HitFilm Express 15 review

Our Verdict

HitFilm Express 15 is a powerful gratis video editing programme boasting everything you demand to compile a high-quality, professional piece, including advanced editing features, 3D video support, and more.

For

Great selection of editing features
100% free, forever

Confronting

Support services are limited
Requires a high-end computer to run

Tom's Guide Verdict

HitFilm Limited fifteen is a powerful free video editing programme boasting everything you need to compile a high-quality, professional person piece, including advanced editing features, 3D video support, and more.

Pros

+
Groovy selection of editing features
+
100% free, forever

Cons

-
Back up services are limited
-
Requires a high-end reckoner to run
-

Hitfilm Express has been at the top of our list of the best video editing software , and the latest version, HitFilm Express 15.1 go along it in its number-one spot. While it'southward attainable for beginners, it also has a lot of powerful features for pros, with its latest update adding video stabilization, move tracking tools, WAV sound export, and more.

In this Hitfilm Express 15 review, we clarify every aspect of the software and show why it's once again the best.

Note: This review only covers what's new in Hitfilm Limited xv; for a look at previous versions, be sure to check out our Hitfilm Express 14 review .

All-time free video editing software

HitFilm Limited 15 is a gratuitous video editing program (Image credit: HitFilm)

Hitfilm Express 15 review: Plans and pricing

HitFilm Express 15 specs

Bone: macOS 10.15, 10.14 , or ten.xiii; Windows 10 (64-chip), Windows 8 (64-bit)

Memory: 4GB RAM (8GB recommended)

CPU: 4th Generation Intel Cadre processor or AMD equivalent

Graphics: 1GB video retentiveness (2GB for 4K UHD footage); Intel Hd Graphics 5000 (GT3), AMD Radeon R5 240, NVIDIA GeForce 600 (Kepler) series, or better graphics card

Most users will dear the fact that HitFilm Express fifteen is 100% free, forever. Simply download the program, validate your gratis license with your FXhome account details, and start creating.

Even so, you will be asked for a donation when yous download the program. What'due south more, dissimilar donation levels come with bonus features to increase the functionality of your software.

For example, the Starter package, which is available with a donation of $nine or more, adds an extra theme, along with additional editing, color, and VFX features. The Content Creator ($19) and VFX Artist ($39) packages add even more advanced features.

While it may seem a piddling sneaky to ask for a donation when yous're downloading a free programme, there's really great value for coin to be had hither. The extra tools and features are available for individual purchase, just by far the cheapest way to get them is past making a donation when you're getting started.

Hitfilm Express xv review: Features

The contempo HitFilm Express 15 update comes packed with a range of impressive new features. Things like WAV audio exports, a crop and pan/zoom effect, a GoPro FX reference issue, a color adjustment effect, and the powerful auto stabilizer stood out as exceptional.

1 of our favorite additions to HitFilm Limited 15 is the car stabilizer tool. Basically, it takes advantage of AI technology to automatically stabilize shaky footage. And equally most people with video editing experience will know, this saves a huge amount of fourth dimension compared to manually stabilizing footage.

Although it's only bachelor with the Pro version of HitFilm Express, the new color adjustment consequence is amazing, to say the least. We plant that it provided significantly more than flexibility and customizability than the tools available with previous versions of the software, and it actually made it a breeze to change tones, hues, saturation, and more than.

Hitfilm Express 15 review: Interface and in utilize

To get started with HitFilm Express, simply sign upward for a new business relationship and request a download link. The installer link will be sent to your email address. Download information technology and follow the prompts. Note that the installer package is quite large (the Windows version is 399MB), so it could take a few minutes to download.

The user interface itself is characteristic-rich still attractive, and it's designed in much the same style as many other video editing programs. At the bottom of the screen, y'all volition find a timeline editor that allows y'all to overlay video and audio files. On the lesser left, there are media, effects, controls, history, and text menus.

At that place are also two different video viewers: ane that lets you view and trim raw media files, and 1 that lets you lot edit your compilation. Numerous furnishings options permit you to add together everything from video and audio transitions to distortions, and fifty-fifty the most skilled editors volition find a lot to like here.

Hitfilm Express 15: Support

Those without a significant amount of video editing feel will benefit from HitFilm Express's avant-garde chief classes. These are designed to assist newbies get a handle on the powerful tools at their disposal, and they really are impressive.

There are also numerous technical support articles, FAQs, and guides available to help you set the software and become started. And you can submit a support ticket via the FXhome website. Note that the customer service team only works weekdays from 9 am to 5:30 pm GMT, and replies to support requests tin can take up to 48 hours.

HitFilm Express 15 review: The competition

There are numerous video editing programs on the market. Although HitFilm Limited 15 may be the correct pick for your needs, it's worth because a few alternatives.

I such is Adobe Premiere Elements 2021, a tiptop-rated editing plan aimed at newer editors. Although it is a little expensive, it comes with impressive, beginner-friendly features, including 4K back up, diverse AI tools, and guided editing.

VideoPad is some other great choice, peculiarly for those creating videos for social media and YouTube. Like HitFilm Express, it'south available for complimentary. At that place are also premium dwelling house and business versions that are jam-packed with advanced features. And what's more than, it'south available on both Mac and Windows operating systems.

HitFilm Limited fifteen review: Concluding verdict

At the end of the mean solar day, HitFilm Express 15 more than lived upward to our expectations. It'southward well deserving of its position as the all-time gratuitous video editing programs, and it comes with a suite of avant-garde tools that even the well-nigh knowledgeable videographers will honey.

What's more than, the user interface is relatively intuitive without compromising on ability, and the sheer number of editing features is astonishing. There are also numerous masterclasses and other resource to help you familiarize yourself with the plan, although the alive support services do leave a trivial wanting.

Overall, we highly recommend testing HitFilm Express if yous're looking for a powerful free video editing programme.

Daniel is a freelance copywriter with over six years experience writing for publications such every bit TechRadar, Tom'southward Guide, and Hosting Review. He specializes in tech and finance, with a particular focus on website building, web hosting, and related fields.