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Software · head to head

Shotcut vs Riverside.fm

Shotcut logo

Shotcut

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Riverside.fm logo

Riverside.fm

Software

High-quality remote podcast and video recording platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shotcut has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Shotcut interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.; Riverside.fm free plan limited to 2 hours of multi-track recording and adds a watermark
  • They diverge on capability: Shotcut covers Native timeline editing, Riverside.fm covers Remote recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shotcut and Riverside.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Shotcut and Riverside.fm differ
AttributeShotcutRiverside.fm
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformswindows, mac, linuxWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20042019

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Shotcut

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

Only in Riverside.fm

  • Remote recording
  • High-quality capture
  • Automatic transcription
  • Video editing
  • Live streaming
  • Distribution tools
  • Zapier
  • IFTTT

What people use each for

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

Shotcut

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

Riverside.fm

  • Remote podcast and video interview recording with multi-track separationnot Shotcut

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Riverside.fm

  • Free plan limited to 2 hours of multi-track recording and adds a watermark
  • Pro plan at $29 per month caps separate-track recording at 5 hours per month
  • Business plan with unlimited storage and SSO is quote only, requiring contact with sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Shotcut

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

Riverside.fm

On request
  • StarterFree
    • 1 hour/month recording
    • 1080p recording
    • Automatic transcription
  • Professional$19/month
    • 20 hours/month recording
    • 4K recording quality
    • Advanced editing
  • Studio$99/month
    • Unlimited recording
    • 4K video quality
    • Team collaboration

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Riverside.fm if

  • You need remote recording.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want high-quality capture.
Riverside.fm review

Questions people ask

Is Shotcut or Riverside.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Shotcut starts at Free and Riverside.fm at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shotcut or Riverside.fm?
Shotcut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Shotcut and On request for Riverside.fm.
Does Shotcut or Riverside.fm run on more platforms?
Shotcut runs on windows, mac, linux. Riverside.fm runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Shotcut for free?
Yes. Shotcut has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Riverside.fm starts at On request.
What is Shotcut best used for?
Shotcut is most often used for free cross-platform video editing, working with mixed-format footage in one project, 4k video editing without a subscription, capturing footage from blackmagic sdi/hdmi hardware. Of those, free cross-platform video editing and working with mixed-format footage in one project are not what Riverside.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Shotcut do that Riverside.fm cannot?
Shotcut covers Native timeline editing, Wide format support, 4K resolution support, Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture. Riverside.fm covers Remote recording, High-quality capture, Automatic transcription, Video editing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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Related pages

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