Avidemux vs Flowblade (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Avidemux grades higher than Flowblade: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Avidemux grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Avidemux
Free open-source editor for simple video cutting and encoding
Which one is for you
Pick Avidemux if
- Fits if you only need to trim or re-encode a file
- Works for people who want a free tool on any desktop system
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for real editing, as it has no multitrack timeline or effects
- Watch out: the site's latest news item is release 2.8.1 from September 2022
- Watch out: the site is sparse, with documentation on a separate wiki and forum
- Skip it if you want a phone or web version, as it runs on computers only
Pick Flowblade if
- Fits if you run Linux and want a free multitrack editor
- Works for people who install from a distribution's repository
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, as neither is supported
- Watch out: repository versions may lag the latest release
- Watch out: the development version can be unstable or need new dependencies
- Skip it if you want a phone or web version, as it is a Linux program
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAvidemuxVery good | 2.6GPAFlowbladeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open-source, with no paid tier anywhere. | AFree and open-source, with no paid tier anywhere. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no paid tier to buy into. | AFree outright, with no paid tier to buy into. |
| Features | CIt cuts, filters and encodes fully, but that is a smaller job: no multitrack timeline or effects. | CA multitrack editor that works with anything FFmpeg can read, with no effects or tracking gaps listed. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it is a program you install and start using with nothing to set up. | CNo store rating on record, and a timeline editor has a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux, but a program for computers only. | DLinux only; the download page says it focuses on Linux and other free platforms. |
| Best for | simple video cutting and re-encoding | a free multitrack editor on Linux |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Avidemux and Flowblade. How we grade
Price against what you get
Avidemux has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Flowblade has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
Avidemux scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other screen recording and video tools on the chart, none scores higher than Avidemux for less, and none scores higher than Flowblade for less.
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
Where they differ
At a glance
| Avidemux | Flowblade | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Avidemux project | Flowblade project |
| Price read from | avidemux.sourceforge.net | jliljebl.github.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Avidemux
- The project site lists its latest news item as release 2.8.1 from September 2022.
- It is built for simple edits, not multitrack timelines or effects work.
- The vendor site is sparse; documentation sits on a separate wiki and forum.
Flowblade
- Windows and macOS are not supported; the download page says it focuses on Linux and other free platforms.
- Repository versions may lag behind the latest release.
- The development version can be unstable or have new dependencies.
Key features
Avidemux
- Cutting
- Designed for simple cutting of video, the main task the project describes.
- Filtering
- Applies video filters as part of its filtering tasks.
- Encoding
- Re-encodes video, which the project lists alongside cutting and filtering as its core jobs.
- Projects and job queue
- Saves work as projects and runs jobs from a queue so repeated tasks can be automated.
- Scripting
- Has scripting capabilities for automating tasks.
- Cross-platform
- Available for Linux, BSD, Mac OS X and Windows.
Flowblade
- Multitrack timeline
- Industry-standard editing tools for adding, moving and trimming clips on a timeline.
- Wide media support
- Uses FFmpeg, and the site says a typical startup reports 146 formats, 78 video codecs and 58 audio codecs.
- Composite, mix and filter
- Combine images and audio, add filters and animation, and color-correct the picture.
- G'MIC tool
- A dedicated tool exposes G'MIC open-source image filtering.
- Flatpak and repository installs
- Installs from Flathub, from an operating-system repository or from the development source.
Plans
Avidemux
Free$0
Free to download and use under the GNU GPL.
Flowblade
Free$0
Free and open source under the GPL3 license.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Avidemux or Flowblade?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Avidemux and Flowblade are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Avidemux or Flowblade?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Avidemux and Flowblade have a free plan.
Which platforms do Avidemux and Flowblade run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Avidemux lists macOS and Windows apps. Both list a Linux app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.