OpenCut is an open-source video editing application designed as a free alternative to CapCut. Its main goals are to give creators a tool with no subscriptions, no paywalls, no watermarks, and with stronger privacy protections than commercial apps.

It’s being built with modern web technologies and aims to run on browsers, desktops, and mobile devices.

• Timeline-based editing with multiple video and audio tracks.
• Real-time preview while editing.
• No watermarks on exported videos.
• Free and open-source under a permissive license.
• Cross-platform ambition (browser, desktop, and mobile).
• Privacy-focused: files stay on your device instead of being uploaded to company servers.
• Ad-free with only anonymized, minimal analytics.

• Built with TypeScript, React, and Next.js.
• Backend services use PostgreSQL, Redis, and Docker.
• The runtime often relies on Bun or Node.js.
• Modular structure that allows contributions from the community.

• Transparent and community-driven (code can be inspected and improved).
• Entirely free: no hidden fees, no locked features.
• Flexible platform support in the long run.
• Stronger user control and privacy than many closed-source editors.
• No intrusive ads.

• Still under development, so not as feature-complete as CapCut.
• Some advanced effects, transitions, and AI-powered tools may be missing.
• Performance on large or high-resolution projects may not yet match polished commercial software.
• Desktop and mobile apps may be less stable until further maturity.
• Community support and documentation are still growing.

OpenCut is promising but relatively young. It’s best suited right now for creators who want:

• Basic to intermediate editing tools without paywalls.
• Simple social media or content projects.
• Full ownership of files with no forced uploads.
• A community-driven alternative to CapCut.

It may not yet fully replace CapCut for professional workflows that rely on advanced effects, stock libraries, or polished mobile performance.

OpenCut is one of the most ambitious open-source attempts to recreate what made CapCut popular, but in a free and transparent way. It’s already usable for basic editing and will likely improve rapidly with community contributions. For now, it’s a good option if you value freedom, privacy, and cost savings, and are willing to accept a few rough edges compared to commercial alternatives.