DaVinci Resolve
Runway
| Feature | DaVinci Resolve | Runway |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $295/mo | Free / from $12/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | professional-editors, colorists, filmmakers, youtube-creators | filmmakers, content-creators, advertisers, video-editors |
| Founded | 2004 | 2018 |
| Video Editing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Color Grading | ✓ | ✗ |
| Visual Effects | ✓ | ✗ |
| Audio Post | ✓ | ✗ |
| Motion Graphics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collaboration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hdr Support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Text To Video | ✗ | ✓ |
| Image To Video | ✗ | ✓ |
| Green Screen | ✗ | ✓ |
| Motion Brush | ✗ | ✓ |
| Inpainting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Upscaling | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ DaVinci Resolve Pros
- Free version is genuinely professional-grade
- Industry-leading color grading tools
- Audio (Fairlight), VFX (Fusion), editing in one app
- One-time purchase for Studio (no subscription)
✗ DaVinci Resolve Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Requires powerful hardware for smooth editing
- Large application size (2GB+ download)
✓ Runway Pros
- Industry-leading video generation quality
- Comprehensive AI creative tools
- Text-to-video and image-to-video
- Professional-grade motion control
✗ Runway Cons
- Credits deplete quickly with video generation
- Expensive for heavy use
- Generated videos limited to a few seconds
The Verdict
DaVinci Resolve is built for professional editors and colorists, with a focus on video-editing and color-grading. Runway targets filmmakers and content creators and leads with text-to-video and image-to-video.
On pricing, Runway is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $12/mo compared to $295/mo for DaVinci Resolve. That $283/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Both tools are a solid fit for filmmakers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.