DaVinci Resolve vs Final Cut Pro Comparison 2026
Both cover video editing. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
Edit, colour and audio post in one app
Apple's editor, bought once or monthly
At a glance
- Final Cut Pro starts cheaper, at $12.99.
- Only DaVinci Resolve has a free tier.
Side by side
DaVinci Resolve | Final Cut Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $295 | From $12.99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Free trial, then paid |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing (they differ) | One-time purchase | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | Not stated | 30 days |
| API | Not stated |
DaVinci Resolve
Edit, colour and audio post in one app
DaVinci Resolve is the free version of the software a great many films are finished on, carrying editing, colour correction, visual effects and audio post in one application. The free build is not a trial and does not watermark what it exports. Studio costs $295 once and adds the neural engine features, better noise reduction and higher frame rates. The learning curve is the real price of admission.
Our note
The free version is more capable than most paid editors, and the only real cost is the time it takes to learn. Buy Studio when a specific feature blocks you rather than up front.
Only on this side
- Covers motion graphics & animation
Final Cut Pro
Apple's editor, bought once or monthly
Final Cut Pro cuts video on Mac and iPad with the magnetic timeline that people either move to it for or bounce off, and it is tuned hard for Apple silicon, which is why it renders quickly on machines that struggle elsewhere. Apple now sells it two ways: inside a subscription bundle alongside Motion, Compressor and Logic Pro, or as the one-time purchase it has always been. The subscription is where new premium content lands. Nothing here runs on Windows, and no project opens anywhere else.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.