Side-by-side comparison · Video & Audio
Adobe Premiere vs DaVinci Resolve vs Riverside
Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.
Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.
At a glance
Pick it if: Professional editors, agencies and in-house teams already working in Adobe Creative Cloud.
Pick it if: In-house video producers, agencies and business owners who edit regularly and want pro results without a monthly fee.
Pick it if: Businesses running a podcast, interview series or webinar who want guests to sound and look professional without a studio.
Overview
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | Adobe's professional video editor, with Generative Extend, AI search and auto captions. | Pro video editing, colour and audio in one app, with a full-featured free version. | Records podcasts and video interviews remotely in studio quality, with AI editing. |
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $22.99/mo | $295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked) | $29/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes | Yes |
| Works with Claude Code | No | Yes | No |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 3.0 | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together. | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan. | 3.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over. | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Feature comparison
A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop app | Yes | Yes | No |
| Browser extension | No | No | No |
| API access | – | Yes | – |
| Teams & business | |||
| Team workspace | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise plan or SSO | Yes | – | Yes |
| Connects to other apps | Yes | – | Yes |
| Open source or self-hosted | No | No | No |
| AI abilities | |||
| Works with your files | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Understands images | Yes | Yes | – |
| Makes images | – | No | No |
| Makes video | Yes | – | No |
| Writes code | No | No | No |
| Runs agents or automations | – | – | Yes |
| Learns your brand or style | – | – | – |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Capabilities score | 9/ 17 | 8/ 17 | 8/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | PremiereOur pick $22.99/mo, annual plan billed monthly Editors who only need Premiere. | DaVinci ResolveOur pick Free Most businesses and anyone learning to edit. | Free Free Trying it with a test episode. |
Premiere for teams $37.99/licence/mo, annual plan Businesses buying seats for staff. | DaVinci Resolve Studio $295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked) Regular editors who want the AI tools and higher-end output. | ProOur pick $29/mo, or $24/mo billed yearly A business running a regular podcast or interview series. | |
Creative Cloud Pro $69.99/mo, annual plan billed monthly People who also use Photoshop, After Effects or Illustrator. | Grow $39/mo, or $34/mo billed yearly Teams recording several shows or long interviews. | ||
Webinar $99/mo, or $79/mo billed yearly Businesses that run webinars and live events. | |||
Business Custom Larger teams with several producers. | |||
| Which plan to pick | If you only edit video, the Premiere single-app plan is enough. If you also need Photoshop or After Effects, Creative Cloud Pro is better value than paying for apps one by one. The annual plan has an early-cancellation fee, so check it before signing up. | Start on the free version; it is not time-limited. Buy Studio once you find yourself wanting Magic Mask, text-based editing or vertical reframing, since it is a single payment with free upgrades. | Pro on yearly billing covers most company podcasts. Move to Grow only if you record more than about five hours a month, and to Webinar only if you host live events. |
Key features
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
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Pros and cons
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
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Who each one is for
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside |
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Questions people ask
Which is better, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve or Riverside?
They tie on our overall rating (Adobe Premiere 3.8/5, DaVinci Resolve 4.3/5 and Riverside 4.3/5). Adobe Premiere is best for agency and in-house video production and teams already on Creative Cloud. DaVinci Resolve is best for brand films and product videos and colour grading and matching footage. Riverside is best for company podcasts with remote guests and recording client or customer interviews.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve or Riverside?
Adobe Premiere: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at $22.99/mo. DaVinci Resolve: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked). Riverside: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $29/mo.
Which is easier to use, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve or Riverside?
Riverside rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Businesses running a podcast, interview series or webinar who want guests to sound and look professional without a studio.
How we compare
Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.
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