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The DaVinci Resolve Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about DaVinci Resolve in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

DaVinci Resolve

The Insider’s Guide

Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among screen recording and video tools, read from DaVinci Resolve’s own pages.

Made by Blackmagic Design · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from DaVinci Resolve’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DaVinci Resolve’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.4

GPA, above 51 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade

DaVinci Resolve is Blackmagic Design's post-production application. It combines video editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics and audio in one program, and version 21 adds a page for still photos. The free version covers most 8-bit work up to Ultra HD at 60fps, and the paid Studio version adds AI tools, extra effects and higher-end formats. It runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, with a separate app for iPad.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about DaVinci Resolve, taken from its own pages and our grades.

  1. 1

    Best for serious editing and color work without a subscription

    Color and effects are node-based, so expect a learning curve, and there's no phone app or browser version.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $94.99 for Studio on iPad (in-app purchase); $295 for the desktop Studio license.

  3. 3

    There is a 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.

  4. 4

    It runs on 4 platforms

    macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS.

  5. 5

    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.

  6. 6

    Color page

    Node-based color correction with primary sliders, qualifiers, PowerWindows, trackers and HDR grading tools. HDR grading is in the free version.

  7. 7

    Fusion effects and motion graphics

    A node-based compositor in a 3D workspace for visual effects, animated 2D and 3D titles and particle systems.

  8. 8

    A 3.4 GPA, above 51 of 52

    That is against the other screen recording and video tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    To replace DaVinci Resolve you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

DaVinci Resolve at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $94.99 for Studio on iPad (in-app purchase); $295 for the desktop Studio license
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS
Made by
Blackmagic Design
Category
Screen Recording & Video
Our grade
3.4 GPA, very good
Store rating
4.5 on the App Store, 2,961 ratings

The report card

Best for serious editing and color work without a subscription

DaVinci Resolve is an editor with color, visual effects and audio in the same app, and the free version handles nearly all 8-bit video up to Ultra HD at 60fps. 10-bit video, 120fps, text-based editing and the AI tools need Studio at $295. Color and effects are node-based, so expect a learning curve, and there's no phone app or browser version.

ToolGPA report cardDaVinci ResolveGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyBStudio is $295 for a license, which is a shade over two years of this category's $10 middle, so it misses the top marks on the sum alone. But 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.
Free plan and trialAThe 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.
FeaturesATwo 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.
Ease of useB4.54 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.
Platforms and integrationsBMac, 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.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.4

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who DaVinci Resolve is for

  • 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

Who it is not for

  • 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 $295
  • 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

Good to know

Good for

  • Editors and colorists who want editing, color, effects and audio in one app
  • Learning professional post-production tools on the free version
  • Teams working on the same project through Blackmagic Cloud

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$94.99

To start. There is a free plan too

DaVinci Resolve has a free plan. Paid plans start at $94.99 for Studio on iPad (in-app purchase); $295 for the desktop Studio license.

Shoot on a phone or a consumer camera and you never meet a wall.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • 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

    $295

    to buy a license; no subscription period is listed

    Adds the DaVinci AI Neural Engine, more Resolve FX, noise reduction, text-based editing, 10-bit video up to 120fps and resolutions beyond 4K.

The 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.

Read from blackmagicdesign.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Other savings

    Studio key included with editing hardware

    The DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor ($435) and Editor Keyboard ($669) both list a DaVinci Resolve Studio activation key under What's Included.

    Stated on blackmagicdesign.com

How its prices have moved

  • Jul 1, 2022DaVinci Resolve Studio: $299 to buy a license → $295 to buy a licenseThe archived product page of 1 July 2022 prices Studio at $295 under "Buy Online Now"; the copy of 3 July 2020 says in its own words that Studio "is only $299". The cut fell between the two copies.

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for “DaVinci Resolve Studio”, against $94.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

CountryPrice thereIn dollarsAgainst the US
Canada$129.99$91.37about the same
Philippines₱ 5,990.00$95.35about the same
Turkey₺4.999,99$101.687% more
India₹ 9,900$102.358% more
Germany99,99 €$112.0518% more
BrazilR$ 599,90$119.8626% more
South AfricaR1,999.99$120.9727% more
United Kingdom£99.99$132.1939% more

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

4

Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS

Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, AI features, real-time collaboration, noise cancellation, video editing.

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.
From our grade for features
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.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • iOS

What it works with

  • Blackmagic Cloud
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
  • X
  • Final Cut Pro
  • Adobe Premiere Pro
  • Media Composer

Who makes DaVinci Resolve

Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd. is an Australian maker of digital film cameras, broadcast hardware and post-production software. DaVinci Resolve is given away free, and the company earns its money from the paid Studio licence and from the hardware it sells alongside it.

Founded
2001forbes.com
Based
Melbourne, Australiaforbes.com
Ownership
Privately held. Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd. names no parent on its own site, and Forbes says Grant Petty cofounded it in a Melbourne garage in 2001 with software engineer Doug Clarke and still runs it.forbes.com
Founders and leaders
Partner program
Developer Partnerships: Blackmagic says it works with technology companies such as Apple, Adobe and HP, and asks anyone wanting to partner to write to developer support through a form. No commercial terms are given.blackmagicdesign.com
Lately
Follow

Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

51/52

Other screen recording and video tools it is graded above

DaVinci Resolve's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 51 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 1.

It stands best on features (A, above 51 of 52) and worst on platforms and integrations (B, above 15).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 53 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. DaVinci Resolve’s own letter is outlined.

  • BValue for moneyAbove 31 of 52
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 46 of 52
  • AFeaturesAbove 51 of 52
  • BEase of useAbove 20 of 52
  • BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 15 of 52

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace DaVinci Resolve you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.4 is higher than 51 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade.

What you could not

  • A video editor.
  • Audio cleaned up live as you speak.
  • Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS that stay in step with each other.
  • Several people working in it at the same moment.
  • It plugs into other products, Blackmagic Cloud, YouTube and Vimeo among them.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. DaVinci Resolve’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Wondershare Filmora, CapCut and iMovie

The 5 tools DaVinci Resolve is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.6GPA

    Adobe Premiere

    Free plan · from $22.99/mo

    Professional video editor for desktop, with a free mobile app.

    • Only DaVinci Resolve lists a Linux app.
    • Only Adobe Premiere lists an Android app.
    • DaVinci Resolve can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere compared in full
  • 2.0GPA

    Final Cut Pro

    Free trial · from $12.99/mo

    Apple's professional video editor for Mac and iPad.

    • DaVinci Resolve has a free plan. Final Cut Pro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only DaVinci Resolve lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • DaVinci Resolve also covers noise cancellation.
    DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    Wondershare Filmora

    Free plan · from $49.99/yr

    Desktop and mobile video editor with AI tools and a stock library.

    • Only DaVinci Resolve lists a Linux app.
    • Only Wondershare Filmora lists an Android app.
    • Wondershare Filmora also covers transcription, templates and screen recording.
    DaVinci Resolve and Wondershare Filmora compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    CapCut

    Free plan · from $9.99/mo

    Video and photo editor with effects, auto captions and AI tools.

    • Only DaVinci Resolve lists a Linux app.
    • Only CapCut lists an Android app.
    • DaVinci Resolve can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    DaVinci Resolve and CapCut compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    iMovie

    Free

    Apple's free video editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

    • Only DaVinci Resolve lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • DaVinci Resolve can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • DaVinci Resolve also covers noise cancellation.
    DaVinci Resolve and iMovie compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

12

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is DaVinci Resolve free?

DaVinci Resolve has a 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.

How much does DaVinci Resolve cost?

DaVinci Resolve lists 3 plans. DaVinci Resolve: $0.

What platforms does DaVinci Resolve work on?

DaVinci Resolve is available on macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS.

Does DaVinci Resolve offer any discounts?

DaVinci Resolve publicly lists the following: Studio key included with editing hardware.

How is DaVinci Resolve rated?

DaVinci Resolve's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2,961 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Does DaVinci Resolve have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. DaVinci Resolve is listed for macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS.

Is DaVinci Resolve open source?

DaVinci Resolve is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

What does DaVinci Resolve integrate with?

DaVinci Resolve's listing names Blackmagic Cloud, YouTube, Vimeo, X, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Media Composer.

Who makes DaVinci Resolve?

DaVinci Resolve is made by Blackmagic Design. Blackmagic Design Pty.

What are the alternatives to DaVinci Resolve?

The closest alternatives to DaVinci Resolve in our directory are Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Wondershare Filmora, CapCut and iMovie.

How does DaVinci Resolve compare with other screen recording and video tools?

DaVinci Resolve's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 51 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 1.

Could I make my own version of DaVinci Resolve?

To replace DaVinci Resolve you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DaVinci Resolve’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Blackmagic Design's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-15.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Blackmagic Design. Prices change, so check blackmagicdesign.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "DaVinci Resolve: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/davinci-resolve

Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/davinci-resolve/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded screen recording and video tools after DaVinci Resolve, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

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Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what DaVinci Resolve’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. DaVinci Resolve is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Blackmagic Design. Prices and plans change: check blackmagicdesign.com before you buy.