Kdenlive vs Shotcut
Shotcut scores 6.2 to Kdenlive's 6.1 among the professional video editors we rate, and is the better pick for 1 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Shotcut wins, 6.2 to 6.1
Kdenlive and Shotcut are both free, open source projects with no company selling them. Kdenlive adds multicam editing and an Object Mask tool that runs a local AI model to mask a subject across a clip. Shotcut instead exports HDR video and cleans up dialogue automatically with its RNNoise filter, plus VST2 and LV2 audio plugin support. Neither app translates captions, generates new footage or reframes to vertical by itself.
Pick Kdenlive if you want multicam editing and local AI object masking.
Pick Shotcut if you want HDR export and automatic dialogue clean up.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- HDR editing and export: Shotcut yes, Kdenlive no
- Third-party plugins: Shotcut yes, Kdenlive no
- But Kdenlive leads on multicam editing: Kdenlive yes, Shotcut no
- Masks a person or object by itself: Kdenlive yes, Shotcut no
- But Shotcut leads on one-click dialogue clean-up: Shotcut yes, Kdenlive no
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other professional video editors we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. They split the criteria 1 each, with the rest level.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Where they match (16)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Kdenlive
Shotcut
For everything else about each tool, read the full Kdenlive review and Shotcut review.
Kdenlive vs Shotcut: common questions
Which is better, Kdenlive or Shotcut?
Shotcut scores 6.2 and Kdenlive 6.1 out of 10 among the professional video editors we rate. Shotcut is ahead on pro editing. Kdenlive is ahead on aI in the editor.
Is Kdenlive or Shotcut cheaper?
Kdenlive's cheapest paid plan is Free and Shotcut's is Free. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
What can Kdenlive do that Shotcut cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: multicam editing and masks a person or object by itself.
What can Shotcut do that Kdenlive cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: hDR editing and export, third-party plugins and one-click dialogue clean-up.
