Avid Media Composer vs Final Cut Pro
Avid Media Composer scores 8.0 to Final Cut Pro's 7.2 among the professional video editors we rate, and is the better pick for 3 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Avid Media Composer wins, 8.0 to 7.2
Avid Media Composer runs on Windows and Mac and has a free edition, though new licences are subscription only. Final Cut Pro is Mac only and sold as a one time purchase, but its cheapest listed price, $12.99 a month, belongs to Apple Creator Studio, a bundle that also includes Logic Pro and Motion, not a Final Cut plan on its own. Avid lets several editors share one project through bin-locking and exposes a scripting API; Final Cut Pro has neither.
Pick Avid Media Composer if your team needs Windows support and several editors on one project.
Pick Final Cut Pro if you edit only on Mac and want to own the app outright.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- HDR editing and export: Final Cut Pro yes, Avid Media Composer does not say
- Camera raw video: Final Cut Pro yes, Avid Media Composer does not say
- Edit the video by editing its transcript: Avid Media Composer yes, Final Cut Pro no
- But Final Cut Pro leads on reframes to vertical or square by itself: Final Cut Pro yes, Avid Media Composer no
- Several editors on one project: Avid Media Composer yes, Final Cut Pro no
- Scripting or workflow API: Avid Media Composer yes, Final Cut Pro no
- But Final Cut Pro leads on built-in stock media: Final Cut Pro yes, Avid Media Composer no
- Free edition you can keep using: Avid Media Composer yes, Final Cut Pro no
- Cheapest way to pay, monthly: $0 against $12.99
- But Final Cut Pro leads on sells a licence you own outright: Final Cut Pro yes, Avid Media Composer no
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other professional video editors we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Avid Media Composer leads on 3 of 5 criteria.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Published by only one of them
Where they match (9)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Avid Media Composer
Final Cut Pro
For everything else about each tool, read the full Avid Media Composer review and Final Cut Pro review.
Avid Media Composer vs Final Cut Pro: common questions
Which is better, Avid Media Composer or Final Cut Pro?
Avid Media Composer scores 8.0 and Final Cut Pro 7.2 out of 10 among the professional video editors we rate. Avid Media Composer is ahead on aI in the editor, workflow and teams and pricing. Final Cut Pro is ahead on pro editing.
Is Avid Media Composer or Final Cut Pro cheaper?
Avid Media Composer's cheapest paid plan is Free (First); paid from $39.99/mo (Standard) and Final Cut Pro's is $12.99/mo (Apple Creator Studio bundle); $299.99 once for the Mac app. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
What can Avid Media Composer do that Final Cut Pro cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: edit the video by editing its transcript, several editors on one project, scripting or workflow API and free edition you can keep using.
What can Final Cut Pro do that Avid Media Composer cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: reframes to vertical or square by itself, built-in stock media and sells a licence you own outright.
