OpenShorts Alternatives: Free and Paid Options Compared
OpenShorts is an open-source tool that turns long videos into vertical clips. If it doesn't fit how you work, these are the alternatives worth a look, open source and hosted.
Independent guide, not affiliated with any tool below. Facts checked on November 15, 2026.
Short answer: if you want something free that works right now with nothing to install, use AIClipMaker.org. For a hosted tool with a big feature set, OpusClip. For open source you run yourself, SupoClip or AI-Youtube-Shorts-Generator.
AIClipMaker.org: nothing to install
AIClipMaker.org is our own clip maker. Drop a long video, choose the part and the clip length, and it cuts vertical 9:16 MP4s with AI face tracking that keeps the speaker in frame. There is nothing to install, and you can start free. Try it on your video →
Open-source alternatives
| Project | License | GitHub stars | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenShorts (for reference) | MIT (core) | 8,300+ | Docker, dashboard, MCP server for AI agents, hosted version available |
| AI-Youtube-Shorts-Generator | MIT | 6,000+ | LLM highlight detection, Whisper transcription, vertical cropping |
| SupoClip | AGPL-3.0 | 3,100+ | Describes itself as an open-source OpusClip alternative; AGPL matters if you plan to host it for others |
| ClippedAI | Custom | 200+ | Smaller project; read its license before commercial use |
Star counts from GitHub on November 15, 2026.
Hosted alternatives
OpusClip
The best-known hosted clip maker. Free plan: 60 credits a month, watermark, clips exportable for 3 days, no editing. Paid plans start at $12 a month on the Starter plan, with Pro at $29 a month billed monthly (opus.pro/pricing, November 15, 2026). Paid plans add the editor, B-roll, multiple aspect ratios and a scheduler.
OpenShorts cloud
The same OpenShorts software run for you on a GPU. Free plan with watermark; paid plans at $12, $29 and $59 a month for 100, 300 and 750 minutes of video. Worth knowing if your problem with OpenShorts is setup rather than features.
Other hosted tools
Klap, Vizard, Submagic and Munch are also used for clipping. Their plans change often, so check their pricing pages directly.
How to choose
- Budget is zero and you can use a terminal: self-host an open-source tool. Here is how for OpenShorts.
- You need a polished editor and scheduling: a paid hosted tool.
- You want to build your own product on top: check the license first. MIT allows it; AGPL requires you to share your changes when you host it for others.
FAQ
What is the best free alternative to OpenShorts?
If you want nothing to install, AIClipMaker.org works on any video with nothing to install, and you can start free. If you want open source, SupoClip and AI-Youtube-Shorts-Generator are the two most-starred projects we found on GitHub. If you want a hosted tool with no setup, the OpusClip free plan is the best-known option, with a watermark and 60 credits a month.
Is OpusClip better than OpenShorts?
OpusClip has a more polished editor and more features on its paid plans. OpenShorts is cheaper on paid plans and can be self-hosted for free. See the full comparison.
Why look for an OpenShorts alternative at all?
The usual reasons are: you don't want to install Docker, you need features OpenShorts doesn't have, or you need a different license. OpenShorts' core is MIT, but its hosted billing code is under a separate commercial license.