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Design · head to head

Photopea vs Shotcut

Photopea logo

Photopea

Design

Free online photo editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Shotcut

Video Production

Free, open-source, cross-platform video editor built on the MLT framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Photopea performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files; Shotcut interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.
  • They diverge on capability: Photopea covers Photo editing, Shotcut covers Native timeline editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Photopea and Shotcut actually diverge.

Attributes where Photopea and Shotcut differ
AttributePhotopeaShotcut
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWebwindows, mac, linux
CategoryDesignVideo Production
Founded20132004

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Photopea

  • Photo editing
  • PSD compatibility
  • Layer support
  • Selection tools
  • Filters and effects
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Adobe fonts

Only in Shotcut

  • Native timeline editing
  • Wide format support
  • 4K resolution support
  • Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture
  • Multi-format timelines
  • Text and audio filters

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Photopea

  • Quick photo editsnot Shotcut
  • PSD file editingnot Shotcut
  • Web designnot Shotcut
  • Social media graphicsnot Shotcut

Shotcut

  • Free cross-platform video editingnot Photopea
  • Working with mixed-format footage in one projectnot Photopea
  • 4K video editing without a subscriptionnot Photopea
  • Capturing footage from Blackmagic SDI/HDMI hardwarenot Photopea

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Photopea

  • Performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • Risk of losing work due to browser crashes or save failures
  • Aggressive advertising that can slow down the entire computer
  • No local installation option, always requires browser access
  • Basic file organization and version tracking compared to professional tools

Shotcut

  • Interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.
  • No built-in cloud collaboration or team review features.
  • Performance on very large 4K projects can lag on modest hardware.
  • Community-driven support model means no official paid support channel.

Pricing, plan by plan

Photopea

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Photopea review.

Shotcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • All filters and effects
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Photopea if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want psd compatibility.
Photopea review

Choose Shotcut if

  • You need native timeline editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want wide format support.
Shotcut review

Questions people ask

Is Photopea or Shotcut better?
Neither clearly leads. Photopea starts at Free and Shotcut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Photopea or Shotcut?
Photopea starts at Free and Shotcut at Free.
Does Photopea or Shotcut run on more platforms?
Photopea runs on Web. Shotcut runs on windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Photopea for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Photopea best used for?
Photopea is most often used for quick photo edits, psd file editing, web design, social media graphics. Of those, quick photo edits and psd file editing are not what Shotcut is typically brought in for.
What can Photopea do that Shotcut cannot?
Photopea covers Photo editing, PSD compatibility, Layer support, Selection tools. Shotcut covers Native timeline editing, Wide format support, 4K resolution support, Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Photopea: Is Photopea free to use?

Yes, Photopea is completely free and supported by ads displayed within the browser. No subscription or payment is required to use the full feature set.

Source
Shotcut: Is Shotcut free for commercial use?

Yes. Shotcut is distributed under the GPLv3 license, which grants the freedom to run the program for any purpose, including commercial use, at no cost.

Source
Photopea: Does Photopea support Photoshop PSD files?

Yes, Photopea fully supports Photoshop PSD files including layers, masks, text, and effects. It can read and export files back to PSD, PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, or GIF format.

Source
Shotcut: Does Shotcut collect personal data?

No. Shotcut does not collect, store, or share any personal information, and it requires no network connection for activation or usage tracking.

Source
Photopea: What platforms does Photopea run on?

Photopea is a web-based editor accessible through any modern browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. It can be added to desktop as a shortcut or Chrome extension.

Source
Shotcut: What operating systems does Shotcut support?

Shotcut supports Windows 10 (build 1809) and later, macOS 12-26, and 64-bit Linux with glibc 2.35 or higher.

Source
Photopea: Does Photopea upload my files to servers?

No. Photopea processes images entirely within your browser and does not upload files to external servers, keeping your work private and secure.

Source
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