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What Is FilmCraft? The Open-Source Premiere Pro Alternative

Updated 2026-10-12

FilmCraft is a free, open-source video editor from the ArtCraft project: "video editing, color and sound; an open-source, clean-room reimplementation of Adobe Premiere Pro, rebuilt in pure Rust", in the words of its README.

It is one of seven Crafting Apps published under github.com/storytold, and one of the most-starred repositories in the suite.

The short version

  • Free and open source, dual-licensed MIT or Apache-2.0 (the ArtCraft name and logos are trademarks).
  • Premiere-style timeline, workspaces and shortcuts, so a Premiere editor has almost nothing to relearn.
  • Native builds for Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD, plus a WebAssembly build you can host yourself.
  • Alpha: the README estimates about 86% of Premiere Pro's feature breadth and about 56% readiness for real work.

What it does today

  • Three-point editing, ripple and roll trims, an exact integer time base.
  • Lumetri-style colour grading with scopes, computed in linear light.
  • Effects, transitions, keyframes and a GPU compositor; titles and captions.
  • Audio mixer with automation and broadcast loudness metering.
  • Interchange with other editors via FCPXML, OpenTimelineIO, EDL, AAF and OMF.
  • A CLI, a JSON control channel and an MCP server so scripts and AI agents can drive the editor.

What it does not do yet

  • Open Premiere .prproj projects.
  • Host VST3, Audio Unit or OpenFX plug-ins.
  • Export H.265 in software or export AV1.
  • Handle camera RAW; large-footage speed still depends on the CPU for colour, keying and export.

Where to get it

The code and every release live at github.com/storytold/filmcraft. Our home page links the latest official downloads for each platform, and our install guides cover Windows, macOS and Linux.

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Quick answers

Is FilmCraft free?
Yes. The source is dual-licensed MIT or Apache-2.0 and the apps are free to download.
Is FilmCraft the same as FilmCraft online?
No. This site is an independent clip maker and guide. The open-source editor is maintained by ArtCraft at github.com/storytold/filmcraft.

Keep reading

GuidesFilmCraft on GitHub: Repo, Releases, Licence and DocsGuidesFilmCraft Review: An Honest Look at the Open-Source EditorCompareFilmCraft vs Premiere Pro: Open-Source vs the Industry StandardGuidesFilmCraft Formats and Codecs: What It Can Import and Export

FilmCraft online is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to ArtCraft, StoryTold or Adobe. Downloads link to the official FilmCraft GitHub releases; we do not host installers.