AI Tools · AI Video Creation

Final Cut Pro

Apple's video editor for Mac and iPad: a $299.99 one-time Mac purchase, or $12.99 a month inside Apple Creator Studio after a 30-day free trial.

Our take: Final Cut Pro now has two price routes.

Best forMac and iPad video editing

ReviewedNov 2026Paid

7.25 criteria · see breakdown

Try Final$299.99 once; or $12.99/mo in Creator Studio

Final Cut Pro is Apple's video editor for Mac and iPad, sold as a $299.99 one-time purchase of the Mac app or as part of the Apple Creator Studio subscription. Creator Studio is $12.99 a month or $129 a year for new subscribers after a 30-day free trial, and $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year for verified college students and educators. These US prices were read on Apple's own pages on 2 November 2026; Apple offers a trial of the subscription, and the pages read show no free version.

The bottom line

Buy once if you only need the Mac editor, or compare the subscription if you want the iPad version and the other Apple apps; check the one-time price and the trial wording on Apple's pages first.

Our score

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team. Hover a facet to focus it; click to pin.Tap a facet to focus it.

What it is, and why we rate it

One line each. Open a row for detail.

What it really isAn Apple video editing app that runs on Mac and iPad; the Mac version is a one-time purchase, and the Apple Creator Studio subscription also includes it.

Our takeFinal Cut Pro now has two price routes.

The Mac app is $299.99 once, while Apple Creator Studio is $12.99 a month or $129 a year for new subscribers and bundles iPad editing, Motion, Compressor, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro. Apple says some premium content and the ability to open subscription projects are tied to an active subscription.

Why we rate itApple publishes the one-time price, the subscription price, the educator price and the trial on its own pages, though two Apple pages differ on the minimum macOS version.

The catchApple's pages read show no free version of the Mac app, the one-time purchase is Mac only, some premium content is subscriber-only, and projects made under a subscription need an active subscription to open or edit.

Best / not good for

Best for

Mac users who want Apple's own editor for a single payment
iPad and Mac editors who also want Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro in one subscription
Verified college students and educators who qualify for the lower Creator Studio price

Not good for

Windows or Android users, since Apple's pages list only Mac and iPad versions
Anyone who wants a free version, since Apple's pages offer only a trial of the subscription
Subscribers who want to stop paying and still edit their projects, since Apple says an active subscription is needed to open or edit them

Trade-offs

Friction report

Trade-offs to know before signing up.

Time to value
Apple's Final Cut Pro page offers a Try it free button for the Creator Studio subscription, and the Mac app downloads from the Mac App Store.
Scale breakpoint
Companion apps split by route: Motion and Compressor are separate one-time Mac purchases, while Creator Studio includes them with Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro and MainStage.
Walled garden
Apple says projects made with an active Creator Studio subscription remain on your devices but need an active subscription to open or edit, and Final Cut Pro runs only on Mac and iPad.

Still a fit?

If none of these block you, try it on the official site.

Try Final

Final Cut Pro prices on Apple's pages

Option	Price (US)	Billing	What Apple says it covers
Final Cut Pro for Mac, one-time purchase	$299.99	One-time, on the Mac App Store	Mac only; Apple says people who already own it continue to get updates, and some premium content is for subscribers only
Apple Creator Studio, standard	$12.99 a month or $129 a year	Renews automatically until cancelled; 30-day free trial for new subscribers	Final Cut Pro (Mac and iPad), Motion, Compressor, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, MainStage and premium content in Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform; Family Sharing for up to five other people
Apple Creator Studio, college students and educators	$2.99 a month or $29.99 a year	Renews automatically until cancelled; 1 month free for new subscribers	The Creator Studio apps; verification required; individual use only; Apple's footnote calls it a limited-time offer
Apple Creator Studio, new device offer	3 months free, then $12.99 a month or $129 a year	With an iPad or Mac purchase; claim within 3 months of activating the device	One offer per Apple Account and per family; new and qualified returning subscribers
Final Cut Pro for iPad	Free to download, with in-app purchases	Listed as also included in Apple Creator Studio	The App Store listing does not show the in-app purchase prices

From Apple's Final Cut Pro page (apple.com/final-cut-pro), Apple Creator Studio page (apple.com/apple-creator-studio) and the Mac and iPad App Store listings (apps.apple.com/us), read in a browser on 2 November 2026. Apple's pages and listings were the US ones (dollar prices, United States footer). Apple's Final Cut Pro FAQ puts the subscription price at $12.99 a month or $129 a year for new subscribers; trials and offers are for new subscribers and carry Apple's eligibility terms. Motion and Compressor are also sold as separate one-time Mac purchases; their prices were not read.

One-time purchase or Creator Studio

Question	One-time Mac purchase	Apple Creator Studio
Which devices	Mac only, per the Mac App Store listing	Final Cut Pro for Mac and iPad; Motion and Compressor are Mac only
Other apps	Motion, Compressor and Logic Pro are each sold separately as one-time Mac purchases	Motion, Compressor, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro and MainStage are included
Premium content	Apple says some premium content is available only to Creator Studio subscribers	Included
Updates	Apple says people who already own Final Cut Pro continue to get updates	The pages read do not say
If you stop paying	Apple says you can continue using apps you already own and redownload them from the App Store	Apple says projects remain on your devices, but you must be an active subscriber to open or edit them
Trial	The pages read describe no trial of the one-time app	30 days free for new subscribers; 3 months free with an iPad or Mac purchase
Family Sharing	The Mac App Store listing says up to six family members can use the app with Family Sharing	Standard plan: up to five other people; educator and student plans cannot be shared

Wording from Apple's Final Cut Pro FAQ, Apple Creator Studio FAQ and the Mac App Store listing, read on 2 November 2026.

Platforms and system requirements Apple lists

Version	Requirements	Where
Mac	macOS 15.6 or later; 8GB of memory (16GB recommended); a Metal-capable graphics card on Intel-based Macs; 7.2GB of disk space; some features need Apple silicon	Final Cut Pro page
Mac, App Store listing (version 12.4)	macOS 26.6 or later; 8 GB of memory (16 GB recommended); 7.2 GB of disk space	Mac App Store listing
iPad	iPadOS 18.6 or later; an iPad with an M1 chip or later, iPad (A16) or iPad mini (A17 Pro)	Final Cut Pro page
iPad, App Store listing (version 3.4)	iPadOS 26.6 or later; an M-series chip or A16 or later chip	iPad App Store listing
Windows or Android	No version listed on the Apple pages read	Apple pages and listings read

Apple's own pages differ on the minimum macOS and iPadOS versions: the Final Cut Pro page lists 15.6 and 18.6, while the current App Store listings list 26.6. Check the listing for your device before buying. Read on 2 November 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Final Cut Pro cost?Is Final Cut Pro free?Is Final Cut Pro a one-time purchase or a subscription?Is the Final Cut Pro free trial 30 days or 90 days?Does Final Cut Pro run on iPad, Windows or Android?What do students and educators pay for Final Cut Pro?

How much does Final Cut Pro cost?

Final Cut Pro for Mac is a $299.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, and it is also included in the Apple Creator Studio subscription. Creator Studio costs $12.99 a month or $129 a year for new subscribers after a 30-day free trial, and Apple's page says the plan renews at those prices until cancelled. Educator and student subscriptions are $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. These are US prices from Apple's pages and the Mac App Store listing (checked 2 November 2026).

Is Final Cut Pro free?

No. Apple's pages show a free trial of the Creator Studio subscription but no free version of Final Cut Pro. New subscribers get 30 days free, and Apple's Creator Studio page shows 3 months free for new and qualified returning subscribers with an iPad or Mac purchase, claimed within 3 months of activating the device. The one-time Mac app is listed at $299.99, and the pages read describe no trial of it (checked 2 November 2026).

Is Final Cut Pro a one-time purchase or a subscription?

Both. Apple sells Final Cut Pro for Mac as a one-time purchase and also includes it in the Apple Creator Studio subscription. Apple's FAQ says the one-time purchase will still be available but access to some premium content is only for Creator Studio subscribers, and that people who already own Final Cut Pro will continue to get updates. If a subscription ends, Apple says projects stay on your devices but you must be an active subscriber to open or edit them (checked 2 November 2026).

Is the Final Cut Pro free trial 30 days or 90 days?

Apple's current pages say 30 days: new Creator Studio subscribers can try it free for 30 days, which the Creator Studio page words as 1 month free. A separate Apple offer gives 3 months free with an iPad or Mac purchase, for new and qualified returning subscribers who claim it within 3 months of activating the device. The pages read describe no 90-day trial of Final Cut Pro itself, so a 90-day figure elsewhere is not confirmed by Apple's current pages (checked 2 November 2026).

Does Final Cut Pro run on iPad, Windows or Android?

Final Cut Pro runs on Mac and iPad; Apple's pages list requirements for those two and show no Windows or Android version. Apple's Final Cut Pro page lists macOS 15.6 or later, and for iPad iPadOS 18.6 or later with an M1 chip or later, iPad (A16) or iPad mini (A17 Pro). The current Mac App Store listing (version 12.4) says macOS 26.6 or later and the iPad listing (version 3.4) says iPadOS 26.6 or later, so check the listing for your device before buying. The iPad app is listed as Free with in-app purchases and as also included in Apple Creator Studio; the listing does not show the in-app purchase prices (checked 2 November 2026).

What do students and educators pay for Final Cut Pro?

Verified college students and educators pay $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year for Apple Creator Studio, which includes Final Cut Pro. Apple's page offers new subscribers 1 month free, requires verification, says the subscription is for individual use and cannot be shared through Family Sharing, and labels the offer limited-time, one that may end at any time (checked 2 November 2026).