DaVinci Resolve suits editors who want editing, colour, effects, audio and now photo editing in one app, with a free version to start on. Premiere Pro suits editors who work in Adobe's apps and want the same editor on desktop and, now, on iPhone and Android. Start with Resolve if you want everything in one place; start with Premiere if your team already lives in Adobe.
Both are serious professional editors, so I went to the makers' own pages: Blackmagic Design's DaVinci Resolve page and Adobe's Premiere page. One thing to know first: Adobe's page now calls the app Adobe Premiere.
DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro side by side
| DaVinci Resolve | Premiere Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes, DaVinci Resolve free download | Not named; free trial |
| Made by | Blackmagic Design | Adobe |
| What's in one app | Edit, Cut, Color, Fusion effects, Fairlight audio, Photo | Editing, with Color Mode in beta |
| Mobile | Not covered on the page I read | Available on iPhone and Android |
| Teamwork | Blackmagic Cloud for real-time multi-user projects | Not covered on the page I read |
| Step-up version | DaVinci Resolve Studio | Plans for businesses, students and teachers |
Inside DaVinci Resolve
Blackmagic says DaVinci Resolve 21 is the only tool that combines editing, colour correction, visual effects, motion graphics, audio post production and now photo editing in one app. Its pages split the work into Photo, Edit, Cut, Color, Fusion for effects and Fairlight for audio, so you don't export between programs.
There's a free DaVinci Resolve download, and a Studio version above it. Blackmagic highlights 32-bit float processing and its YRGB colour science, and Blackmagic Cloud lets editors, colourists, effects artists and sound engineers work on the same project at the same time, locally or remotely.
Inside Premiere Pro
Adobe calls Premiere the go-to for pro video, with AI workflows to help you move faster on bigger projects. The newest addition on its page is Color Mode, a colour grading system built for editors, which is in beta inside Premiere.
The other headline is mobile: Adobe says Premiere is available now on iPhone and Android. There's a free trial, and plans for businesses, students and teachers, and Premiere sits alongside Adobe's other creative apps.
The colour question
This is the difference I'd weigh. Resolve was built around colour, and Blackmagic's page points to the Emmy award for its image technology and YRGB colour science. Adobe's answer is Color Mode, which it calls a first-of-its-kind grading system for editors, but it's still marked as beta.
If colour grading is central to your work, Resolve has it as a full page of the app today. If you mainly cut talking heads, ads and social clips, Premiere's editing and new mobile app may matter more.
Audio is the other place they differ. Resolve has Fairlight built in for audio post production, so you can mix and clean sound without leaving the project. Adobe's Premiere page focuses on editing and colour, so if your audio needs are heavy, check how you'd handle that in Adobe's line-up before you commit.
The learning curve is worth a word. Blackmagic says Resolve's modern interface is fast to learn for new users yet powerful for professionals, and that learning it means learning the tools used on feature films and television. Adobe's pitch is about taking on bigger projects with AI workflows. Either way, set aside a few evenings to learn the basics before you judge it on a client job.
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Who each editor suits
DaVinci Resolve suits solo creators who want one free app that grows with them, and teams who grade and mix in-house. Premiere Pro suits agencies and marketers already working in Adobe's apps, and anyone who wants to start an edit on a phone. My guide on which Adobe video editing software suits a small business goes deeper on Adobe's line-up, and this piece on picking video editing software helps with the wider choice.
My advice on DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro
Download DaVinci Resolve's free version and start Premiere's free trial in the same week, then cut the same short clip in both. Watch how each one handles your colour and your audio, not just the timeline. If you'd rather stay inside Adobe with your other files, Premiere will feel like home; if you want one app for everything, Resolve is hard to ignore.
Do you make video editing tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is DaVinci Resolve free?
Yes. Blackmagic Design's page offers a free DaVinci Resolve download, with DaVinci Resolve Studio above it.
Is Premiere Pro now called Adobe Premiere?
Adobe's product page now titles the app Adobe Premiere.
Is Premiere available on phones?
Yes. Adobe says Premiere is available now on iPhone and Android.
Can several people edit one DaVinci Resolve project?
Yes. Blackmagic says Blackmagic Cloud supports real-time local and remote multi-user collaboration.
Does DaVinci Resolve edit photos?
Yes. Blackmagic says DaVinci Resolve 21 now includes photo editing alongside video, colour, effects and audio.
