Kdenlive

Free, open-source non-linear video editor from the KDE community

As of 29 August 2026, Kdenlive is free to use. Kdenlive is a free and open-source non-linear video editor for Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD, built on the MLT framework. Softwr lists it under Video Production. Kdenlive is made by KDE e.V., available on Windows, macOS, Linux.

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Overview

What Kdenlive does

Kdenlive (KDE Non-Linear Video Editor) is a free and open-source video editing application maintained by KDE e.V. and a community of volunteer contributors. It supports multi-track editing, a wide range of video and audio formats via FFmpeg, proxy editing, titling, and effects. Kdenlive runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD, and is distributed under the GPL license with no cost to use.

What people use it for

Free video editing for hobbyists
Linux-native video production
Educational video editing
Community/open-source project video work

Where it falls short

Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about Kdenlive.

Relies on volunteer development so release cadence and bug fixes can be slower than commercial tools.
Lacks built-in advanced VFX/compositing found in tools like DaVinci Resolve.
Performance and stability can vary depending on system configuration and GPU drivers.
No official cloud collaboration or review features.

Cross-shopped

What people choose instead of Kdenlive

Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.

Kdenlivevs
S
Shotcut
Shotcut: Another free, open-source, cross-platform video editor.
Kdenlivevs
HandBrake
HandBrake: Free open-source tool often used alongside Kdenlive for transcoding output.

Pricing

What Kdenlive costs

Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.

Free

Full editor
All effects and transitions
Community support

Capabilities

Features

Multi-track timeline
Edit video and audio across multiple tracks with drag-and-drop clips.
Proxy editing
Work with lower-resolution proxy clips for smoother editing of high-resolution footage.
Wide format support
Import and export a large range of video and audio formats via FFmpeg/MLT.
Titler tool
Create animated text and titles directly within the editor.
Effects and transitions
Apply a library of video/audio effects and transitions to clips.
Cross-platform
Runs natively on Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD.

Answered, with sources

Questions people ask

Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.

Is Kdenlive free to use?

Yes, Kdenlive is completely free and open source, distributed under the GPL license with no cost to download or use, though donations to KDE e.V. are welcomed.

Source

What platforms does Kdenlive support?

Kdenlive runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD.

Source

Where can I get help with Kdenlive?

Users can consult the user manual at docs.kdenlive.org, join the community Matrix channel, or ask on the KDE discussion forum.

Source