DaVinci Resolve vs Shotcut (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, DaVinci Resolve grades higher than Shotcut: 3.4 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
DaVinci Resolve grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Shotcut grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
DaVinci Resolve
Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app
Which one is for you
Pick DaVinci Resolve if
- Fits if you want editing, color, effects and audio in one app
- Works for learning professional post-production tools without paying, on the free version
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you only trim clips for social media, as this is a full post-production suite with a learning curve
- Not for you if you shoot 10-bit video or 120fps and won't pay, since those need Studio
- Pricey if you only want magic mask or voice isolation, because the AI tools are in Studio at $236, a cut from $295 with no end date given
- Watch out: text-based editing and AI noise reduction are Studio only, and Studio on iPad is a separate $94.99
- Not for you if you want to edit on a phone or in a browser, as neither is offered
Pick Shotcut if
- Fits if you want a no-cost editor for Windows, Mac or Linux and don't mind learning a timeline
- Works for people who edit offline and don't want a subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want templates, AI captions or one-click social videos, as the features page lists no AI tools
- Not for you if you work in a team on the same project, since there's no cloud collaboration
- Too light for people who rely on VST2 or LV2 audio plugins, which are still work in progress
- Watch out: Windows 7 and 8 stop at version 22.12.21 and macOS 11 and earlier get older builds
How we grade them
| 3.4GPADaVinci ResolveVery good | 2.8GPAShotcutGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BStudio is $236 for a license, shown as cut from $295 with no end date, which is just under two years of this category's $10 middle. It's paid once against rivals who rent at $22.99 a month, and plenty of people never need it. On iPad the upgrade is $94.99. | AFree to download, with no paid tier. A program anyone can download and run counts as free. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe free version does editing, colour, Fusion effects and Fairlight audio for 8-bit formats up to Ultra HD at 60fps, with HDR grading and multi-user collaboration included. Shoot on a phone or a consumer camera and you never meet a wall. | ANothing is locked: no trial, no watermark and no paid tier on the page. |
| Features | ATwo editing pages, node-based colour correction, a 3D compositor for effects and titles, and audio with up to 2,000 tracks, all in one program. No rival in this category puts a proper compositor and a full audio suite in the editor, and the whole team can work on one project at once. | CTimeline editing, 4K, capture, audio filters and subtitles, but the features page lists no AI tools or cloud collaboration, and VST2 and LV2 plugin support is still work in progress. |
| Ease of use | B4.54 from about 3,000 App Store ratings for the iPad app. The cut page is built for quick turnarounds, which helps, but colour and effects are node-based and that takes learning if simple editors are all you've used. | CNo store rating on record. A full timeline editor has a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows and Linux plus a separate iPad app, and it trades projects with Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and Media Composer. No phone app and no browser version, so not the full set. | CWindows, Mac and Linux, which counts as computers only. No web or phone version. |
| Best for | serious editing and color work without a subscription | a free desktop video editor |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut. How we grade
Where they differ
- DaVinci Resolve can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Shotcut is open source, according to its own site.
- DaVinci Resolve also covers noise cancellation.
- Shotcut also covers screen recording.
At a glance
| DaVinci Resolve | Shotcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $94.99 for Studio on iPad (in-app purchase); $236 for desktop Studio (was $295) | Free |
| Free plan | The free version works with nearly all 8-bit video formats at up to 60fps and Ultra HD 3840 x 2160, and includes multi-user collaboration and HDR grading. | Free and open source, with downloads offered at no charge and no paid tier listed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Blackmagic Design | Meltytech, LLC |
| Price read from | blackmagicdesign.com | shotcut.org |
| Checked | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
DaVinci Resolve
- The free version stops at 8-bit formats, 60fps and Ultra HD 3840 x 2160; 10-bit video, 120fps and higher resolutions need Studio.
- The DaVinci AI Neural Engine tools, temporal and AI spatial noise reduction and text-based editing are in Studio only.
- The App Store version is for iPad, where Studio is a $94.99 in-app purchase; no browser version is listed.
- Rental licenses for Studio are described for companies using Blackmagic Cloud Organizations; individuals buy a license.
Shotcut
- Windows 7 and 8 users are limited to version 22.12.21, and macOS 11 and earlier to older builds.
- VST2 and LV2 audio plugin support is listed as work in progress.
- Versions are numbered by date and new releases arrive about every two months.
- The features page lists no built-in AI tools or cloud collaboration.
Key features
DaVinci Resolve
- Cut and edit pages
- Two editing workspaces: the cut page for fast turnarounds and multicam work, and the edit page with a traditional track layout, trimming tools and subtitles.
- Color page
- Node-based color correction with primary sliders, qualifiers, PowerWindows, trackers and HDR grading tools. HDR grading is in the free version.
- Fusion effects and motion graphics
- A node-based compositor in a 3D workspace for visual effects, animated 2D and 3D titles and particle systems.
- Fairlight audio
- Audio post-production with up to 2,000 tracks, ADR and Foley tools, and effects such as reverb, de-esser, hum remover and AI Voice Isolation.
- Multi-user collaboration
- Editors, colorists, effects artists and sound engineers can work on the same project at once, with projects hosted through Blackmagic Cloud.
- DaVinci AI Neural Engine
- Studio-only AI tools including magic mask, smart reframe, Super Scale upscaling, speed warp retiming and object removal.
Shotcut
- Wide format support
- Edits hundreds of audio and video formats through FFmpeg without importing, and mixes resolutions and frame rates on one timeline.
- Capture
- Records screen, webcam and audio, and takes input from Blackmagic Design SDI and HDMI devices, JACK and Pulse audio and network streams.
- High-end video
- Handles 4K and 8K, 10-bit end to end, HDR10 and HLG, alpha-channel files and tone mapping from HDR to SDR.
- Audio filters
- Includes scopes, volume control and filters such as compressor, equalizers, noise gate, limiter and RNNoise noise reduction.
- Subtitles and export
- Creates and imports SRT, VTT, ASS and SSA subtitles, and exports EDL, single frames and image sequences.
- Dockable interface
- Panels for playlist, filters, history, encoding and jobs can be docked or undocked, with drag-and-drop from the file manager.
Plans
DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve$0
Editing, color, Fusion effects and Fairlight audio for 8-bit formats up to 60fps and Ultra HD, with multi-user collaboration and HDR grading.
DaVinci Resolve Studio for iPad$94.99
in-app purchase on iPad; billing period not shown
Upgrade inside the free iPad app that adds DaVinci AI Neural Engine tools such as magic mask, smart reframe and voice isolation.
DaVinci Resolve Studio$236
to buy a license; no subscription period is listed
Shown as Now $236, Was $295, with no end date. Adds the DaVinci AI Neural Engine, more Resolve FX, noise reduction, text-based editing and 10-bit up to 120fps.
Shotcut
Shotcut$0
The full editor, free to download for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Ways to pay less
DaVinci Resolve
- Other savings
Studio key included with editing hardware
The DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor ($349, shown down from $435) and Editor Keyboard ($535, down from $669) both list a DaVinci Resolve Studio activation key under What's Included.
Shotcut
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, DaVinci Resolve or Shotcut?
As of Nov 12, 2026, DaVinci Resolve starts at $94.99 for Studio on iPad (in-app purchase); $236 for desktop Studio (was $295), and Shotcut is free.
Which has a free plan, DaVinci Resolve or Shotcut?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut have a free plan.
Which platforms do DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only DaVinci Resolve lists an iOS app. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.