DaVinci Resolve

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
DaVinci Resolve
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Australian company Blackmagic Design offers their video editing application DaVinci Resolve for a wide range of high quality ultra HD effects, render queue, and video uploading options among other features.
$0
Free
Pricing
DaVinci Resolve
Editions & Modules
DaVinci Resolve 17
$0.00
Free
DaVinci Resolve Studio 17
$295.00
perpetual license
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
DaVinci Resolve
Free Trial
No
Free/Freemium Version
No
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
No
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
DaVinci Resolve
Considered Both Products
DaVinci Resolve
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Adobe Premiere Pro is now a subscription-based software. The yearly cost is fairly high and keeps increasing. There is no option to pay once, you keep paying as long as you want to use it. I have been able to do everything I want/need to do in DaVinci Resolve, with no cost for …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I learned so much from this instructional exercise, and I appreciated how the educator is an expert all-day colorist. The section on sound reduction was particularly instructive. I noticed a few inconsistencies between certain methodologies in this instructional exercise and …
Chose DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci has been our preferred tool versus Adobe Premiere. One reason is that its cleaner interface helps make learning easier. Secondly, it handles work on audio components absolutely way better than Adobe does. Thirdly, the features that come with the free version of DaVinci …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
We attempted to give Resolve a chance. Never again
Chose DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve has a comparable learning curve to the other video editing platforms that I have used. I like the DaVinci Resolve allows me to export videos for free and without a watermark, and still has just as many features as Adobe Premiere. It definitely renders faster …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I am selecting this for cool transitions, effects, and titles. I can export my files to any of the formats such as mp4, mov, mpeg, etc. DaVinci Resolve workspace is very easy to use. I can edit the video in very easy steps with sound, effect, color touch-up, and HDR Grading.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
It is very easy to use rather than the other professional tools. Can handle with an easy layout of each tool.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
It has a free version that is very complete. It lets everyone on the team use a lot of very good tools for video editing that would be very expensive while using other solutions that are equally excellent but not as generous. The cost is a very good reason but not the only one, …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I believe DaVinci Resolve is doing a great job facing Premiere Pro.
First it's free but still really complete and lets you do a LOT of [different] things.
It's also have many good options or effects.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Davinci Resolve is MUCH cheaper than Adobe's video tools, but is harder to learn and lacks the rest of Adobe's image editing and design tools. Pricing is comparable to Final Cut Pro X, but Final Cut is Mac-only, and you have to purchase motion graphics and compression tools …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Whereas Cubase and Ableton are great for writing music (my primary job), Resolve is perfect for recording dialogue and editing together an entire timeline for a show. The post tools that are included are top-notch, and if you've ever used a DAW before, DaVinci Resolve will feel …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro are similar, but in leagues of their own. We often use both products interchangeably as they can certainly complement one another. Overall, because of the more intuitive workflow for finalizing and coloring a video in DaVinci Resolve, we …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Adobe Premier Pro is a great software suit that provides a comprehensive suit of complementing video production features. Whilst it is one of the stand-out products world wide, it comes with a steep price tag, whereas Da Vinci Resolve is priced more favorably.

Final Cut Pro X is …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
For a small business, DaVinci's price point (free / $300) makes it a strong competitor to Adobe Premiere. FCP costs roughly the same, but then DaVinci's color correction is better. If you do not need all the color correction options, then even the free version could be an option.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I've also used Adobe Speedgrade and the built-in color correction capabilities within Adobe Premiere. Neither one of those are as robust or perform to the caliber that DaVinci Resolve does. It is on the next level in terms of color correction and creating a high-quality look …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a fantastic free option. For a while, we utilized DaVinci Resolve as our primary video editing software as it allowed us to produce high-quality videos for our marketing and services with low start-up cost. However, as our needs progressed, we eventually made …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
DaVinci Resolve
Small Businesses
Descript
Descript
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
iMovie
iMovie
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro
Score 9.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
DaVinci Resolve
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(20 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
9.9
(3 ratings)
Support Rating
1.4
(5 ratings)
User Testimonials
DaVinci Resolve
Likelihood to Recommend
Blackmagic Design
I learned so much from this instructional exercise, and I appreciated how the educator is an expert all-day colorist. The section on sound reduction was particularly instructive. I noticed a few inconsistencies between certain methodologies in this instructional exercise and approaches suggested in the Advanced Color Grading in Resolve 15 instructional exercise (e.g., where to place sound reduction in the hub tree), but this is to be expected given that there is no one right way to do any of this. I also learned a lot about Resolve's "Restoration" modules for working with authentic film. This instructional exercise will come up again and again in my work.
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Pros
Blackmagic Design
  • Comprehensive - It has video editing, motion graphics, audio, and export tools in one package. It's probably more than most people need, but you don't have to use all of the tools.
  • Platform and format agnostic - I like that I can work on projects on Mac or PC, and there are regular updates for new codecs and cameras. You can edit pretty much any format with no compatibility worries.
  • Price - They offer a free version which has most of the functionality. It's a great way to try before you buy and learn the tools. The final price is only $300 per license for the full product. It's a bargain for everything you get, and you don't feel like you're not getting your money's worth, even if you don't use all of the tools.
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Cons
Blackmagic Design
  • Some areas of Resolve can leave inexperienced users feeling a bit handicapped. Multiple user sign-ins can be confusing, and determining where to place the database of users might need troubleshooting. The exporting workflow is a bit finicky and will need to be learned to use for even simple capabilities.
  • Resolve is not friendly on a single screen editing workflow, and even worse on a laptop. Ideally, an editor has multiple screens in the first place, but because a colorist needs to see scopes and monitor, handling both on the same screen, along with all tools is a challenge. This software is best with more screens.
  • While the NLE capability of Resolve makes for a quick editing workspace, my little experience with it leads me to the conclusion that unless someone desires a completely free alternative to other NLE software, Resolve is not your best friend. Other programs are better.
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Usability
Blackmagic Design
Da Vinci Resolve is up there amongst the big, professional video editing packages like Apple's FinalCutPro and Adobe Premier Pro. To just be included in this league, the package needs to have a plethora of features that the common man does not need. In essence, this overwhelming amount of features makes the product tricky to learn, but once you have the hang of it, it is a dream.
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Support Rating
Blackmagic Design
Not only do they have classes available in Los Angeles, but they'll also allow you to work from home with the manual and demo materials, and then let you test out to get a certification. They get back to you quickly when you email, and they've got a "family" approach to customer service, they make you feel like you're important to them.
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Alternatives Considered
Blackmagic Design
It has a free version that is very complete. It lets everyone on the team use a lot of very good tools for video editing that would be very expensive while using other solutions that are equally excellent but not as generous. The cost is a very good reason but not the only one, the software is actually really good.
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Return on Investment
Blackmagic Design
  • Bringing all our video development inhouse has helped us save over $9,000 annually. And a huge part of doing it successfully has been because of DaVinci Resolve.
  • In our first year, we pivoted between DaVinci and Adobe for which would be our primary video production software. The results of both test runs showed that DaVinci needed half the total time investment needed to take a novice through training to completing their first major project when compared to Premiere.
  • DaVinci's hardware requirements were higher than what we mostly had, so we have had to invest more in better equipment to be able to execute. But overall, it's still a significant positive net return when we consider how much we have saved and earned directly as a result.
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