Final Cut Pro
Riverside
No signals
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
Final Cut Pro
Riverside
No signals
Users: Per Mac
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Mac only, No Windows version, iPad version requires separate subscription
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Subscription model may not suit all users, Mac only
Users: 1 user
Storage: iPad internal storage only
Limits: No LUT import, No stabilization, No external storage, No color wheels/curves, Severely limited compared to Mac version
Users: Per student/educator
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Only available to verified students and educators, Mac only
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: 90-day limit, Mac only
Users: 1 user
Storage: 2 hours recording
Limits: 720p max resolution, Riverside branding on exports, Limited to 2 hours total recording
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited recording
Limits: 1080p max (not 4K), No team features, No priority support, Monthly price is $24 (annual saves 35%)
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited recording
Limits: 15 hour transcription cap, No SSO, No dedicated support, Monthly price is $39 (annual saves 35%)
Users: Per user
Storage: Unlimited recording
Limits: Still no custom backgrounds, No SSO (requires Business), No SLA guarantee, Per-user cost at scale becomes expensive
Users: Custom
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Requires sales call for actual pricing, Minimum commitment likely required, Enterprise negotiation needed
| Feature | Final Cut Pro | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Editing | ||
| Magnetic Timeline Automatically closes gaps; can frustrate editors from traditional NLEs | ||
| 360° Video Editing Native support for VR content | ||
| Multicam Editing Unlimited angles on Mac; limited to 4 angles on iPad | ||
| Text-based editing Standard plan and above | ||
| Recording | ||
| 4K video recording Pro plan and above | ||
| Local recording (not cloud-dependent) Core differentiator | ||
| Lossless audio recording All plans | ||
| Performance | ||
| 8K Video Editing Full support with Apple Silicon optimization | ||
| Hardware-accelerated Export H.264 and HEVC encoding accelerated on Apple Silicon | ||
| Color | ||
| HDR Support Built-in HDR workflow and monitoring | ||
| Usability | ||
| Browser-based guest access No download required | ||
| Offline mode Requires internet connection | ||
| AI Features | ||
| AI transcription Limited hours on lower plans | ||
| AI Object Tracking Magnetic Mask, face tracking, object isolation | ||
| Automatic Transcription Transcribe to Captions feature built-in | ||
| Magic Clips for social media Pro plan and above | ||
| Platform | ||
| Windows Support Mac only, no Windows version available | ||
| Branding | ||
| Custom virtual backgrounds Business plan only ($450/mo) | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time Collaboration Requires third-party tools like PostLab | ||
| Distribution | ||
| Live streaming Not supported, use StreamYard | ||
| Integrations | ||
| After Effects Integration No Dynamic Link; manual export/import required | ||
| API access Pro plan and above | ||
| Mobile | ||
| External Storage (iPad) iPad version requires internal storage only | ||
| Mobile export/review iOS app recording only | ||
| Enterprise | ||
| SSO/SAML Business plan only | ||
| Support | ||
| Real-time customer support Email only, multi-day response | ||
