Editing software

Course 2 · Ch 5
Editing Software
DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, CapCut, Final Cut — an honest comparison so you pick the right tool and stick with it

The editing software decision feels high-stakes and isn't. Every professional editor has used every major NLE at some point — the differences matter far less than people think. What matters is choosing one, learning it properly, and not switching every six months because something else looks shinier. This chapter gives you an honest, unsponsored comparison so you can make that decision once and move on.

The switching trap
The single biggest productivity killer for new editors is switching software mid-project or mid-series. Every switch resets your muscle memory, your keyboard shortcuts, and your workflow. Pick one. Get good at it. You can always switch later from a position of knowledge rather than frustration.

The Main Contenders

DaVinci Resolve
Blackmagic Design
Free
"Hollywood colour grading, professional NLE, completely free — and the free version is genuinely enough."
Pros
  • Free version is feature-complete for most creators
  • Best colour grading tools of any NLE
  • Fusion (VFX / motion graphics) built in
  • Fairlight (audio mixing) built in
  • One-time Studio upgrade (~£250) not subscription
  • Used on major Hollywood productions
  • No watermark on free version
Cons
  • Steeper learning curve than Premiere
  • RAM and GPU hungry — needs decent hardware
  • Interface can feel overwhelming at first
  • Collaboration features require Studio
  • Less YouTube-creator tutorial content online
Best for: Creators serious about colour, anyone who hates subscriptions, Linux users, anyone on a budget who still wants professional tools.
Premiere Pro
Adobe
~£26/mo
"The industry standard NLE — widely taught, widely used, and deeply integrated with the Adobe ecosystem."
Pros
  • Industry-standard — most tutorial content online
  • Deep integration with After Effects, Audition, Photoshop
  • Excellent auto-captions (speech-to-text)
  • AI tools: auto-reframe, text-based editing
  • Widely taught in colleges and agencies
  • Consistent cross-platform (Mac + Windows)
Cons
  • Subscription only — costs pile up over years
  • Notoriously crash-prone historically
  • Heavy on RAM and storage
  • Full Adobe CC needed for best workflow (~£55/mo)
  • Overkill for simple cuts-only YouTube videos
Best for: Creators who already use After Effects, those working in agencies or with clients, or anyone whose job requires industry-standard software.
Final Cut Pro
Apple
£300 one-time
"Mac-only, blindingly fast, and loved by creators who just want to get out of the editor's way."
Pros
  • Extremely fast — optimised for Apple Silicon
  • Magnetic timeline (opinionated but efficient)
  • One-time purchase, no subscription
  • 90-day free trial available
  • Very popular among vloggers and YouTubers
  • Excellent ProRes / HEVC support
    • Cons
    • Mac only — useless on Windows or Linux
    • Magnetic timeline is divisive (love it or hate it)
    • Less powerful colour tools than DaVinci
    • Motion (FCP's VFX tool) costs extra
    • £300 upfront is significant for new creators
    Best for: Mac users who want speed, a clean interface, and no subscription. Particularly popular with vloggers and lifestyle creators.
    CapCut
    ByteDance
    Free / Pro
    "The fastest path from footage to a polished short-form video — but think carefully about the data privacy implications."
    Pros
    • Extremely beginner-friendly
    • Excellent AI tools — auto-captions, remove silence, background removal
    • Templates optimised for Shorts / Reels / TikTok
    • Available on phone and desktop
    • Fast for simple cut / caption / music workflows
    Cons
    • Made by ByteDance (TikTok's parent) — data concerns
    • Not suitable for long-form complex edits
    • Watermark on free exports (can be removed in settings)
    • Best features behind Pro paywall
    • Not a long-term professional tool
    Best for: Short-form content (Shorts, Reels), quick turnaround edits, creators who need auto-captions fast. Not recommended as your primary long-form editor.
    iMovie
    Apple (free)
    Free
    "A genuine stepping stone — great to start with, but you will outgrow it within months."
    Pros
    • Completely free (Mac + iOS)
    • Very simple to learn
    • Shares timeline knowledge with Final Cut
    • No watermarks, no limits on export
    Cons
    • Mac / iOS only
    • Very limited colour tools
    • No multi-cam, no compound clips
    • Outgrown quickly by growing creators
    Best for: Absolute beginners on Mac who want to start immediately at zero cost, with a path to Final Cut Pro later.
    Kdenlive / Shotcut
    Open Source
    Free
    "Free, open source, cross-platform — a solid fallback if DaVinci Resolve won't run on your hardware."
    Pros
    • Completely free and open source
    • Lighter on RAM than DaVinci Resolve
    • Runs on Linux, Windows, Mac
    • No watermarks, no export limits
    Cons
    • Less polished than commercial options
    • Fewer built-in effects and transitions
    • Smaller community / fewer tutorials
    • Occasional stability issues
    Best for: Linux users, creators on very low-spec hardware where DaVinci Resolve struggles, or those who need open source for ethical/legal reasons.

    Feature Comparison at a Glance

    Feature DaVinci (free) Premiere Pro Final Cut Pro CapCut iMovie
    CostFree~£26/mo£300 onceFree/ProFree
    Windows✓✓✗✓✗
    Mac✓✓✓✓✓
    Linux✓✗✗✗✗
    Colour gradingExcellentGoodGoodBasicMinimal
    Auto-captionsStudio only✓ (built-in)✓ (built-in)✓ (excellent)✗
    Multi-cam editing✓✓✓✗✗
    Motion graphicsFusion (built in)After EffectsMotion (extra)Templates onlyMinimal
    Audio toolsFairlight (built in)Audition (extra)BasicBasicMinimal
    Short-form optimisedManualManualManual✓ nativeManual
    Learning curveSteepModerateModerateEasyVery easy
    Watermark (free)NoneN/A (paid)NoneRemovableNone

    Which One Should You Choose?

    Decision guide — answer these in order
    Mac only?
    Start with iMovie (free, instant) or buy Final Cut Pro (one-time, fastest on Apple Silicon). Skip Premiere unless you need the Adobe ecosystem.
    Windows / Linux?
    DaVinci Resolve is the answer. Free, professional, no watermark, no subscription. Only consider Premiere if your job or clients require it.
    Short-form only (Shorts / Reels)?
    CapCut for speed and templates, but be aware of the ByteDance data considerations. Auto-captions and silence removal are class-leading.
    Work in agencies or with clients?
    Premiere Pro is the industry standard. The subscription cost is a business expense. Deep After Effects integration pays off at scale.
    Tight budget, any platform?
    DaVinci Resolve — free version is genuinely excellent for YouTube. If hardware is too low-spec, try Kdenlive (Windows/Mac/Linux) or Shotcut.
    Already using Adobe apps?
    Premiere Pro — the dynamic link between Premiere, After Effects, and Audition is a genuine workflow advantage if you're already paying for Creative Cloud.

    Getting Started with DaVinci Resolve

    Since DaVinci Resolve is the recommended starting point for most creators, here's how to approach learning it without getting overwhelmed. The interface has seven pages — most creators only need three.

    The three pages you actually need

    PageIconWhat it doesWhen you use it
    Cut ✂️ Fast, simplified editing timeline — designed for rough cuts and quick assembly First pass — pulling selects, rough structure
    Edit 🎬 Full NLE timeline — transitions, titles, speed ramps, audio adjustments Fine cut, adding titles, syncing music
    Color 🎨 Node-based colour grading — exposure, white balance, colour wheels, LUTs After the edit is locked — grade last
    Fairlight 🎵 Professional audio mixing desk Advanced audio work — most creators skip this
    Fusion ✨ Node-based VFX and motion graphics Complex effects — advanced use only

    A first editing session in DaVinci

    1. Create a new project. Set resolution (1920×1080 or 3840×2160) and frame rate (25fps for UK/EU, 30fps for US). Match your camera settings exactly.
    2. Import your media. Drag footage into the Media Pool. Create bins (folders) for Camera footage, Music, B-roll, and Graphics.
    3. Rough cut on the Cut page. Drag clips to the timeline, trim the obvious waste. Don't aim for perfect — aim for structure.
    4. Fine cut on the Edit page. Use the blade tool (B) to split clips, the selection tool (A) to move them. Add music on a separate audio track. Adjust clip volume via the audio mixer.
    5. Add titles on the Edit page. Drag a title template from the Titles panel. Use Fusion titles for animated lower thirds.
    6. Colour grade on the Color page. Start with the Colour Wheels node: lift (shadows), gamma (midtones), gain (highlights). Apply a LUT if shooting in LOG. Grade for consistency across clips.
    7. Deliver (export). Go to Deliver page → YouTube preset → H.264 or H.265 → render. DaVinci's YouTube preset sets the correct bitrate and codec automatically.
    The proxy workflow — when your computer struggles
    If DaVinci stutters on 4K footage, use proxies. In the Media Pool, right-click clips → Generate Proxy Media → choose a lower resolution (e.g. 1080p or 720p). Edit using the proxies (lightweight). On export, DaVinci automatically switches back to the original high-res files. This is how professional editors work with high-resolution footage on any hardware.

    Common Editing Mistakes

    • Switching software mid-series. You reset your workflow every time. Commit to one tool for at least six months.
    • Editing with no sequence structure. Drop all footage → trim → done. Missing the rough cut → fine cut → colour → audio order means you re-edit the same section three times.
    • Colour grading before the edit is locked. If you grade a clip then cut it differently, you re-grade. Always lock picture before grading.
    • Exporting in the wrong codec. YouTube prefers H.264 or H.265. Exporting in ProRes or DNxHD creates enormous files and gains nothing after YouTube's compression.
    • Ignoring audio levels. YouTube's loudness normalisation targets –14 LUFS. Mixing your voice at –6 LUFS (too loud) means YouTube will turn it down and it'll sound compressed and flat. Aim for –14 to –16 LUFS on the master export.
    • Not watching the export before uploading. Always play the rendered file in full before publishing. Render glitches, audio sync drift, and missing title slides are invisible until you watch the finished file.

    Chapter 5 Quick Reference

    • Recommended for most creators: DaVinci Resolve (free, Windows/Mac/Linux)
    • Recommended for Mac creators: Final Cut Pro (one-time, fastest on Apple Silicon)
    • Recommended for short-form: CapCut (fast AI tools — check privacy policy)
    • Recommended for agency/Adobe users: Premiere Pro (industry standard)
    • DaVinci Resolve pages to learn first: Cut → Edit → Color
    • Edit order: Rough cut → Fine cut → Titles/music → Colour grade → Export
    • Grade after picture is locked — never before
    • Proxy workflow: generate proxies for 4K footage, export uses originals
    • Export codec: H.264 or H.265 for YouTube
    • Target loudness: –14 to –16 LUFS on the master export
    • Always watch the export before uploading