OpenCut
Open source video editor (MIT licence) pitched as the CapCut alternative: timeline editing in the browser, without your videos leaving your machine. The classic version runs on opencut.app. The team is rewriting everything from scratch, with a Rust core, an editing API, plugins, a headless mode for batch rendering, and an MCP server so agents can drive the timeline. As of 27 September 2026, those last three are announced, not shipped.
Strengths
- Free, open source, and your footage stays on your machine
- Nothing to install for the classic version: it runs in the browser
Limitations
- The MCP server, editing API and headless mode are announced for the rewrite, not available
- Rewrite in progress: two versions coexist (opencut.app and new.opencut.app), the old one in a separate repository
Best for
- Editing a short video with no subscription and no file upload