AetherCut™ vs Kapwing
Both run in your browser. Only one keeps your footage on your machine.
Kapwing is a popular browser-based video editor used by social media managers and content creators. It runs in the browser, which is a privacy win on the surface — except every clip is still uploaded to Kapwing's servers for processing.
AetherCut is browser-based AND client-side. The distinction matters: when you import a video, the bytes never leave your device.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | AetherCut | Kapwing |
|---|---|---|
| Where your media lives | ✓ Stays in your browser | ✗ Uploaded to Kapwing servers |
| Where AI processing runs | ✓ On-device for most features | ✗ Cloud-only |
| Where export runs | ✓ Your CPU/GPU via WebCodecs | ✗ Kapwing's render farm |
| Free tier watermark | ✓ None, ever | ✗ Watermark on free tier |
| Free tier export resolution | ✓ 4K | ✗ 720p on free tier |
| Clip length limit (free) | ✓ Generous (only Pro lifts hard caps) | ✗ 4-min cap on free tier |
| Offline use | ✓ Full PWA | ✗ Internet required |
| Pricing | Free · $14.95/mo · $129.88/yr · Lifetime | Free · $24/mo Pro |
| Stock library | Limited (your footage focus) | ✓ Large stock + templates |
| AI subtitles | ✓ Local Whisper | Cloud only |
| Real-time collaboration | ✓ Peer-to-peer (CRDT) | Cloud (paid tiers only) |
| Export speed bottleneck | Your local hardware | Upload + queue + cloud render |
Where the editor actually runs
Kapwing's editor UI runs in your browser, but the timeline, AI processing, and export all happen on Kapwing's cloud infrastructure. Your media is uploaded for every action.
AetherCut's editor UI, timeline, AI processing (for most features), and export all run in your browser. Your CPU, GPU, and RAM do the work. No server-side rendering, no upload step, no cloud storage account required.
Free tier comparison
Kapwing's free tier applies watermarks to exports, caps clip length, and gates AI features.
AetherCut's free tier has no watermarks, exports up to 4K, and bundles most AI features. Pro removes timeline length limits and adds longer cloud-AI generations.
What you give up by leaving Kapwing
Kapwing's stock library is larger today. If you primarily build short-form content from stock B-roll and templated overlays, Kapwing's library is the friction-free option.
If you import your own footage — and you care that it stays yours — AetherCut is the editor.
Frequently asked questions
Does AetherCut have a stock library?
Not at the scale of Kapwing's, no. AetherCut focuses on tools that operate on the footage you bring. Stock B-roll integrations are on the roadmap.
Is AetherCut faster than Kapwing for export?
It depends on your hardware. AetherCut runs export locally, so your machine's CPU/GPU determines speed. On modern desktop hardware, AetherCut typically beats Kapwing because you skip the upload step entirely.
Try AetherCut now — no signup required.
Open the editor and verify the no-upload claim yourself in Chrome DevTools.
Free tier · Pro $14.95/mo · $129.88/yr · Lifetime Pro one-time
Other comparisons + resources
Related searches
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No signup. No upload. Verify privacy in DevTools in 30 seconds.