Side-by-side comparison · Video & Audio

Async vs DaVinci Resolve

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Async

4.2

From $0

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Best overall

DaVinci Resolve

4.3

From $295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked)

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Comparing 2 tools. Add one more if you like.

At a glance

Async4.2

Easiest to use

Pick it if: Podcasters and small teams who want recording, editing, clips and hosting in one place.

DaVinci Resolve4.3

Best overallBest value

Pick it if: In-house video producers, agencies and business owners who edit regularly and want pro results without a monthly fee.

Overview

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
In one line	Record, edit and publish podcasts and videos, with AI that edits when you ask.	Pro video editing, colour and audio in one app, with a full-featured free version.
Pricing model	Freemium	Freemium
Starting price	$0	$295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked)
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Works with Claude Code	No	Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
Overall rating	4.2	4.3Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.	4.5	2.5
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.	4.5	5.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.	4.0	5.0
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.	4.0	5.0
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.	4.0	4.0

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
Access & platform
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Mobile app	Yes	Yes
Desktop app	No	Yes
Browser extension	No	No
API access	–	Yes
Teams & business
Team workspace	Yes	Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO	Yes	–
Connects to other apps	Yes	–
Open source or self-hosted	No	No
AI abilities
Works with your files	Yes	Yes
Understands images	–	Yes
Makes images	Yes	No
Makes video	Yes	–
Writes code	No	No
Runs agents or automations	Yes	–
Learns your brand or style	Yes	–
Works in many languages	Yes	Yes
Capabilities score	11/ 17	8/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
Plans	Free $0 Trying the editor.	DaVinci ResolveOur pick Free Most businesses and anyone learning to edit.
	Essentials $11.99/mo billed yearly Solo podcasters getting started.	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 $23.99/mo billed yearly Creators publishing weekly.
	Teams $49.99 per creator/mo billed yearly Small teams producing a lot.
	Business Custom Larger organisations.
Which plan to pick	Pro suits most weekly podcasts, because Essentials' 4 recording hours a month runs out fast with guests. Yearly billing saves about 40% on the monthly price.	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.

Key features

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
Standout features	Remote recording studio Edit by transcript Magic Dust Chat-based editing Clips and publishing AI generation	Edit, colour, effects and audio in one app Colour grading AI Neural Engine (Studio) Text-based editing and IntelliSearch Voice Isolation Collaboration

Pros and cons

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
Pros	Records, edits, cleans and publishes in one app Transcript editing is easy for beginners Magic Dust audio clean-up works well Cheaper than Riverside plus Descript	The free version is a full professional editor Studio is a one-off price with free upgrades, no subscription Best-in-class colour grading Editing, effects and audio in a single app Scripting API for automating tasks
Cons	The rebrand and new AI features mean the app is still changing Recording hours are capped on every plan Overlaps Riverside and Descript, which each do their part better Credits for AI generation go quickly with video models	Steep learning curve for non-editors Needs a powerful computer and graphics card Many AI tools are Studio-only Can crash or slow down on older hardware or with long timelines

Who each one is for

Attribute	Async	DaVinci Resolve
Best for	Recording remote podcast interviews Editing episodes by editing the transcript Cleaning up audio in one click Hosting and publishing a podcast	Brand films and product videos Colour grading and matching footage Cleaning up dialogue and mixing audio Long-form YouTube and training videos Editing without a subscription
You'll find it used by	Podcasters Content creators Small teams Educators	Video producers Agencies YouTubers Colourists In-house marketing teams

Questions people ask

Which is better, Async or DaVinci Resolve?

DaVinci Resolve scores highest overall in our ratings (Async 4.2/5 and DaVinci Resolve 4.3/5). Async is best for recording remote podcast interviews and editing episodes by editing the transcript. DaVinci Resolve is best for brand films and product videos and colour grading and matching footage.

Which is cheaper, Async or DaVinci Resolve?

Async: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0. DaVinci Resolve: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked).

Which is easier to use, Async or DaVinci Resolve?

Async rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Podcasters and small teams who want recording, editing, clips and hosting in one place.

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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