Cap vs Shotcut Video Editor

Primarily a screen recorder, not a full-featured editor

Which to pick

Open-source Loom alternative
Open-source screen recording
Integrations with Google Drive, Chrome extension or CLI (on Cap's list, not Shotcut Video Editor's)

Free, native timeline editing with wide format support
A free, open-source tool
Integrations with FFmpeg, VST2 or LV2 (on Shotcut Video Editor's list, not Cap's)

What it is: Cap:Cap is an open-source screen recorder for macOS, Windows and Linux that lets you capture, edit and instantly share videos or screenshots via a link.; Shotcut Video Editor:Shotcut is a free, open-source, cross-platform video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Best for: Cap:Open-source Loom alternative; Shotcut Video Editor:Free, native timeline editing with wide format support
Who it’s for: Cap:Developers, teams and creators needing fast screen capture, editing and shareable links.; Shotcut Video Editor:Video creators and editors needing a free, multi-format editor on any desktop OS.
Pricing: Cap:Freemium; Shotcut Video Editor:Free
Plans: Cap:Free $0 · Desktop License $29 per license, per year per year; Shotcut Video Editor:—
Open source: Cap:Yes, 23,115 GitHub stars; Shotcut Video Editor:Yes, 15,365 GitHub stars
Works with: Cap:Google Drive, Chrome extension, CLI; Shotcut Video Editor:FFmpeg, VST2, LV2

Instant Mode. Record and upload in real time; a share link is copied to the clipboard as soon as you stop.
Studio Mode. Local 4K/60fps recording with separate tracks and a built-in editor for backgrounds, zoom, captions and more.
Screenshot Mode. Hotkey capture of windows or areas, then beautify with padding, shadows and copy to clipboard.
Cap AI. Auto-generated titles, summaries, chapters and searchable transcripts for every recording.
Custom Storage. Connect to your own Google Drive, S3 bucket or self-host the platform for full data ownership.
Team Workspaces. Organize recordings, manage permissions, add comments and reactions with timestamp links.

Wide format support. Edit hundreds of audio/video codecs natively via FFmpeg, no import required.
4K/8K and HDR. Handles resolutions up to 8K and HDR10/HLG with tone-mapping to SDR.
Blackmagic SDI/HDMI I/O. Input and preview monitoring from Blackmagic Design SDI and HDMI devices.
Audio tools & plugins. Audio scopes, filters, VST2/LV2 support and automatic ducking.
Extensive video effects. Color grading, keying, motion tracking, 360° filters and OpenFX plugins.
Multi-track timeline. Dockable panels, thumbnails, waveforms, keyframes, and batch export.

Is Cap or Shotcut Video Editor free?+

Cap has a free plan and paid plans. Shotcut Video Editor is free.

Is Cap or Shotcut Video Editor open source?+

Yes, both are open source: Cap (CapSoftware/Cap on GitHub) and Shotcut Video Editor (mltframework/shotcut on GitHub, GPL-3.0 license).

Do Cap and Shotcut Video Editor integrate with the same tools?+

Their integration lists don't overlap: Cap lists Google Drive, Chrome extension and CLI; Shotcut Video Editor lists FFmpeg, VST2 and LV2.

Cap

Listed by DevHunt

Shotcut Video Editor

Listed by DevHunt

Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.