OpenShot vs VSDC Video Editor (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, VSDC Video Editor grades higher than OpenShot: 3.2 against 3.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
VSDC Video Editor grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
VSDC Video Editor
Windows video editor with a free edition and a Pro subscription
Which one is for you
Pick OpenShot if
- Fits if you want a free editor with no watermark for home videos
- Works for people who also want a built-in screen and webcam recorder
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have an Apple silicon Mac, since the page only describes an Intel installer
- Not for you if you need a phone or browser editor, as it's desktop only
- Too light for team editing, since nothing on the site covers sharing or cloud projects
Pick VSDC Video Editor if
- Fits if you have a Windows PC and want an editor with no export watermark
- Works for action-camera footage, thanks to GPX telemetry overlays on Pro
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, because the editor runs on Windows only
- Tight if you stay free: motion tracking, GPS overlays and hardware acceleration are Pro
- Watch out: the $29.99 Pro price comes from a payment partner's checkout and shows no billing period
- Watch out: free-edition renders may be slower without hardware acceleration
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAOpenShotVery good | 3.2GPAVSDC Video EditorVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download and use, and anyone can run it. The site says no subscriptions or watermarks, and donations are optional. | AThe free edition costs nothing, with no watermark or length cap, per the vendor. That is a program anyone can download, against $14 a month for the middle of the category. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe full editor is free on all platforms, with no project limits, per the site. | AFree outright, with no time limit and no watermark on exports, per the vendor. The Pro extras are tools most casual editors won't miss. |
| Features | BUnlimited tracks, keyframes, transitions, titles, color grading and a screen recorder. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core editing job. | BTimeline editing, 200+ effects, color grading, masks and 4K to 8K export. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core job, though motion tracking and hardware acceleration are Pro-only. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and a timeline editor has a learning curve. | CNo store rating on record. It is a full timeline editor with a lot of panels, so expect a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | CDesktop only: Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome OS installers, and no phone or browser version. | BWindows editor plus a free iPhone and iPad app. No Mac, Linux or web version, and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | a free, simple desktop video editor | free video editing on a Windows PC |
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: OpenShot and VSDC Video Editor. How we grade
Where they differ
- OpenShot is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| OpenShot | VSDC Video Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $29.99 for Pro (billing period not shown on the checkout page) |
| Free plan | Free to download and use, with no subscriptions, watermarks or project limits, according to the site. | Free Video Editor for Windows: the vendor says it has no watermark and no limits on file size or video duration. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | OpenShot Studios, LLC | Flash-Integro LLC |
| Price read from | openshot.org | secure.2checkout.com (not the vendor's own page) |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
OpenShot
- Desktop only: the download page lists Windows, Linux, macOS and Chrome OS installers.
- The macOS download is described as a 64-bit Intel installer; the page does not mention a separate Apple silicon build.
VSDC Video Editor
- The desktop editor runs on Windows only; the vendor lists an iPhone and iPad app but no Mac or Linux editor.
- Pro is a subscription, and its billing period was not shown on the checkout page read.
- Hardware acceleration is listed as a Pro feature, so free-edition renders may be slower.
- The price comes from the checkout page the vendor links to, hosted by its payment partner.
Key features
OpenShot
- Timeline editing
- Video, audio and images go on unlimited tracks with snapping, waveforms and frame-by-frame stepping. Project files move between Linux, macOS and Windows.
- Keyframe animation
- Position, scale, rotation, opacity, volume and effect settings can be animated with linear, constant or Bezier interpolation.
- Transitions and effects
- More than 400 transition patterns, plus effects such as chroma key, blur and lens flare.
- Titles
- More than 40 editable 2D title templates, custom SVG templates, and 3D animated titles rendered with Blender.
- Color grading
- Color wheels, curves and LUTs, with waveform, histogram, vectorscope and RGB parade scopes.
- Built-in recorder
- Captures a screen, window or region plus a webcam and microphone, and places each recording on its own timeline track.
VSDC Video Editor
- High-resolution and HDR editing
- The vendor says even the free edition edits 4K, 5.3K and 8K video at up to 120 fps, and Pro supports HDR color spaces.
- Color grading and effects
- Over 200 built-in video effects and filters, with a color grading panel, LUTs, scopes and white balance controls.
- Motion tracking and masks
- Pro attaches text, logos or blur masks to a moving object by tracking its path through the clip.
- GPS telemetry overlays
- Pro can overlay speed, altitude and route maps on action-camera footage using an imported GPX file.
- Beat-sync editing
- Detects the rhythm in a music track and animates scale, color, rotation and transparency of effects to it.
Plans
OpenShot
Free$0
The full editor on Windows, macOS and Linux. Donations are optional.
VSDC Video Editor
Free$0
Windows editor with 200+ effects, color grading and 4K to 8K editing, with no watermark or time limit.
Pro$29.99
subscription; billing period not shown at checkout
Adds tools such as motion tracking and hardware acceleration. 30-day money-back guarantee stated on the FAQ.
Ways to pay less
OpenShot
No public discounts listed.
VSDC Video Editor
- Education
License for schools
The vendor links a page about free video editing software for schools from its support menu.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OpenShot or VSDC Video Editor?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OpenShot is free, and VSDC Video Editor starts at $29.99 for Pro (billing period not shown on the checkout page).
Which has a free plan, OpenShot or VSDC Video Editor?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both OpenShot and VSDC Video Editor have a free plan.
Which platforms do OpenShot and VSDC Video Editor run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OpenShot lists macOS and Linux apps and only VSDC Video Editor lists an iOS app. Both list a Windows 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.