Alternatives · Screen Recording

Kdenlive alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Kdenlive alternative for most people is OBS Studio (2.8 GPA), third in our ranking of screen recording and video tools. The best free one is DaVinci Resolve (3.4 GPA).

Kdenlive compared with 6 alternatives: Shotcut, OpenShot, DaVinci Resolve, OBS Studio, HandBrake and 1 more.

Kdenlive is free to use. All 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

Tool	Price	Free plan	Runs on
KdenliveThis tool	Free	Free	macOS, Windows, Linux
Shotcut	Free	Free	macOS, Windows, Linux
OpenShot	Free	Free	macOS, Windows, Linux
DaVinci Resolve	Free plan · from $94.99	Yes	macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS
OBS Studio	Free	Free	macOS, Windows, Linux
HandBrake	Free	Free	macOS, Windows, Linux
Lightworks	Free plan · from $20/mo	Yes	macOS, Windows, Linux

Price against what you get

Kdenlive has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

The best score at each price
Has a free plan
No free plan

The full chart of screen recording and video tools, and the best at every price

How each one differs from Kdenlive

Shotcut
Free open-source video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux
- Shotcut is free.
- Shotcut also covers screen recording.
- Shotcut does not cover transcription, which Kdenlive does.
Suits: People who want a free editor with no watermark or account
Shotcut vs Kdenlive Shotcut pricing and details
OpenShot
Free, open-source video editor for Linux, Mac and Windows
- OpenShot is free.
- OpenShot also covers screen recording.
- OpenShot does not cover transcription, which Kdenlive does.
Suits: Beginners who want a free editor with no watermark
OpenShot vs Kdenlive OpenShot pricing and details
DaVinci Resolve
Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app
- DaVinci Resolve starts at $94.99 for Studio on iPad (in-app purchase); $236 for desktop Studio (was $295).
- DaVinci Resolve also lists an iOS app.
- DaVinci Resolve can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- DaVinci Resolve also covers noise cancellation.
- DaVinci Resolve does not cover transcription, which Kdenlive does.
Suits: Editors and colorists who want editing, color, effects and audio in one app
DaVinci Resolve vs Kdenlive DaVinci Resolve pricing and details
OBS Studio
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming
- OBS Studio is free.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation and screen recording.
- OBS Studio does not cover transcription and video editing, which Kdenlive does.
Suits: Live streamers who want detailed control of scenes, sources and audio
OBS Studio vs Kdenlive OBS Studio pricing and details
HandBrake
Free open-source video converter for Windows, Mac and Linux
- HandBrake is free.
- HandBrake also covers file compression.
- HandBrake does not cover transcription, which Kdenlive does.
Suits: Shrinking large video files or changing their format
HandBrake vs Kdenlive HandBrake pricing and details
Lightworks
Pro video editor with a free tier and paid Create and Pro plans
- Lightworks starts at $20 per user / month on Create, paid monthly.
- Lightworks can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Lightworks does not cover transcription, which Kdenlive does.
Suits: Editors who want a free tier with no watermark
Lightworks vs Kdenlive Lightworks pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Kdenlive

Desktop only: the download page lists Windows, Linux and macOS builds, with no mobile or browser version.
Windows needs version 10 or newer, and macOS needs 13 (Ventura) or newer.
Daily builds are offered for testing, and the site warns they can be unstable and can corrupt existing projects.

Kdenlive pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Kdenlive?

The alternatives to Kdenlive in this directory are Shotcut, OpenShot, DaVinci Resolve, OBS Studio, HandBrake and Lightworks. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Kdenlive.

Is there a free alternative to Kdenlive?

Yes. Shotcut, OpenShot, OBS Studio and HandBrake are free to use. DaVinci Resolve and Lightworks have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which Kdenlive alternatives work on iOS?

The Kdenlive listing does not include an iOS app. DaVinci Resolve lists one.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

How this page was made

Where any alternative here is in our top three screen recording and video tools, the best for most people is the highest placed of them: the top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades. Otherwise the page names the highest-graded alternative in the same category as Kdenlive, the one its listing names first winning a tie. The best free one is the highest-graded alternative that is free or has a free plan (a free trial does not count), with its catch quoted from its listing where the listing states a short one. The GPA is the average of our five grades for each tool.
The alternatives are the tools Kdenlive’s listing names as its closest substitutes, and the tools whose listings name Kdenlive.
Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing, which names the pages they were read from.
The differences are worked out from those listings.
The chart sets each tool’s starting price against our own grades for features, ease of use and platforms.

Read the method All screen recording and video tools

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