Shotcut review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux
Shotcut report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a free desktop video editor
Shotcut is a free, open-source video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux with a timeline, filters and a wide range of formats. It has no AI tools and no cloud sharing, and it's a program you learn rather than a template you fill in.
Who Shotcut is for
- Fits if you want a no-cost editor for Windows, Mac or Linux and don't mind learning a timeline
- Works for people who edit offline and don't want a subscription
Who Shotcut is not for
- Skip it if you want templates, AI captions or one-click social videos, as the features page lists no AI tools
- Not for you if you work in a team on the same project, since there's no cloud collaboration
- Too light for people who rely on VST2 or LV2 audio plugins, which are still work in progress
- Watch out: Windows 7 and 8 stop at version 22.12.21 and macOS 11 and earlier get older builds
Why Shotcut gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree to download, with no paid tier. A program anyone can download and run counts as free.
- AFree plan and trialNothing is locked: no trial, no watermark and no paid tier on the page.
- CFeaturesTimeline editing, 4K, capture, audio filters and subtitles, but the features page lists no AI tools or cloud collaboration, and VST2 and LV2 plugin support is still work in progress.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. A full timeline editor has a learning curve.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac and Linux, which counts as computers only. No web or phone version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Shotcut's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/shotcut#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/shotcut.svg" alt="Shotcut: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Shotcut stands among screen recording and video tools
Shotcut's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 65 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 74 of 84) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Shotcut has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 85 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Shotcut’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 67 of 84, level with 17
- AFree plan and trialAbove 74 of 84, level with 10
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 84, level with 48
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 84, level with 49
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 84, level with 24
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 71 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Shotcut, or make your own?
Keep it
Shotcut 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 2.8 is higher than 65 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade.
What you could not
- A video editor.
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Shotcut’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.
What is Shotcut?
Shotcut is a free, open-source video editor built on the MLT framework and FFmpeg. It edits many formats natively on a multi-format timeline, captures from screen, webcam and audio devices, and supports 4K and 8K, 10-bit and HDR video. Releases are dated and arrive about every two months.
Worth knowing
- Windows 7 and 8 users are limited to version 22.12.21, and macOS 11 and earlier to older builds.
- VST2 and LV2 audio plugin support is listed as work in progress.
- Versions are numbered by date and new releases arrive about every two months.
- The features page lists no built-in AI tools or cloud collaboration.
Key features
- Wide format support
- Edits hundreds of audio and video formats through FFmpeg without importing, and mixes resolutions and frame rates on one timeline.
- Capture
- Records screen, webcam and audio, and takes input from Blackmagic Design SDI and HDMI devices, JACK and Pulse audio and network streams.
- High-end video
- Handles 4K and 8K, 10-bit end to end, HDR10 and HLG, alpha-channel files and tone mapping from HDR to SDR.
- Audio filters
- Includes scopes, volume control and filters such as compressor, equalizers, noise gate, limiter and RNNoise noise reduction.
- Subtitles and export
- Creates and imports SRT, VTT, ASS and SSA subtitles, and exports EDL, single frames and image sequences.
- Dockable interface
- Panels for playlist, filters, history, encoding and jobs can be docked or undocked, with drag-and-drop from the file manager.
Shotcut pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Shotcut is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source, with downloads offered at no charge and no paid tier listed.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Shotcut | $0 | The full editor, free to download for Windows, macOS and Linux. |
Read from shotcut.org on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Shotcut before you buy.
Works with
- Blackmagic Design
- FFmpeg
Shotcut alternatives
- Shotcut vs DaVinci Resolve
Free plan · from $94.99
- Shotcut vs Lightworks
Free plan · from $20/mo
- Shotcut vs Vegas Pro
Free trial · from $8.33/mo
Common questions
Does Shotcut have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Shotcut is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Shotcut have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Shotcut is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Shotcut open source?
Yes. Shotcut is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.