Lightworks Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Lightworks costs Free to $27.99 per month as of May 2026. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
Yes, Lightworks offers a forever free plan as of May 2026. The free tier includes 8 features with limits on usage. Paid plans start at $13.99/user/month (Create). Pricing verified from 1 sources by CostBench.
Lightworks's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 720p HD export
- Timeline editing
- Automatic saving
- Advanced transitions
- Simple VFX
- No watermark
- MP4 export only
- 1 active cloud integration
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- Up to 4K video export
- Social media presets (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat)
- NewBlue Titler Pro / Advanced titles
- Native Quick Audio FX & Audio FX
- BRaw clip settings
- Cloud upload
- Proxy editing up to 1080p (low/medium/high quality)
- YCbCr video scope
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like Up to 4K video export or Social media presets (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat)
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Lightworks branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Create Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Create $13.99/user/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 8 included | 8+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Lightworks branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Beginners or those who want to try Lightworks for an unlimited period | Editors seeking advanced features and flexibility at a low price |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Lightworks free?
Yes, Lightworks offers a forever free plan with 8 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Lightworks's free plan?
Lightworks's free plan includes: 720p HD export, Timeline editing, Automatic saving, Advanced transitions, Simple VFX, and 3 more features. Key limits include basic usage caps.
03 What's NOT included in Lightworks's free plan?
The free plan excludes: Up to 4K video export, Social media presets (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat), NewBlue Titler Pro / Advanced titles, Native Quick Audio FX & Audio FX, BRaw clip settings. You'll also have Lightworks branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Lightworks's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like Up to 4K video export or Social media presets (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat), require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $13.99/user/month.
05 Is Lightworks's free plan really free forever?
Yes, Lightworks's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.