About Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a video editing application from Apple for Mac and iPad. It is organized around a magnetic timeline, which keeps clips connected and makes it quick to rearrange footage, and it covers editing, audio, motion graphics and color grading in one place.
Apple highlights tools for moving and trimming clips, isolating subjects without a green screen and creating captions, plus built-in titles, transitions, music and effects. It also adds AI features that build on Apple Intelligence, advanced audio editing, and workflows that span Apple devices, apps and accessories.
Final Cut Pro is proprietary software installed locally. It can be bought outright from the Mac App Store or obtained within the Apple Creator Studio subscription suite with apps such as Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro, and a free trial is offered. It suits video editors, creators and studios working in the Apple ecosystem.
Key features
- Magnetic timeline for flexible editing
- Titles, transitions and effects library
- Advanced audio editing
- Color grading and motion graphics
- Captions and subject isolation without green screen
- AI features built on Apple Intelligence
Good fit for
- →Editing videos on Mac and iPad
- →Producing social and YouTube content
- →Color grading and finishing footage
- Tags
- video-editing
- apple
- mac
- ipad
- nle
- color-grading
Final Cut Pro: questions and answers
- What is Final Cut Pro used for?
- Final Cut Pro is Apple's professional video editor for Mac and iPad, known for its magnetic timeline and built-in audio, effects and AI features. It is a good fit for editing videos on Mac and iPad, producing social and YouTube content, and color grading and finishing footage.
- How much does Final Cut Pro cost?
- Paid plans for Final Cut Pro start at $12.99 per seat per month, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.
- Is Final Cut Pro open source?
- No. Final Cut Pro is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Final Cut Pro include Shotcut, OpenShot and Kdenlive.
- What are some alternatives to Final Cut Pro?
- Final Cut Pro competes with Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and CapCut. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Final Cut Pro alternatives.
Open-source alternatives to Final Cut Pro
See all
Shotcut
Video Editing
cross-platform (Qt), open-source (GPLv3) video editor
GPL-3.0vs Adobe Premiere Pro★ 15k
OpenShot
Video Editing
OpenShot Video Editor is an award-winning free and open-source video editor for Linux, Mac
OSSvs Adobe Premiere Pro★ 6.6k
Kdenlive
Video Editing
Free and open source video editor, based on MLT Framework and KDE Frameworks
GPL-3.0vs Adobe Premiere Pro★ 5.8k
OpenCut
Video Editing
The open-source CapCut alternative
MITvs CapCut★ 91k
OBS Studio
Video Editing
OBS Studio - Free and open source software for live streaming and screen recording
GPL-2.0vs vMix★ 77k
HandBrake
Video Editing
HandBrake's development repository
OSS★ 25k
SaaS alternatives to Final Cut Pro
See all
Adobe Premiere Pro
Video Editing
Professional non-linear video editor for film, TV and web video
SaaS
DaVinci Resolve
Video Editing
Video editing, color grading, effects and audio post-production in one application
SaaS
CapCut
Video Editing
Video editor for short-form clips with templates, effects and auto captions
SaaS
LumaFusion
Video Editing
Mobile video editor for iPad, iPhone and Mac
SaaSAvid Media Composer
Video Editing
Professional nonlinear video editing system used in film and television
SaaS
Lightworks
Video Editing
Nonlinear video editor with free and paid tiers for film and TV editing
SaaS

