MAGIX Video Pro X vs PowerDirector (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PowerDirector grades higher than MAGIX Video Pro X: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PowerDirector grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MAGIX Video Pro X
Windows video editor with HDR color grading and audio tools
PowerDirector
Desktop video editor with AI tools, subscription or one-time
Which one is for you
Pick MAGIX Video Pro X if
- Fits if you edit on Windows and want to pay once
- Works for people who care about colour grading and audio
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as the vendor lists Windows only
- Watch out: the sale prices have no end date, and list prices are $199.99 for Classic and $239.99 for Ultimate
- Watch out: Ultimate adds more AI credits and stock downloads, so some AI work draws on credits
- Watch out: plug-ins and add-ons can be activated on one device only
- Tight if you want a trial, as its length is not stated
Pick PowerDirector if
- Fits if you edit on a Windows or Mac and want AI help with captions and cleanup
- Works for people who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want regular updates and the one-time license, since 2027 doesn't get them
- Tight if you use a lot of AI, as credits are metered: 100 a month on 365
- Watch out: premium stock beyond 30 downloads a month needs a separate plan
- Watch out: the page showed a time-limited promotion, so the regular prices are the struck-through ones
- Not for you if you want to edit in a browser, since there's no web version
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMAGIX Video Pro XFair | 2.8GPAPowerDirectorGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$139.99 one-time for Classic on sale, $199.99 list, against about $168 for a year of the category's middle subscription. | BPowerDirector 365 is $79.99 a year, about $6.67 a month, inside the cheaper quarter. The one-time 2027 license is $139.99, and the page showed a promotion ending 15 November. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free trial is offered but its length is not shown. | BA free Essential version with no time limit and core editing, though advanced AI and some export options are restricted. |
| Features | BColour grading, offline AI voice-overs and subtitles, face recognition, audio editing and wide format support. | BMulti-track editing with keyframes, captions, AI cleanup and a stock library. The listing's gaps sit in extras: premium stock beyond 30 downloads a month costs more. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and a full timeline editor has a learning curve. | CNo store rating on record, and a timeline editor has a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows 11 or 10 only; no Mac, phone or web version. | BWindows, Mac and Android, with Getty and Meta sound libraries. No browser version. |
| Best for | HDR grading and audio work on Windows | a desktop video editor with AI tools |
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: MAGIX Video Pro X and PowerDirector. How we grade
Where they differ
- PowerDirector also covers transcription, noise cancellation and video generation.
At a glance
| MAGIX Video Pro X | PowerDirector | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $139.99 for a new licence of Video Pro X18, one-time | $79.99 per year |
| Free plan | None | PowerDirector Essential: free with no time limit, core editing and basic AI; advanced AI and some export options are restricted. |
| Free trial | A free trial is offered on the product page; its length is not shown. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MAGIX Software GmbH | CyberLink Corp. |
| Price read from | magix.com | cyberlink.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MAGIX Video Pro X
- Windows 11 or 10 only; the vendor lists no Mac version.
- The page shows sale prices with no end date; the list prices are $199.99 for Classic and $239.99 for Ultimate.
- Plug-ins and add-ons can only be activated on one device.
- Ultimate adds more AI credits and stock downloads, so some AI features draw on credits.
PowerDirector
- The pricing page showed a time-limited promotion ending November 15; the plan prices here are the regular ones shown struck through.
- The monthly-billing price sits behind the Monthly toggle and was not readable; the 365 prices recorded are annual.
- The one-time 2027 license does not get regular updates or new content.
- Premium stock beyond 30 downloads a month needs an Unlimited Premium Stock Content Plan.
Key features
MAGIX Video Pro X
- Color grading
- Adjust color, contrast and exposure with HDR tools, LUTs and curves, with 8K and HDR support.
- Offline AI voiceovers and subtitles
- New in X18: voiceovers and subtitles are generated on the local PC without using AI credits.
- AI face recognition
- Finds and groups matching faces across the media library to make people and shots easier to locate.
- Audio editing
- Adds more tools than Video deluxe for cleaning up and balancing audio and building complex mixes.
- Extended format support
- Works with a wider range of professional formats and codecs, and uses the GPU to speed up work.
PowerDirector
- Timeline editing
- Multi-track editing with keyframes, multi-cam, color matching and audio cleanup.
- Agentic Editor and Auto Edit
- Describe a video in text, or upload up to 100 clips for an automatic first cut.
- Generative AI
- Text and image to video, AI music and character motion, paid from AI credits.
- Captions and speech
- Auto captions, transcript-based editing, text to speech and voice profiles.
- AI cleanup
- Object and background removal, enhancement and audio denoise.
- Stock library
- Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection; 365 gives 30 premium downloads a month.
Plans
MAGIX Video Pro X
Classic$139.99
one-time, new licence ($99.99 upgrade)
Video Pro X18. Shown as 30% off a $199.99 list price in a limited-time offer with no end date; upgrade shown at 50% off.
Ultimate$179.99
one-time, new licence ($149.99 upgrade)
Classic plus proDAD add-ons, Cinema LUTs, content packs and more AI credits. Shown as 25% off $239.99.
PowerDirector
PowerDirector Essential$0
Free version with core editing tools and basic AI features.
PowerDirector 2027$139.99
one-time, perpetual license
Core AI and GenAI features, 4K export, 500 AI credits valid one year and 25 GB cloud storage for one year; no regular feature updates.
PowerDirector 365$79.99
per year
Annual plan with monthly updates, 100 AI credits a month, stock library and 50 GB cloud storage. The page showed $69.99 ($5.83 a month) during a promotion.
Director Suite$149.99
per year
PowerDirector 365 plus PhotoDirector 365 and AudioDirector 365, 250 AI credits a month, 100 GB storage. Showed $125.99 ($10.50 a month) during a promotion.
Ways to pay less
MAGIX Video Pro X
No public discounts listed.
PowerDirector
- Other savings
Limited-time discount through November 15
The pricing page showed $69.99 a year on 365 and $125.99 on Director Suite under a banner ending November 15.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MAGIX Video Pro X or PowerDirector?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MAGIX Video Pro X starts at $139.99 for a new licence of Video Pro X18, one-time, and PowerDirector starts at $79.99 per year.
Which has a free plan, MAGIX Video Pro X or PowerDirector?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PowerDirector has a free plan. MAGIX Video Pro X does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do MAGIX Video Pro X and PowerDirector run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PowerDirector lists macOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows app. 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.