head to head · open source
OpenCut vs OpenShot
OpenCut has 97,156 GitHub stars, 9,671 forks, 378 open issues and last shipped 1 months ago. OpenShot has 6,734 stars, 831 forks, 418 open issues and last shipped yesterday. OpenCut leads on adoption by 1,343% (97,156 vs 6,734 stars). OpenCut is written in TypeScript under MIT; OpenShot is written in Python under a custom or non-standard licence. OpenCut has attracted 10% as many forks as stars, OpenShot 12%. OpenShot was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| OpenCut | OpenShot | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 97K | ★ 6.7K |
| License | MIT | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-24 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 9.7K | ⑂ 831 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick OpenCut if
- You weight community size — 97K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick OpenShot if
- You want the OpenShot feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and OpenShot fits your workflow better
About OpenCut
OpenCut A free and open source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile. Status OpenCut is being rewritten from the ground up. What's coming: An Editor API First class third party plugins (made possible by a plugin first architecture) Desktop, mobile, and browser from one codebase (Rust core) MCP server (for AI agents) Headless mode (automation, batch rendering) A scripting tab directly in the editor You can still find the previous version at opencut app/opencut classic, which is the one to reach for today. opencut.app still runs the classic version. The rewrite will live at new.opencut.app until it's ready to…
read the full OpenCut overview →
About OpenShot
OpenShot Video Editor OpenShot Video Editor is an award winning free and open source video editor for Linux, Mac, and Windows, and is dedicated to delivering high quality video editing and animation solutions to the world. Build Status Features Cross platform (Linux, Mac, and Windows) Support for many video, audio, and image formats (based on FFmpeg) Powerful curve based Key frame animations Desktop integration (drag and drop support) Unlimited tracks / layers Clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, rotation, and cutting Video transitions with real time previews Compositing, image overlays, watermarks Title…
read the full OpenShot overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenCut or OpenShot more popular?
OpenCut has 97,156 GitHub stars and OpenShot has 6,734. OpenCut has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenCut and OpenShot free?
Both are open source. OpenCut is licensed under MIT, and OpenShot has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between OpenCut and OpenShot?
OpenCut is written in TypeScript and OpenShot in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, OpenCut or OpenShot?
Choose OpenCut if you want the larger community (97,156 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose OpenShot if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.