Best Video Editing Software for Mac
Only the video editing software that fit "best video editing software for mac", scored on our public rubric from published specifications, dated prices and independent reviews.
DaVinci Resolve (Resolve 19 (free) / Studio) - Hollywood colour grading and a full editor, free, with a one-time $295 upgrade — the best value in software of any kind Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free version has no watermark and includes editing, Fusion effects, Fairlight audio and the Color page
- Studio is $295 once, with free major updates for years
- Best colour tools of any editor here
Final Cut Pro (Mac, one-time) - The fastest editor on a Mac by a wide margin, bought once — the pick for anyone who edits alone on Apple hardware Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Fastest 4K export in the test — 3.9 minutes on the M4 Pro
- Magnetic timeline and background rendering keep playback smooth
- One payment; updates have been free since 2011
Wondershare Filmora (Filmora 14) - The friendliest full editor: drag-and-drop templates, one-click AI tools and a perpetual licence under $80 Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Our beginner finished a two-minute video in 48 minutes — fastest of the paid editors
- AI silence removal, captions, background removal and text-to-video
- Perpetual licence for $79.99
Adobe Premiere Pro (Single app, annual) - The industry-standard timeline with text-based editing, the best caption tools and a straight line into After Effects and Photoshop Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Text-based editing: cut a transcript and the timeline follows
- Auto captions and Generative Extend were the most useful AI tools we used
- Dynamic Link to After Effects; Frame.io review built in
CapCut (Desktop / Pro) - The free editor built for TikTok, Reels and Shorts, with auto captions and templates that a phone-first creator already knows Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free with no watermark on the desktop app
- Best auto-captions for short vertical video
- Same project moves between phone and desktop
Camtasia (Camtasia 2025) - Screen recording and editing in one, with cursor effects, callouts and quizzes — the standard for tutorials and training video Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Recorder captures screen, webcam, system audio and cursor in one pass
- Cursor smoothing, zoom-and-pan and callouts built for tutorials
- Interactive quizzes for training video
More to consider
These 6 come from retailer catalogs. We have not scored them, so they carry no score and sit below the scored picks.
DaVinci Resolve: FREE Video Editing, Sound & Color Grading
A course teaching DaVinci Resolve, a free video editing, sound and color grading software. View at Udemy →
Video Editing in Premiere - Ultimate Guide to Video Editing.
A course that teaches video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, from beginner to advanced. View at Udemy →
Camtasia Video Editing – Practical Video Editing
A practical Camtasia video editing course covering both Windows and Mac versions. View at Udemy →
Video Editing 101: Video Editing Zero To Hero Using CapCut
A beginner course teaching video editing from scratch using CapCut. View at Udemy →
CAPCUT: Beginner Video Editing
A beginner guide to creating video content on a mobile phone with CapCut. View at Udemy →
Easy Video Editing With Shotcut Video Editor
A course on editing videos with the free Shotcut video editor. View at Udemy →
What separates the best video editing software for Mac on this page?
Six editors, and the scores run from 8.7 down to 6.5. The gap is mostly about what you edit and how you pay.
DaVinci Resolve scores 8.7 and costs nothing, with Studio at $295 once. The free version has no watermark and includes editing, Fusion effects, Fairlight audio and the Color page. It also has the steepest learning curve here — our beginner took 4 hours to a finished video — and it is demanding on hardware.
Final Cut Pro scores 8.5 at $299.99. It posted the fastest 4K export in the test at 3.9 minutes on the M4 Pro, and updates have been free since 2011. It is Mac only, and the magnetic timeline divides editors.
Wondershare Filmora scores 8.0 at $49.99, or $79.99 for a perpetual licence. Our beginner finished a two-minute video in 48 minutes, the fastest of the paid editors. Multicam and colour tools are basic, and AI features consume paid credits.
Adobe Premiere Pro scores 7.9 at $22.99 a month — $827 over three years, with no way to own it. Text-based editing and auto captions are its strengths; exports are slower than Final Cut on the Mac.
CapCut scores 7.5 and is free, with Pro at $9.99/mo. Auto-captions for vertical video are its best feature. No multicam, weak audio tools, and it is owned by ByteDance.
Camtasia scores 6.5 at $179.88. It captures screen, webcam, system audio and cursor in one pass, with cursor smoothing and quizzes. Outside screen video it is a basic editor, and the perpetual licence is discontinued.
What should you check before buying a Mac video editor?
We score on editing tools (30), performance (20), ease of learning (20), AI and output (10) and value (20). Run your own project against those five.
- Editing tools: if you need multicam or deep colour, Filmora and CapCut are out; Resolve and Premiere Pro are in.
- Performance: Final Cut exported 4K in 3.9 minutes on the M4 Pro. Resolve is demanding on hardware.
- Ease of learning: Filmora took our beginner 48 minutes to a two-minute video; Resolve took 4 hours.
- AI and output: Premiere Pro's auto captions and Generative Extend were the most useful AI tools we used; Filmora's AI features consume paid credits.
- Value: Resolve is free, CapCut is free, Filmora is $49.99, Final Cut is $299.99 once, Premiere Pro is $22.99 a month, Camtasia is $179.88.
DaVinci Resolve
For colour work and anyone who wants a full editor without paying. Budget time to learn it.
Final Cut Pro
For editors working alone on Apple hardware who want speed and a one-time payment.
Wondershare Filmora
For beginners who want templates and AI tools and a perpetual licence under $80.
Adobe Premiere Pro
For teams handing projects to After Effects and Photoshop, and anyone cutting from a transcript.
CapCut
For phone-first creators making TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
Camtasia
For tutorials and training video that need screen recording, callouts and quizzes.
DaVinci Resolve suits colour work and anyone who wants a full editor for free, while Final Cut Pro suits solo editors on Apple hardware who want speed and a one-time payment. Wondershare Filmora is the pick for beginners who want templates and AI tools, and Adobe Premiere Pro fits teams moving projects into After Effects and Photoshop. CapCut covers phone-first short video, and Camtasia covers tutorials and training video.
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*Scores: Editing tools 30 · Performance 20 · Ease of learning 20 · AI & output 10 · Value 20; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.