head to head · open source
Shotcut vs OpenShot
Shotcut has 15,242 GitHub stars, 1,510 forks, 52 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. OpenShot has 6,523 stars, 812 forks, 418 open issues and last shipped today. Shotcut leads on adoption by 134% (15,242 vs 6,523 stars). Shotcut is written in C++ under GPL-3.0; OpenShot is written in Python under a custom or non-standard licence. Shotcut 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. The two share 1 topic tag (gplv3), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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
| Shotcut | OpenShot | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 15K | ★ 6.5K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | C++ | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-20 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.5K | ⑂ 812 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Shotcut if
- You weight community size — 15K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- 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 Shotcut
Shotcut is a free, open source, cross platform video editor written in C++ and released under the GPL 3.0 license. It lives in the Qt and MLT ecosystem, using Qt for its application and user interface and MLT as its multimedia authoring framework. It provides regularly built binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and is positioned as an open alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve (Studio).
read the full Shotcut 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 Shotcut or OpenShot more popular?
Shotcut has 15,242 GitHub stars and OpenShot has 6,523. Shotcut has the larger community by that measure.
Are Shotcut and OpenShot free?
Both are open source. Shotcut is licensed under GPL-3.0, and OpenShot has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Shotcut and OpenShot?
Shotcut is written in C++ 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, Shotcut or OpenShot?
Choose Shotcut if you want the larger community (15,242 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose OpenShot if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.