The correct green screen software is critical to your company’s success. The best green screen software can assist everyone from professional filmmakers to home videographers achieve their aims. I selected and reviewed the 7+ top green screen software in this article so you can choose the finest one for you.
With over 500 hours of video posted to YouTube every minute, video is the most popular form of internet content. You’d want to make your videos stand out with that much content. Using chroma-key or green screen software is one of the most acceptable ways.
These specialised programs allow you to change the background of your movies.
Green screen video is a crucial function in video editing software, whether you want to produce Hollywood-style effects, create and sell online courses, build a video subscription business using OTT platforms, or replace that background for a home movie.
Let’s start with the list.
What is Green Screen Software?
Green Screen software is a type of video editing software that allows you to modify the background of your recordings. You can edit videos using these tools to change the backdrop colour and then replace the background layer with another.
Green screening, often known as chroma-keying, is characterized by a brilliant green background. You can, however, use different hues. Continue to the next section to learn why green is the recommended colour for chroma-keying.
Why is Green the Preferred Color in Chroma-Keying?
This is simple: green screens are green because green isn’t a common hue in everyday life. Because the green needed to generate chroma-key effects isn’t found in nature, the software can easily filter it.
You could argue that people can wear green clothes here, but that can be remedied by changing your clothes. When employing a green screen, the only thing to know is that it should be a single solid colour that does not match the colour of any other scene elements.
Green screens used to be a solid blue colour. The Thief of Bagdad, Larry King’s Academy Award-winning film, was the first to apply the method, and the screens were blue at the time. Even now, blue can be used to replace “green” screens.
What Equipment Do You Need to Record Green Screen Scenes?
Although replacing video backdrops may appear to be a complex operation, green screen software can help. Using the appropriate combination of digital photographic techniques and software tools is crucial.
The following is a list of the necessary equipment for green screen video production:
- Webcam or digital camera
- A machine with sufficient processing power; both Macs and PCs work well for video editing.
- A data cable is required to transfer images from the camera to the computer.
- You can use a cardboard cutout or fabric to create a green or blue background.
- Green screen editing software that is appropriate
How Do You Shoot a Green Screen Video?
1. Select the Backdrop
Getting the green screen in the first place is the first step in recording a green screen video. As I previously mentioned, you can also use a blue background for this. Pre-made cardboard or a delicate cloth like muslin will suffice.
It’s vital to remember that the screen color should never match the surroundings, so avoid wearing green or similar hues.
2. Choose the Right Camera
The second step is to choose a camera that can record high-quality video. Make that the camera (or webcam) can shoot videos in 720p to 1080p or higher at a minimum of 24 frames per second. Check if the camera can record and save the video in a supported format.
You can also film the videos on your iPhone or an Android phone with a high-quality camera if necessary.
3. Arrange for Proper Lighting
Next, I propose that you devote some effort to correctly adjusting the lighting.
The goal is to eliminate shadows on the backdrop, which can cause problems during the green screen recording procedure. To avoid this, make sure the recording area is well-lit from all sides.
Separate light sources for the subject and the background are the best practice. This allows you to alter the screen’s color saturation and intensity. Adjust the backlights and filters until there are no shadows left.
Another factor to consider is “green spills.” When there is too much light in the background, green spills appear. This causes light spots on the subject and reduces the effectiveness of the keying process.
4. Keep the Screen Straight
The screen must be as tight as possible when capturing green screen videos. Screen wrinkles or folds might cast unwanted shadows. Such shadows may hamper the chroma-keying process.
To iron out any wrinkles in a textile screen, I recommend using an iron. Any anomalies that could cause distortions should be ironed out.
5. Be Aware of Shutter Speed
Consider shutter speeds when selecting a camera. Motion blur can occur when shooting a fast-paced action scene with a slow shutter speed. If your camera has a slow shutter speed, you’ll need to make sure your subjects move slowly.
6. Use the Right Green Screen Software
Finally, utilize the appropriate green screen editing software for replacing the green background with the chosen one once the filming is finished. With a few clicks, any of the tools described above can assist you in accomplishing this.
What Precautions Should You Follow When Creating Green Screen Videos?
Here are some of the precautions you need to follow when creating green screen videos:
- Keep six to ten feet between the green screen and the subject.
- High ISOs should be avoided at all costs.
- Use blue instead of green screens when shooting in a natural scene with flora.
- After you’ve finished shooting, go over your footage.
- The subject’s attire and cosmetics should complement the background you’ll use later.
20 Best Green Screen Software of 2023
1. PowerDirector
PowerDirector is our best selection for working with green screens. We discovered that its powerful chroma key tool is easy to use by everyone. That alone distinguishes it from the other options on our list. You gain creative flexibility and alternatives without the steep learning curve with effects programs. The newly updated chroma key engine makes removing green screens a breeze. You can combine more than three videos using multi-key color sampling.
The chroma key tool is part of the dedicated Picture-in-Picture (PiP) designer, which is just one of the features for rapidly and efficiently generating multi-track films. An overlay room with animated items and stickers suitable for practically any occasion is available. Create Hollywood-style effects and shots with the mask designer and keyframe controls. The built-in blending options are ideal for rapid collages and double video exposures.
PowerDirector is a beautiful video editor that goes beyond effects. The software provides timeline and storyboard modes for editing audio and video clips. Motion graphics and built-in templates help speed up the creative process. The simple design is simple to understand and use, allowing you to hop right in and start editing.
PowerDirector is our top pick since it has many effects and tools in a user-friendly package.
Key Features:
- Sky replacement
- Over 3,000 effects and templates
- AI motion tracking
- Millions of royalty-free stock assets
2. Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects is a powerful professional compositing and animation software that can be used to create interactive visual effects and motion graphics using data files. We dubbed After Effects the most OK green screen editor for animation because you can apply a fluid motion to titles, credits, images, etc. We believe it is the best choice for producing data-driven 2D animations.
You can make real virtual reality videos and environments with After Effects and apply effects to your 360/VR videos. You may isolate your subject without a green screen and produce natural-looking effects using chroma key and luma key effects combined with rotoscoping techniques.
Hollywood filmmakers regularly utilize Adobe After Effects in VFX projects because it produces some of the industry’s best chroma key green screen results. However, it stays in second place on our list because of its high cost and steep learning curve, making it an unappealing option for beginners and enthusiasts.
Key Features:
- Motion graphics templates
- Powerful 3D design
- Selective color adjustments
- Content-aware fill
3. HitFilm Pro
HitFilm Pro is the most outstanding green screen editor for effects, in our opinion. It’s a 2D and 3D compositor with keyframe animation, motion tracking, and 3D camera solving features. You’ll also receive access to an extensive collection of effects for creating compelling motion graphics and visual effects.
HitFilm Pro claims that its chroma key tool is the “greatest globally.” Edge detail, color correction, and splash suppression are all fully controlled with HitFilm’s chroma key technology. Use the Matte Cleaner effect to smooth, feather, and choke the critical edge for a clean and realistic green screen appearance.
Although the user interface of this software is more straightforward than that of After Effects, it still has a high learning curve — especially for novice editors. However, the price is reasonable, including a year of free updates. While its compositing tools are on par with PowerDirector and After Effects, it lacks non-effect video editing capabilities.
Key Features:
- Lens flares and lighting effects
- Color grading
- Powerful particle effects
- Neon path effect
4. Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is a popular video editing subscription service with many high-end tools and collaboration options. It’s the most fantastic green screen editor for professionals, according to us, because it has a lot of complex capabilities and a non-linear editing interface. Adobe Media Encoder is included with Premiere, and it can convert files to practically any format. Batch processing is also supported for professionals working on multiple files at once.
A color key and a luma key are among the software’s green screen capabilities. The former can distinguish any color background, but the latter indicates a uniformly lit area. You also have tools to keep your deletions from spilling color.
Although the Adobe Premiere interface is not as complex as After Effects’, learning it requires time and patience, mainly if you are new to video editing. On the other hand, Premiere’s green-screen effects are more essential than those in our top three green screen editors.
Key Features:
- Animated motion graphics
- Support for 360° VR and 4K content
- Lumetri Color Panel for advanced color adjustments
- Video stabilization
5. Final Cut Pro
For Mac users, Final Cut Pro is the most outstanding green screen editor. Creators can work with 8K ProRes video and manage complex effects in real-time with Apple Silicon and the new Mac Studio – no rendering necessary. Final Cut Pro quickly renders and exports to iPhone, iPad, and other Mac devices. Other Apple applications, including Motion, Compressor, Logic Pro, and iMovie, function flawlessly with Final Cut.
Using Final Cut Pro, you may produce various visual effects, including built-in chroma key green screen and blue screen compositing, 360° text, and animated 2D and 3D. Editing multichannel audio to minimize background noise and adjust levels is new to Final Cut.
Like the Adobe products, Final Cut is professional software that takes considerable time to learn and comes at a high price. However, its green-screen effects fall short of our top four selections.
Key Features:
- Multicam support
- Robust organization tools
- Support for HDR and 360° footage
- Advanced color grading
6. VSDC Pro Video Editor
VSDC Pro Video Editor is a free video editing program for those on a tight budget. With a minimal one-time purchase charge, this green screen editor is the lowest on our list. A free version with fewer functions is also available.
With the HSL Chroma Key tool, you may instantly remove undesirable colors from your movie. Any color you select with a dropper is identified and released in the HSL model (Hue, Saturation, Lightness). For increased precision, you can make manual adjustments after the effect has been applied. A clipping mask, inverted mask, and text mask are among the masking tools available to aid in the creation of fresh and fascinating images.
VSDC Pro Video Editor provides a modest price for a wide range of chroma key green screens and other effects. You do, however, get what you pay for. The chroma key results aren’t as exact as we’d like, and the clumsy interface makes it difficult to use. Although this software is designed for beginners, its nonstandard layout makes finding what you need challenging.
Key Features:
- Motion tracking
- Edit to the Beat tool
- AI Art generator
- Text animation
7. Camtasia
Camtasia is a video editor and screen recorder. It also allows you to add crisp video and music to your projects by capturing webcam footage. You can put yourself anywhere while shooting a YouTube video, training video, or meeting using the webcam tool with a green screen background.
Camtasia is straightforward to pick up and use, with drag-and-drop editing and many templates and presets to get you started. You can also upload your themes and colors for brand consistency across projects.
Camtasia is an excellent tool for beginners with no editing expertise who want to create video tutorials, webinar recordings, presentations, or social media material using screen recording and camera footage. The green screen background is simple, but it is only accessible for the webcam, putting Camtasia at the bottom of our list. Camtasia is also not cheap, so you should avoid it if you only need a video editor and not a scrambler.
Key Features:
- Instant upload to social media
- Transitions
- Royalty-free stock assets
- Cursor effects
8. Movavi
Movavi Video Editor is a simple program that lets you edit and apply effects, pre-made intros, and animation to any video clip. It allows you to modify the background of your footage using the Chroma key.
Key Features:
- It helps you to stabilize and reverse video.
- Allows you to add stylish titles, transactions, filters, etc.
- It is available in a wide range of languages.
- You can add photos to your video.
- This tool offers a vast library of video filters.
- You can quickly edit any video.
- Supported platforms: iOS and Windows.
9. Filmora
Filmora is a green screen program that makes a personalized animated video simple. It enables you to track objects without difficulty. This utility allows you to modify the background of a video clip.
Key Features:
- You can quickly fade your audio.
- Allows you to save time by applying color correction settings across multiple clients.
- This tool enables you to split video.
- Provides keyboard shortcuts for ease of access.
- You can add transactions, filters, and titles.
10. Wevideo
Video is a web-based video editing software for collaboration that works in any browser. It allows you to alter the video’s background.
Key Features:
- You can edit video from Chromebook, Windows, Mobile, and Mac.
- It enables you to develop high-quality videos with ease.
- This app provides unlimited cloud storage to make a video.
- You can add custom text, colors, emojis, etc., to videos.
11. Kapwing
Kapwing is a green screen video editor that allows you to erase the video clip’s background. You can use this program to add visual effects to your videos.
Key Features:
- You can access the video from any browser.
- Allows you to create a video without any watermark.
- Enables you to trim your video with ease.
- You can select the colors you want to choose.
12. ManyCam
ManyCam is a live streaming program that makes it simple to broadcast professional video, broadcasts, and online classes. During a web conference, you can use the tool to blur, change, or delete the background.
Features:
- Available for Facebook and YouTube Live.
- It supports streaming and broadcasting.
- This tool is capable of recording videos in WMV and AVI.
- It can be synced with Skype and Yahoo messenger.
- The supported platform: Windows 10, 8, 7 PC.
13. VSDC Free Video Editor
Green screen software like VSDC Free Video Editor can produce the high-quality film. This program allows you to emphasize or blur specific aspects in your video. It will enable you to upload videos to YouTube directly.
Features:
- This free green screen software lets you edit video in AVI, MP4, MPG, and other formats.
- You can edit or generate video collected by mobile phones, cameras, and other devices.
- You can convert one clip format to another with VSDC.
- You may place items in any position on the timeline and of any size with this green screen editor.
14. AVS Video Editor
AVS Video Editor is a free green screen software that enables you to trim, cut, split, merge, and rotate videos. This tool can process, edit, and save video files in VOB, AVI, MP4, etc. It allows you to change the video shot with a green background.
Features:
- You can easily edit HD files.
- You can use it to record videos.
- You can use this program to open and modify Blu-ray video clips.
- You can distribute videos to others.
- It comes with over 300 visual effects.
- Many languages are supported, including English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese.
15. Vegas Pro
Vegas Pro is a green screen application with a simple user interface for editing videos or images. This tool will save your work for you automatically. It facilitates the import of video from a tablet, video camera, or smartphone.
Features:
- This tool assists you in customizing the motion graphic title.
- Allows you to alter green screens in the Hollywood way.
- With PowerDirector, you may create a video with a 1:1 output ratio.
- This is one of the best chroma key software options for 8K video import.
- Shapes can be added to your video.
- It has a lot of ready-made templates.
- Slow and fast motion effects are available with this tool.
- In a clip, you can repair color distortion.
- It can help to stabilize shaky video.
16. EaseUS Video Editor
EaseUS is an intelligent and straightforward green screen software that everyone can use. Trim, cut, combine, split, rotate, and mix clips are possible. You can use this utility to import music tracks.
Features:
- This green screen photography software provides hundreds of effects.
- You can remove whole sections of a video clip without hassle.
- You can edit a video of 8K.
- Sony Vegas Pro provides a drag and drop interface.
- This tool offers a nested timeline to speed up your workflow.
- The advanced version of Sony Vegas Pro provides a lens correction plugin.
- You can make a slow-motion video.
17. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate
Corel VideoStudio Ultimate is a program for editing videos with a green background. This program allows you to edit videos in HD, 4K, and 360 degrees. It makes it simple to separate bespoke videos.
Features:
- It offers more than 50 visual transition effects.
- This application does have no export length limit.
- You can record your narration with just one mouse click.
- Erasmus allows you to record your narrations (written or spoken word).
18. Pinnacle Studio
Pinnacles Studio is a green screen program with improved color grading for better video quality. It has over 2000 effects.
Features:
- You can perform lens and color correction.
- It helps you to stabilize the shaky video.
- Allows you to customize object motion.
- Offers a wide range of overlays and templates.
- Process video in batch.
- You can crop, trim, and rotate video.
- It provides a large variety of effects and filters.
19. Hippo Video
Hippo Video is a program that allows you to change the color of your background easily. This app assists you in improving your marketing, sales, and email campaigns. It also allows you to send customized Video emails automatically.
Features:
- This tool allows you to easily add a green screen/chroma binding effect.
- Bridge communication gaps with videos.
- Collect video testimonials, surveys, and feedback.
- Drive video ROI with audience demographics.
- Engage and convert your prospects to customers.
20. ACDSee
ACDSee is a green screen program that makes it simple to remove video backgrounds. It lets you do image alteration, video editing, and layered editing. This program allows you to convert, finish, and render videos in many formats and sizes.
Features:
- Import your footage, use existing material, or create your own.
- Audio and video recordings and still photos can be arranged, edited, split, trimmed, and merged.
- ACDSee video converter 5 transforms video files quickly and easily.
Conclusion
Green screen video production is not complex. Anyone can produce professional-looking green screen effects with the appropriate tools. Simply take the measures listed above and choose the program that best meets your needs.
Here are some of the best green screen software options.
- Adobe Premiere Pro CC: Best for Industry-Grade Video Editing
- Wondershare Filmora: Best for Beginners on Mac or PC
- Camtasia: Best Multi-Purpose Video Editing Tool
- iMovie: Best for Mac Users
- Lightworks: Best for Applying Real-time Effects
- VSDC Free Video Editor: Best for Lightweight, Non-linear Editing
- HitFilm Express: Best for Free Professional-Grade Video Editing
- OpenShot: Best for Open-source Video Editing
- OBS Studio: Best for Video Recording and Streaming
Whether you’re filming a professional film or a simple family video, I’m confident you’ll find something suitable among the options listed above.
