Final Cut Pro
Apple's professional video editor for Mac and iPad
- #2 of 10 in best video editing software
- One-time purchase
- macOSiPadOS
Ranked 2 of 10 in best video editing software
Strong on Apple silicon, with ProRes acceleration and a one-time price on the App Store. It runs only on Mac and iPad, so Windows and Linux editors fall outside its reach.
Best for Mac editing with ProRes performance
About Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is built for Apple silicon. According to Apple's page, its Media Engine accelerates ProRes playback and export, and the Neural Engine helps with object tracking. The site also describes motion graphics, 2D and 3D titles and a set of royalty-free graphics and models that come with the app. It works with Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro inside Creator Studio.
Final Cut Pro runs only on macOS and iPadOS, so editors on Windows and Linux need another program such as DaVinci Resolve, Shotcut or Kdenlive. The one-time App Store price suits people who want to avoid a subscription. Apple offers a free trial, and no free tier is listed.
Key features
- ProRes acceleration on Apple silicon
- Motion graphics and titles
- Object tracking
- Creator Studio bundle
- iPad version
Strengths
- Media Engine speeds up ProRes on Apple silicon
- One-time purchase on the Mac App Store
Limits
- Limited to Apple devices
Where Final Cut Pro ranks
How Final Cut Pro compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
#1 DaVinci Resolve | 93.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | macOSWindowsLinux |
| #2Final Cut Pro | 90.5 | One-time purchase | macOSiPadOS |
#3 Adobe Premiere Pro | 87.5 | Subscription | WindowsmacOS |
#4 Shotcut | 86.5 | Free and open source | WindowsmacOSLinux |
| #5Avid Media Composer | 86.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | WindowsmacOS |
The full comparison table for best video editing software has all 10 products.
Alternatives to Final Cut Pro
All 9 alternatives- DaVinci ResolveHas a free option; also runs on Windows, Linux.
- Adobe Premiere ProAlso runs on Windows.
- ShotcutHas a free option; is open source; also runs on Windows, Linux.
- Avid Media ComposerHas a free option; also runs on Windows.
KdenliveHas a free option; is open source; also runs on Linux, Windows.
LightworksHas a free option; also runs on Windows, Linux.
Questions about Final Cut Pro
- Is Final Cut Pro free?
- Final Cut Pro is a paid product (one-time purchase). One-time purchase on the Mac App Store; also part of Apple Creator Studio.
- Is Final Cut Pro open source?
- No. Final Cut Pro is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does Final Cut Pro support?
- Final Cut Pro is available on: macOS, iPadOS.
- What is Final Cut Pro best for?
- Mac editing with ProRes performance. In our ranking of video editing software it is number 2 of 10 with a score of 90.5.
- What are the best alternatives to Final Cut Pro?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro, Shotcut, Avid Media Composer.
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Articles that mention Final Cut Pro
All articles- Comparisons · 5 min readDaVinci Resolve vs Adobe Premiere Pro: Which Video Editor Fits You?DaVinci Resolve offers a free editor with color grading and audio, while Premiere Pro is a subscription timeline editor tied to Adobe apps. Compare the two.
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- Roundups · 6 min readFree alternatives to Adobe Creative Cloud, app by appFree and open-source replacements for Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and Acrobat, with the gaps and free-plan limits to expect.
