Kapwing

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Kapwing

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to Kapwing.

Kapwing is a browser-based video and image editing platform offering trimming, subtitles, templates, format resizing for social platforms, team collaboration, cloud asset storage, and export tools for multimedia content.

Alternatives List

#1
OpenCut

OpenCut

Free open-source video editor for web, desktop, and mobile with timeline editing, multi-track support, real-time preview, and local-first privacy.

OpenCut screenshot

OpenCut is a community-driven, open-source video editor that implements timeline-based, multi-track editing for short- and long-form videos. It targets web, desktop, and mobile platforms and emphasizes privacy by keeping media processing local and avoiding watermarks or subscriptions.

Key Features

  • Timeline-based editing with multi-track video and audio support for assembling and trimming clips
  • Real-time preview of edits inside the editor (playback / scrubbing support)
  • No watermarks, no subscription gating—feature set aimed to remain free and open-source under an MIT license
  • Local-first privacy model: projects and media are intended to remain on-device rather than being uploaded to third-party servers
  • Web-first architecture with a Next.js + React + TypeScript web application; repository uses a monorepo structure and includes tooling for local database and caching services
  • Support for running with containerized services (Docker / Docker Compose) and a developer workflow using Bun/Node tooling

Use Cases

  • Independent creators and social-media editors who need a privacy-respecting, timeline-based editor without paywalls or watermarks
  • Teams or contributors who want to extend or customize an open-source editor (plugins, UX improvements, export/rendering backends)
  • Developers testing or embedding an editor in workflows where local processing and data control are required

Limitations and Considerations

  • Project is early-stage (alpha/beta at times cited): many advanced features (rich effects, transitions, full audio toolset, polished export workflows) are noted on the roadmap as in progress or planned
  • Running a full development instance can require additional setup (Bun or Node.js, Docker/Docker Compose, Postgres and Redis) for database and caching services
  • Some areas (preview panel features, certain export paths) have been flagged by maintainers as under active refactor and may be unstable or incomplete

OpenCut is positioned as a practical, privacy-focused alternative to paywalled consumer editors. It is community-built and actively developed; contributors can follow the repository and roadmap to see current priorities and open tasks.

45.1kstars
4.5kforks
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#2
Moocup

Moocup

Open-source web app that transforms screenshots into styled, exportable mockups with drag-and-drop, 3D transforms, borders and background presets.

Moocup screenshot

A lightweight visual editor for quickly turning plain screenshots into polished presentation images. Users drop an image, apply preset styles or adjust transforms, then export final assets for portfolios, documentation, or social media.

Key Features

  • Drag-and-drop image input with automatic base styling applied.
  • Visual controls for 3D transform, scale, position and rotation to create mockup perspective effects.
  • "Smart" border controls (color, width, radius) and fixed margin handling.
  • Background presets and gradient styles for quick, portfolio-ready visuals.
  • One-click export to common image formats (WebP, PNG, JPEG).
  • Frontend-focused build (Vite/TypeScript) with an available Docker image and simple self-host or deploy templates.

Use Cases

  • Create polished app or product screenshots for portfolios, case studies, and marketing assets.
  • Rapidly generate social-media-ready visuals from raw screenshots without full design tools.
  • Produce consistent, styled images for documentation, blog posts, or slide decks.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Focused on styling and presentation of single screenshots; not a full-featured image editor (no advanced bitmap retouching, layer compositing, or vector design tools).
  • No built-in user accounts, team collaboration, or cloud sync; edits and exports are client-focused unless self-hosted with added infrastructure.
  • Feature set and extensibility depend on the open-source roadmap; users needing plugin ecosystems or extensive automation may find functionality limited compared to commercial mockup suites.

Moocup is a focused, simple tool for creating attractive screenshot visuals quickly. It emphasizes fast results with opinionated defaults and lightweight tooling suitable for self-hosted or static deployments.

272stars
15forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running