Clipchamp vs OpenShot Comparison 2026
Clipchamp and OpenShot are both free to use, which makes this a comparison of where they run rather than what they cost. Clipchamp lives entirely in a browser with a Microsoft account, adding screen and camera recording plus AI editing tools at no charge, with 4K export bundled into a Microsoft 365 subscription for anybody who already pays for one. OpenShot is a desktop application under the GPL, funded by donations, installed on Linux, Mac or Windows, with a simpler timeline and fewer features than either Clipchamp or the heavier free editors.
At a glance
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Clipchamp | OpenShot | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Not listed | Free |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Not stated | Not stated |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
Clipchamp
Microsoft's browser video editor
Clipchamp is Microsoft's video editor, free to anybody with a personal Microsoft account and folded into Microsoft 365 for the premium half. Recording the screen, camera and voice is on the free level, along with the AI editing and audio tools. What you pay for is 4K export, the stock library and a brand kit. No download is involved.
Our note
Check your Microsoft 365 subscription before paying for a video editor, because the premium tier may already be included in it. As a free editor on its own it sits comfortably beside CapCut and needs no install.
Only on this side
- Covers captions & subtitles
- Works with YouTube
- Works with Instagram
- Works with TikTok
- Works with Facebook
OpenShot
A simple open source video editor
OpenShot is an open source video editor released under the GPL, meant for somebody who wants to cut a clip without first learning a timeline suite. It runs on Linux, Mac and Windows, and the project is funded by donations rather than by a paid tier. It carries fewer features than the heavier free editors, which is the trade you are making.
Why people weigh these two
- OpenShot instead of Clipchamp
- OpenShot is a simple open source editor you install rather than open in a browser, and it is free outright.
- Clipchamp instead of OpenShot
- Clipchamp runs in a browser tab with nothing to install, backed by Microsoft, a lighter starting point than downloading and learning OpenShot's desktop app.
Which one should you pick
Buy into Clipchamp if a browser-based editor with built-in recording and AI tools covers the job, particularly if Microsoft 365 already sits on the household bill for the 4K export tier. It needs no install and no separate payment.
Install OpenShot if you want a real desktop application, especially on Linux, where Clipchamp does not run at all. It has been developed since 2008 and carries fewer features than Clipchamp's browser tool, so somebody wanting AI editing or built-in recording will not find it here, only a plain timeline for cutting a clip.
Common questions
- Does OpenShot run on Linux, unlike Clipchamp?
- Yes, OpenShot ships direct downloads and torrents for Linux, Mac and Windows. Clipchamp is browser-based and works anywhere a browser does, but it has no dedicated Linux application and no equivalent desktop install.
- Which one has more editing features?
- Clipchamp, by its own comparison: OpenShot's listing describes it as carrying fewer features than the heavier free editors, aimed at somebody making occasional simple cuts. Clipchamp adds AI editing, recording and a stock library on top of a basic timeline.
- Is OpenShot really free with no catch?
- Yes, it is free software under the GPL, funded entirely by donations, with no paid tier, no account and no advertising inside the application. Clipchamp is also free, though its premium features are gated behind a Microsoft 365 subscription rather than a direct Clipchamp payment.
- Does Clipchamp need to be installed like OpenShot?
- No, Clipchamp runs entirely in a browser with nothing to download. OpenShot is a desktop application you install directly or through a package manager.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.