Video

HitFilm Express Video

Free video editor with VFX tools

No longer availableSee the AI Graveyard →
Shut down★4.2ratingPricing · FreeDeclining

What happened to HitFilm Express Video?

HitFilm Express Video shut down in 2025, after Artlist bought it.

Artlist bought HitFilm maker FXhome in 2021 and replaced HitFilm Express with a more limited free edition in 2022. Artlist then discontinued all HitFilm editions on 15 Jan 2025, ending updates, support and new licenses.

Source: cgchannel.com ↗Its AI Graveyard record →AI products shut down or acquired in 2025 →

The FalcoScan Intel PanelHitFilm Express Video · Video
Data updated 2 November 2026
Opportunity
Moderate
Band
Saturation
Contested
Band
Wrapper risk
Low
Band
Momentum
Declining
Market trend
Rating
4.2
of 5 · FalcoScan rating

Video AI has no moat to speak of on average, from the moat scores of its rated products. What protects Video AI tools, and the widest moats

The Brief

What HitFilm Express Video does

HitFilm Express provides free compositing, VFX, and video editing tools in one application.

How HitFilm Express Video compares with its closest alternatives

All 5 closest alternatives have a free plan, as HitFilm Express Video did. 3 of the 5 offer an API; FalcoScan's records show none for HitFilm Express Video. HitFilm Express Video offered a desktop app. Of the alternatives, 4 offer a desktop app. HitFilm Express Video was founded in 2012; the alternatives were founded between 1999 and 2024, 2 of them earlier. The alternatives with a known headquarters are in China, the United States and Australia.

Market position · Video

How HitFilm Express Video compares in Video

HitFilm Express Video had moderate opportunity before it shut down. Across Video, the average opportunity score is 62.8 and the average saturation score 42.7. FalcoScan rates HitFilm Express Video's own market position as contested. 82 of the 390 operating Video tools have hot momentum, and FalcoScan has recorded 26 shutdowns in the category.

HitFilm Express Video compared with its closest alternatives
ProductOpportunitySaturationPricingPricing fromFree planAPIPlatformsMomentum
HitFilm Express VideoFounded 2012ModerateContestedFree—YesNoDesktopDeclining
Wan VideoFounded 2024 · Hangzhou, ChinaHighOpenFree—YesYesAPI, DesktopDeclining
OpenShot Video EditFounded 2008 · Rockwall, United StatesModerateContestedFree—YesYesDesktopStable
CogVideoXFounded 2024 · Remote-firstHighOpenFree—YesYesDesktopRising
iMovie AI FeaturesFounded 1999 · San Francisco, United StatesModerateOpenFree—YesNoMobile, DesktopRising
ClipChamp AIFounded 2021 · Brisbane, AustraliaModerateCrowdedFreemium—YesNoWebStable

Exact opportunity and saturation scores for all 6 of these, and where each ranks in Video.

See them free for 7 days
What it ships with

Capabilities & who uses it

The capabilities HitFilm Express Video exposes to builders and the verticals it currently serves.

AI Capabilities
Video Generation
Industry Verticals
Media
Tagged

HitFilm Express Video shows up when builders search for these

vfxcompositingfree
Similar tools · Video

Alternatives to HitFilm Express Video

Products still running that do the same job, from the video market and related ones, closest match first.

See the Video market
Video
Wan Video

Alibaba open-source video generation model

★ 4.6Opportunity High
Free
Video
OpenShot Video Edit

Free cross-platform video editor

★ 4.1Opportunity Moderate
Free
Video
CogVideoX

Open-source video generation from Zhipu AI

★ 4.4Opportunity High
Free
Video
iMovie AI Features

Apple's free video editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad

★ 4.3Opportunity Moderate
Free
Video
ClipChamp AI

Microsoft's free AI video editor

★ 4.2Opportunity Moderate
Freemium
Video
LTX Video

Real-time video generation by Lightricks

★ 4.5Opportunity High
Freemium
Featured in
Questions

HitFilm Express Video: common questions

Is HitFilm Express Video still running?

No. HitFilm Express Video shut down in 2025, after Artlist bought it, according to cgchannel.com. Artlist bought HitFilm maker FXhome in 2021 and replaced HitFilm Express with a more limited free edition in 2022. Artlist then discontinued all HitFilm editions on 15 Jan 2025, ending updates, support and new licenses.

Source: cgchannel.com ↗

When did HitFilm Express Video shut down?

HitFilm Express Video shut down in 2025, according to cgchannel.com.

Source: cgchannel.com ↗

Who acquired HitFilm Express Video?

Artlist acquired HitFilm Express Video. It later shut down in 2025, according to cgchannel.com.

Source: cgchannel.com ↗

What are the best alternatives to HitFilm Express Video?

The closest alternatives to HitFilm Express Video that are still running, matched on the AI capabilities, uses and audience they share, are Wan Video, OpenShot Video Edit, CogVideoX, iMovie AI Features, and ClipChamp AI.

Back to Browse