# Video editing for Mac

> Video editors for everything from family clips to pro color grading.

From dockpicks (https://dockpicks.com/), a hand-picked, independent directory of Mac apps. Web page: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/

Group: Create. 6 apps, listed best first. Prices are the vendor's wording, checked October 2026, and can change.

Built into macOS: iMovie and QuickTime Player. Apple's iMovie is a free Mac App Store app that covers titles, transitions, green screen, trailers and 4K editing, and QuickTime Player can trim, split, rearrange and rotate clips. That is plenty for home videos and simple social clips. Once you need more tracks, proper color grading, motion graphics or detailed audio work, a dedicated editor pays off.

## 1. DaVinci Resolve

Pro editing, color, audio and effects, with a generous free tier

- Price: Free; Studio $295 one-time
- Pricing model: Free tier. A usable free version, with a paid upgrade for more.
- Usable without paying: Yes
- Open source: No
- Developer: Blackmagic Design
- Website: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
- Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/davinci-resolve/id571213070
- Facts checked: 2026-10-24
- On dockpicks: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/#davinci-resolve

A professional editor that combines non-linear editing, color grading, Fairlight audio and Fusion visual effects in one app. The free version handles up to Ultra HD at 60fps; Studio adds AI tools, more effects and higher resolutions.

Our take: The best free video editor available, and the top choice if you care about color grading. It is demanding on hardware and has a steep learning curve for beginners.

## 2. Final Cut Pro

Apple's pro video editor, fast and tightly tuned for Mac

- Price: $299.99 one-time; or $12.99/mo Creator Studio
- Pricing model: Paid. A one-time purchase. A free trial may exist.
- Usable without paying: No
- Open source: No
- Developer: Apple
- Website: https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/
- Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/final-cut-pro/id424389933
- Facts checked: 2026-10-24
- On dockpicks: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/#final-cut-pro

Apple's professional editor with the Magnetic Timeline, automatic captions, object tracking, Magnetic Mask and voice isolation. It is sold as a one-time purchase or as part of Apple Creator Studio.

Our take: The natural upgrade from iMovie, which can send projects straight to it. It only runs on Apple devices, which matters if you collaborate with Windows users.

## 3. Shotcut

Free, open-source editor with wide format support

- Price: Free
- Pricing model: Free. No payment needed for the full app.
- Usable without paying: Yes
- Open source: Yes, GPL-3.0 (https://github.com/mltframework/shotcut)
- Developer: Meltytech
- Website: https://shotcut.org/
- Facts checked: 2026-10-24
- On dockpicks: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/#shotcut

A free, cross-platform video editor that supports hundreds of formats through FFmpeg and edits files directly on the timeline without importing. Projects can mix formats, resolutions and frame rates.

Our take: A good free middle ground between iMovie and Resolve, and lighter on hardware than Resolve. The interface is functional rather than polished.

## 4. CapCut

Easy editor for social video with templates and AI tools

- Price: Free; Standard $9.99/mo, Pro $19.99/mo
- Pricing model: Free tier. A usable free version, with a paid upgrade for more.
- Usable without paying: Yes
- Open source: No
- Developer: ByteDance
- Website: https://www.capcut.com/tools/desktop-video-editor
- Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/capcut-photo-video-editor/id1500855883
- Facts checked: 2026-10-24
- On dockpicks: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/#capcut

A video editor geared toward short-form social video, with trending effects, auto captions, keyframes, color tools and AI features. Projects sync across devices through cloud storage.

Our take: The quickest way to make captioned clips for TikTok, Reels or Shorts. Many effects and AI tools sit behind the subscription, and projects rely on a cloud account, which may matter to privacy-conscious users.

## 5. Kdenlive

Free, open-source editor with multicam and color scopes

- Price: Free
- Pricing model: Free. No payment needed for the full app.
- Usable without paying: Yes
- Open source: Yes, GPL-3.0 (https://github.com/KDE/kdenlive)
- Developer: KDE
- Website: https://kdenlive.org/
- Facts checked: 2026-10-24
- On dockpicks: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/#kdenlive

KDE's free non-linear video editor with multicam editing, nested sequences, proxies, hundreds of effects, LUTs, color scopes and automatic transcription. Native builds exist for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

Our take: More feature-rich than Shotcut and fully free, a good fit if you want advanced tools without Resolve's hardware demands. It comes from the Linux world and feels less at home on macOS than Mac-first editors.

## 6. Adobe Premiere

Industry-standard editor for teams already on Creative Cloud

- Price: US$22.99/month (annual, billed monthly)
- Pricing model: Subscription. A recurring payment for real use.
- Usable without paying: No
- Open source: No
- Developer: Adobe
- Website: https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html
- Facts checked: 2026-10-24
- On dockpicks: https://dockpicks.com/video-editing/#adobe-premiere-pro

Adobe's professional video editor covering editing, color grading, audio mixing, effects and animated titles, with AI tools. It is also available on iPhone and Android.

Our take: Pick it if your clients, school or team already work in Adobe's apps. For solo editors on a Mac, Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve cost less over time.