Lightworks vs OpenShot Comparison 2026
Lightworks gives away the whole editor for free with a capped export resolution and no time limit, then $13.99 a month for Create once full resolution matters. OpenShot is free and open source with no paid tier at all, ever, but carries fewer features than Lightworks as the trade for that simplicity. The axis is depth against permanence: Lightworks has a professional, broadcast-lineage feature set behind a resolution cap, and OpenShot is simpler but never asks for anything.
A film editor with a free tier and no time limit
A simple open source video editor
At a glance
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Lightworks | OpenShot | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $13.99 | Free |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Not stated |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
Lightworks
A film editor with a free tier and no time limit
Lightworks has been cutting feature films since long before the web, and the free tier is the whole editor at a capped export resolution with no trial clock on it. Paying raises the export ceiling and opens the formats a delivery spec actually asks for. Three ways to pay sit on the same page, including a single payment for anybody who does not want another monthly line. The interface comes from broadcast rather than from the web, so the first afternoon is spent learning it.
Our note
Take the free tier seriously here, because it is the whole editor rather than a crippled demo and the export ceiling is the only real limit. If the interface does not click within a week it never will, and DaVinci Resolve gives away more for the same money.
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 Lightworks
- OpenShot is free and built to be simple, the pick for finishing a first cut today rather than spending an afternoon learning a keyboard-first interface.
- Lightworks instead of OpenShot
- Lightworks is a professional film editor with a free tier that never expires, more editing power than OpenShot for anyone ready to learn a deeper tool.
Which one should you pick
Choose Lightworks if a professional timeline is worth the first afternoon spent learning a broadcast-style, keyboard-first interface, since the free tier is genuinely the whole editor rather than a crippled demo. Pay $13.99 a month for Create only once the export resolution cap actually gets in the way.
Choose OpenShot if the job is occasional simple cuts and a lighter, plainer editor is preferable to Lightworks' broadcast conventions. It has no paid tier and no upsell inside the application at any point, which is the trade for carrying fewer features than the heavier free editors.
Common questions
- Which one is actually free with no limits?
- OpenShot is, entirely, with no paid tier ever. Lightworks' free tier is the whole editor too, but caps export resolution until Create at $13.99 a month removes it.
- Which one has more editing features?
- Lightworks does, with a professional, broadcast-lineage feature set behind its resolution cap. OpenShot deliberately carries fewer features, aimed at simple cuts rather than a full finishing suite.
- Can I pay once instead of monthly for either one?
- Lightworks offers a pay-once option on the same toggle as its monthly and yearly plans. OpenShot has nothing to pay at any point, since there is no paid version at all.
- Which one is easier to learn?
- OpenShot is aimed at cutting a clip without first learning a timeline suite, which suits a simpler learning curve. Lightworks' interface comes from broadcast rather than the web, so the first afternoon is spent learning it.
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.