head to head · open source
OpenCut vs OpenShot
OpenCut has 89,891 GitHub stars, 8,880 forks, 378 open issues and last shipped 1 months ago. OpenShot has 6,523 stars, 812 forks, 418 open issues and last shipped today. OpenCut leads on adoption by 1,278% (89,891 vs 6,523 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 | ★ 90K | ★ 6.5K |
| License | MIT | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-08-10 | 2026-09-20 |
| Forks | ⑂ 8.9K | ⑂ 812 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick OpenCut if
- You weight community size — 90K 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 is a free, MIT licensed video editor that runs in the browser and is being rebuilt to serve web, desktop, and mobile from a single codebase, aimed at creators who want an open source alternative to CapCut.
read the full OpenCut overview →
About OpenShot
OpenShot Video Editor is a free, cross platform, open source video editor for Linux, Mac, and Windows, built for hobbyists, educators, and small production teams who want timeline based editing and animation without a commercial subscription.
read the full OpenShot overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenCut or OpenShot more popular?
OpenCut has 89,891 GitHub stars and OpenShot has 6,523. 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 (89,891 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose OpenShot if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.