Alternatives to OpenShot
Simple open source editing
OpenShot ranks #13 of 18 in Video editing, with an Alt Score of 62. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 9 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Hobbyists, students, and content creators who want a free, cross-platform video editor without a steep learning curve.
A multi-track, non-linear video editor with drag-and-drop trimming and slicing, a title and animation editor with keyframes, audio waveforms, and speed/time effects like slow motion and reverse. It's open-source and runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows.
Import video, audio, and image files, arrange and trim them across unlimited timeline tracks, layer in titles, transitions, and keyframe-based effects, then export the finished project.
Why people leave OpenShot
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How OpenShot compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Video editing checklist | OpenShot | Filmora | Premiere Pro | DaVinci Resolve | Final Cut Pro | Lightworks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
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| License | ||||||
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| Timeline tracks (limit) | ||||||
| 4K/8K export | ||||||
| Watermark on free tier | ||||||
| Proxy editing | ||||||
| Color grading (scopes, LUTs) | ||||||
| Motion graphics / keyframing | ||||||
| Audio mixing | ||||||
| Speed ramping | ||||||
| Plugins ecosystem | ||||||
| Hardware encoding | ||||||
| Collaboration | ||||||
| Direct publish to platforms |
Every fact and feature listed for OpenShot is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-12
It's free and open-source, licensed under GPLv3
https://support.openshot.org/support/solutions/articles/43000625544-introduction -
License GPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-12
GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3, 29 June 2007
https://github.com/OpenShot/openshot-qt/blob/develop/COPYING -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-12
Compatible with multiple platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS
https://support.openshot.org/support/solutions/articles/43000625544-introduction -
Status active verified 2026-07-12
OpenShot 3.5.1 makes editing faster, smoother, and more polished than ever.
https://www.openshot.org/blog/2026/04/06/openshot-351-faster-performance-smoother-editing-better-previews/ -
Timeline tracks (limit) Yes verified 2026-07-12
Unlimited tracks / layers
https://www.openshot.org/features/ -
4K/8K export Yes verified 2026-07-12
4K UHD 2160p 30 fps
https://www.openshot.org/static/files/user-guide/profiles.html -
Watermark on free tier No verified 2026-07-12
No time limits, no size limits, and no watermarks on your finished videos
https://support.openshot.org/support/solutions/articles/43000625544-introduction -
Proxy editing Yes verified 2026-07-12
a new built-in proxy workflow that creates or links optimized preview media for smoother playback, scrubbing, trimming, and editing on demanding footage.
https://www.openshot.org/blog/2026/04/06/openshot-351-faster-performance-smoother-editing-better-previews/ -
Color grading (scopes, LUTs) Partial verified 2026-07-12
Adjust brightness, gamma, hue, greyscale, chroma key, and much more!
https://www.openshot.org/features/ -
Motion graphics / keyframing Yes verified 2026-07-12
OpenShot comes with a powerful key frame animation framework, capable of an unlimited number of key frames and animation possibilities.
https://www.openshot.org/features/ -
Audio mixing Yes verified 2026-07-12
OpenShot has many great audio editing features built-in, such as displaying waveforms on the timeline, or even rendering the waveform as part of your video.
https://www.openshot.org/features/ -
Speed ramping Partial verified 2026-07-12
Speed up and slow down clips. Reverse the direction of a video.
https://www.openshot.org/features/ -
Hardware encoding Yes verified 2026-07-12
Many graphics cards come with the ability to encode and decode video data without using the CPU. This can result in a huge performance improvement on some systems
https://www.openshot.org/blog/2020/02/08/openshot-250-released-video-editing-hardware-acceleration/
FAQ
Yes. Filmora, DaVinci Resolve and Lightworks have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Shotcut and Kdenlive — every license claim links its source.