone can learn. The workflow is adaptable to most project types, and the system requirements are easily achieved. Should a user require more advanced features, there is a "pro" version the company sells for a reasonable price, but this is optional. The fact that users can learn and evaluate the software, without spending a dime, is a huge plus. Lightworks is also one of the few capable editors that has Linux support, so that is a huge plus. More Linux support is always a good thing, and this software opens up lots of value to those users. Overall, Lightworks is to video editing as Gimp is to photo editing. Anyone can pick it up and learn for free, and it helps build creativity and technical skill for a diverse userbase.

CONS

The UI of Lightworks is archaic. This might seem like an arbitrary complaint, but for a video editing program the user needs clarity in what tools and windows are intended to do. Lightworks' iconography and relatively bright color scheme distracts from the work to be done. Also, Lightworks changes the mechanics of certain basic editing tasks, notably edit replace and ripple edit. My displeasure with the differences might just be my muscle memory from other programs, but these are fairly normal tasks that should be as easy/standard as possible. Perhaps for new users, there will not be much transition pain, but for seasoned editors, it may be a bother.