--- title: "Lightworks Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Lightworks Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Video Editing products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/173468/Lightworks/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # Lightworks Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Lightworks ## What is Lightworks? Film editing solution that can be used for video content enhancement by both movie industry experts and social media marketers. It supports a wide variety of format support and benefits from a dedicated web export. Features include multicam editing, inbuilt presets, text effects, real-time collaboration and a fully customizable interface. ## What is Lightworks used for? [Video Editing](https://www.capterra.com/video-editing-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 34 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 88% Neutral 0% Negative 12% Starting price $49.99 Per User, Per Month Free trial not available Includes Free Version Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Lightworks?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/lightworks/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Lightworks 4.2 (34) VS. [4.7 (7,346)](https://www.capterra.com/p/48969/Adobe-Creative-Cloud/reviews/) Starting Price $49.99 Per User, Per Month Starting Price $52.99 Flat Rate, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 3.6 (34) Ease Of Use 4.2 (1,135) Value For Money 4.4 (24) Value For Money 4.2 (993) Customer Service 3.8 (23) Customer Service 4.2 (943) ## Lightworks alternatives Highest Rated [Movavi Video Editor Plus](https://www.capterra.com/p/228422/Movavi-Video-Editor-Plus/) [4.8 (1,135)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228422/Movavi-Video-Editor-Plus/reviews/) Starting price $54.95 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228422/Movavi-Video-Editor-Plus/) [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) [4.7 (574)](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/reviews/) Starting price $20.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) [DaVinci Resolve](https://www.capterra.com/p/209733/DaVinci-Resolve/) [4.8 (273)](https://www.capterra.com/p/209733/DaVinci-Resolve/reviews/) Starting price $295.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/209733/DaVinci-Resolve/) [Adobe After Effects](https://www.capterra.com/p/233259/Adobe-After-Effects/) [4.7 (450)](https://www.capterra.com/p/233259/Adobe-After-Effects/reviews/) Starting price $31.49 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/233259/Adobe-After-Effects/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/173468/Lightworks/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Lightworks Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Lightworks? Lightworks is most used by business owners, executives, and managers creating promotional, internal, or operational video content. Marketing and social media teams edit short-form campaigns, while journalists, writers, photographers, and web designers produce visual stories. Students and educators use it for coursework, presentations, and teaching materials. Answer based on 34 reviews Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Lightworks built for? Lightworks is designed for small businesses, mid-market teams, and enterprise users that need on-premise video editing for professional content production. It suits media, marketing, communications, and other organizations creating multi-format 4K videos with timeline editing, trimming, audio and video effects, and histogram tools. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Lightworks? Lightworks offers video editing, audio capture, image editing, and a media library for organizing assets. It also includes data import/export, social sharing, and supports HD resolution for producing and moving media files across editing and publishing workflows. Pricing ### How much does it cost and what fees or limitations are included? Lightworks starts at $49.99 per user/month for the Create plan, billed annually, with a perpetual payment option available. The Pro plan costs $119.99 per user/month, also billed annually with perpetual payment available. A free version is available, and reviewers say it offers enough features for many editing tasks. Answer based on 8 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Lightworks offer? Lightworks provides chat support for users who need help with the product. No reviewer feedback about support experience is available in the catalog data, so response speed, helpfulness, and common frustrations cannot be assessed here. Ease of use ### Is Lightworks easy to use for video editing? Lightworks offers an approachable video editing workflow for many beginners, with simple importing, trimming, and rendering. Tutorial creators, students, and small project teams often find the interface manageable after initial practice. However, its nontraditional timeline and menus can confuse returning users, especially when adding effects, text, or color adjustments. Answer based on 17 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 5,675 Video Editing reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these as the features buyers value most when choosing video editing software: - **Data Import/Export** (**36%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Content Management** (**32%**) - **Animations & Transitions** (**31%**) Lightworks supports **Data Import/Export**, which makes it easier to move media files in and out of projects and keep editing workflows moving. However, it does not include **Content Management** or **Animations & Transitions**. Instead, it offers other features that reviewers also consider important, including **Audio Capture** (**34%**) and **Image Editing** (**29%**). These capabilities help businesses refine sound and adjust visual assets within the editing process, giving teams more control over production quality and faster content preparation. Data Import/Export 4.0 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Import and export data to and from software applications Audio Capture 3.0 (2) 50.00% of 2 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Record audio or import/upload audio files Image Editing 4.0 (4) 50.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing Media Library 3.6 (7) 71.43% of 7 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Collection of images, videos and other digital content that can be used Video Editing 3.6 (7) 71.43% of 7 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create professional looking videos by manipulating video footage with filters, special effects, trimming, filters and transitions Social Sharing 4.3 (3) 100.00% of 3 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Allows businesses to share their videos on social media. Lightworks 6 features ### All Features - Audio Capture: Record audio or import/upload audio files - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Image Editing: Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing - Media Library: Collection of images, videos and other digital content that can be used - Social Sharing: Allows businesses to share their videos on social media. - Video Editing: Create professional looking videos by manipulating video footage with filters, special effects, trimming, filters and transitions --- Features 3.9 (34) 3.9 Based on 34 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.4 (24) Free Version [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/173468/Lightworks/pricing/) Lightworks Create $49.99 Per User,Per Month It includes: - 100's of Inbuilt Titles - 4k Export - Access to Stock Music & Video - Advanced Titles - Cloud Editing & Collaboration - Social Media Export Templates - Transitions & Effects - Unlimited Project Spaces and Advanced Metadata Lightworks Pro $119.99 Per User,Per Month It includes: - 100's of Inbuilt Titles - 4k Export - Access to Stock Music & Video - Advanced Correct & Enhance Tools - Advanced Titles - Cloud Editing & Collaboration - Custom Output Formats - Export Exchange Formats and Advanced Metadata - Social Media Export Templates - Transitions & Effects - Unlimited Project Spaces Value for money 4.4 (24) 4.4 Based on 24 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 3.8 (23) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 3.8 (23) 3.8 Based on 23 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.2 Based on 34 reviews Filter by rating 5(15) 4(15) 3(0) 2(4) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent TW Tristan W. Owner Entertainment ### "Look for a different program if you desire easy to learn UI" 2.0 Overall Rating 2.0 2.0 Ease of Use 1.0 1.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 January 11, 2024 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. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Hardware Engineer Computer Hardware ### "One of the best image processing app out there" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 April 11, 2023 Overall, no matter the price, it's still the best option out there. Pros Lightworks is my go to image processing app. It has many versatile tools that makes image editing a breeze. I also like its advanced AI tools that does very accurate selection and foreground and background separation. It also has a geometric scaling tool that I frequently use for tall object photos. It resolves the parallax issue in the images. Cons I which this app was a bit cheaper. While it has so many great tools built in,m I had to buy the complete suit of applications. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Automation engineer Automotive ### "Me gusta para edición de imágenes y videos " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 March 12, 2023 He utilizado este software para editar videos , juntar imágenes con música, efectos de imagen...Me ha parecido una buena herramienta para edición de vídeo en general Pros Me gusta el software para editar videos tiene funcionalidades suficientes para hacer algo a nivel amateur Cons Puede que no tenga la suficiente capacidad de edición a nivel profesional pero no tengo nada en especial que no me haya gustado. Switched from [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) [Canva](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/) Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KM Kris M. SMM Marketing and Advertising ### "User-friendly video editing platform for all kinds of video projects. " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 January 14, 2023 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. Switched from [iMovie](https://www.capterra.com/p/207187/iMovie/) I was using a Windows machine for a while and needed a reliable video editor that offered plenty of features. Alternatives considered [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) Reasons 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. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. James A. Writer Writing and Editing ### "Lightworks and the show!" 2.0 Overall Rating 2.0 2.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 25, 2022 Pros The variety of effects to be used for videos. Such as works of creativity and so on, projects to which be inspired trough writing and art. Cons The extreme lag I would get occasionally from working on specific projects and plans. It deters me from sufficient work. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RG Ryan G. ceo Music ### "Does exactly what i need!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 March 12, 2022 overall experience is great. Pros i love the connection to video clips and still frames. Cons havent found any flaws yet in my daily use of this product. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DD Dan D. musician Music ### "Overtakes all audio settings on desktop - extreme PITA. " 2.0 Overall Rating 2.0 2.0 Ease of Use 1.0 1.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 1.0 1.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 February 19, 2022 A lot of people seem to like this software, but the time I would have spent using it was spent troubleshooting my sudden and complete loss of audio. The time that this software would have saved me was made up for by the time I spent trying to work around the grayed-out IO hardware settings. The fact that a decision to lock the user out of audio settings in editing software can even be made in this day and age, is enough to call Lightworks a hot mess and move on. Pros I liked that the software was free, and got exactly what I paid for, minus most of my Saturday morning. Cons The audio only exports through System Sound, which by itself is not bad. But who the hell wants to toggle between audio devices, let alone rearrange speaker cables in an audio rack, just to open a piece of software? Furthering my annoyance, was the fact that ALL software on my computer defaulted to System Sound upon opening Lightworks. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Sasha D. CEO Cosmetics ### "Lightworks" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 5/10 December 15, 2021 Pros It allows me to make a creative video with many effects. Cons It is too complicated for occasional use, it requires a lot of time. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Cristhian Josue J. CEO Design ### "Martin Scorsese uses this video editor, But should you use it?" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 September 3, 2021 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. Switched from [VEGAS Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/196011/VEGAS-Pro/) [Filmora](https://www.capterra.com/p/186540/Filmora/) [Camtasia](https://www.capterra.com/p/203013/Camtasia/) [iMovie](https://www.capterra.com/p/207187/iMovie/) I like to try out different video editors and see what they have to offer. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CN Carlos N. Statistician E-Learning ### "Very simple to use video editor" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 20, 2021 Very good experience, It does what I need and I managed to get it working without previous knowledge. The support in forums is very good. Pros I am not a professional editor, I use the software for academic purposes, basically editing Zoom recordings of university lectures. The software does what I need, trimming, adjusting audio, cutting video segments, with a low learning curve for somebody with almost no experience in video editing. It works fine, and it works in Linux. Cons The free version offers limited options for exporting video, so I must use ffmpeg to get to the final version. The H264 codec is not optimized for long videos, so I use ffmpeg to recompress the result. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/173468/Lightworks/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Movavi Video Editor Plus vs Lightworks](https://www.capterra.com/compare/173468-228422/Lightworks-vs-Movavi-Video-Editor-Plus)[DaVinci Resolve vs Lightworks](https://www.capterra.com/compare/173468-209733/Lightworks-vs-DaVinci-Resolve) [Filmora vs Lightworks](https://www.capterra.com/compare/173468-186540/Lightworks-vs-Filmora)