--- title: Shotcut canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/shotcut/ category: Video Editing Software points: 79 rank: 2 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # Shotcut Free, open-source video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux with proxy editing, HDR and 10-bit support. 79 points out of 100. #2 of 12 video editors. Vendor: Meltytech, LLC. Website: https://shotcut.org/ - Shotcut is free and open source under GPLv3, with downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux [2][3][4]. - It lists 4K and 8K support, 10-bit video end-to-end, and HDR10 (PQ) and HLG [1]. - Proxy editing, motion tracking, Waveform and Vectorscope views, and speech-to-text are listed features [1]. - Release 26.6 added HDR preview and export; HDR10 metadata is embedded only for libx265 and libsvtav1 [5]. - The features page does not list multicam editing or shared projects [1]. Verdict: Shotcut suits anyone who wants an editor at no cost, on any desktop system [2][4]. It lists scopes, tracking, proxies, chroma key and plug-ins, and its code is public [1][3]. The catch: the features page names no multicam tool and no shared projects, and its VST and OpenFX support is marked work in progress [1]. Best for: People who want a free editor with no paid tier. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Other systems | macOS, Linux | 4/10 | Download page lists Windows, macOS and Linux builds; it lists no iOS, Android or web version [2]. | | Price and licence | Free version | Yes | 8/8 | Free for all use; no time limit, and the download and features pages mention no watermark [1][2][4]. | | Price and licence | One-time licence | No | 0/6 | No licence is sold; Shotcut is free software [4]. | | Price and licence | Cheapest paid plan | $0 | 12/12 | Entirely free; no paid plan is listed [2][4]. | | Price and licence | Open-source apps | Yes | 4/4 | Repository is licensed GPLv3 [3]. | | Output | 4K export | Yes | 4/4 | Features page lists support for 4K and 8K resolutions [1]. | | Output | 8K export | Yes | 3/3 | Features page lists support for 4K and 8K resolutions [1]. | | Output | 10-bit and HDR | Yes | 4/4 | Lists 10-bit video end-to-end and HDR10 (PQ) and HLG HDR [1]. | | Output | GPU-accelerated export | Yes | 5/5 | Features page lists hardware encoding and decoding; the Hardware Encoding doc names NVIDIA NVENC. Windows is not named on that page [1][6]. | | Editing tools | Multi-camera editing | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's features page [1]. | | Editing tools | Colour grading with scopes | Yes | 6/6 | Lists Histogram, RGB Parade, RGB Waveform, Waveform and Vectorscope video scopes [1]. | | Editing tools | Automatic captions | Yes | 5/5 | Lists converting spoken word to subtitle text [1]. | | Editing tools | Motion tracking | Yes | 4/4 | Lists object motion tracking [1]. | | Editing tools | Multitrack audio and noise reduction | Yes | 4/4 | Multitrack timeline with inserted tracks, and an audio Reduce Noise filter (RNNoise) [1]. | | Editing tools | Proxy editing | Yes | 4/4 | Lists low-resolution proxy editing to speed up seeking [1]. | | Editing tools | Third-party plug-ins | Yes | 4/4 | Lists Frei0r plug-ins; VST2, LV2 and OpenFX support is marked work in progress [1]. | | Editing tools | Shared projects | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's features page [1]. | | Editing tools | Green-screen keying | Yes | 4/4 | Lists Chroma Key: Advanced and Chroma Key: Simple filters [1]. | | Editing tools | Video stabilisation | Yes | 4/4 | Lists a Stabilize video filter [1]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Shotcut | Free [2][4] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free, with downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux [2][4]. - Source code is public under GPLv3 [3]. - Lists 4K and 8K support, 10-bit video, and HDR10 and HLG [1][5]. - Includes object motion tracking, proxy editing, scopes, stabilisation and audio noise reduction (RNNoise) [1]. ## Limits - The features page lists no multicam tool [1]. - VST2, LV2 and OpenFX plug-in support is marked work in progress [1]. - HDR10 metadata is not embedded when you export with a hardware encoder [5]. - The features page names no collaboration or shared-project feature [1]. ## Sources 1. [Shotcut features](https://shotcut.org/features/), Shotcut, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Download Shotcut](https://shotcut.org/download/), Shotcut, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [mltframework/shotcut](https://github.com/mltframework/shotcut), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Shotcut](https://shotcut.org/), Shotcut, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [New Version 26.6: High Dynamic Range](https://shotcut.org/blog/new-release-26.6.25/), Shotcut, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Hardware Encoding](https://forum.shotcut.org/t/hardware-encoding/12955), Shotcut Forum (documentation), accessed 2026-10-08