Head-to-head
iMovie vs Shotcut
2 tools, 6 differing data points, mostly pricing and positioning.
The verdict
iMovie or Shotcut?
Section 01
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
iiMovie
Free
Free
Free from Apple on Mac, iPhone and iPad
SShotcut
Free
Free
Free, open-source software with no paid tier
Section 02
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
iiMovie
Pros
- iMovie is free on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no paid tier or watermark on exports.
- It edits and exports at resolutions up to 4K.
- It includes built-in sound effects and music, along with Apple-designed themes and trailer templates.
- Audio can be corrected and enhanced automatically in one step.
Cons
- There is no multicam editing, so footage from separate cameras cannot be synced and cut on one timeline.
- There is no third-party plugin support.
- iMovie does not run on Windows, only on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
SShotcut
Pros
- The entire application is free and open source under the GPLv3 licence, with no restricted tier, no watermark and no paid plan.
- Export supports resolutions up to 8K.
- Color grading includes 3-way color wheels and professional scopes such as a histogram, RGB parade, RGB waveform and vectorscope, alongside HDR10 and HLG support.
- OpenFX image effect plugins and VST2 and LV2 audio plugins extend the editor beyond its built-in tools.
Cons
- It has no built-in stock media library, so footage, music and graphics have to come from elsewhere.
- Support runs through a community forum; it has no phone, email or live chat channel.
- It has no shared-project collaboration feature for editing with other people.
Side by side
| Company | ||
| Founded | — | 2011 |
| HQ | United States | — |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes, the whole app | Yes, the whole app |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| All plans | Free — Free | Free — Free |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Mac, iPhone and iPad owners who want a free, simple editor for home movies and short clips | Editors who want a free, open-source editor with scopes, HDR support and proxy editing |
| Differentiator | iMovie is Apple's free video editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad, with green screen and trailers. | Shotcut is a free, open-source editor with colour wheels, scopes, HDR and proxy editing. |
| Competitors | Final Cut Pro, Shotcut, Filmora | Kdenlive, DaVinci Resolve, iMovie |
Section 03
iMovie vs Shotcut: common questions
Is iMovie or Shotcut cheaper?
iMovie's cheapest paid plan is Free and Shotcut's is Free. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
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