Side-by-side comparison · Video & Audio
DaVinci Resolve vs Riverside vs Submagic
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: 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.
Pick it if: Coaches, creators and small businesses who film talking-head shorts and want them captioned and edited without doing it by hand.
Overview
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | 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. | Adds animated captions, B-roll, zooms and cuts to your short videos automatically. |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | $295 one-off (shown discounted to $236 when checked) | $29/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Works with Claude Code | Yes | No | Yes |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 2.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together. | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them. | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan. | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
Feature comparison
A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | No |
| Desktop app | Yes | No | No |
| Browser extension | No | No | No |
| API access | Yes | – | 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 | – | – |
| Makes images | No | No | No |
| Makes video | – | No | Yes |
| Writes code | No | No | No |
| Runs agents or automations | – | Yes | No |
| Learns your brand or style | – | – | Yes |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Capabilities score | 8/ 17 | 8/ 17 | 8/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | DaVinci ResolveOur pick Free Most businesses and anyone learning to edit. | Free Free Trying it with a test episode. | Starter $19/mo, or $12/mo billed yearly Creators posting a few shorts a week. |
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. | ProOur pick $39/mo, or $23/mo billed yearly Anyone posting daily. | |
Grow $39/mo, or $34/mo billed yearly Teams recording several shows or long interviews. | Business $69/mo, or $41/mo billed yearly Teams and agencies editing at volume. | ||
Webinar $99/mo, or $79/mo billed yearly Businesses that run webinars and live events. | Custom Custom Media companies and large teams. | ||
Business Custom Larger teams with several producers. | |||
| Which plan to pick | 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. | Try it free first. Pro on yearly billing suits most people posting every day, and the 5-minute cap covers almost every short. Take Business only if you clip long podcasts or need 4K. |
Key features
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
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Pros and cons
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
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Who each one is for
| Attribute | DaVinci Resolve | Riverside | Submagic |
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Questions people ask
Which is better, DaVinci Resolve, Riverside or Submagic?
They tie on our overall rating (DaVinci Resolve 4.3/5, Riverside 4.3/5 and Submagic 4.2/5). 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. Submagic is best for animated captions on talking-head Reels and removing silences and adding B-roll automatically.
Which is cheaper, DaVinci Resolve, Riverside or Submagic?
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. Submagic: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at $19/mo.
Which is easier to use, DaVinci Resolve, Riverside or Submagic?
Submagic rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Coaches, creators and small businesses who film talking-head shorts and want them captioned and edited without doing it by hand.
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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