DaVinci Resolve is one of the most complete post-production applications there is: editing, node-based grading, Fusion compositing and Fairlight audio in one program, with a capable free version. cinemaOS shares the idea of one project for the whole job but takes a narrower, more guided route, and adds release work Resolve does not focus on, such as poster layout, brand kits and offline subtitle translation. This page compares them job by job and is clear about where Resolve is ahead.
Who each one is best for
DaVinci Resolve suits colorists and post teams who need grading depth, finishing facilities that already run it, and editors on Windows or Linux. Its free version is generous, and its paid Studio version adds more tools. If you grade for a living, Resolve is the reference many of your clients will expect.
cinemaOS suits filmmakers and creators on an Apple silicon Mac who want a good grade without learning a node graph, and who also need the sound mix, subtitles, a vertical version and the poster from the same project. It is version 0.2, build 9: young, focused and best judged on your own footage during the free trial.
Side by side
Editing
- cinemaOS
- The Sequencer cuts multitrack picture and sound with razor, ripple, roll, slip and slide, transitions, adjustment layers, live titles and edit by text, plus the Momentum Dial and a command palette.
- DaVinci Resolve
- Two editing pages (Cut and Edit), with a full trim toolset, multicam and collaboration features in the Studio version.
Color
- cinemaOS
- The Color Engine in Finisher, Shot Match from a reference still and LUT Lab, which shows a LUT as a 3D cube, repairs artifacts and exports a .cube file.
- DaVinci Resolve
- The node-based Color page is an industry standard, with very deep secondary, tracking, HDR and color management tools and support for hardware control panels.
Sound
- cinemaOS
- The SOUND console with dialogue, music, effects and ambience buses and loudness meters, and Spatial Theatrics for mixing tracks as objects in a 3D theater, with scene loudness and stereo and headphone checks.
- DaVinci Resolve
- Fairlight, a full audio post page with a mixer, automation, repair tools and immersive formats.
Design and photo
- cinemaOS
- Atelier for poster and page layout, photo development, painting light on layers, keyframed video composition and brand kits sent to every poster size.
- DaVinci Resolve
- Fusion for node-based compositing and motion graphics. Posters and photo work are usually done in other apps.
AI
- cinemaOS
- J.A.R.E.D. runs on your Mac with no generative credits; transcription, subtitles and translation work offline.
- DaVinci Resolve
- Many tools built on its own neural engine, several of them in the paid Studio version. Check Blackmagic Design's feature list for your version.
Price model
- cinemaOS
- $9.99 USD a month excluding VAT after 60 days free, with no card and no automatic charge. Teams are $8.99 per seat a month for 2 to 50 seats.
- DaVinci Resolve
- A free version, and a paid Studio version sold as a licence. Check Blackmagic Design's current pricing.
Platform
- cinemaOS
- Mac-native on Apple silicon. Windows is planned for November 2027.
- DaVinci Resolve
- Mac, Windows and Linux.
Interchange
- cinemaOS
- Imports XML and EDL cuts with a conform report and hands the cut back as XML or EDL.
- DaVinci Resolve
- Wide interchange support, including XML, EDL and its own project and archive formats.
Where DaVinci Resolve is the better choice
- You grade professionally and need nodes, deep secondaries, HDR workflows or a control surface.
- You composite in Fusion or mix in Fairlight at a professional level.
- Your facility, school or client works in Resolve projects.
- You need Windows or Linux, or a free tool with no time limit.
- You collaborate with several people on the same timeline.
If that describes your work, Resolve is the stronger tool. cinemaOS is a better fit when grading is one job among many and the release has to ship from one project. Our article on why DaVinci Resolve can feel complicated looks at that trade-off without pretending either side is free of costs.
Moving a project across
From Resolve, export the timeline as XML or EDL. In cinemaOS, open HOME, choose Import a cut and select the file. The cut is rebuilt from its edit decisions and a conform report lists anything that did not translate. Grades, Fusion compositions and Fairlight processing do not travel this way, in either direction, so plan to regrade if you move mid-project.
Going back, hand the cut to Resolve as XML or EDL from cinemaOS. A common split is to cut and do release work in cinemaOS and send a picture-locked cut to a colorist in Resolve, or the other way round.
To see what grading in cinemaOS looks like, watch A grade in one minute and Shot Match from a still.
FAQ
Is cinemaOS as deep as DaVinci Resolve for color?
No. Resolve's node-based Color page is deeper. cinemaOS covers the grade most films and channels need, with Shot Match from a reference still and LUT Lab, in a simpler workspace.
Can I move a timeline from Resolve to cinemaOS?
Yes, as a cut. Export XML or EDL from Resolve and use Import a cut in cinemaOS. Grades and effects need to be redone; the conform report lists what came across.
Is DaVinci Resolve free?
There is a free version with a large feature set and a paid Studio version. Check Blackmagic Design's site for what each includes today.