The Kdenlive Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kdenlive in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Kdenlive
The Insider’s Guide
Free, open-source non-linear video editor from the KDE community
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among screen recording and video tools, read from Kdenlive’s own pages.
Made by KDE · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Kdenlive’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kdenlive’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 75 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade
Kdenlive is a non-linear video editor developed by the KDE community. It covers multi-track editing, effects and transitions with keyframes, color correction with scopes, audio mixing and subtitles, and it is free to download. Donations are requested but not required.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Kdenlive, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and a timeline editor has a learning curve.
- 1
Best for free multi-track video editing
It's desktop only, has a learning curve, and its daily builds can corrupt projects.
- 2
It is free
Kdenlive has no paid plan at all. Free to download and use on Windows, macOS and Linux; the site asks for optional donations.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
Multi-track timeline
A non-linear workflow with multicam and 3-point editing, nested sequences, markers and automatic backups.
- 5
Proxies and asset bins
Imports footage in most audio and video formats, shows metadata, and can use proxies for smoother playback on slower machines. Clips can be tagged and sorted into several bins.
- 6
Effects and transitions
Hundreds of audio and video effects that can be keyframed, plus transitions and layer compositions.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 75 of 84
That is against the other screen recording and video tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Kdenlive is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Kdenlive at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- KDE
- Category
- Screen Recording & Video
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free multi-track video editing
Kdenlive is a free multi-track video editor from the KDE community for Windows, Mac and Linux, with effects, keyframes, color grading and subtitles. It's desktop only, has a learning curve, and its daily builds can corrupt projects.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free to download and use, and anyone can run it. The project asks for optional donations. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full editor is free on all three systems, with no caps or watermark. |
| Features | B | Multi-track timeline, proxies, hundreds of effects with keyframes, color tools, audio mixing and subtitles. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core editing job. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and a timeline editor has a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Desktop only: Windows, Mac and Linux, with no mobile or browser version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Kdenlive is for
- Fits if you want a free editor for projects with several tracks
- Works for people who edit on Linux
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need a phone or browser editor, since it's desktop only
- Watch out: daily builds can be unstable and can corrupt existing projects
- Tight if your computer is old, because Windows needs 10 and macOS needs 13
- Not for you if you want templates and a quick result, since it's a full editor with a learning curve
Good to know
Good for
- Editors who want a free, open-source desktop editor
- Linux users who need a full timeline editor
- Projects that need subtitles and basic color grading
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Kdenlive is free to use.
Free to download and use, and anyone can run it.
Free
$0
The full editor on Windows, macOS and Linux. The project asks for optional donations.
The free plan
Free to download and use on Windows, macOS and Linux; the site asks for optional donations.
Read from kdenlive.org on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Free, open-source non-linear video editor from the KDE community. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, transcription, video editing.
Multi-track timeline, proxies, hundreds of effects with keyframes, color tools, audio mixing and subtitles.
- Multi-track timeline
- A non-linear workflow with multicam and 3-point editing, nested sequences, markers and automatic backups.
- Proxies and asset bins
- Imports footage in most audio and video formats, shows metadata, and can use proxies for smoother playback on slower machines. Clips can be tagged and sorted into several bins.
- Effects and transitions
- Hundreds of audio and video effects that can be keyframed, plus transitions and layer compositions.
- Color tools
- LUTs, basic corrections and detailed grading, with histogram, vectorscope, RGB parade and waveform views.
- Subtitles and titles
- Subtitles can be created with automatic transcription. Simple title clips are built in, and projects can connect to Glaxnimate for motion graphics.
- Audio mixing
- Audio mixers, built-in voiceover recording and an audio spectrum view.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Glaxnimate
Kdenlive is made by KDE.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
75/84
Other screen recording and video tools it is graded above
Kdenlive's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 75 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 74 of 84) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Kdenlive has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 85 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kdenlive’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 67 of 84
- AFree plan and trialAbove 74 of 84
- BFeaturesAbove 49 of 84
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 84
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 84
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 71 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kdenlive is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Kdenlive is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 75 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade.
What you could not
- A video editor.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Kdenlive’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Shotcut, OpenShot, DaVinci Resolve, OBS Studio and HandBrake
The 5 tools Kdenlive is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Shotcut
Free
Free open-source video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Kdenlive also covers transcription.
- Shotcut also covers screen recording.
- 3.0GPA
OpenShot
Free
Free, open-source video editor for Linux, Mac and Windows.
- Kdenlive also covers transcription.
- OpenShot also covers screen recording.
- 3.4GPA
DaVinci Resolve
Free plan · from $94.99
Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app.
- Only DaVinci Resolve lists an iOS app.
- Kdenlive is open source, according to its own site.
- DaVinci Resolve can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
OBS Studio
Free
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming.
- Kdenlive also covers transcription and video editing.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation and screen recording.
- 2.8GPA
HandBrake
Free
Free open-source video converter for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Kdenlive also covers transcription.
- HandBrake also covers file compression.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Kdenlive free?
Yes. Kdenlive is free to use.
How much does Kdenlive cost?
Kdenlive lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Kdenlive work on?
Kdenlive is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Kdenlive have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Kdenlive is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Kdenlive have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Kdenlive is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Kdenlive open source?
Yes. Kdenlive is open source, according to its own site.
What does Kdenlive integrate with?
Kdenlive's listing names Glaxnimate. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Kdenlive?
Kdenlive is made by KDE.
What are the alternatives to Kdenlive?
The closest alternatives to Kdenlive in our directory are Shotcut, OpenShot, DaVinci Resolve, OBS Studio and HandBrake.
How does Kdenlive compare with other screen recording and video tools?
Kdenlive's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 75 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 6.
Is Kdenlive good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kdenlive A for value for money. Kdenlive has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Kdenlive?
Kdenlive is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kdenlive’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kdenlive's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by KDE. Prices change, so check kdenlive.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kdenlive, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kdenlive
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Kdenlive: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kdenlive
Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kdenlive/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded screen recording and video tools after Kdenlive, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Screen Recording & Video Insider's GuideEvery one of the 85 screen recording and video tools we grade, compared
- DaVinci Resolve Insider's GuideVideo editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app3.4 GPA
- Zencastr Insider's GuideFree podcast recording, chat-based editing and hosting in one app3.4 GPA
- Cap Insider's GuideOpen-source screen recorder with instant share links and an editor3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Kdenlive’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Kdenlive is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by KDE. Prices and plans change: check kdenlive.org before you buy.