DaVinci Resolve started as a color grading system used on Hollywood films and grew into a complete post-production suite. It combines a video editor, the Color page for grading, Fusion for visual effects and motion graphics, Fairlight for audio mixing, and a delivery page for exporting. Because all of these are in one application, a project can move from edit to color to sound without being exported or relinked. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The free version is unusually capable, covering editing, grading, and audio with few of the limits that other free editors impose. The paid Studio version adds features such as noise reduction, more effects, multi-user collaboration, and a set of AI tools branded as the DaVinci Neural Engine. These include Magic Mask for isolating people and objects, speech-to-text transcription and editing by text, voice isolation, smart reframing, and tools for speed changes and upscaling.
Studio is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, which is rare among professional video tools and a main reason editors choose it. Resolve is demanding on graphics hardware and has a steeper learning curve than simple editors like CapCut. Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro are its main rivals for editing, with Resolve generally seen as the strongest in color. The AI tools are practical time-savers rather than generative, so it does not create new footage.