Adobe Premiere Pro vs. Final Cut Pro

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Premiere Pro
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Adobe offers their video editing platform Adobe Premiere Pro, supporting video and audio editing as well as VR presentations, available as part of the company's Creative Cloud suite or as a standalone application.
$22.99
per month
Final Cut Pro
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Apple offers Final Cut Pro, a video editing platform featuring optimized for a high performance machines and supporting a wide range of quality effects.
$299.99
per license
Pricing
Adobe Premiere ProFinal Cut Pro
Editions & Modules
Premiere Pro Single App
$22.99
per month
Adobe Creative Cloud - All Apps
$59.99
per month
Adobe Creative Cloud - Students and Teachers
$59.99
per month
Adobe Creative Cloud - Business
$89.99
per month per seat
Final Cut Pro X
$299.99
per license
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe Premiere ProFinal Cut Pro
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsDiscounts available for student and teacher plan.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe Premiere ProFinal Cut Pro
Considered Both Products
Adobe Premiere Pro
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
I have also used Adobe Premiere Rush (a less capable but more streamlined and easier to use version of Adobe Premiere Pro) and Canva to produce video content. Ultimately I will choose to use Adobe Premiere Pro every time. I always end up wanting to do something in Rush that I …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Final Cut Pro is equivalent to Premiere in terms of capability, but our organization is completely Windows based, as are most corporate office environments, and PowerDirector offered an adequate solution but lacked the full suite of tools that we were looking for.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
I like the interface and features way more than iMovie.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro has all the tools you are looking for. It is easy to find things, you can save unfinished projects in a location. Other applications do not have all the available transitions, tools similar to Adobe Premiere Pro. Blender has for example a complex interface …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Davinci Resolve works nicely (though some things have a different flow compared to Adobe Premiere Pro). More importantly though, whenever I ran into a limitation with Davinci Resolve, I can always find a solution with Adobe Premiere Pro.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro integrates relatively well with the rest of the Creative Cloud suite. The challenges come down to individual workflows. Each product has its own separate hotkeys and workflows that may make sense individually, but collectively they're a hassle to keep …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
I have used APP for so long, it was hard to try other editing applications. Adobe stands on its own. FCPX normally has to try to live up to APP.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Not even close. iMovie is a good starter set, Adobe Premiere Pro is the real deal. iMovie is a great entry point for you to learn the basics, but when you are ready to take your editing to the next level, Adobe Premiere Pro is the way to go.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
We had looked at Camtasia due to an industry referral and although it offers a much more simplistic interface and took less time to learn, it wasn't able to compete with some of the upscale Adobe options. That being said, we do use it for small projects that focus more on …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Compared to other editing software, it's a cleaner layout, faster render, and much more easy to learn some of the more complex features.
Similar platforms take too long to set up and give commands in one step as opposed to 3 or 4 steps in some software, which saves time.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Camtasia is a lower end video editing software. There is limited features and not any integrations with other apps. I think Camtasia is good for super simple video edits. But Adobe Premiere Pro is going to give you all the latest video editing tricks and tools to produce …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
We actually took time in 2020 to test out Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve to see if they would be better suited for our department but ended up sticking with Premiere. Each has [its] strong suits, but the non-linear editing style of Resolve was too complicated to grasp when …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is so much better than iMovie, but iMove is great for people who are just starting out and want a slimmed-down version of Adobe Premiere Pro. Adobe Premiere Pro does have a learning curve and is not as easy to pick up and learn in comparison to iMovie.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
I had no problems with Final Cut. It was also easy to use and very powerful. However, Adobe Premiere Pro is part of the Adobe ecosystem, so it just makes sense to use it instead of Final Cut Pro. Of course, some people may prefer to pay a one-time fee of $300 with Final Cut vs …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
We used Final Cut for a while before switching to Premiere. Overall we found Premiere to be a better and more professional video editor with a number of great and easy to use features. Couple that with the fact that it's a part of the Creative Suite and compatible with all the …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Each editor has its pros and cons. I tend to not like node-based editing, so the sliders, faders, and effects that I feel comfortable with in Photoshop and other similar programs are reflected in PPs UI. The more recently added hardware acceleration makes editing RAW 4K footage …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Final Cut Pro X was better at handling footage playback. Red footage playback was instantaneous. But I couldn't make heads or tails of the layout. It was so radically different and I didn't have time to relearn how to use editing software. Premiere provides fairly smooth …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
DaVinci Resolve is a powerful editing and color-grading application, and the base version is free. However, I've found that with the Lumetri Color panel in Premiere, I really have no need for Resolve as it meets all of my needs. Additionally, I've found Resolve to be lacking in …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Spark is better for the average user who does not have video editing experience or even for student use. Premiere Pro is definitely more of a professional software.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is the less advanced version of Adobe After Effects. It gets the job done to create quality videos and some of the features are included in Adobe After Effects. Adobe After Effects is more about putting finishing touches or extra effects on your video. iMovie …
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
We selected Adobe Premiere Pro not only because it was included with our Suite but because it covered all bases from beginners to advanced users. As times have gone on our users were looking for a feature rich software to be able to edit videos and Premiere fit the bill.
Chose Adobe Premiere Pro
Premiere has the capability to edit audio, video, and graphics. While we still use Adobe After Effects for more complicated motion graphics and animation, Premiere is where we do most of our work and final exports.
Final Cut Pro
Chose Final Cut Pro
Adobe Premiere is similar to Final Cut Pro in terms of quality and usability. Several of my friends and partners use Adobe Premiere, and we all agree they are identical. The fact that I use Apple computers made the choice easy, as Final Cut is fully integrated with the other …
Chose Final Cut Pro
Price, price, price. DaVinci may be free, but the learning grade is a bit higher, and you need a high-end machine to make it sing. Premier Pro is a subscription service bloated with tools you'll never use. FCPX is priced decently and is easy to learn.
Chose Final Cut Pro
The magnetic timeline, live previews of effects, and general ease of editing. In other words, I think it works.
Chose Final Cut Pro
iMovie is great for rapid editing of videos taken with your iPhone. It is lightweight, fast and simple. However it is extremely limited. You can not layer videos or images. The titles, Transitions and Effects are basic and there are only a few of them.

You really can't …
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro X is a one time purchase and Adobe Premiere Pro has monthly subscription. Final Cut Pro X takes less time to arrange your clips and Adobe Premiere Pro takes most time to arrange your clips. A beginner can do work easily on Final Cut Pro X, but a beginner can not …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I've used iMovie and Final Cut Pro. Final Cut Pro is iMovie on steroids.
Chose Final Cut Pro
Premiere and Final Cut are very similar is usage. Final Cut has less crashing and lag, but does not work well with Adobe products. You'd basically have to use all different softwares to use it best. Davinci is a different beast with a color grading portion that is unmatched by …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I have used both Final Cut Pro X and iMovie and Final Cut Pro just seems to be my go-to. Final Cut Pro X just seems to have more tools, features, functionality, and more. It also integrates with Compressor which helps when reducing file sizes. There seems to be more extras that …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I find that many users have some iMovie experience when approaching Final Cut Pro X, and thus segue quickly to it. Premiere is also a good product, timeline-based, with a very mature expansion market, possibly with a cluttered interface. DaVinci Resolve is the free product from …
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut [Pro X] has way more features in a much better layout. Although it is more expensive, I believe the improved performance and advanced level of features is worth it if you are serious about video production and professionalism.
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro X stakes up well against the main competitors such as Adobe Premier Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Each has their strengths but Final Cut Pro X provides a competitive set of features but is optimized for the Macintosh environment. With the new M1 chips, Final Cut Pro …
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro X is basically the professional upgrade of iMovie - if you're familiar with that product, stepping up to FCPX is a natural progression. Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro are both industry standard products - in all honestly, if you're an editor, you …
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro X has all the same features that the other two have. The price point for both Final Cut Pro X and Premier Pro are very comparable and DaVinci Resolve is a free software but I found it to not be very user friendly. We have access to both Premier Pro and Final Cut …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I briefly experimented with Adobe Premiere but wasn't crazy about the user interface. I'm so used to Final Cut Pro X and it's become such a mainstay for me that I saw no need to pursue an alternative. Final Cut Pro X certainly delivers worlds above your customary free editing …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I have hated iMovie since its inception. This probably says more about me, but I've never been able to figure out how such a simple piece of software can make me feel like such a dope! It's certainly improved over the years, and I have even used it in a pinch when I didn't have …
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro X is much easier to navigate and more user-friendly than Adobe Premiere. It is something a beginner can pick up and have an easy time editing, and then an experienced pro can really dig in and make something amazing out of it. Premiere can be a train wreck from …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I have used Adobe Premiere Pro but I keep going back to Final Cut Pro X because it is easier to use. At some point, I will learn Premiere Pro because from what I have heard it is much more powerful, but I am staying with Final Cut Pro for now because it is much easier to use.
Chose Final Cut Pro
I first learned to edit on Adobe Premiere Pro, and then FCP7. Comparatively, FCP7 just worked. Adobe crashed all the time (back in the day). Apple clearly also had the edge on the user interface - not just doing what NLEs had been doing for years but making improvements to the …
Chose Final Cut Pro
FCPX is very similar to Premiere Pro, and the two software are locked in a competition. Some years Premier is better, some years FCPX is better. I would say FCPX is more stable with fewer crashes, but Premier sometimes lets you customize the view a bit more. Flash is good for …
Chose Final Cut Pro
There's no comparison really. They're all non-linear editors, but FCPX is in a league of it's own. Above the rest.
Chose Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro X is just as good as Adobe Premier Pro but doesn't require a subscription to keep using. The one time cost was a plus for us. Although Final Cut Pro X is only available for Apple, everyone in our department uses Macs so it wasn't a problem. We've found it easier …
Chose Final Cut Pro
I cut my teeth on Media Composer and Adobe Premier. When I had a budget of nothing to start a creative services department for a Warner Bros. television affiliate, I took a chance on Final Cut (the first version). Now Final Cut X is very robust and is a killer editor. Even the …
Chose Final Cut Pro
When compared to other video editing software, Final Cut Pro X falls in the middle in terms of difficulty and functionality. iMovie (another Apple / Mac video editing software) provides many of the basic functions and features of Final Cut Pro X, while Adobe Premiere Pro CC …
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User Ratings
Adobe Premiere ProFinal Cut Pro
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(0 ratings)
8.9
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.0
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
7.0
(0 ratings)
8.6
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
3.2
(0 ratings)
8.8
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
8.0
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe Premiere ProFinal Cut Pro
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe Premiere Pro seems to be industry standard for video editing. For any type of video promotion or production Premiere is a great software for tidying up and correcting video color and audio as well as an easy editor to bring multiple clips together into a seamless production. Because it is the professional version, for casual video editing it may be too much program.
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It is a one-time cost, great for aspiring video creators, and has a low barrier to entry to get started financially. There are lots of tutorials and plug-ins available online. Whether you are creating short or long-form content, FCPX is easy to use. Keep an eye on your library files since they can grow large and take up a lot of space on the hard drive.
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Pros
  • The audio output of this program is better than those of other video editing software.
  • You can make cuts from other videos and make a unique video.
  • When you edit a video you can put audio, images, letters and other things.
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  • Adheres to the conceptually easy timeline model, thus making simple onboarding.
  • Feature-rich toolset which allows for incredible product manipulation from the get-go
  • Expandability via a vibrant plugin ecosystem. Final Cut plugins are broadly developed.
  • Rich integration with studio products: Motion, Compressor
  • Version updates exhibit a product team in touch with what the market needs
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Cons
  • GPU utilization- While Premiere utilizes the GPU occasionally and during exports, it's mostly a CPU intensive program. Unless you have a powerful CPU, your computer may struggle to playback high-resolution footage.
  • The Graphics panel is very useful and has come a long way but still needs some work. I need more templates available to me since I'm paying monthly for this service.
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  • Would be nice to have more built in exporting options for those of use who don't know how to compress videos well.
  • More built in effects would be a plus.
  • I always struggle with adding text but it could just be me.
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Likelihood to Renew
Adobe Premiere Pro saves time and cost and it does a great job. When you see the output you know that you have made the right investment in the right application. Adobe does not require a lot of support to work good. There are thousands of videos in case you are looking for a particular thing to do during your work on your videos therefore it is well supported.
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No answers on this topic
Usability
Premiere Pro is a very powerful tool, but it's not intuitive - it's virtually impossible to use without some kind of training or instruction. That being said, once you've learned how to use the product so that you can take advantage of its various video editing and creation options, it's an incredible program in terms of features and tools.
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I am very much impressed with the overall dependability and reliability for the professional edit. Timeline supports multiple formats of the video and delivers best and high quality outputs. When integrated with motion ( product by Apple) gives you optical frame generation making it more powerful
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Support Rating
The customer support was extremely slow, being passed to multiple departments, having calls dropped and need to start all over. I basically had to hold THEIR hand through the process so they could fully understand the situation. The most effective part was when I finally spoke with someone who was able to access my computer and walk through the issues themself. However, they came to the same conclusion after an entire hour, and had no idea why or that it was an issue that could be escalated to the technical team. Ultimately this communicates that Adobe Premiere has no interest in refining their platform, which solidified my ZERO user confidence in this video editing platform.
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Apple offers decent support, but if you're really stuck go to Twitter or various online forums. There are HUGE numbers of very avid Final Cut Pro X editors who will gladly talk through any issues you might have, point you in the right direction on the forums, and even help you troubleshoot. The community is great.
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In-Person Training
Utilizing one of the many books available on Adobe Premiere Pro, each video editor can learn at their own pace.
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No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
No answers on this topic
Implementing Final Cut Pro into the organization was a smooth transition from what we didn't had. We felt we went from zero to hero with this software, due to all the great features that we learned. We took some time in training staff on how to use the software but at the end, this was very useful and important.
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Alternatives Considered
We actually took time in 2020 to test out Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve to see if they would be better suited for our department but ended up sticking with Premiere. Each has [its] strong suits, but the non-linear editing style of Resolve was too complicated to grasp when already working in linear programs for so long. Their features aren't as robust and Premiere (outside of color). Final Cut is always a great tool, but if we were to switch to using PC it would become a problem down the road. And not being able to seamlessly use After Effects within Final Cut was the final nail in the coffin.
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Adobe Premiere is similar to Final Cut Pro in terms of quality and usability. Several of my friends and partners use Adobe Premiere, and we all agree they are identical. The fact that I use Apple computers made the choice easy, as Final Cut is fully integrated with the other tools I use. Final Cut is much more advanced than iMovie. However, I use iMovie directly on my iPhone in some cases. There is no accurate comparison.
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Return on Investment
  • It allows my company to produce products. Full stop. There is no more valuable tool than Premiere for our entire company.
  • Premiere's slow export time consumes the entirety of my computer. This means I often need to go to another machine to continue working. It's frustrating.
  • Premiere also slows down when handling videos larger than 1080p. This slows down my workflow. Every second of my workday needs to make things go faster. Anything that slows it down is a serious problem.
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  • Keeps the workflow going smoothly on an edit from beginning to end edit.
  • Slight negatives impact on ROI when the program becomes occasionally unstable after an update.
  • Also, with Final Cut Pro X, you don't have to continually pay a monthly fee as you do with Adobe CC products... definitely a win.
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ScreenShots