From 972cd5e11e560ee349adca0deb9b6c900ff37024 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Claude Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2026 01:57:55 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Lead the README with the open-source Opus Clip alternative positioning Put the search phrase people actually use in the headline and hero alt text, shorten the download steps, move setup caveats into a collapsible section, mention OpenRouter, and link the website's open-source comparison page. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_019QYatd8aXSLCVxPx1SggNZ --- README.md | 34 +++++++++++++++++++++++----------- 1 file changed, 23 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index aa8a9b7..1d56799 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,14 +1,15 @@

- Cutawan: turn long videos into viral clips on your desktop + Cutawan, the free open-source Opus Clip alternative: turn long videos into viral clips on your desktop

-

Turn long videos into captioned shorts on your desktop.

+

The free, open-source Opus Clip alternative that runs on your desktop.

Download for Windows, macOS or Linux  ·  website  ·  faq

- Turn podcasts, webinars, streams and interviews into ready-to-post vertical clips.
- AI-picked moments, virality scores, animated captions, auto zoom and speaker-aware reframing. + Turn podcasts, webinars, streams and interviews into ready-to-post vertical clips for TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts.
+ AI-picked moments, virality scores, animated captions, auto zoom and speaker-aware reframing.
+ A normal installer: no Docker, no watermark, no per-minute credits.

@@ -20,21 +21,30 @@ PRs welcome

+

If Cutawan saves you an editing session, a ⭐ helps other creators find it.

+ --- ## Download and get started -1. **[Download the latest release](https://github.com/JeremySNR/cutawan/releases/latest).** Choose the Windows `.exe` installer, macOS `.dmg`, or Linux `.AppImage` under **Assets**. You do not need Node.js or a source checkout to use the app. -2. **Set up your connection.** In v0.10.0 and newer, the first-run wizard offers **ChatGPT sign-in** via Codex for AI clip finding with local transcription, an **OpenAI-compatible API** for separately billed analysis, **OpenRouter** for any model OpenRouter lists with one key, or **Local captions only** to caption a whole video without an AI connection. [Setup requirements and choices](docs/getting-started.md) are explained step by step. You can also explore the editor before setting up a connection. -3. **Import a video or paste a supported URL.** Choose **Find viral clips** to review suggested moments, or **Caption whole video** to make one captioned edit. Adjust the trim, captions and framing, then export an MP4. +1. **[Download the latest release](https://github.com/JeremySNR/cutawan/releases/latest).** Pick the Windows `.exe`, macOS `.dmg` (Apple Silicon) or Linux `.AppImage` under **Assets**. No Node.js, Python or Docker needed to start. +2. **Choose how the AI runs.** The first-run wizard offers **ChatGPT sign-in** (via Codex, with local transcription), an **OpenAI-compatible API key**, **OpenRouter** (any model it lists, including Claude and Gemini), or **Local captions only** with no AI connection at all. +3. **Import a video or paste a link.** Choose **Find viral clips** to review AI-suggested moments, or **Caption whole video** for one captioned vertical edit. Adjust trim, captions and framing, then export an MP4. + +
+Setup notes (ChatGPT/Codex route, macOS first launch, older builds) -The ChatGPT/Codex option is a beta integration with your plan's Codex allowance, not an included OpenAI API. It needs the Codex CLI signed in with ChatGPT and Python 3.10+; the wizard can install local faster-whisper and a speech model after you choose it. AI clip finding still needs either Codex or an API connection. Builds before v0.10.0 do not show the wizard; configure the connection in **Settings → General → AI connection** instead. +- The ChatGPT/Codex option is a beta integration with your plan's Codex allowance, not an included OpenAI API. It needs the Codex CLI signed in with ChatGPT and Python 3.10+; the wizard can install local faster-whisper and a speech model after you choose it. AI clip finding still needs either Codex or an API connection. +- The macOS download supports **Apple Silicon (M1 or newer)**. It is currently unsigned and not notarized, so macOS may require **System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway** after the first launch attempt. Intel Macs do not currently have a published installer. +- Builds before v0.10.0 do not show the wizard; configure the connection in **Settings → General → AI connection** instead. -The macOS download supports **Apple Silicon (M1 or newer)**. It is currently unsigned and not notarized, so macOS may require **System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway** after the first launch attempt. Intel Macs do not currently have a published installer. [Platform-specific install notes](docs/getting-started.md#install-the-app) cover the available builds. +[Setup requirements and choices](docs/getting-started.md) and [platform-specific install notes](docs/getting-started.md#install-the-app) are explained step by step. You can also explore the editor before setting up a connection. + +
## Why Cutawan instead of Opus Clip? -Opus Clip is great, but it costs a subscription, runs in the cloud, and uploads your footage. Cutawan is a free desktop app: connect an OpenAI-compatible API, use ChatGPT sign-in through Codex with local Whisper, or caption whole videos entirely locally. +Opus Clip is great, but it costs a subscription, runs in the cloud, and uploads your footage. Cutawan is a free desktop app: connect an OpenAI-compatible API or OpenRouter, use ChatGPT sign-in through Codex with local Whisper, or caption whole videos entirely locally. | | **Cutawan** | Opus Clip (and similar SaaS) | | ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | @@ -42,9 +52,11 @@ Opus Clip is great, but it costs a subscription, runs in the cloud, and uploads | Your footage | Stays on your machine. Speech can run locally; analysis sends transcripts and sampled frames to your chosen connection | Uploaded to their cloud | | Processing minutes | Unlimited | Capped per plan | | Watermark | Your own logo, or none | Removed on paid tiers | -| Models | Your choice (GPT-5 series, or the budget legacy option) | Theirs | +| Models | Your choice (OpenAI, or any OpenRouter model) | Theirs | | Extensible | Fork it, script it, PR it | Closed | +**Compared with other open-source clippers:** many are self-hosted web apps or Python scripts that need Docker or a Python environment, and often several API keys, before the first clip. Cutawan is a desktop installer with an in-app setup wizard, on-device active speaker detection, and a captions-only mode that needs no AI connection. The website keeps a [sourced comparison of open-source Opus Clip alternatives](https://cutawan.xyz/open-source-ai-video-clippers/). + On the default API route, a typical estimate is **~$0.36/hour of video** for Whisper transcription plus a few cents of LLM analysis with `gpt-5.4-mini`; actual API charges depend on usage and current pricing. The ChatGPT/Codex route uses plan allowance and local speech transcription instead. ## What it looks like