# Final Cut Pro vs iMovie

> iMovie is free on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Final Cut Pro costs Rs 29,900 once or Rs 399 a month. See what the price adds, checked 3 Nov 2026.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-13
- **Category**: Video editors
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-compare/final-cut-pro-vs-imovie

---

iMovie is free on iPhone, iPad and Mac, while Final Cut Pro costs INR 29,900 once on the Mac App Store (checked 3 Nov 2026). Pick iMovie for simple cuts, or Final Cut Pro for a pro timeline, auto captions and reframing.

## Side by side

| | iMovie | Final Cut Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | INR 29,900 once, or Apple Creator Studio at INR 399 a month or INR 3,999 a year |
| Runs on | iPhone and iPad (iOS 16.0 or later), Mac (macOS 11.5.1 or later) | Mac and iPad. The iPad app is sold only inside Creator Studio |
| Auto captions | Not mentioned on Apple's page | Generate Captions: Apple silicon Mac, U.S. English only |
| Auto edit | Magic Movie, over 20 styles | Montage Maker on iPad |
| Templates | 20 Storyboards, Trailers | Titles and effects from Motion, with Creator Studio |
| Auto reframe | Not mentioned | Smart Conform |
| Green screen | Yes, with masking controls | Magnetic Mask isolates people and objects |
| Audio | Over 100 smart soundtracks on iOS, voiceover recording | Voice Isolation, Beat Detection |

Prices are from [Apple's iMovie page](https://www.apple.com/in/imovie/) and [Apple's Final Cut Pro page](https://www.apple.com/in/final-cut-pro/), checked 3 Nov 2026. Apple's pages do not say whether the rupee prices include GST.

## Three differences that matter

- **Price and platforms.** iMovie costs nothing. Final Cut Pro needs a Mac or iPad and a purchase or a Creator Studio subscription.
- **Ad tools.** Final Cut Pro adds Generate Captions with a "Vertical Social Media Safe" option for 9:16, plus Smart Conform for reframing. iMovie's page lists neither.
- **How the edit gets made.** iMovie's Magic Movie builds a styled edit with titles, transitions and music. Final Cut Pro offers a Magnetic Timeline, Object Tracker, Voice Isolation and Beat Detection.

## A worked example

Say you try Final Cut Pro for a quarter.

- iMovie: INR 0.
- Creator Studio gives one month free, then INR 399 a month. The other two months cost INR 399 x 2 = INR 798.

Say you then keep it for 5 years. Creator Studio yearly is INR 3,999 x 5 = INR 19,995. The one-time purchase is INR 29,900. Creator Studio also includes Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage.

## Which to pick

- **Learning, or simple cuts on iPhone:** iMovie.
- **Reels ads with captions and reframing:** Final Cut Pro.
- **Windows PC:** neither. iMovie and Final Cut Pro run on Apple devices only.

## Where Marxx fits

[Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) runs in the browser and adds word-by-word captions in styles trending on Reels and Shorts. We make Marxx.

## FAQ

### Is iMovie really free?

Apple's page says so and lists no paid tier. It does not say whether exports carry a watermark.

### Does Final Cut Pro have auto captions?

Yes. Generate Captions needs a Mac with Apple silicon and works in U.S. English only.

### What else is worth comparing?

Read [Premiere Pro vs Final Cut Pro](/compare/premiere-pro-vs-final-cut-pro) or [DaVinci Resolve vs Final Cut Pro](/compare/davinci-resolve-vs-final-cut-pro).

---
- [More Video editors articles](https://marxx.ai/library-compare/category/video-editors)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-compare)