The PowerDirector Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about PowerDirector 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.
PowerDirector
The Insider’s Guide
Desktop video editor with AI tools, subscription or one-time
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among screen recording and video tools, read from PowerDirector’s own pages.
Made by CyberLink Corp. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from PowerDirector’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on PowerDirector’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 65 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade
PowerDirector is CyberLink's video editor for Windows and macOS, with multi-track timeline editing and AI features such as auto captions, object removal and AI video generation. It is sold as a PowerDirector 365 subscription or as a one-time PowerDirector 2027 license, with a free Essential version.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about PowerDirector, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A free Essential version exists, but AI credits are metered and the one-time license gets no regular updates.
- 1
Best for a desktop video editor with AI tools
PowerDirector is CyberLink's video editor for Windows and Mac, with AI tools for captions, object removal and video generation.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6.67 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $79.99 per year.
- 3
There is a free plan
PowerDirector Essential: free with no time limit, core editing and basic AI; advanced AI and some export options are restricted.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Android.
- 5
Timeline editing
Multi-track editing with keyframes, multi-cam, color matching and audio cleanup.
- 6
Agentic Editor and Auto Edit
Describe a video in text, or upload up to 100 clips for an automatic first cut.
- 7
Generative AI
Text and image to video, AI music and character motion, paid from AI credits.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 65 of 84
That is against the other screen recording and video tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace PowerDirector you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
PowerDirector at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $79.99 per year
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Android
- Made by
- CyberLink Corp.
- Category
- Screen Recording & Video
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a desktop video editor with AI tools
PowerDirector is CyberLink's video editor for Windows and Mac, with AI tools for captions, object removal and video generation. A free Essential version exists, but AI credits are metered and the one-time license gets no regular updates.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | PowerDirector 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 | B | A free Essential version with no time limit and core editing, though advanced AI and some export options are restricted. |
| Features | B | Multi-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 | C | No store rating on record, and a timeline editor has a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac and Android, with Getty and Meta sound libraries. No browser version. |
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 PowerDirector is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Home and hobby editors who want a one-time license
- Creators who want AI editing tools on a desktop timeline
- Editors who prefer a free tier before paying
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6.67
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
PowerDirector has a free plan. Paid plans start at $79.99 per year.
A free Essential version with no time limit and core editing, though advanced AI and some export options are restricted.
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.
The free plan
PowerDirector Essential: free with no time limit, core editing and basic AI; advanced AI and some export options are restricted.
Read from cyberlink.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on cyberlink.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Android
Desktop video editor with AI tools, subscription or one-time. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, AI features, transcription, noise cancellation, video editing, video generation, text to speech.
Multi-track editing with keyframes, captions, AI cleanup and a stock library.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Android
What it works with
- Getty Images
- Meta Sound Collection
PowerDirector is made by CyberLink Corp.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
65/84
Other screen recording and video tools it is graded above
PowerDirector's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 65 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 66 of 84) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $6.67 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 15 of the 62 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 85 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. PowerDirector’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 56 of 84
- BFree plan and trialAbove 66 of 84
- BFeaturesAbove 49 of 84
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 84
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 84
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 71 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. PowerDirector is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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 PowerDirector 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 2.8 is higher than 65 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade. It costs $79.99 a year.
What you could not
- A video editor.
- A voice model, which you can rent by the minute but not make.
- Audio cleaned up live as you speak.
- A video model, which you can rent by the second but not make.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Android that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. PowerDirector’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
Wondershare Filmora, Camtasia, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve and Vegas Pro
The 5 tools PowerDirector is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Wondershare Filmora
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Desktop and mobile video editor with AI tools and a stock library.
- Only Wondershare Filmora lists an iOS app.
- PowerDirector also covers video generation and text to speech.
- Wondershare Filmora also covers templates and screen recording.
- 2.4GPA
Camtasia
Free plan · from $39/yr
Screen recorder and video editor for tutorials and training videos.
- Only PowerDirector lists an Android app.
- Only Camtasia lists a web app.
- PowerDirector can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Adobe Premiere
Free plan · from $22.99/mo
Professional video editor for desktop, with a free mobile app.
- Only Adobe Premiere lists an iOS app.
- PowerDirector can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PowerDirector also covers video generation and text to speech.
- 3.4GPA
DaVinci Resolve
Free plan · from $94.99
Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app.
- Only PowerDirector lists an Android app.
- Only DaVinci Resolve lists Linux and iOS apps.
- PowerDirector also covers transcription, video generation and text to speech.
- 1.8GPA
Vegas Pro
Free trial · from $8.33/mo
Windows video editor with AI tools, now published by Boris FX.
- PowerDirector has a free plan. Vegas Pro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only PowerDirector lists macOS and Android apps.
- PowerDirector can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 PowerDirector free?
PowerDirector has a free plan. PowerDirector Essential: free with no time limit, core editing and basic AI; advanced AI and some export options are restricted.
How much does PowerDirector cost?
PowerDirector lists 4 plans. PowerDirector Essential: $0.
What platforms does PowerDirector work on?
PowerDirector is available on Windows, macOS and Android.
Does PowerDirector offer any discounts?
PowerDirector publicly lists the following: Limited-time discount through November 15.
Does PowerDirector have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. PowerDirector is listed for Windows, macOS and Android.
Does PowerDirector have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. PowerDirector is listed for Windows, macOS and Android.
Is PowerDirector open source?
PowerDirector is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does PowerDirector integrate with?
PowerDirector's listing names Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes PowerDirector?
PowerDirector is made by CyberLink Corp.
What are the alternatives to PowerDirector?
The closest alternatives to PowerDirector in our directory are Wondershare Filmora, Camtasia, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve and Vegas Pro.
How does PowerDirector compare with other screen recording and video tools?
PowerDirector's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 65 of the 84 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is PowerDirector good value for money?
ToolGPA grades PowerDirector B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6.67 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 15 of the 62 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of PowerDirector?
To replace PowerDirector 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 PowerDirector’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from PowerDirector's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 CyberLink Corp. Prices change, so check cyberlink.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- PowerDirector, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/powerdirector
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
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, "PowerDirector: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/powerdirector
Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/powerdirector/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded screen recording and video tools after PowerDirector, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Screen Recording & Video Insider's GuideEvery one of the 85 screen recording and video tools we grade, compared
- DaVinci Resolve Insider's GuideVideo editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app3.4 GPA
- Zencastr Insider's GuideFree podcast recording, chat-based editing and hosting in one app3.4 GPA
- Cap Insider's GuideOpen-source screen recorder with instant share links and an editor3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what PowerDirector’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. PowerDirector is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by CyberLink Corp. Prices and plans change: check cyberlink.com before you buy.