Guide
Best AI video editor for Mac: Descript, Final Cut Pro and 4 more
Descript is the best AI video editor for Mac if you edit long recordings by text. Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve are the best professional editors, and Cutroom makes a finished 9:16 ad from one clip.
In short
- The best AI video editors for Mac are Descript, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, Captions and Cutroom.
- Descript is best for long recordings, because you edit the video by editing its transcript.
- Final Cut Pro costs $299.99 once. DaVinci Resolve is a professional editor you can use for free.
- CapCut is free on a Mac, and Final Cut Pro has a 30-day free trial.
- Cutroom runs in the browser on any Mac and turns one clip of you talking into a finished 9:16 ad.
- tools compared
- 6
- have a free plan or a free first video
- 5 of 6
- the longest clip Cutroom accepts
- 3 min
The best AI video editors for Mac at a glance
Here is what each editor does, what it costs and who it suits. Every one of them runs on a Mac.
The six AI video editors for Mac, side by side
Prices as published on each vendor's pricing page on the day shown. Plans change, so check before you buy.
| Tool | Best for | Editing approach | Platform | Pricing from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editing long talking videos by text | You edit the transcript and the video follows; an AI assistant tightens it when you ask | Mac app, Windows app, web | Free plan; Hobbyist $16/month, annual ($24 monthly) | |
 Final Cut Pro | Professional editing on a Mac with a one-time price | Professional timeline with machine-learning tools | Mac only; some features need Apple silicon | $12.99/month, $129/year or $299.99 one-time; 30-day trial |
 DaVinci Resolve | Free professional editing and colour grading | Editing, colour, effects and audio in one app; AI tools in Studio | Apple silicon Mac, Windows, Linux | Free; Studio $295 one-time |
 CapCut | Free editing by hand, with templates | Timeline editor with templates and AI tools; you do the cutting | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, browser | Free; Pro $19.99/month or $179.99/year, varies by region |
 Captions | AI editing of talking videos, made for the phone | AI Edit cuts your video and adds b-roll and captions, on the phone or in the browser | iOS, Android, web | Free version; Max $24.99/month (iOS pricing) |
| Cutroom | Turning one clip of you talking into a finished 9:16 ad | You upload the clip; Cutroom adds b-roll, captions and a hook | Browser, on any Mac | First video free, no card; Lite $19.99/month |
Descript
- Best for
- Editing long talking videos by text
- Approach
- You edit the transcript and the video follows; an AI assistant tightens it when you ask
- Platform
- Mac app, Windows app, web
- Pricing from
- Free plan; Hobbyist $16/month, annual ($24 monthly)
- Final Cut Pro
- Best for
- Professional editing on a Mac with a one-time price
- Approach
- Professional timeline with machine-learning tools
- Platform
- Mac only; some features need Apple silicon
- Pricing from
- $12.99/month, $129/year or $299.99 one-time; 30-day trial
- DaVinci Resolve
- Best for
- Free professional editing and colour grading
- Approach
- Editing, colour, effects and audio in one app; AI tools in Studio
- Platform
- Apple silicon Mac, Windows, Linux
- Pricing from
- Free; Studio $295 one-time
- CapCut
- Best for
- Free editing by hand, with templates
- Approach
- Timeline editor with templates and AI tools; you do the cutting
- Platform
- Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, browser
- Pricing from
- Free; Pro $19.99/month or $179.99/year, varies by region
- Captions
- Best for
- AI editing of talking videos, made for the phone
- Approach
- AI Edit cuts your video and adds b-roll and captions, on the phone or in the browser
- Platform
- iOS, Android, web
- Pricing from
- Free version; Max $24.99/month (iOS pricing)
Cutroom
- Best for
- Turning one clip of you talking into a finished 9:16 ad
- Approach
- You upload the clip; Cutroom adds b-roll, captions and a hook
- Platform
- Browser, on any Mac
- Pricing from
- First video free, no card; Lite $19.99/month
Prices and plans read from each vendor's own pricing page on 21 September 2026.
How these Mac editors differ
The main difference is how much of the editing each one does for you.
- Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve are professional editors. You make every cut, and AI helps with masks, captions and colour.
- Descript lets you edit by deleting words from the transcript, and its AI co-editor can tighten a recording for you.
- CapCut is a free editor with templates, but you still build every edit by hand.
- Captions and Cutroom do the editing for you. Captions cuts a phone video and adds b-roll and captions in one tap, and Cutroom turns a clip of you talking into a finished ad.
- iMovie is Apple's free Mac editor and edits up to 4K. Its App Store listing names no automatic captions or AI edit, so it is not in the six.
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
AI features compared
Here is which editors cut the video for you, which add captions by themselves and which add b-roll.
AI help in each Mac editor
| Tool | Edits the video for you | Automatic captions | Adds b-roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Descript | Yes, its AI assistant tightens the edit when you ask | Yes, from the transcript | No, you add it |
| Final Cut Pro | No, you cut it | Yes, from spoken audio | No, you add it |
| DaVinci Resolve | No, you cut it | Not mentioned by Blackmagic | No, you add it |
| CapCut | No, you cut it | Yes, on Pro | No, you add it |
| Captions | Yes, AI Edit | Yes, 100+ languages | Yes, AI Edit adds it |
| Cutroom | Yes, from one clip | Yes, 40 styles | Yes, over the words they match |
Tool: Descript
- Edits the video for you
- Yes, its AI assistant tightens the edit when you ask
- Automatic captions
- Yes, from the transcript
- Adds b-roll
- No, you add it
Tool: Final Cut Pro
- Edits the video for you
- No, you cut it
- Automatic captions
- Yes, from spoken audio
- Adds b-roll
- No, you add it
Tool: DaVinci Resolve
- Edits the video for you
- No, you cut it
- Automatic captions
- Not mentioned by Blackmagic
- Adds b-roll
- No, you add it
Tool: CapCut
- Edits the video for you
- No, you cut it
- Automatic captions
- Yes, on Pro
- Adds b-roll
- No, you add it
Tool: Captions
- Edits the video for you
- Yes, AI Edit
- Automatic captions
- Yes, 100+ languages
- Adds b-roll
- Yes, AI Edit adds it
Tool: Cutroom
- Edits the video for you
- Yes, from one clip
- Automatic captions
- Yes, 40 styles
- Adds b-roll
- Yes, over the words they match
Prices and free plans
Every price comes from the tool's own pricing page. Yearly means the monthly price when you pay for a year.
AI video editors for Mac: price and free option
| Tool | Free option | Paid from | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Descript | 1 hour of media a month, 720p, watermark | $16/month yearly, $24 monthly | Mac app, Windows app, web |
| Final Cut Pro | 30-day free trial | $12.99/month, $129/year or $299.99 once | Mac only |
| DaVinci Resolve | Free version, up to Ultra HD at 60fps | Studio $295 once | Apple silicon Mac, Windows, Linux |
| CapCut | Free editor, 8K export | Pro $19.99/month or $179.99/year | Mac, Windows, phone, browser |
| Captions | Free version with basic tools | Max $24.99/month (iOS price) | iOS, Android, web |
| Cutroom | First video free, no card | Lite $19.99/month | Browser, any Mac |
Tool: Descript
- Free option
- 1 hour of media a month, 720p, watermark
- Paid from
- $16/month yearly, $24 monthly
- Runs on
- Mac app, Windows app, web
Tool: Final Cut Pro
- Free option
- 30-day free trial
- Paid from
- $12.99/month, $129/year or $299.99 once
- Runs on
- Mac only
Tool: DaVinci Resolve
- Free option
- Free version, up to Ultra HD at 60fps
- Paid from
- Studio $295 once
- Runs on
- Apple silicon Mac, Windows, Linux
Tool: CapCut
- Free option
- Free editor, 8K export
- Paid from
- Pro $19.99/month or $179.99/year
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, phone, browser
Tool: Captions
- Free option
- Free version with basic tools
- Paid from
- Max $24.99/month (iOS price)
- Runs on
- iOS, Android, web
Tool: Cutroom
- Free option
- First video free, no card
- Paid from
- Lite $19.99/month
- Runs on
- Browser, any Mac
Will it run on your Mac?
The browser tools do the heavy work on their own servers, so an older Mac is fine for them.
- Final Cut Pro runs only on a Mac, and some features, such as Transcript Search, need Apple silicon.
- DaVinci Resolve needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Blackmagic's release notes for version 21.1 list 8 GB of memory as the minimum, or 16 GB if you use its Fusion effects.
- Descript installs as a normal Mac app and also runs in the browser.
- CapCut has a Mac desktop app and a browser version.
- Captions and Cutroom run in the browser, so any Mac with a current browser works.
Descript
Descript lets you edit a video by editing its text. Delete a sentence in the transcript and it is cut from the video.
- Descript is best for podcasters and course creators who edit hour-long recordings.
- Underlord, its AI co-editor, removes filler words and tightens a recording when you ask. Studio Sound cleans up the audio.
- You can record your screen or a remote guest in the same app.
- It translates captions into 61 languages and dubs into 30.
- The free plan gives you 1 hour of media a month and exports in 720p with a watermark.
- Hobbyist costs $16 a month billed yearly, or $24 month to month. Every plan limits your media hours.
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is Apple's professional video editor. You make every cut, and its AI tools help with captions, masks and colour.
- Final Cut Pro is best for editors who edit every day and want to own the software.
- It adds captions from the spoken audio, and Magnetic Mask cuts out a person without a green screen.
- Object Tracker, automatic colour enhancement and automatic reframe for every aspect ratio are built in.
- It costs $12.99 a month, $129 a year or $299.99 once, after a 30-day free trial.
- It runs only on a Mac, and it does not make any cuts for you.
DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a free professional editor that runs on Mac, Windows and Linux.
- DaVinci Resolve is best for people who want a professional colour grade at no cost and will take the time to learn it.
- The free version works up to Ultra HD at 60fps and covers editing, colour, visual effects and audio.
- The paid Studio version costs $295 once and adds the AI tools, such as text-based editing, an AI mask that picks out a person, voice isolation and smart reframing.
- It is the hardest app on this list to learn.
- On a Mac it needs Apple silicon, so it does not run on older Intel Macs.
CapCut
CapCut is the free editor many creators know from their phone. It also has a Mac desktop app.
- CapCut is best for one-off videos you want to edit by hand.
- It has templates, effects, filters and stickers for social videos, and the free editor exports in 8K.
- Pro adds the auto caption generator, more AI tools and premium templates.
- Pro costs $19.99 a month or $179.99 a year, and CapCut says the price varies by region.
- You still build every edit yourself on a timeline.
Captions
Captions is an editing app built for the phone. On a Mac you open it in the browser.
- Captions is best for creators who film on an iPhone and finish on the Mac.
- AI Edit cuts the scenes and adds b-roll for you.
- It adds captions in 100+ languages, corrects eye contact and removes background noise.
- The free version covers basic tools but has no generative AI.
- Max costs $24.99 a month with 500 credits. That is the iOS price.
Cutroom
Cutroom turns one video of you talking into a finished vertical ad. It runs in the browser on any Mac.
- Cutroom is best for founders and small teams who make talking-head ads every week.
- You upload one clip of yourself talking, up to 3 minutes long.
- Cutroom cuts the pauses, places stock video clips over the words they match, adds captions in 40 styles and a hook, and exports a 9:16 MP4.
- You change the video by editing the transcript, not a timeline.
- Your first video is free, with no card. Lite costs $19.99 a month for 1,250 credits.
- A 30-second video costs 110 credits: 100 to edit it and 20 per minute of export.
- Cutroom only makes vertical video with one speaker. It is not for a 20-minute YouTube video or a multi-camera interview.
Which one should you choose?
It comes down to the videos you make most and how much of the editing you want to do yourself.
Which AI video editor for Mac to choose
Choose Descript if you edit long recordings and would rather read a transcript than search through a timeline.
Choose Final Cut Pro if you edit every day on a Mac and want to own a professional editor for $299.99 once.
Choose DaVinci Resolve if you want professional editing and colour grading for free, and will take the time to learn it.
Choose CapCut if you edit one-off videos by hand and want a free app that is also on your phone.
Choose Captions if you film on an iPhone and want an AI edit with captions in one tap.
Choose Cutroom if you film yourself talking and want a finished 9:16 ad with b-roll, captions and a hook, in the browser.
Questions people ask
- What is the best AI video editor for Mac?
- Descript is the best for editing long recordings by text. Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve are the best professional editors. CapCut is best for free editing by hand, Captions for a one-tap AI edit, and Cutroom for a finished 9:16 ad from one clip.
- Which AI video editors for Mac are free?
- DaVinci Resolve and CapCut are free to use. Descript has a free plan with 1 hour of media a month, Captions has a free version, and Cutroom's first video is free with no card. Final Cut Pro has a 30-day free trial. Apple's iMovie is free too, but it lists no automatic captions.
- Is Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve better on a Mac?
- DaVinci Resolve is better if you want a free editor, or one that also runs on Windows and Linux. Final Cut Pro is better if you only edit on a Mac and want an editor that is easier to learn. It costs $299.99 once, after a 30-day free trial. Resolve Studio, with the AI tools, costs $295 once.
- Can an AI video editor for Mac add captions automatically?
- Yes, five of the six can. Final Cut Pro, Descript, Captions and Cutroom add captions for you, and CapCut does it on Pro. DaVinci Resolve's product page does not mention automatic captions, so check before you count on them.
- Does Cutroom work on a Mac?
- Yes. It runs in the browser, so any Mac with a current browser works and there is nothing to install. The video is made on Cutroom's servers, so an older Mac is fine. The finished MP4 downloads like any file.
- Can Cutroom edit a long YouTube video?
- No. Cutroom takes one clip of one speaker, up to 3 minutes, and returns a vertical ad. For a 20-minute YouTube video or a multi-camera interview, use Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve or Descript.
- What Mac do I need for AI video editing?
- Any Mac with an up-to-date browser works for Cutroom and Captions. DaVinci Resolve 21.1 needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 15 Sequoia or later and 8 GB of memory, or 16 GB for its Fusion effects. Final Cut Pro needs Apple silicon for some features, such as Transcript Search.
Open Cutroom in the browser on your Mac and upload one clip of you talking. Your first video is free.
Try for freeYour first video is free, no card, and you have 7 days to make it. It carries a Cutroom mark; Lite at $19.99/month removes it