Improvement researches in coatings and geometries of the cutting tools are in constant discussion, although developments in new cutting tool substrate materials sector still have much to progress. Cemented carbide is, until today, the most used cutting tool material, but some exploration, mining and exports started to restrict this material. The concern about tungsten limitation opened the opportunity for new materials in several areas, which the tungsten was the state-of-the-art material. Niobium carbide is largely used as a second phase in cemented carbide as well, but, so far, not as the main carbide in cutting tools. Recent publications have shown the potential of this material. Some of the favorable properties cited are the chemical stability, comparable hardness at higher temperatures, no critical notifications on REACH, lower density, competitive tribological properties. Niobium carbide exhibited advantageous properties for cutting tool application. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the features of the cutting tool made of niobium carbide, which indicates its potential application as the main hard phase in cutting tool substrates. For comparison purpose, a commercial coated cemented carbide tool was used as the reference material. The study explored the fundamental features of the cutting tools that influences machining conditions, which include microstructure analysis, mechanical properties, coating adhesion, thickness evaluation and cutting wedge assessment. In parallel, machining experiments were performed for cutting conditions evaluation and cutting tool wear mechanisms assessment. The cutting tool analyses demonstrated some processing challenges that need to be overcome in NbC cutting tools. Large degree of porosity in NbC microstructure and poor interfacial adhesion between the coating and the substrate were observed. Tool life experiments also demonstrated such evidence, showing an abruption grown, caused by delamination, in tool wear curves in NbC cutting tool. Until the delamination occurs, the coated NbC cutting tool exhibited similar machining performance, even presenting the manufacturing problems. Through the NbC coated and uncoated tools comparison, the importance of the coating in tool life was highlighted. The uncoated cutting tool presented extremely high wear rate in all cutting speed, showing that the absence of coating in this tool is not suitable for cutting tool application. Although these experiments were performed in cutting tools in the beginning of the development of the NbC-based cutting tool substrate, a considerable potential could be observed.