Video editing is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools, you can make your videos exactly like you imagine in your head. But searching for software to get you started can lead to a whole new range of problems, such as which one is right for you.
Thankfully, there are two top-tier software to choose from, no matter what kind of video editing you’re doing.
DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro are both professional-level video editing tools. However, each one has unique features and price range differences that fit specific niches.
Of course, to know which one you need, you have to understand the differences. If you want to learn more about the niches that each software fills, and which program fits your needs best, continue reading below.
Check out this list of the Top Video Editing Software For Chromebook.
Key Takeaways
- If you want a master video editor for complicated projects, then Adobe Premiere Pro is the option for you.
- However, if your focus is on accurate color corrections and a node-based system, DaVinci Resolve is the better option.
- Both software offers you everything you might need.
Adobe Premiere vs DaVinci Resolve Comparison Table
Adobe Premiere Pro | DaVinci Resolve | |
Price | Adobe Premiere Pro costs $22.99 per month by itself. You can also get it as part of the Creative Cloud All Apps package for $59.99 | Free for standard DaVinci Resolve, or a one-time purchase of $295 for DaVinci Resolve Studio |
Company | Adobe Inc. | Blackmagic Design |
Main Uses | Adobe Premiere Pro is mainly used for video editing | DaVinci Resolve is mostly for color grading and correction |
Experience Level | Beginner to advanced | Medium to advanced |
Best For | Experienced video editors looking to elevate their editing skills and their post-production workflow with collaborators. | Video production and color editing, as well as shorter and simpler videos |
System Requirements | Adobe Premiere Pro is a desktop app for Windows that runs Windows 10 or newer. For macOS systems, it has to be macOS Monterey version 12 or newer. Each requires a minimum of 8GB of RAM and a display of 1920 x 1080 or more. | Windows 10 or newer, or a macOS 11 Big Sur or later. If you’re using Linux, you’ll need CentOS 7.3. For all versions, it’s best for 16 to 32 GB of memory at a minimum, and an Intel core i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7. |
Key Features | Gives control over all video editing aspects, focused on collaboration | A complete toolkit for editing and grading 3D projects, master color correction, and eye alignment |
Platforms | Adobe Premiere Pro is available for both Windows and macOS devices. | DaVinci Resolve is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux |
Acceptable Import File Types | MP4, AVI, MOV, MPEG, MP3, WAV | MP4, AVI, AVC, DCP, MXF, DPX, TIFF, REDCODE, Blackmagic Raw |
Adobe Premiere
Adobe is an industry-standard company. All of Adobe’s products are excellent, and Adobe Premiere Pro doesn’t let the rest of the team down. It offers professional-level video editing and advanced features that don’t let you down even for the most complicated of work.
If you’re someone who needs several editing tools for videos and photos, then Adobe is worth checking out. Not much can beat its seamless integration between their various software.
Adobe Premiere Key Features
- See real-time effects
- Improve grainy images and videos
- Custom animations
- Industry-standard design and capabilities
- Automatic transcription
- Smooth transitions between various Adobe products
Adobe Premiere Uses
The original purpose of Adobe Premiere Pro was video editing. It makes for simple, but still professional-level video editing that’s hard to beat with any other program. Whether you are a filmmaker or a content creator, you’ll find Adobe Premiere Pro perfect for all the edits you need.
Adobe Premiere Pro offers layering for effects and editing. While it doesn’t offer as much fine control as DaVinci Resolve, it is much easier to learn than other types, like node-based editing. This is good, considering most of the rest of Adobe Premiere Pro takes some getting used to.
Related Article: Adobe Premiere Vs After Effects
It’s also worth noting that while Adobe is available for both Windows and Mac users, those looking to work with Linux won’t be able to take advantage of Adobe programs.
Adobe Premiere Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
Works with all other Adobe products seamlessly | There’s no Linux version |
Stabilization tool for shaky videos | Is expensive, and there’s no one-time fee. |
Works well for organizations and collaboration | |
Popular Companies That Use Adobe Premiere Pro
Because of its integration with other Adobe products, many corporations include Adobe Premier Pro in their editing lineup.
- Disney
- Panasonic
- Warner Bros
- KickFlips
- NerdKungFu
- Sunlight Media
DaVinci Resolve
While the original purpose of DaVinci Resolve started as software just for color-corrections, the program has come a long way. It now stands up against Adobe Premiere Pro in all forms of video editing while not losing its main focus of color correction.
It combines video editing, visual effects, audio post-production, motion graphics, and intense color correcting in one tool. While it may not be as widely known as Adobe, it’s still a professional tool that you will see many big companies using.
DaVinci Resolve Key Features
- Free editor that has all the features that non-professionals will need
- AI tools to make basic editing and assistance better
- An auto-subtitling feature so you don’t need to spend as much time creating captions
- Professional-level color correction
DaVinci Resolve Uses
DaVinci Resolve is the best option for artists and photo editors looking mainly for color correction. This is the original purpose of DaVinci Resolve, and it still leads in this category. Every time you edit colors, you’ll get professional and exact color correction.
DaVinci Resolve is the perfect tool for those who use node-based editing. It offers a lot of control, especially for video editing and coloring. It’s also a perfect all-in-one tool.
If you don’t want to deal with transferring your video between multiple software, and you don’t want to buy more than one, then DaVinci handles pretty much every step of video editing you may ever need. There are even collaboration features if you want to work with multiple people on a project.
And the best part is, until you get to professional-level editing, you don’t even have to pay for the product. When (or if) you decide to get the professional version, it’s a simple one-time purchase with no need to pay a monthly or annual fee.
DaVinci Resolve Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux | A bit complex to use |
Is fast and offers smooth playback | Needs a beefy computer |
The interface is easy to see and navigate | |
Incredibly fast |
Popular Companies That Use DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a great, professional-level product. For that reason, it’s software used by many large groups and corporations.
- Dentsu
- Nvidia
- Amazon
- Marvel
- Netflix
- Emory University
Which Is Better?
Don’t get overwhelmed. Both Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve are great products that offer a lot of features. Which one is best comes down to the user. Many professionals who have the money will use both products because each one has areas where it does best.
DaVinci Resolve is great for coloring and color correction. If having accurate and consistent colors is important to you, then this software is the best option. It’s also good for those who prefer to use a more detailed, precision-based node editing system.
If you have a complicated video, with a lot of audio tracks, video tracks, visual effects, and camera setups, then Adobe Premiere Pro does much better. It handles these complicated setups extremely well.
If you want to use multiple systems and software and have everything saved to the cloud, Adobe Premiere Pro also comes out on top. With the Creative Cloud All Apps subscription, you get access to all Adobe products that you may need.
It’s hard to determine which one is better, as they both fit a specific niche. It may be worth trying your hand at both to see which one fits your needs best. After all, if you want to become a professional editor at some point, you may need both tools in your toolkit anyway.
Do Professional Editors Use DaVinci Resolve?
Yes, many professional editing companies use DaVinci Resolve. It’s mostly used by teams that specialize in coloring, editing, sound engineering, and VFX.
Does Hollywood Use DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro?
Hollywood video editing requires multiple different types of software. Both DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere are used by Hollywood video editors, depending on the team’s focus and the task at hand.
Why Is DaVinci Resolve so Famous?
For one, DaVinci Resolve is a great software. It’s famous because it works. However, the added benefit, and why so many people give it a shot, is because it has a free version.
While you can’t do everything on the free version, it does offer enough editing capabilities that many people, like YouTubers, have the ability to do all of the editing they need without having to pay for pro features they’ll likely never need.