OpenShot is a free, open source video editing tool which is super-duper easy to use, yet powerful enough to blow your mind.

As a brainchild of developer Jonathan Thomas, OpenShot was originally designed to fill the void of an easy to use video editing software for Linux.

However, as it started receiving some sparkling response from the audience, it expanded its reach and now available for Windows and Mac computers, too.

Let’s uncover what is so special about this software.

OpenShot Pros

#1. From installing the software to editing my first video, every step was a piece of cake. OpenShot is one of the friendliest tools out there that doesn’t require you to be a tech ninja to make use of it.

It integrates seamlessly with your desktop and make it as simple as drag & drop to upload and start editing a video.

Not only that, its comprehensive user guide goes into specific details of each feature and makes it a walk in the garden to operate the tool even for a novice.

#2. There are no limitations on the maximum number of videos you can edit in the software. Moreover, you’re allowed to add as many layers/tracks (like background video, images, watermarks, etc.) to your original video as you want.

#3. I find it very tedious to export a video, then save it in the local drives, and then open the browser to upload it on social media platforms.

That is just too time-consuming, but thanks to the in-house “Upload to web” function of OpenShot that directly uploads your videos on YouTube, Flickr, Vimeo, and a few more platforms.

#4. While most of the paid video editing software restricts its users to go beyond 4K videos, I was a bit surprised to know that, not only you can edit 4K videos on OpenShot, but it also supports 5K videos. That’s the power of being an open source software!

#5. As I mentioned at the beginning, even though OpenShot was initially made for the Linux users, you can now install the software on your Windows and Mac computers, too.

And since it has an open source license, you also get the freedom to use this tool on multiple devices and edit video on the go.

#6. Although this one is not as shiny as the other features, I thought it’s still worth mentioning that OpenShot contains more than 20 eye-catching 3D titles and effects that you can customize as per your projects.

OpenShot Cons

#1. While most of the video editing tools in this test help you work smoothly with 360° videos, OpenShot lags behind in this area.

You can’t edit VR clips using the software.

#2. Not having mobile applications is a big bummer for OpenShot. This single reason is enough to irk many professionals who like editing videos whenever they get some free time. For instance, while commuting or in a flight, etc.

#3. The cloud API of OpenShot is a solid way to edit videos in Cloud but what turned me off is the inability to store videos in the cloud.

Once the editing part is done, you have to export your videos back to your desktop or post on your website.

Also, unlike the editing software, the Cloud API of OpenShot is a pay to use service. The pricing starts from $0.15 per Instance hour excluding Amazon’s EC2 service fee.

So, the total amount could make your eyes out if you use the service vigorously.

OpenShot pricing plans and payment options

OpenShot is available for free.

Do I recommend OpenShot?

Absolutely!

Before I used OpenShot, my expectations were quite low from this free software. But it goes above and beyond to make your time in the software memorable.

A robust set of feature and a user-friendly interface makes it an ideal choice for beginners and solo video creators who don’t want to spend extravaganza on a video editing software.