OpenShot review

OpenShot aims to be quick to learn, and its feature set is now broader than its simple reputation suggests. You drag video, audio and images onto unlimited tracks, then trim, slice, snap and step frame by frame with thumbnails and waveforms as guides. It ships with more than 400 transition patterns, over 40 editable vector title templates and Blender powered 3D animated titles. Keyframes animate position, scale, rotation, opacity, volume and effect settings with linear, constant or Bezier curves. Recent versions added color wheels, curves, LUTs and scopes, interactive video masks for isolating a subject, audio visualizations and a recording panel for screen, webcam and microphone. OpenShot states plainly that there are no subscriptions, watermarks or project limits. It is less suited to heavy professional work than Resolve or Shotcut, and the 3D titles need Blender installed, but for a first project on a Windows PC it removes most of the friction.

Who it is for

First-time editors who want a simple free desktop app with no watermarks or project limits.

Price

Free and open source; no paid plan.

Edit without subscriptions, watermarks, or project limits. OpenShot is free to download and use.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Unlimited tracks with snapping, waveforms and frame-accurate trimming
• More than 400 transition patterns
• Keyframe animation with linear, constant or Bezier interpolation
• Color wheels, curves, LUTs and video scopes
• Screen, webcam and microphone recording

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No subscriptions, watermarks or project limits
• Strength: More than 40 editable title templates plus Blender powered 3D titles
• Strength: Project files move between Linux, macOS and Windows
• Weakness: Fewer advanced finishing tools than Resolve or Shotcut
• Weakness: 3D animated titles depend on Blender being installed
• Weakness: Small team means fewer tutorials than commercial editors

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, fully free and open source
• Watermark: None
• Transitions: 400+ patterns
• Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows

Where it ranks

OpenShot is No. 6 in our Best Free Video Editors for Windows verdict and No. 3 in Best Video Editors for Linux and No. 9 in Best Video Editors for Mac.