Frontstage

Free plan WebWindows

What Frontstage is

Frontstage is a free, open-source AI-native video editor available in a browser and as a Windows desktop app. Its multi-track timeline provides ripple and razor tools, linked audio, frame-accurate trimming, and built-in color grading. The editor renders MP4 and supports FCPXML export for DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut, XMEML export for Premiere, plus SRT and VTT subtitle import and export. Transcription and visual search run on-device without API keys. Generative video, image, audio, and text-to-speech features use the user’s own fal.ai key, while a chat agent edits cuts, layout, color, and captions with an OpenRouter key. An MCP server documents 51 tools for external editing clients. Frontstage says keys stay in the OS keychain or browser, reports zero telemetry, and uses the GPL-3.0 license.

Who it suits

Frontstage suits editors wanting a free, open-source browser or Windows workflow with timeline editing and interchange formats. AI generation and chat editing require the user’s own fal.ai and OpenRouter keys.

What it does well

Free, open-source editor
Browser and Windows versions
Multi-track timeline with color grading
On-device transcription and visual search
Exports for major editing workflows

What to know first

AI features require personal service keys
Windows installer is unsigned
Several features are unsupported in version 0.2.0
No free trial is listed

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	Free open-source editor · AI features require your own fal.ai and OpenRouter keys	Free

As frontstage.studio lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

Frontstage combines conventional timeline editing with optional AI tools and broad export support at no listed cost. Users should account for required external keys and the unsupported features noted for version 0.2.0.

Facts from Frontstage's own pages

AI agent: A chat agent can edit cuts, layout, color, and captions using the user's OpenRouter key. · frontstage.studio, 11 Oct 2026
AI generation: It supports video, image, audio, and text-to-speech generation through fal.ai using the user's own key. · frontstage.studio, 11 Oct 2026
Data and telemetry: The project page says keys stay in the OS keychain or browser, never on the maker's server, and that Frontstage has zero telemetry. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Desktop app: Yes · frontstage.studio, 21 Sept 2026
Export and interchange: The editor supports MP4 rendering, FCPXML export for DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut, XMEML export for Premiere, and SRT/VTT subtitle import and export. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · frontstage.studio, 21 Sept 2026
Integrations: The project page documents an MCP server with 51 tools for Claude or other MCP clients to edit projects externally. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
License: Frontstage is licensed under GPL-3.0. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Product: Frontstage describes itself as an AI-native video editor that runs in a browser and is free and open source. · frontstage.studio, 11 Oct 2026
Timeline editing: The editor includes a multi-track timeline, ripple and razor tools, linked audio, frame-accurate trims, and built-in color grading. · frontstage.studio, 11 Oct 2026
Transcription and search: Transcription and visual search run free on-device without API keys. · frontstage.studio, 11 Oct 2026
Unsupported features: The v0.2.0 release notes list multicam, volume rubber band, nested-sequence FCPXML export, Palmier cloud backend, HDR10, and Core ML beat detection as not in that build. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Web app: Yes · frontstage.studio, 21 Sept 2026
Windows limitation: The Windows installer is unsigned, so Windows SmartScreen may warn when it is run. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026