CapCut

CapCut (from ByteDance) is a phenomenally popular, completely free editor designed for the social media generation. It shines with a vast library of trendy templates, effects, and music tailored for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Its AI-powered features for auto-captions, beat sync, and background removal are incredibly accessible. Available on desktop, web, and mobile with seamless project syncing.

It ranks highly for its zero-cost barrier to entry, ease of use, and focus on quick, shareable content creation, though it lacks the deep professional controls of high-end NLEs.