Premiere Pro vs DaVinci Resolve: Price, AI and Free Tools
Pick DaVinci Resolve if you want a complete video editor for free, with color grading, effects and audio post-production built in, on Windows, Mac or Linux. Pick Adobe Premiere if you already work in Adobe's apps, want text-based editing and AI tools like Generative Extend, or need to start edits on your phone.
Adobe now calls the product Adobe Premiere rather than Premiere Pro, so that is the name we use below. Both are serious editors used for long-form video. The biggest practical difference is cost: Premiere is a subscription, while Resolve has a free version that many people never outgrow.
Premiere vs DaVinci Resolve at a glance
| Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | US$22.99 a month (annual plan, billed monthly) | Free; DaVinci Resolve Studio listed at $236 |
| Free plan | 7-day free trial; free standalone mobile app | Yes, up to Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 at 60fps, 8-bit |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Open source | No | No |
| Text-based editing | Yes, with automatic transcription on import | Studio version only |
| Built-in color, effects and audio | Editing; links with After Effects and Audition in Creative Cloud Pro | Editing, Fusion effects, color grading and Fairlight audio in one app |
| Best for | Adobe users and transcript-based editing | Free editing, color grading, Linux users |
Which is cheaper, Premiere or DaVinci Resolve?
DaVinci Resolve, by a long way. DaVinci Resolve is free from Blackmagic Design, and the paid DaVinci Resolve Studio is listed on the official page at $236.
Adobe Premiere costs US$22.99 a month as a single app on an annual plan billed monthly. That includes Premiere on desktop and mobile, the Adobe Express Premium plan, Frame.io, 100GB of cloud storage and 25 generative credits a month. Creative Cloud Pro, which adds Photoshop, After Effects, Audition, Illustrator and more, costs more.
What we checked ourselves
On 6 November 2026, Adobe's Premiere plans page listed the single app at US$22.99 a month on an annual plan, which adds up to US$275.88 over twelve months. The same day, Blackmagic's page listed DaVinci Resolve Studio at $236, marked down from $295. So one year of Premiere already costs more than Resolve Studio's listed price, and the free version of Resolve costs nothing at all.
One more thing we noticed: the first time we loaded the Premiere plans page, it showed the price in Omani rials with VAT included, not in dollars. Adobe shows local prices, so check the page from your own country before budgeting.
What can the free version of Resolve do?
More than most paid editors. Blackmagic describes Resolve as an all-in-one solution for editing, visual effects, motion graphics, color correction and audio post-production. The free version works with virtually all 8-bit video formats at up to 60 frames per second, at resolutions up to Ultra HD 3840 x 2160, and includes multi-user collaboration and HDR grading.
Studio adds the DaVinci AI Neural Engine, dozens of extra Resolve FX such as noise reduction, magic mask and film grain, text-based editing, and 10-bit video at up to 120 frames per second and beyond 4K. If you shoot 10-bit footage, Studio is the version you will want.
Which has better AI and editing shortcuts?
Premiere puts more of its AI tools in the base subscription. It can automatically transcribe your video on import, and Text-Based Editing lets you refine, reorder and trim clips like a text document. Generative Extend can extend clips, add frames and generate missing ambient sound, using Adobe Firefly generative credits.
In Resolve, the comparable tools (the AI Neural Engine, text-based editing, magic mask) are in the paid Studio version. Resolve's strength in the free version is depth rather than AI: Fusion for node-based effects and compositing, color correction and HDR grading, and Fairlight for audio, which Blackmagic says can handle up to 2,000 tracks.
Which runs on more devices?
Premiere reaches phones; Resolve reaches Linux. Adobe says Premiere is available on iPhone and Android as a free standalone social video editing app, and paid members can start a project on mobile and finish it on the desktop app for Windows and macOS. Resolve 21 runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and Blackmagic's product page does not list a phone app.
Want a quicker editor for short social videos instead? See our DaVinci Resolve vs CapCut comparison, or browse Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives.
Which should you choose?
- You want a professional editor without paying: DaVinci Resolve.
- You care most about color grading: DaVinci Resolve.
- You edit on Linux: DaVinci Resolve.
- You already pay for Creative Cloud or use After Effects and Photoshop: Premiere.
- You edit interviews, podcasts or talking-head videos: Premiere, for transcription and text-based editing in the base plan.
- You want to start edits on your phone: Premiere's mobile app.
- You shoot 10-bit or beyond-4K footage on a budget: DaVinci Resolve Studio.
FAQ
Is Premiere Pro still called Premiere Pro?
Adobe's product and plans pages now call it Adobe Premiere. It is the same desktop video editor, plus a free mobile app for iPhone and Android.
Is DaVinci Resolve really free?
Yes. The free version handles 8-bit video at up to 60fps in resolutions up to Ultra HD 3840 x 2160. DaVinci Resolve Studio, the paid version, is listed at $236.
Is there a free trial of Premiere?
Yes, a 7-day free trial. The free mobile app is separate and can be used without a desktop subscription.
Can I switch from Premiere to Resolve?
Yes, and the free version makes it low-risk to try. Expect to relearn some workflows, since Resolve keeps editing, Fusion effects, color and Fairlight audio together in one app.