Avidemux

Active

avidemux.sourceforge.net

Country: France (FR)
Founded: 2003
Developer: Mean (primary developer)
Pricing: Free (open-source)
Open source: Yes
Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD

Indexes

DVD/Blu-ray Ripping Video Compression Video Converters Video Editors

Overview

Avidemux is a free video editor for simple cutting, filtering, and encoding tasks on multimedia files. It supports formats like AVI, DVD-compatible MPEG, MP4, and ASF, using various codecs for non-linear editing, visual effects, transcoding, muxing, and demuxing. Designed for straightforward video processing, it includes project and queue systems with JavaScript scripting via SpiderMonkey, targeting users needing basic, lightweight tools without complex timelines.¹²

Key Features

Simple Cutting - Trim and cut video segments without re-encoding.
Video Filters - Apply effects like cropping, noise reduction, stabilization, subtitles, and artistic filters ported from MPlayer and Avisynth.
Encoding/Transcoding - Encode to codecs including MPEG-2, MPEG-4/H.264, HEVC/H.265, with audio to AAC, AC3, MP3.
Muxing/Demuxing - Insert or extract audio streams from video files.
Scripting - Automate tasks using JavaScript in GUI or CLI interfaces.
Project System - Save projects and manage job queues for batch processing.
Codec Support - Decode MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4 via libavcodec and FFmpeg.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Free	$0	Full access to all features under GNU GPL.

Platforms & Requirements

Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, with unofficial builds for FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD. Uses Qt GUI and FFmpeg; GTK port discontinued since 2.6. No specific minimum requirements listed; portable versions available for Windows.¹²

Integrations & Ecosystem

FFmpeg (multimedia functions)
libavcodec (decoding/encoding)
x264 (H.264 encoding)
x265 (HEVC encoding)
Qt (GUI)
SpiderMonkey JavaScript (scripting)
Import: AVI, MP4, MPEG, ASF
Export: Multiple video/audio formats

Alternatives

App	Difference
VirtualDub	Similar non-project direct saving and VCF scripting, but Windows-only and focused on AVI.
HandBrake	More advanced transcoding with presets, but less emphasis on editing and filters.
FFmpeg	Command-line tool for broader format support including AV1/VP9, without GUI.
Shotcut	Full-featured NLE with timeline editing, supporting modern formats like Opus/WebM.

Reputation

Avidemux is regarded as a reliable, lightweight tool for quick video tasks like cutting and basic filtering, praised for its simplicity and free open-source nature. Users appreciate its stability on multiple platforms and scripting for automation, though it faces criticism for partial support of modern codecs like AV1, VP9, and Opus. The GTK interface discontinuation and focus on basic tasks limit it for complex editing needs.²⁵

Sources (9)