The Best Green Screen Software for Video Editing

  • Special green screen video editor pick: Movavi Video Editor
  • Best green screen software: paid options
  • Best free green screen software
  • FAQ: best free green screen software
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Edited by Sam P Dunn
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Finding the best chroma key software or programs for green screen video editing can be challenging. With so many choices out there when it comes to software – some expensive, some free – how do you know which program is best for you? In this article, we’re taking a look at some of the best paid and free Chroma Key or green screen video editing software out there, including green screen apps for Windows and Mac.

Quick summary

  1. Beginner’s choice: Movavi Video Editor

    Change the video’s background without special skills.

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  2. Online editor: Kapwing

    Edit videos for social media on the go inside your browser.

  3. Professional software: Vegas PRO

    Create professional-grade high quality videos for work or home use.

Special green screen video editor pick: Movavi Video Editor

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OS: Windows, Mac, and iOS

Movavi Video Editor is free to download intuitive, easy-to-use video editing software, and it’s also one of the best programs for green screen editing. With this app, you can use a variety of editing tools to trim your video, add intros and effects, or add the chroma key to change video clip backgrounds.

Pros:

  • Picture in Picture editing

  • It’s one of the easiest programs to use, even for beginners

  • There is a huge library of special effects, filters, and transitions

  • The Chroma Key feature is simple to get started with

  • It offers a free 7-day trial

Cons:

  • Output videos during the trial are watermarked

  • After the free trial, you’ll need to purchase the software to continue using it

Pricing: $69.95 after the 7-day free trial

Here’s how to use Movavi Video Editor for green screen video editing.

  1. Launch the software, then click Add Files.

  2. Select two files: one with a green screen background you’d like to replace, and one with the background photo or video you want to add to the first tile.

  3. Drag both files to the Video Track on the Timeline.

  4. Select the green screen video from the Timeline and drag it up to the top until a new Overlay Track is created, then drop the video onto this track, leaving the other video on the main Timeline.

  5. In the Timeline, double-click the green screen video, then click More Tools > Chroma Key.

  6. Select the background color with the color picker.

  7. You should now see the background video from your Video Track in the background. You can use the sliders to adjust Tolerance, Edges, Opacity, and Noise, as well as making Color Adjustments.

  8. To save, click the Export button, then click Start.

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Program

Best for

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Movavi Video Editor

Beginners looking for easy-to-use, feature-packed software.

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Adobe® Creative Cloud®

Anyone looking for professional results and a wealth of features who doesn’t mind paying a rather expensive monthly or annual subscription.

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WeVideo

Social media content creators or anybody who needs to edit video on the go, from anywhere.

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Best green screen software: paid options

Adobe® Creative Cloud® (Premiere® Pro & After Effects®)

Best for: Professional results for a rather expensive subscription.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

When it comes to video editing software with chroma key effect, Adobe® Creative Cloud® tools Premiere® Pro and After Effects® are the tools professionals use to create and edit video. With Premiere® Pro you can choose any color for your Chroma Key and make powerful adjustments to blend and isolate footage. The software supports a huge range of file types and codecs, and there’s also Luma Key which uses darkness to isolate your subject. After Effects® includes a wide range of powerful post-production tools for editing.


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Pros:

  • HDR Controls

  • It produces professional-quality results

  • Easily adjustable settings

  • Lumetri Color Panel for easy color control

  • It’s easy to find “How-to” guides online

Cons:

  • There may be a steep learning curve for beginners

  • A subscription to both Premiere® Pro and After Effects® is quite expensive

  • Pricing: 30-day free trial then from $20.99 per month with a 12-month subscription.

Chroma Key Online – Motionbox

Motionbox is the easiest and best tool to remove green or blue from video. With the Chroma Key feature and an eyedropper, you simply need to upload your green screen video, then enable Chroma Key, select the pixel color you want to be removed, and – voilà! – you're done.


How to use Chroma Keying on Motionbox


It's super simple, let’s share the three steps to remove a green background.


  1. Upload a video. Once you've shot your video and understand how green screens work, simply upload it to Motionbox.

  2. Activate Chroma Key. Once your video is selected, in the toolbar to the right side of the Motionbox editor, you will see a toggle button to enable Chroma Keying. Simply activate it, and you will see an eyedropper tool appear below the toggle.

  3. Select a pixel. Use the eyedropper to select the color you want to remove. The video will then save that color value and exclude that value from each frame with a small range, in case some pixels are slightly different from the one selected.

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WeVideo

Best for: Content creators who need to edit videos on the go.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

  • Pricing

    From $2.99 per month for the basic plan with 30 mins video/month, 20 GB storage, and 720p output.

WeVideo is a web-based video editor that works in any browser and allows you to edit videos on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, or Android or iOS devices. You can create and edit videos from anywhere and enjoy unlimited cloud storage with some plans, and WeVideo optimizes your video for social media sharing. As well as Chroma Key you can choose from a library of over 1 million pieces of stock content, and add custom colors and fonts to your creations.


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Pros:

  • There’s a free account with 1GB of Cloud storage

  • Chroma Key for green screen editing

  • It works on any browser

  • It’s easy to use

  • Stock library packed with images, videos, and more

Cons:

  • The free plan limits you to 5 mins video/month and videos are watermarked

  • To enjoy 1080p or 4K Ultra HD resolution and remove watermarks, you’ll need to upgrade

  • You’ll need the internet connection to use the software and your processing speed depends on your internet connectivity

The best green screen software for video editing

VSDC Free Video Editor

PCMag rating:

3/5
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Bestseller
Movavi Video Editor

PCMag rating:

4/5
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VideoStudio Ultimate

PCMag rating:

4/5
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Wondershare Filmora

Best for: Home and personal video editing for beginners.
  • OS

    Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11 and macOS 10.14-macOS 11

  • Pricing

    Free trial, then an Annual Plan for $61.99/year or a Perpetual Plan for $89.99 one-time fee.

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editors around. Its Intuitive interface makes it easy to use, even for beginners, and it’s packed with features like MultiCam Editor, Green Screen Editing, Motion Tracking, and more. You can use Wondershare Filmora on Windows and Mac, and there’s a free trial version available.


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Pros:

  • Supports features such as Motion Tracking, Speed Control, MultiCam Editor

  • There’s a free trial

  • You can easily drag, drop, and rearrange files

  • The green screen editor is simple to use

  • The simple timeline layout makes it easy to navigate the software

Cons:

  • Videos created during the free trial are watermarked

  • There are no monthly plans

  • With the Annual Plan you only get one year of updates

Kapwing

Best for: Anyone looking for making simple edits on the go online
  • OS

    Online editor, works in any browser.

  • Pricing

    Free version, or Pro plan from $16/month, Team plan from $16/month per user (all billed annually).

Kapwing is an online video editor, so you don’t need to install any software as it can be used from your browser. Kapwing includes a range of basic editing tools including an easy-to-use chroma key, but there are no advanced color settings, and export options are limited. It’s a user-friendly program that’s great for beginners or home use.


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Pros:

  • It’s an online editor so you won’t need to download and install software

  • It’s easy and intuitive to use

  • There’s a free version or a choice of two paid plans

  • It’s ideal for simple edits for social media

  • There are no adverts or watermarks

Cons:

  • The free version caps exports at 30 minutes, with 3 hours video per month and 250 MB file upload limit

  • Processing speed can be slower than desktop software

  • You need internet connectivity to use the software

  • Output formats limited to MP4 or GIF

Cyberlink PowerDirector

Best for: Users with all levels of experience.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac

  • Pricing

    From £3.75 per month for a subscription (paid annually), or a lifetime license from £80.

Cyberlink PowerDirector is one of the most popular video editors around and a great green screen program for Mac or Windows, and with good reason. This feature-packed editor offers great value plans starting at just £3.75 per month, and includes features like stabilization and slow/fast motion. New features are added regularly, and there’s a handy comparison page on the site that helps you decide which plan is right for your needs.


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Pros:

  • There’s a free trial

  • Plans are affordable

  • It’s intuitive and easy to use with ready-made templates

  • You can import videos up to 8K

  • It offers a wide range of editing tools and extensive stock library

Cons:

  • It can be confusing to choose the right plan

  • The interface can be a little confusing for beginners with so many options

VEGAS Pro

Best for: Professionals looking to create the very best videos.
  • OS

    Windows only

  • Pricing

    $15.99 per month for one year, billed annually (normally $19.99/month), or $34.99 for a rolling month-to-month subscription.

VEGAS Pro is a powerful video editing app aimed at professionals. Packed with features including support for 8K resolution, it has an easy drag and drop interface and offers a free trial, together with affordable monthly or annual subscription options.


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Pros:

  • It offers a free trial

  • It includes Academy Award-nominated tools used in Hollywood movies

  • It’s easy to use and intuitive

  • There’s a handy autosave feature

  • Live streaming is included with your subscription

Cons:

  • There’s no free version after the trial

  • To get the cheapest price, you’ll need to sign up for a one-year plan

VideoStudio Ultimate

Best for: Home use for beginners through to advanced users.
  • OS

    Windows only

  • Pricing

    From £62.99 for the Pro edition.

VideoStudio Ultimate is aimed at home use and offers some of the fastest rendering of any video editing software[1]. It’s intuitive and easy to use, packed with features, and has a huge stock library of templates, effects, and filters, as well as cool new AR stickers. In addition, it has a user guide, as well as video and written tutorials to help you get started.


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Pros:

  • The license fee is affordable and there’s a choice of two versions

  • Green screen editing tools are easy to use

  • Instant Project Templates make it quick and easy to get started

  • There are video and written tutorials plus a user guide

  • Cinema quality color grading is on offer

Cons:

  • There’s a bit of a learning curve for beginners

  • If you want features like video masking and color grading, you’ll need the Ultimate edition

  • It’s not designed for professional use

  • It’s only available on Windows

EaseUS Video Editor

Best for: Home users looking for an intuitive video editing software.
  • OS

    Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11

  • Pricing

    $29.95 per month, $59.95 per year, or $79.95 for a lifetime license.

EaseUS Video Editor is editing software for windows that supports all key video formats and lets you import video from most devices. The simple, accessible interface makes editing a breeze, and there’s a huge library of video filters and overlay effects, plus no limits on export length[2]. There’s no free trial, but you can choose from a monthly or annual subscription or purchase a lifetime license.


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Pros:

  • There’s an intuitive, accessible interface

  • There are no limits on video export length

  • You can burn to DVD, directly upload to social media, or export to formats optimized for specific devices

  • Library of video filters and overlay effects

  • One-click narration recording (written or spoken word)

Cons:

  • There’s no free trial

  • Plans seem rather expensive, particularly the monthly subscription

  • There are limited options for raw footage editing

  • You can’t configure most overlays, transitions, or effects

Pinnacle Studio

Best for: Near-pro-level video editing on a budget.
  • OS

    Windows 10,11

  • Pricing

    Standard costs $49.95, Plus is $79.95, and Ultimate is $89.95.

Pinnacle Studio is a feature-packed green screen app for Windows 10 and 11 that’s fast, intuitive, and easy to use. Unlike some other software, there’s no steep learning curve and there are built-in tutorials and videos to help you get started. There’s also no free trial, but you can choose from three versions to suit your needs, all with green screen editing.


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Pros:

  • You can choose from three plans to suit you needs

  • There are over 2,000 effects to choose from

  • You can convert video into popular file formats

  • It allows you to burn to disc with over 100 customizable menu templates

  • It’s easy to use but offers near-pro-level results

Cons:

  • There’s no free trial

  • Many of the effects aren’t great

  • It’s only available on Windows 10 and 11

  • For 4K resolution, you’ll need the Ultimate version

Luxea Video Editor

Best for: Business or educational use – for making tutorials.
  • OS

    Windows only

  • Pricing

    Free version, Lifetime costs $79.99, Individual is $29.99/year, and Home is $89/year.

Luxea Video Editor is one of the newer video editing programs on the market. If you’re looking for a green screen software free download, there’s a free version available that is perfect for those on a budget or beginners. It’s intuitive to use, packed with features, and supports a huge range of file types and up to 4K recording and rendering. You can choose from three paid plans if you choose to upgrade.


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Pros:

  • The free version includes access to all features and free tech support

  • You can add mouse-click effects to screen recordings

  • Screen recording is included

  • There’s a wide range of transitions, filters, and effects to choose from

  • Free tech support is included with all plans

Cons:

  • It can be unstable and buggy

  • It’s only available on Windows

  • If you want updates to future versions, you’ll need to pay for the Individual or Home plan annually

Hippo Video

Best for: Sales and marketing teams and customer-facing businesses.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

  • Pricing

    Free version, Starter from $15/month, Pro from $30/month per user, Growth from $48/month per user, and Enterprise from $79/month per user.

Hippo Video is an all-in-one marketing platform with basic video editing features that also works as green screen software for Mac. Great for sales and marketing, it gives you audience demographics and allows you to create custom demos, training videos, intro videos, and more. Editing tools are basic but the green screen feature is easy to use. There’s also 24/7 live chat support.


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Pros:

  • Hippo Video is easy to use

  • You can share videos via email or social media

  • There’s a demo and 7-day free trial version

  • It works across Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS

  • There’s a handy template builder

Cons:

  • Video editing tools are basic, so if you want transitions and effects this may not be for you

  • This software is aimed at business users in sales and marketing, so not really for home use

  • You can only record up to 10 minutes of video with the free trial

  • Paid plans don’t add any new editing features, just sales and marketing features

Best free green screen software

VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: Anybody looking for a free video editor with Chroma Key.
  • OS

    Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8, 10

  • Pricing

    Free

VSDC Free Video Editor is a green screen app for Windows that’s packed with video editing features. There’s an unlimited free version that doesn’t watermark your videos, and this also includes the Chroma Key tool – though if you want to use advanced HSL mode, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version. You can also adjust the hue and lightness, apply filters, reduce contrast, and more.


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Pros:

  • Supports 4K export

  • It offers a wide range of editing tools

  • There are handy conversion tools

  • The program’s website has helpful tutorials

  • You can create and burn DVDs

Cons:

  • The interface isn’t that intuitive and could be confusing for beginners

  • With the Chroma Key tool you may find you need to make a lot of manual adjustments for perfect results

  • You may find it hard to get support if you get stuck

AVS Video Editor

Best for: Home users looking for a free basic video editor.
  • OS

    Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP

  • Pricing

    Free

AVS Video Editor is a basic video editor for Windows that’s free to use. It supports an impressive range of formats, and up to 4K Ultra HD resolution, with basic editing tools like video stabilization, color tuning, and more. You can easily save videos to your PC, optimize them for Android or iOS devices, or share to social networks. It’s easy to learn to use the software too, thanks to tutorials and video guides.


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Pros:

  • It’s easy and intuitive to use

  • It supports a wide range of formats and resolutions

  • There’s no cost – it’s totally free

  • It has screen recording capability

  • There are over 300 effects, transitions, and overlays

Cons:

  • It lacks the more advanced, innovative features of some video editors

  • There’s only support for one video track

  • There’s no Mac version

OpenShot

Best for: Experienced users looking for a free, fully-featured editor.
  • OS

    Mac, Windows, Linux

  • Pricing

    Free

OpenShot is green screen photo software for free that’s also open source. It’s one of the best green screen software for Mac, Windows, or Linux thanks to its attractive, intuitive interface that’s easy to customize. As well as Chroma Key, there are loads of digital effects like greyscale, hue, gamma, etc, and you can add 2D and 3D animations. The timeline supports an unlimited number of tracks and it’s also easy to add titles, watermarks, or overlays. There’s also a preview feature for transitions.


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Pros:

  • The timeline supports unlimited tracks

  • The interface looks great and is intuitive and customizable

  • There’s a user guide and videos to help you get started

  • The program supports many formats

Cons:

  • It’s not that beginner-friendly

  • Some features don’t work

  • Some of the workflow feels a little convoluted

iMovie

Best for: Users looking for a green screen software for Apple devices.
  • OS

    Mac, iOS

  • Pricing

    Free

iMovie is free chroma key software with a wide range of video editing features, designed for macOS and iOS devices. With its intuitive interface, it makes it easy to create professional-looking videos, even if you’re a beginner. With iMovie’s green screen effect you can easily change your computer's green screen background and use the advanced color adjustment tools to perfect your video. Compatibility across Macs, iPhones, and iPads mean you can seamlessly move from one device to another while working on your project.


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Pros:

  • It works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac

  • The interface is intuitive

  • It offers advanced video-editing tools

  • It has 13 creative video filters to try

  • Social network exporting

Cons:

  • It’s only available for Apple devices

  • You’re limited to two video tracks

  • It doesn’t have motion tracking or multicam capabilities

Lightworks

Best for: Anybody who’s new to video editing.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac, Linux

  • Pricing

    Free, or from $23.99 per user per month for Pro.

Next on our roundup of the best chroma key software is Lightworks. This green screen software for Windows and Mac takes just a few clicks to use the green screen editor and change your video’s background, adjusting hue, saturation, and luminance using chroma key settings. Lightworks supports many popular video formats and you can upload videos directly to YouTube or save them in formats optimized for various social networks.


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Pros:

  • It supports a wide range of input formats

  • It has a simple, intuitive interface

  • You can access ready-made titles and transitions

  • There are no watermarks on exports

Cons:

  • You’ll need to upgrade to the (paid) Pro version to access some features, like 4K resolution export and additional plugins

  • You’re limited to 720p exports

HitFilm Express

Best for: Those looking for free, cross-platform chroma key software.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac

  • Pricing

    Free

HitFilm Express is free green screen software for Windows and Mac that offers green screen effects and a range of other editing tools and features. The spill simulation feature helps pictures look more realistic by replacing light reflections from your original green screen video with simulated light from the new background. The software is easy to use and has over 100 hours of free video tutorials to help you get started.


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Pros:

  • It offers 4K exports

  • It has a VFX toolkit with over 420 effects and presets

  • There are no watermarks on exports

  • The interface is flexible and customizable

  • 360-degree video support

Cons:

  • Many features are grayed out and not included in the free version

  • Only a few output formats are supported

  • The system requirements are quite high

OBS Studio

Best for: Anybody looking for a screen recorder and video editing app.
  • OS

    Windows, Mac, Linux

  • Pricing

    Free

You may already know OBS Studio as a screen recorder and live streaming app for PC and Mac, but it’s also a great green screen video editor that can record you on a green screen background using your webcam. You can also upload green screen footage to the app and use the chroma key download to remove the background and adjust other parameters. The modular UI is easy to customize to suit your needs, and you can assign hotkeys for actions.


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Pros:

  • There’s VST plugin support

  • The modular interface is fully flexible and customizable

  • The powerful API allows for customization

  • You can set up an unlimited number of scenes

  • Multiview lets you monitor 8 scenes and cue/transition to them

Cons:

  • In comparison to some other video editors, the features are limited

  • If you won’t use the live streaming or screen recording features, other video editors may be a better choice

Summary

In this article we’ve covered some of the best free green screen software around, as well as some paid software aimed at professionals and social media content creators. Hopefully this roundup of some of the best green screen software has helped you shortlist a few programs that might be right for your needs. We would always recommend checking out software reviews from other users online, as well as ensuring that the software you’re going for is compatible with your operating system and that your computer meets the technical requirements. Don’t forget to also check that the software you choose offers all the features you expect, and that they’re not limited to a specific version or upgrade.

Movavi Video Editor

Create awesome videos easily
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*The free version of Movavi Video Editor may have the following restrictions depending on the build: watermark on exported clips, 60-second video or 1/2 audio length limit, and/or some advanced features unavailable when exporting videos.

Movavi Video Editor

FAQ: Best free green screen software

How does green screen software work?

Green screen software lets you remove the background from your video and add video or images, in effect superimposing your subjects onto a virtual background. You’ll also hear adding green screen effects referred to as chroma key, or chroma keying.

How can I use a green screen for free?

There are plenty of green screen programs available for free. We’ve listed some of the best free chroma key apps above, like OpenShot and iMovie. You’ll also find many programs offer a free trial if you’d like to give the software a go before deciding to purchase or subscribe.

Is green screen software free?

You’ll find a wide range of free green screen software out there, some good, some bad. We would always recommend reading reviews before downloading a program, and hopefully, our list of the best green screen software for free available will help you to choose the right software for your needs. Some open-source software may not have all the advanced features of paid programs, and you may also find support is harder to come by or not as speedy.

What program do I need for a green screen?

  • Movavi Video Editor

  • Adobe® Creative® Cloud (Premiere® Plus and After® Effects®)

  • Cyberlink PowerDirector

  • VEGAS Pro

  • VideoStudio Ultimate

  • iMovie

  • OpenShot

  • Lightworks

  • HitFilm Express

  • AVS Video Editor

Where can I get free green screen footage?

There are lots of sites offering green screen footage but some of the best places to find free photography and video footage include Videvo, Videezy, Pond 5, and Footage Island.

References

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