# Shotcut Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Shotcut the right Video Editing solution for you? Explore 77 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/173467/Shotcut/reviews --- Shotcut 4.5 (77) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/173467/Shotcut/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of Shotcut Ease of use 4.1 Customer Service 3.9 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews DF Darren F EntrepreneurBanking, Self-employedUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Dragging clips, cutting clips, etc etc., literally any BASIC function of a video editor I need to wait at least an extra second or two every time I essentially click anything on shotcut, so it's great for at least doubling the actual time it should take you to edit a video!I liked how sometimes when I dragged or tried to extend or shorten a clip or even A JPEG, not only would the editor sometimes lag, but just do something completely random with the file, like fully extend it over the entire video track and mess up all the other clips.“ September 10, 2023 CL Chris L PhysicianHospital & Health Care, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “That's a ridiculous workaround for a video editing software and should be fixed/guided from the software side rather than relying on other users to provide that "fix".“ July 14, 2023 DF Darren F EntrepreneurBanking, Self-employedUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “My FAVOURITE thing about shotcut, has to be when you hit the undo button, you know, to undo the mistake you didn't do in the first place, and after waiting for about 5 working days for shotcut to process it, IT COMPLETELY REARANGES YOUR TIMELINE AND RUINS ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.“ September 10, 2023 MM Milo M Audio ProducerMusic, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Hard to use Overlays¤ Laggy at times¤ Exporting takes a while“ April 22, 2023 DF Darren F EntrepreneurBanking, Self-employedUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “I loved how, even though I have a powerful laptop capable of running any program smoothly, if I do almost literally anything on shotcut I have to give it a couple of seconds to process.“ September 10, 2023 AR Alain Jove R ConsultantTelecommunications, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The second one is for some reason the text/ subtitle elements have a hard time lining up when you're doing adjustments on the timeline.“ July 31, 2022 Isaac A Administrator AssistantConstruction, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The story of my video editing somewhat would not be without Shotcut. Before I could be able to purchase a better computer or even afford a NLE video editing software, Shotcut provided a platform where I could learn and do some simple editing tasks and play around with effects and transitions.“ May 19, 2022 AR Alain Jove R ConsultantTelecommunications, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I always make it a habit not to use undo because for some reason it executes two undo commands instead of one, and that's when I notice the text are messed up.“ July 31, 2022 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 77 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Cristhian Josue J. CEO Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Shotcut, a lightweight and useful cross-platform video editor" September 5, 2021 3.0 Sometime I got to produce a visual series for an LP using this video editor, I was able to produce something visually appealing, but on occasions, I was limited by the features and tools of this software, Shotcut saved me when my PC couldn't handle powerful video editors and allowed me to design something that my clients ended up loving. Sometimes we don't need to invest much money to captivate our clients. Pros What I like about Shotcut is that it is free and very light, few video editors bet on a multiplatform network that permits us to continue our project on any operating system, and this is the most looking thing about this software. If what you're looking for is a video editor that leaves you to work on any PC, this is the right one, because just as you can work on a low-specs Windows, you can work on a Mac of previous generations. Cons This video editor looks and works like an early version of any top video editor, if you miss windows movie maker, Shotcut is that limited and basic software that for some reason you're looking for. The possibilities of making professional projects with this video editor are impossible, aspects like colorization or effects are so basic if not almost non-existent. If you have the possibility to install a heavier video editor there are free alternatives that would be more useful. Switched from [AVS Video Editor](https://www.capterra.com/p/190789/AVS-Video-Editor/) Some clients ask me to edit videos in specific software. Review Source GQ Gerald Q. Creator Entertainment Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Fantastic Free Open Source Video Editor" September 22, 2019 5.0 So far I've had no problems with Shotcut. Since the amount of scene transitions is limited I find myself concentrating more on the quality of the scenes themselves instead of the transitions, which is a good thing. This program is perfect for those on a budget or for a beginner. If you can master Shotcut, you'll be in perfect shape to advance to a more expensive program later on. This will definitely teach you the basics for free before you decide to lay out your cash. All in all I'm very pleased with Shotcut, I highly recommend it. Pros You can't beat the price (Free!). This program gets the job done. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles as expensive programs but it does plenty enough to do most basic projects. I've done numerous music videos and little comedy skits that I've uploaded to YouTube and they come out great. They look totally professional and the feedback I've gotten has been very positive. My action camera records in .mov format which is hard to edit with. I convert my raw files to .mp4 which makes editing much easier and I'm unable to discern any loss of video quality. All in all, Shotcut has been a great choice for me. Cons Some of the functions aren't intuitive. It takes a little while to figure out how everything works. Also it's slow while it publishes your final work but if you're patient it's well worth the wait to save money. It lacks a variety of scene transitions that more expensive programs have but it does have the basics. Alternatives considered [Filmora](https://www.capterra.com/p/186540/Filmora/) Reason for choosing Shotcut I was looking at Filmora because I had used it in the past on someone else's computer. At the time I didn't have enough to buy Filmora and the free version wasn't going to allow me to finish the project I was working on. I came across Shotcut and decided to give it a try. I finished my project and many more. I keep telling myself that I'll upgrade when Shotcut can't do the job for me. Well that time hasn't come yet. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Administrator Assistant Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best things are free and Shotcut is one of them!" May 19, 2022 4.0 Shotcut worked for my set up without need of any hardware upgrade. It enhanced my knowledge about effects and transitions. I loved it! Pros The story of my video editing somewhat would not be without Shotcut. Before I could be able to purchase a better computer or even afford a NLE video editing software, Shotcut provided a platform where I could learn and do some simple editing tasks and play around with effects and transitions. The drag and drop feature felt much at home and makes the software very easy to use. This had to be just the best Software to introduce myself to Video editing. Very easy to learn! Cons It is quite basic but worth it all. However, some features or lack of them can be a bit frustrating such as having to search for the export formats for things like Facebook. Most video software would have this as export options included. Switched from [VideoPad](https://www.capterra.com/p/122390/VideoPad/) Easy to work with my computer configurations. Review Source RD Roshen D. CEO Computer Games Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Shotcut: The Free Editor You Have Been Missing Out On" February 11, 2020 5.0 Overall, I think Shotcut is a great free video editor that anyone can use after a little bit of practice and through some of my testing I found out that it can even process some raw 8K footage from a camera we rented. Pros What I liked most about the software was that it had the features of a professional video editor such as Adobe Premiere Pro. It could also process 4K HDR 10 video at 120FPS which other video editors struggled to render these types of video formats. My favorite part about it is that it doesn't have an ANNOYING WATERMARK. Basically some of the other editors I tried showed a giant watermark across the screen that said the company name or it said Free Version but Shotcut has no watermark. Cons Originally when my team picked this software for free I thought it was going to be easy to use but I thought wrong. But after a few days of learning I was using Shotcut in no time. I just think people should know that because it isn't easy to learn at the start doesn't mean you can't learn it. Alternatives considered [Filmora](https://www.capterra.com/p/186540/Filmora/) Reason for choosing Shotcut Once I used Filmora I thought it was a great software since it was easy to use and it was efficient. But there was a watermark. I was open to paying a little bit of money if it allowed us to edit our videos well but we also didn't make that many videos so we didn't want to pay a lot of money. But 59.99 is a ridiculous price and we need editing for two computer so I wasn't going to break the bank for Filmora Review Source MA Michael A. Founder Religious Institutions Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great video editing but a steep learning curve" June 25, 2020 5.0 We have been used to doing "once and done" v instructional videos for a while now and that has worked well. When we decided we wanted to add more (graphics, multiple cameras, etc.) we began looking for a good yet inexpensive video editing software. Shotcut kept coming in near the top. It is not as user friendly as some yet it has enough features to do exactly what we need! I have had to do quite a bit of research on how to make Shotcut do what we need it to because the tutorials in the software are not user friendly. Overall it has been the best basic yet feature rich video editing software we have come across! Pros Shotcut is a great basic video editing software. For a basic user it is useful yet powerful. Using the basic setup I have been able to do all of the video editing of YouTube instructional videos without a hitch. It does not have an overabundance of features which is the best feature! It is not trying to do more than advertised. Cons There is a steep learning curve as tutorials are not as helpful as they could be. I found myself searching YouTube for tutorials and How-To videos every time I wanted to do something new. Reason for choosing Shotcut Ease of use, reputation among users. Switched from [OpenShot Video Editor](https://www.capterra.com/p/173466/OpenShot-Video-Editor/) Needed more features (layering, graphic integration). Review Source Nadeem L. Owner Professional Training & Coaching Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Short Shotcut Review" August 7, 2022 5.0 I have tried several other programs for my YouTube video editing, but I am now stuck onto Shotcut for all my stuff as it saves me precious time, compared to editing on other editing platforms. Pros For beginners-mid level pros, this program is super easy to get hands on experience of multiple video editing formats. The most prominent feature of Shotcut is the simplicity of use and a range of options available within the program to produce some real great end results. Highly recommended for YouTube video creators. Cons The main issue that I face during editing is with the video transitions. There seem to be plenty of options available to set the transitions, but I find them quite ineffective. Other comparable video editing programs have better transition features that show prominently in the edited videos. Review Source Géovanny N. graphic designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Shotcut: a free and easy to use video editing software" February 15, 2023 5.0 Pros Shotcut is a free, open source video editing software that I use often. It has a user-friendly and customizable user interface that makes it easy to perform simple to advanced editing tasks. It offers many advanced features such as support for multiple file formats, the ability to add effects and transitions, as well as the ability to adjust playback speed and create slow motion or fast motion. In addition, it is cross-platform, which means that it can be used on Windows, Mac and Linux, and does not require powerful hardware configuration to work properly. Cons Despite its advantages, I have found that Shotcut can sometimes lack stability and crash when processing large files or long videos. It can also be difficult to use for beginners due to a fairly complex user interface and some advanced features that may require technical knowledge Review Source Michael C. General Manager E-Learning Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A Must Have For Amateur Video Editors" May 19, 2021 5.0 A true delight if I have to be honest. It made the work so much better. Pros If the fact that Shoctut is open source (free) isn't enough for you to use it allow me to go deeper. Shotcut is a very simple and easy to use video editor. Before using more sophisticated software for video editing it was what helped me get familiar with a lot of concepts that were completely alien to me and it taught me how to use channels and separate audio from the video files and other useful things that looked too complicated to do in similar software. Usually when you open video editing software you're met with so many buttons and so much information that it gets scary to even try. Shotcut was what allowed me to start with its simple and minimalistic interface. You have all the necessary information and buttons to work with and if and only if you want to go deeper you'll have to face the more complex functions of the software. I think that my favorite thing about Shotcut is how easy it is to create proxies for heavy videos. Similar software requires an additional encoder when with Shotcut it's a simple 3-5 step process. It's a must for who is starting out and feels like the popular software is either too expensive or too overwhelming. Cons As you could probably expect Shotcut doesn't have some of the features of the higher end video editing software such as powerful color correction. Other than that I have no complaints. The software is really good and lightweight and even has a portable version. Review Source Heather B. Executive Assistant Music Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best Free Video Editor for the Beginner! " May 1, 2020 5.0 Wonderful! At times a bit frustrating with the lag and sometimes overwhelming with the amount of options, especially when you have no idea what you're doing. BUT! There are a ton of free videos and tutorials both on Shotcut's website, as well as YouTube tutorials from users, and they're fantastic. You can use them as a tutorial to learn the software and the feature you want to use, and keep them bookmarked for references. But I admit, the 4K export option (while it can take a LONG time, depending on the length of your video) makes it incredibly worthwhile, especially if your exporting in a format to upload to YouTube. Definitely recommend for the beginning video editor! Pros 1) This software is free to use with no watermarks or weird annoying ads. 2) It's fantastic for the beginning video editor. 3) Works perfectly on a PC where as I think most of the better video editors have been designed for Macs (personal opinion) 4) Allows you export in a large number of different formats, including YouTube in 4K resolution 5) So many options and features, it's almost overwhelming! 6) Fantastic interface! Cons If you're running other programs or working on a very big project, this can eat up your computer memory, causing lagging and freezing. Highly recommended to close all other programs before opening up Shotcut and using a computer or laptop with a fast processor. You can make due without it, but once you add any transitions or layers, it'll start freezing. The preview feature so you can see what you've already done can also be a bit slow and glitchy... Imagine skipping one frame out of every three frames. However, it does NOT export this way. I have no experience with other video editors, so I'm not sure if that's a common theme among them. Review Source Arturo L. Multi-Tasking Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "The free video editor that everyone should try out" July 21, 2021 5.0 Honestly to be free, this video editor makes you fulfill that dream of being a video editor for a major company or for some famous influencer, as it fully meets your expectations and can be somewhat confusing at first, but the truth is enough just to look at some video for beginners for this software, and you get used to the editor quickly, very satisfied and I see very few disadvantages to this software. Pros The advantages that this software has, are quite a few, since the more you go searching among the tools, the more you can get the most out of your video, I could consider it quite professional, since it has a very comfortable interface and you feel that you are doing a very good job for your personal projects and convert them even in studio quality videos, since when you finish your video, you can choose with any format for the type of social network to which you want to upload it. And all this for being free, I really highly recommend this video editor meets almost all your expectations, with settings to switch between the different layers you go making, your audio, video and photos. So you can give it an even more professional look. Cons It could be that there are many tools, which can get confusing and thus take you some time to get used to the software format, another could be that, as we are talking about a professional video editor, obviously, this application will consume a lot of your computer, so I do recommend having about 8 GB of RAM, a good processor and maybe a good graphic card, to be able to support this application, because if you don't have space in the RAM or you don't have a good processor, the application becomes somewhat slow and it could even stop and quit, so take into account to be able to save your work before. Review Source AJR Alain Jove R. Consultant Telecommunications Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Unexpectedly packed with features" July 31, 2022 5.0 Overall, this is something that editors should consider before jumping into other options. Maximizing this software's features and learning it down to the letter is really worth it. And you'll be surprised with what this baby can do. I myself have underestimated this first and found loving it later on. Pros I find Shotcut very useful although it takes a little while to learn it by heart as it is a bit complicated. It's relatively simple, though looking at its interface if you're used to navigating video and even audio editors. Ironically it is complex as you have to select certain dropdowns to get to what you want to achieve, but I won't tag it as a con as we need to learn the software before saying that it's good or bad. You can't just dismiss a software and tag it as not user friendly just because you don't like how the interface looks. It's not the developer's fault that you're too lazy to learn it. So, the rewards are very satisfying because this software can process 4K videos. And unlike what most people say about it, this one is a professional tool if you just maximize all its feature. For instance, you can easily download LUTs that are free from third party sites, along with filters to spice up your video projects and use it here. I must add that the feature of chroma key is a gem from this software. I was even surprised it has this and it keys in the color like a charm, as it detects decently the edges and does very good blending of foreground and background. If you notice Youtubers nowadays, green screen usage has become a norm and this feature is a holy grail found in this video editing software. Cons I can only point two cons but I guess the crashy and laggy part sometimes when a lot of elements are stacked is due to my RAM and processor. I need to test it on a higher specs computer to be able to have a fair assessment. The second one is for some reason the text/ subtitle elements have a hard time lining up when you're doing adjustments on the timeline. I always make it a habit not to use undo because for some reason it executes two undo commands instead of one, and that's when I notice the text are messed up. Even if it's just one undo command or if you add other elements on the video fragment with the current text, it affects it. Reason for choosing Shotcut Out of curiosity. Although it has mixed reviews but majority of it is positive. Review Source MM Milo M. Audio Producer Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Helping creators flurish" April 22, 2023 5.0 Pros ¤ Easy to Use¤ Splits Audio Well¤ Takes little time to learn Cons ¤ Hard to use Overlays¤ Laggy at times¤ Exporting takes a while Review Source JD Joshua D. Office Administrator Religious Institutions Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Shotcut is a flexible video editing tool that is approachable for the (diligent) beginner" January 6, 2022 5.0 In the beginning of the pandemic, my job started involving a lot more video production. I was, and still am, hesitant to pay for an expensive editing product given the fact that I am a beginner. As I have gotten more familiar with Shotcut, I've discovered that it has all the tools I need. Very grateful for this product! Pros Obviously the fact that it's free goes a long way! As a novice in video editing, this tool allows me to do what I need to do without a financial investment. The wealth of online resources on how to use Shotcut means that an absolute beginner can learn enough to create a nice-looking finished product. Cons Open source is a (wonderful) double-edged sword. As with most open source products, Shotcut is less polished than a comparable product from the company that starts with "A" and rhymes with "shmadobe." Shotcut is occasionally buggy and crashy, but I (almost) never lose more than an edit or two. The reality is that the extensibility and flexibility of an open source video editing tool comes with those caveats, and that's something I can live with. Review Source SB Sashana B. Freelance Makeup Artist Cosmetics Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great Video Editor!" November 26, 2020 5.0 Shotcut is a great video editor for anyone, especially persons who don't want to spend an arm and a leg on an editor. I would definitely recommend it. Pros This is a great video editor and it's free! I am a freelance makeup artist and I occasionally do tutorials on Instagram to promote my business. A friend of mine recommended I use Shotcut to edit my videos and I have not regretted taking her advice. Shotcut is a great video editor. It has all the basics for a video editor (cut, delete, overlay, text, zoom, etc.) and more. It has great features, a unique interface and definitely gets the job done to my satisfaction. I have not found myself spending any extra time editing than would normally be expected and only had a few hiccups. So, I would say it's pretty efficient. Cons Shotcut isn't the most user friendly video editor out there. While there are labels, I still found myself having to search thoroughly for the things I wanted to find and, at some points, I have had to consult Youtube videos for assistance. Also, the interface is really simple; simple to the point of looking bland, but this software definitely gets the job done. I would really love if there was a workable green screen option on Shotcut. This is a feature that I look for in video editors and while editing, I really missed it. Review Source CL Chris L. Physician Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Shotcut is freeware that has the potential to do what you want to do" July 14, 2023 4.0 It does what it needs to do, and I appreciate that the contributors have made basic/intermediate features available for users - and all for free! It gave me an opportunity to start making videos with a fair amount of tools at my disposal. Pros It's free, and there is a decent amount of support online to explain any techniques you want to learn. Cons I still come across an issue with rendering video where I have to offset the audio by six frames. That's a ridiculous workaround for a video editing software and should be fixed/guided from the software side rather than relying on other users to provide that "fix". Review Source zM zackery M. engineer Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Made video editing a breeze" February 18, 2020 5.0 We were able to speed up the process of trouble shooting and making training videos for my employees. I am able to record a problem and edit the video to demonstrate how to effectively troubleshoot a problem. Pros The ease of use is what i like most about his software. What used to take me hours i can now do in a fraction of the time. The ease of importing videos directly to the timeline has really helped out. Cons Instructions are not the most clear as far as changing properties, and added different effects to a project Review Source AR Abel R. Teacher Education Management Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "The best free video editing software there IS" July 31, 2019 5.0 The best video editing and FREE software there is which fills all my needs. It is the perfect official tool for making a video with a professional touch. Pros Shortcut is just the perfect video editing software anyone who is looking to make a video wants. It contain all the necessary tools from video editing, text editing, sound editing with a ton extra features which will take A LONG TIME for learning completely!!!!! The overlay tool is just great and is the perfect animation there is. Cons The great features outweighs the simple errors of the problem. The feel that it is very good software. But they can add more features and highlight the text overlay feature, add an inbuilt tutorial as it is a little difficult to get used to. When using the overlay function within the app, it sometimes gets stuck but there will be no problem in the final video. Review Source TT Tyler T. Youtuber Entertainment Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best open source video editor " April 15, 2018 4.0 Able to edit videos quickly. Able to create videos from images. Able to screen record gaming videos. Pros It's free! Shotcut being free doesn't mean that it is low quality though. There is a huge community that supports it, and continually work to make it better and add more features. The most useful feature to me is the the drag and drop, I can literally make a video in just a couple minutes if I need to upload something quickly but it has tons of powerful features that I can use if I need to make a higher quality video. Cons Nothing really to complain about now. Some of the older versions had issues with dragging to the timeline, but this was fixed a few updates ago. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Associate Manager, Instructional Development Consumer Goods Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Finally, a free video editor that JUST works" August 4, 2020 4.0 Shotcut is a great tool to get started with video editing and understanding the basics before investing in expensive software. Pros Shotcut is a powerful open-source video editing option that works on any OS. It has all of the features you come to expect and exports to all the formats you need (even animated gif!) Cons With any software, there is a learning curve, but shotcut was relatively easy to pick up. One downfall is there really isn't a market for plug-ins so it can only get you so-far. Reason for choosing Shotcut its free! Review Source VD Vuk D. Designer Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Shotcut is the best editing software ever!!!!" July 3, 2019 5.0 Pros Shotcut is really easy to use and it is free,exporting is also efficient Cons It needs more and better transitions and effects. Review Source JL Jauhari L. Department Manager Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Can't complain" August 21, 2019 4.0 Pros Shotcut is a free video application that allows you to do everything that a paid video software does. I like that I can use chroma key to insert my own backgrounds into videos, something that's useful for my YouTube videos. Cons Shotcut is a good application however it freezes a lot even with my computer which has 16 gigs of ram. Review Source PY Parker Y. Musician Music Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "More pro than iMovie" March 16, 2020 5.0 Using Shotcut has been pretty good. Other than feeling as if it could be slightly easier to use, it's definitely one of the better video editors on the market. Pros I like that you have tons of options. Basically any kind of effect that you want to do, you can. If you're editing home movies or anything, you can do that and make it looks professional. Cons I think that the learning curve is pretty high but if you have some time to take to learn the features, it's pretty good. I wish that it were a little more straightforward when it comes to more "advanced" techniques like adding picture in picture or doing cutaways, but it's doable. Review Source SJ Sharmila J. Project Manager Computer Software Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Good video editor and it is free" December 4, 2019 5.0 Able to create nice video announcements with personalised images and text which is what I was looking for. Pros I have just started with video editing for church use and looking for web based editors and couldn't find any and that is when I came across Shotcut which is a opensource editor. My needs are basic and this tool gets the job done. I am able to combine multiple videos add some images and text and the output is really neat. Cons There is a learning curve and I am still learning things on the go. I don't find any fault with the software as yet. Review Source jS joel S. music producer Music Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "the best beginner editing software" June 15, 2019 5.0 Pros its ease of use is amazing. since I'm an amateur editor this was surprisingly easy to learn and has all the basic features I need. the user interface is a breeze to navigate and its also easy on the eyes. Cons it has some limited features which can slow down your work. Reason for choosing Shotcut because it was better for beginners. Review Source Marcelina G. Student Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "I use it when I need to create some more advanced videos" May 10, 2018 5.0 Pros It's REALLY powerful and FREE video editor. Can be a bit complicated but there's a lot of tutorials out there. Cons It's not easy to use at the beginning. Watch some tutorial videos and you'll be proficient in no time. 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