Lightworks Software Pricing, Features & Reviews

What is Lightworks

Lightworks is an open-source, multi-platform video editing solution focused on speed and performance. Compatible across Windows, macOS and Linux systems, it offers exacting tools for professional editors in film and television.

Distinctive capabilities include A/V effects, template customization, real-time effects with background rendering, stereoscopic 3D editing, YouTube/Vimeo integrations and royalty-free audio/video content. It Supports editing 4K/8k footage and content mastering up to 4K DCI.

Key Functionalities of Lightworks

Trimming Tools: Lightworks have JKL cuts, ripple trims and advanced slips for fast pacing without losing footage context.
Video Effects: Compositors, blurs, distortion, grading and film grain to elevate project aesthetics without needing secondary software.
Real-time Rendering: Immediately playback edits with temporary effects and transitions for efficient, creative decision-making before the final share.
Customizable Interface: Tailor workspaces with movable module windows and create personalized screen layout presets matching unique needs.
Format Flexibility: Utilize extensive import/export codec support for hassle-free integration of uncommon media types into collaborative pipelines.

Why Choose Lightworks

Long-Standing Industry Reputation: Lightworks enjoys recognition as the technical backbone for significant films like Pulp Fiction, LA Confidential and Hugo across its 30-year legacy.
High-precision Trimming: Achieve frame-perfect cuts leveraging a specialized keyboard with jog/shuttle controls, making incremental inspection impossible via mouse.
Extensive Format Support: Robust import/export codecs span Redcode, ProRes, H.264, MP4, and AVI natively, avoiding time-consuming transcoding steps during roundtrips.
Customizable Interface: Experts can create tailored layouts matching complex workflows via moveable tabbed docks, keyboard customization and command mapping.
Scalable Licensing Model: Lightwork's incremental pricing is based on output resolution requirements and right-sizes costs, allowing growing teams to pay only for capabilities needed.
Third-party Partner Integrations: An ecosystem of developers offers add-ons fitting specialized vertical use cases in cinema and broadcast, proactively enhancing relatively niche feature gaps.
Open Source Foundation: Underlying open source core reinforces transparency for custom builds while accelerating more community contributions and expanding format support and effects.

Benefits of Lightworks

Intuitive interface: Achieve precise editing on Lightworks' straightforward and intuitive interface.
Real-time effects: Add and preview effects instantly without pre-rendering or waiting.
Background import & render: Import media and export videos in the background without interrupting your ongoing work.
Customizable workspaces: Choose and save interface layouts that best match preferred workflows.
Ready-to-use templates: Quickly generate polished videos using one of Lightwork's professional templates.
Royalty-free content access: Use Lightworks' continually updated libraries of sound effects, templates and more.
Active user community: Leverage insights from Lightworks' vibrant community forum for continued learning.

Pricing of Lightworks

Lightworks pricing starts at $13.99/month at techjockey.com.

The pricing model is based on different parameters, including extra features, deployment type, and the total number of users. For further queries related to the product, you can contact our product team and learn more about the pricing and offers.

Lightworks Pricing & Plans

Create

4K Video Export
Social Media Templates
NewBlue Titler Pro
Dynamic Motion Graphics
Powerful Colour Controls
Advanced Audio EQ
Quick LUT Support

- User
- Monthly

Starting at $ 13.99

Pro

10-Bit Support
Audio and Video Plugin Support
Increased File Formats
Advanced Video Effects
Custom Format Creation
Support for NewBlue TotalFX
Export Interchange Formats

- User
- Monthly

Starting at $ 27.99

Get Lightworks Demo

We make it happen! Get your hands on the best solution based on your needs.

Lightworks Features

Basic Editing Tools / Timeline Editing

Non-Linear Editing (NLE) A digital video editing method to edit a video or audio project without considering a linear timeline.
Split & Merge Splitting involves dividing a video clip into two or more segments. Merging combines different parts of the same video clip.
Trim, Crop & Resize Trimming adjusts the size of images and videos, cropping removes unnecessary sections, and resizing modifies dimensions to comply
Drag and Drop Functionality To edit a video by dragging and dropping elements and clips onto a timeline or storyboard.
Transition Effects Post-production tools used in video editing to connect one shot or scene to another.
Video Masking Video Masking is selecting a specific piece of a video or use video overlays to hide, duplicate, reveal, or modify the footage.
Video Overlays A tool for layering multiple video clips or images on top of each other to create a single video.
Preview Functionality Viewing the final output of a video editing project before exporting the rendered file.
Speed Ramping and Speed Changing Speed ramping adjusts a clip's speed gradually, while speed changing makes a clip play faster or slower by altering the frame
Scene Cut Detection A scene cut detection tool automatically gets the cut points in a video at the point where clip is changing, based on sudden

Color Correction & Enhancement

Color Grading and Correction Color grading enhances the visual aesthetics of video by adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue, while color
Color Blending and Filters Color blending combines two images in video editing, while filters adjust aspects like color balance, brightness, contrast, and
Color LUTs Color LUTs or Look up Tables contain an arrays of numbers that contain values for color input and output, used to change the
Video Enhancer Video enhancers improve the quality of videos by fixing common issues like low light and blurry video.

Advanced Editing Tools

Video Stabilization A feature used to reduce shakiness and movement in video footage.
Proxy Tools Creates lower-resolution copies of media files for faster editing and smoother playback.
Key Frames and Animations Keyframes in video editing signal when to start and end an animation or function. Transitioning a property or element between two
Screen / Camera Recording Recording screen videos, camera footages, audios, and images directly on the application.
Auto Reframe Auto Reframe uses artificial intelligence to identify the main action in a video, keep it within the frame, and ensure important
Object Motion Tracking Object motion tracking is a video editing technique that detects and follows the movement of objects in a video or image sequence.
3D Animations Using computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create and animate characters, objects, and props in 3D.
Background Removal A tool used in video editing to remove the background from a video and make it transparent.
Duplicate Detection A tool that identifies and highlights duplicate clips to prevent redundancy in the video project.

Visual Effects & Motion Graphics

Content Library and Elements A central location for storing, organizing, and accessing digital content like images, videos, audio files, and text.
Green Screen and Chroma Key / Luma Key A special effects technique that lets you remove a chosen color from a video clip and replace it with another video or image.
VFX Visual effects (VFX) are computer-generated or manipulated imagery blended with live-action footage to enhance reality onscreen.
SFX Sound effects (SFX) are used with special effects to influence the mood and reactions of the audience in a video.

Audio Editing Tools

Voiceovers, Subtitles and Transcripts Voiceover is off-screen narration, subtitles are auto-generated text of the audio, and transcripts are written records of a
Audio Waveforms Audio waveforms are two-dimensional graphs that represent how sound pressure changes in a video.
Audio Denoise A tools to remove unwanted background noise from an audio signal in video editing
Audio Stretching A tool to adjust the length of an audio clip to match the duration of a video without changing the pitch of the audio.
Auto Synchronization A tool to automatically adjust the volume of audio tracks to make one sound more prominent than another, highlight a narrative,
Audio Mixing A technique to combine individual tracks, audio, and sound effects by manipulating signal levels, frequency contents, dynamics,
Beat Synchronization A tool that syncs video clips, footage, and other elements to the rhythm of music.
Silence Remover A tool to detect and remove silent parts or dead air in audio tracks

Image Editing Tools

Image Stabilization A specialized tool for correcting shaky footage to produce smooth and stable videos.
Noise Removal A tool to reduce unwanted visual noise to enhance image clarity.

File Storage and Management

File Rendering Combining raw elements into a final video file that can be played on a display.
Automatic Project Backup The process of automatically saving video project files at a specified intervals.
4K and HD Export 4K and HD refer to the number of pixels that make up an image on a screen. 4K and HD export allows users to download
Audio / Video Conversion A tool used to change the format of an audio/video file.

AI Video Creator / Editor

AI Co-Pilot Editing AI Co-Pilot Editing refers to the use of artificial intelligence to assist and enhance the video or audio editing process.
AI Text to Speech AI Text-to-Speech (TTS) is a technology that converts written text into spoken voice output using artificial intelligence.
AI Voice Changer An AI Voice Changer is a technology that uses artificial intelligence to modify a person's voice in real-time or during
AI Auto Face Blur AI Auto Face Blur is a technology that uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect and blur faces in images and videos.
AI Speech / Dialogue Enhancer AI Speech/Dialogue Enhancer is a tool or technology that uses artificial intelligence to improve the quality of spoken audio.
AI Text-To-Video AI text-to-video technology involves converting text inputs into video content using artificial intelligence.
AI Text-Based Editing The use of artificial intelligence to streamline and enhance the video editing process using text commands or text-based

Collaboration & Sharing

Social Media Integration Uploading video projects to social media directly from the video editing software.
Third-Party Integrations Integrating the software with third-party applications to enhance the functionlity and features of the video editing software.
Real Time Collaboration Allowing multiple users to edit a video simultaneously, regardless of their location.
Multi Device Compatibility Ability to use the video editing software on different devices and operating systems.
Multi Format Compatibility Importing/exporting, combining, and editing media files, such as videos, images, and audio in different formats.
Video Brand Kit A toolkit in video editing software to store branding elements, such as fonts, logos, color schemes, etc.

Others

Multicamera Editing
Stereoscopic Workflow

Lightworks Specifications

Supported Platforms :
Device:
Deployment :
Suitable For :
Business Specific:
Business Size:
Customer Support:
Training:
Language:

Ubuntu Windows MacOS Linux
DesktopMobileTabletiPad
Web-Based
All Industries
All Businesses
Small Business, Startups, Medium Business, Enterprises
Email, Communities, Forums
Videos
English

Lightworks Reviews

Have recommended this product

Overall Score

4.3/5

Based on 12 Reviews

Features 4.3/5

Value for Money 4.2/5

Ease of Use 4.3/5

Customer Support 4.3/5

Review this product

Your valuable feedback helps others like you make a better decision.

Pros

pros_icon “I’ve tried many video editors, but Lightworks stands out for film and TV editing. Its support for multiple video formats and multi-cam editing makes it the perfect choice for me.” Rohit Kanojiya - Jul 9, 2024

Cons

cons_icon “One thing to note is that the software can be a bit overwhelming at first. It took me a while to get used to all the advanced features and settings. ” Premlata - Aug 21, 2024

cons_icon “The software’s interface can be a bit complex for beginners, and it took me some time to master all the features. ” Rohit Kanojiya - Jul 9, 2024

Lightworks Video Reviews

“Lightworks Tutorial Review- Worlds First”

4.4

Review by: DV Tutorials

“Lightworks Video Editor Review!”

4.5

Review by: EJ Tech

Anjan

Verified reviewer:

Reviewed on: Aug 5, 2024

4.2/5

“Lightworks: Great for Editing but Needs Some Improvements for Beginners”

Lightworks is a great video editor that offers a lot of functionality, from basic edits to advanced tools like color correction and special effects.

Pros : I’ve found Lightworks to be a really helpful tool for editing, especially with how easy it is to manage multiple video clips. The trimming and cutting features work very well, and the program rarely crashes, even when working with big files. It's stable and fast.

Cons : One of the downsides is that it’s not very beginner-friendly. While you can figure things out with tutorials, the interface can feel overwhelming at first. Also, the free version has some limitations, especially when it comes to exporting your projects in higher quality.

Switched from : DaVinci Resolve

Reason to switch : I moved from DaVinci Resolve because I wanted something more straightforward for my editing needs without sacrificing quality and speed.

Features

4/5

Value for Money

4/5

Customer Support

4.5/5

Ease of Use

4.5/5

Prisha Shah

Verified reviewer:

Editor, SAAS

2-100 Employees

Software user since: 1-2 years

Reviewed on: Aug 5, 2024

4.6/5

“Lightworks is Packed with Features, But the Free Version Has Its Limits”

This software is known for offering pro-level features, and it’s clear that Lightworks is a strong choice for video editors. You can trim clips, adjust the color, and apply transitions with ease.

Pros : Lightworks has been great for editing videos, especially with its wide variety of built-in effects and transitions. The drag-and-drop feature makes organizing clips simple, and the overall editing process feels smooth once you get the hang of it.

Cons : The biggest drawback for me is the free version. While it’s good for smaller projects, I often felt limited because I couldn’t export in 4K without upgrading. Also, learning some of the advanced features took longer than I expected, even with the tutorials.

Switched from : Adobe Flash

Reason to switch : I switched from Shotcut because I wanted better effects and smoother performance when working with larger video files.

Features

4.5/5

Value for Money

4.5/5

Customer Support

5/5

Ease of Use

4.5/5

Harman Jyot

Verified reviewer:

Editor, SAAS

101-500 Employees

Software user since: 1-2 years

Reviewed on: Jul 26, 2024

4.7/5

“Lightworks is Good, But the Paid Version is Where the Magic Happens”

Lightworks is an editing software that caters to both beginners and more experienced editors. It’s been used to edit films, so it’s got the tools you’d expect in a pro editor.

Pros : Lightworks offers many tools that are really helpful when editing. I love the fact that I can edit quickly with its timeline features, and the built-in effects give me plenty of options to play around with. It's great for making clean, polished videos, even if you’re not an expert.

Cons : N/A

Switched from : iMovie

Reason to switch : I moved to Lightworks because iMovie couldn’t handle the larger video files and didn’t offer enough export options for my needs.

Features

4/5

Value for Money

5/5

Customer Support

5/5

Ease of Use

5/5

See all Lightworks reviews