--- title: Kdenlive canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/kdenlive/ category: Video Editing Software points: 73 rank: 4 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # Kdenlive Free, open-source video editor from KDE with multicam, proxies, scopes and automatic transcription. 73 points out of 100. #4 of 12 video editors. Vendor: KDE. Website: https://kdenlive.org/ - Kdenlive is free and open source (GPL-3.0), with builds for Windows 10 or newer, macOS 13 or newer and Linux [2][3]. - Multicam editing, proxy clips, and Histogram, Waveform and Vectorscope scopes are listed on the home page [1]. - Subtitles come with automatic transcription, using the VOSK or Whisper engines once a model is installed [1][5]. - A 10-bit render category exists, but the docs say full colour range rendering does not work with effects yet [4]. - Hardware-accelerated NVENC render presets are labelled experimental [4]. Verdict: Kdenlive suits people who want a free editor with multicam and proxies [1][4]. Its code is public under GPL-3.0 [3]. The catch: GPU render presets are labelled experimental, the docs list no general stabilisation effect, and an audit found a serious flaw in project-file handling, fixed in 26.04.1 [4][10]. Best for: People who want free multicam and proxy editing on Windows, macOS or Linux. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Other systems | macOS, Linux | 4/10 | Download page offers Windows, Linux and macOS builds; no iOS, Android or web editor is listed [2]. | | Price and licence | Free version | Yes | 8/8 | Described as a free and open-source video editor with no time limit; the download page asks for donations [1][2]. | | Price and licence | One-time licence | No | 0/6 | No licence is sold; the editor is free software [1][2]. | | Price and licence | Cheapest paid plan | $0 | 12/12 | Entirely free; the download page asks only for donations [2]. | | Price and licence | Open-source apps | Yes | 4/4 | Repository is licensed GPL-3.0 [3]. | | Output | 4K export | Yes | 4/4 | Render docs list an Ultra-High Definition (4K) preset category [4]. | | Output | 8K export | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's render documentation page [4]. | | Output | 10-bit and HDR | Yes | 4/4 | Render docs list a 10 Bit preset category and an NVENC H265 ABR 10 bit preset [4]. | | Output | GPU-accelerated export | No | 0/5 | NVENC, VAAPI and VideoToolbox render presets sit under a "Hardware Accelerated (experimental)" heading, so we do not count them [4]. | | Editing tools | Multi-camera editing | Yes | 6/6 | Home page lists multicam and 3-point editing [1]. | | Editing tools | Colour grading with scopes | Yes | 6/6 | Home page lists histogram, vectorscope, RGB parade and waveform; docs list a Video Waveform Monitor [1][7]. | | Editing tools | Automatic captions | Yes | 5/5 | Subtitles with automatic transcription via VOSK or Whisper once a speech model is installed [1][5]. | | Editing tools | Motion tracking | Yes | 4/4 | Motion Tracker is listed among the Alpha, Mask and Keying effects [6]. | | Editing tools | Multitrack audio and noise reduction | Yes | 4/4 | Tracks can be added from the timeline track header; the LADSPA list includes a Noise Suppressor for Voice [8][11]. | | Editing tools | Proxy editing | Yes | 4/4 | Home page lists proxies for smooth playback on low-end systems [1]. | | Editing tools | Third-party plug-ins | Yes | 4/4 | Effects come from the LADSPA library [8]; Bluescreen0r lists its source library as frei0r [12]. | | Editing tools | Shared projects | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's home page or documentation pages [1][9]. | | Editing tools | Green-screen keying | Yes | 4/4 | Chroma Key: Basic and Chroma Key: Advanced effects are listed [6]. | | Editing tools | Video stabilisation | Not published | 0/4 | Not published; the effects list names only a VR360 Stabilize effect for 360-degree footage [9]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Kdenlive | Free [1][2] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free, with downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux [2]. - Source code is public under GPL-3.0 [3]. - Multicam, proxy clips, scopes, Motion Tracker and chroma-key effects are documented [1][6][7]. - Automatic transcription creates subtitles using VOSK or Whisper [5]. ## Limits - Hardware-accelerated render presets are labelled experimental [4]. - The docs say full colour range rendering with 10-bit does not work with effects yet [4]. - The effects docs list only a 360-degree stabiliser, not a general one [9]. - Speech-to-text needs a speech model installed and set up first [5]. ## Concerns - Kdenlive says a security audit by Radically Open Security found one serious flaw: opening a malicious project file could run code. It was fixed in 26.04.1 (9 May 2026), and Kdenlive knew of no exploitation [10]. ## Sources 1. [Kdenlive](https://kdenlive.org/), KDE, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Download Kdenlive](https://kdenlive.org/download/), KDE, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [KDE/kdenlive](https://github.com/KDE/kdenlive), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Render](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/exporting/render.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [Speech to Text](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/effects_and_filters/speech_to_text.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Alpha, Mask and Keying effects](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/effects_and_filters/video_effects/alpha_mask_keying.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [Utility effects](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/effects_and_filters/video_effects/utility.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [LADSPA plugins](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/effects_and_filters/audio_effects/ladspa_plugins/index.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Video effects list](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/effects_and_filters/lists/video_effects_list.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 10. [Kdenlive 26.04.1 released](https://kdenlive.org/news/releases/26.04.1/), KDE, accessed 2026-10-08 11. [Timeline](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/user_interface/timeline.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08 12. [Bluescreen0r](https://docs.kdenlive.org/en/effects_and_filters/video_effects/alpha_mask_keying/bluescreen0r.html), Kdenlive documentation, accessed 2026-10-08