DR
Video editor with color grading, Fusion effects and Fairlight audio in one app, free with a paid Studio edition.
License: Free tier
Status: Verified - DRPDRP: opens and saves, full fidelity
- MP4MP4: opens and saves, partial fidelity. The free version exports up to UHD at 60 fps; free Linux builds lack H.264 and H.265 support
- MOVMOV: opens and saves, full fidelity
- XMLXML: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Final Cut Pro 7 XML carries cuts, transitions and basic effects, not Premiere effects
- FCPXMLFCPXML: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Timelines and basic effects move across; Final Cut Pro effects do not
Kd
Best for open-source editing on any desktop
License: Open source
Status: Unknown
- MP4MP4: opens and saves, full fidelity
- MOVMOV: opens and saves, full fidelity
DaVinci Resolve vs Kdenlive: facts| Fact | DaVinci Resolve | Kdenlive |
|---|
| License | License: Free tier | License: Open sourceGPL-3.0-only |
|---|
| Maintenance | Status: Verified | Status: Unknown |
|---|
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Self-hostable | No | No |
|---|
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| No account needed | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Parity with DaVinci Resolve | The reference | 57% |
|---|
License classes: Free tier and Open source. Status rules: Active means a commit in the last 90 days. See the methodology.
Feature parity with DaVinci Resolve
How Kdenlive covers what people use DaVinci Resolve for.
Feature parity with DaVinci Resolve| Feature | Kdenlive |
|---|
| Editing |
|---|
| Multi-track timeline editing | Yes |
|---|
| Multi-camera editing | PartialNote 1A multicam tool exists with fewer controls |
|---|
| Color |
|---|
| Node-based color grading and HDR | PartialNote 2Color wheels, curves, scopes and LUT effects, with no node-based grading |
|---|
| Effects |
|---|
| Node-based compositing and motion graphics | NoNote 3Layers and composite transitions only; no node-based compositing |
|---|
| Audio |
|---|
| Multi-track audio mixing and repair | PartialNote 4Audio mixer and effects; no dedicated mastering page |
|---|
| Captions |
|---|
| Subtitles and captions | YesNote 5Subtitle tracks, SRT import and export, and speech-to-text |
|---|
| AI |
|---|
| AI tools: Magic Mask and noise reduction | PartialNote 6Speech-to-text runs on models you download; few other AI tools |
|---|
| Parity score | 57% |
|---|
- Kdenlive, Multi-camera editing: A multicam tool exists with fewer controls
- Kdenlive, Node-based color grading and HDR: Color wheels, curves, scopes and LUT effects, with no node-based grading
- Kdenlive, Node-based compositing and motion graphics: Layers and composite transitions only; no node-based compositing
- Kdenlive, Multi-track audio mixing and repair: Audio mixer and effects; no dedicated mastering page
- Kdenlive, Subtitles and captions: Subtitle tracks, SRT import and export, and speech-to-text
- Kdenlive, AI tools: Magic Mask and noise reduction: Speech-to-text runs on models you download; few other AI tools
All free alternatives to DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve vs Kdenlive: file formats| Format | DaVinci Resolve | Kdenlive |
|---|
| .drp | Opens and savesFull fidelity | NoNote 1DaVinci Resolve project archives do not open |
|---|
| .mp4 | Opens and savesNote 2The free version exports up to UHD at 60 fps; free Linux builds lack H.264 and H.265 supportPartial fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
|---|
| .mov | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
|---|
| .xml | Opens and savesNote 3Final Cut Pro 7 XML carries cuts, transitions and basic effects, not Premiere effectsPartial fidelity | NoNote 4Timelines move as OpenTimelineIO rather than Final Cut Pro or Premiere XML |
|---|
| .fcpxml | Opens and savesNote 5Timelines and basic effects move across; Final Cut Pro effects do notPartial fidelity | NoNote 6Timelines move as OpenTimelineIO rather than FCPXML |
|---|
| .prproj | NoNote 7Premiere projects do not open; exchange timelines through XML or AAF | NoNote 8Premiere projects do not open |
|---|
| .aep | NoNote 9After Effects projects do not open; Fusion has its own comp files | NoNote 10After Effects projects do not open |
|---|
- Kdenlive, .drp: DaVinci Resolve project archives do not open
- DaVinci Resolve, .mp4: The free version exports up to UHD at 60 fps; free Linux builds lack H.264 and H.265 support
- DaVinci Resolve, .xml: Final Cut Pro 7 XML carries cuts, transitions and basic effects, not Premiere effects
- Kdenlive, .xml: Timelines move as OpenTimelineIO rather than Final Cut Pro or Premiere XML
- DaVinci Resolve, .fcpxml: Timelines and basic effects move across; Final Cut Pro effects do not
- Kdenlive, .fcpxml: Timelines move as OpenTimelineIO rather than FCPXML
- DaVinci Resolve, .prproj: Premiere projects do not open; exchange timelines through XML or AAF
- Kdenlive, .prproj: Premiere projects do not open
- DaVinci Resolve, .aep: After Effects projects do not open; Fusion has its own comp files
- Kdenlive, .aep: After Effects projects do not open