Color grading is no longer just for Hollywood. In 2025, everyone from YouTubers and indie filmmakers to remote creative teams is crafting visually stunning content with professional-grade tools. Whether you’re adjusting skin tones, creating cinematic moods, or maintaining color consistency across scenes, the right video color grading software can make or break your final cut.
But not every project calls for the same tool. Solo creators need intuitive interfaces. Teams want cloud-sync and collaboration. Studios demand frame-by-frame precision. So, we tested and rounded up the 10 best software for video color grading—perfect for every type of workflow, budget, and platform.
What Is Video Color Grading Software?
Video color grading software is a creative post-production tool that allows editors to adjust and enhance the colors, tones, and visual style of their footage. It’s more than just fixing exposure or white balance—color grading helps set the emotional tone of a scene, match shots across different cameras, and give your content a cinematic or branded look.
These tools typically offer features like color wheels, curves, LUT (Look-Up Table) support, HDR grading, masking, and advanced scopes for precise control. Whether you’re correcting natural skin tones in a vlog or giving a moody teal-and-orange vibe to a short film, color grading software gives you the professional polish modern video demands.
How to Choose the Right Color Grading Tool
Start by identifying your workflow needs. Are you editing short social videos, full-length films, or brand campaigns? For quick turnarounds, look for software with intuitive interfaces and built-in presets. If you’re working on high-end productions, prioritize tools with advanced scopes, HDR support, and precise control over luminance and chroma.
Also consider platform compatibility, hardware acceleration, and integration with your existing video editing tools. Some color grading software works best as plugins; others are full-fledged editors. Check if they support popular file formats, offer real-time previews, and can handle 4K+ footage without lag. And of course, make sure the pricing fits your budget.
The Best Software for Video Color Grading
1. DaVinci Resolve (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Best for: Professional editors and filmmakers needing a complete post-production suite
Pros:
-
Industry-grade color grading tools
-
Free version with extensive features
-
Node-based workflow for precision
Cons:
-
Steeper learning curve
-
Demands a powerful system
DaVinci Resolve is the gold standard. Its color grading suite is unmatched, with features like curves, windows, keying, LUTs, and HDR grading. What sets it apart is the integration of editing, audio, VFX, and color into one seamless app. The node-based color workflow might scare beginners, but it gives pros unparalleled flexibility.
Pricing: Free version available; Studio version is $295 one-time
Verdict: Ideal for professionals who need studio-quality results without jumping between apps.
2. Adobe Premiere Pro (Windows, macOS)
Best for: Editors who want robust grading without leaving their timeline
Pros:
-
Lumetri Color panel is powerful and intuitive
-
Excellent Adobe ecosystem integration
Cons:
-
Subscription-only pricing
-
Heavy on system resources
Premiere Pro balances color tools and editing speed. Lumetri Color makes grading feel intuitive with sliders, wheels, and LUT application. It’s perfect if you’re editing and color grading in the same timeline, and it integrates natively with After Effects and Photoshop.
Pricing: $22.99/month (Adobe Creative Cloud)
Verdict: Great for hybrid editors who need strong color tools without leaving Adobe’s ecosystem.
3. Final Cut Pro (macOS)
Best for: Mac-based creators who want speed and cinematic control
Pros:
-
Real-time performance on Apple Silicon
-
Intuitive color wheels and curves
Cons:
-
Mac-only
-
No built-in collaboration features
Final Cut Pro offers speed and elegance. Its color tools, scopes, and HDR grading are tightly integrated, and it’s lightning fast on M1 and M2 Macs. You also get seamless ProRes support and good third-party plugin options.
Pricing: $299 (one-time purchase)
Verdict: Best for Mac users who want fast, pro-level grading without extra complexity.
4. Color Finale 2 (macOS, Final Cut Plugin)
Best for: Final Cut Pro users seeking deeper color control
Pros:
-
Adds advanced grading tools to Final Cut
-
Node-based structure for pro workflows
Cons:
-
Requires Final Cut Pro
-
Limited Windows support
Color Finale 2 turns Final Cut into a serious grading machine. You get LUTs, keying, scopes, vector grading, and a node-based UI. It’s perfect for colorists who want more power within Final Cut’s interface.
Pricing: Starts at $99
Verdict: Perfect plugin for Final Cut Pro editors who need Resolve-level control.
5. Filmora (Windows, macOS)
Best for: Beginners who want fast, preset-driven results
Pros:
-
Beginner-friendly UI
-
Built-in LUTs and filters
Cons:
-
Lacks deep grading features
-
Limited customization
Filmora offers drag-and-drop simplicity. Its color tuning includes 3D LUTs, white balance, vignettes, and exposure tools. While not suitable for complex projects, it’s perfect for YouTubers and hobbyists looking to polish their visuals quickly.
Pricing: Free trial; $49.99/year or $79.99 lifetime
Verdict: Best for entry-level editors or social media creators.
6. HitFilm (Windows, macOS)
Best for: Creators blending VFX and color in one tool
Pros:
-
Includes color grading + effects tools
-
Good for YouTubers and indie creators
Cons:
-
Some advanced features locked behind paywall
-
UI can feel cluttered
HitFilm combines editing, VFX, and grading. You get wheels, curves, LUT support, and blending tools alongside particle effects and green screen tools. It’s a one-stop shop for creators who want everything in one place.
Pricing: Free version available; Pro starts at $12.99/month
Verdict: Ideal for content creators who want both color and cinematic effects.
7. Lightworks (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Best for: Editors looking for real-time performance and pro color tools
Pros:
-
Fast rendering and playback
-
Built-in scopes and grading panels
Cons:
-
Interface takes time to get used to
-
Free version exports only up to 720p
Lightworks is built for speed and precision. Its color grading suite includes real-time scopes, LUT support, and precise control curves. It’s trusted by some industry veterans and handles color-heavy workflows with ease.
Pricing: Free with limitations; Pro starts at $9.99/month
Verdict: A solid pick for editors who prioritize speed and precision.
8. VEGAS Pro (Windows)
Best for: Editors wanting flexible workflows and built-in grading
Pros:
-
Strong HDR and color curves support
-
Timeline-based grading
Cons:
-
Windows-only
-
Not as popular for collaborative workflows
VEGAS Pro has evolved into a strong color grading tool with full support for HDR, LUTs, and precision curves. It’s built for fast timeline editing and integrates grading without needing round-trips to other apps.
Pricing: Starts at $11.99/month
Verdict: Best for Windows users who want fast editing and grading in one.
9. Assimilate Scratch (Windows, macOS)
Best for: High-end, color-centric workflows like film and TV
Pros:
-
Built for DITs and colorists
-
RAW, HDR, and 8K support
Cons:
-
Steep learning curve
-
Expensive for solo creators
Scratch is used in high-end production pipelines for dailies, conforming, and grading. It offers full control over RAW files, color spaces, and HDR outputs. If you’re working with RED, Arri, or BRAW, this is a colorist’s dream.
Pricing: $89/month or $695/year
Verdict: Perfect for professional colorists in broadcast and cinema.
10. Lutify.me (Web, LUT plugin compatible)
Best for: Editors who want cinematic LUT packs and quick application
Pros:
-
High-quality LUT library
-
Works with most NLEs and tools
Cons:
-
Not a full editing suite
-
Limited manual grading features
Lutify.me isn’t software, but a powerful LUT platform that integrates into Resolve, Premiere Pro, and others. It’s ideal for quick grading with pro-quality LUTs, especially for documentary, lifestyle, or cinematic vibes.
Pricing: Starts at $59/year
Verdict: Best for editors who want high-end looks fast, without complex workflows.
Choosing the Right Color Grading Tool
Choosing the best software for video color grading depends on your goals. Are you crafting short films, editing content for YouTube, or working on studio projects? If you need full post-production control, DaVinci Resolve is unbeatable. Prefer simplicity and speed? Filmora or Premiere Pro might be your sweet spot. Want advanced LUT support? Lutify.me is a solid companion to your workflow.
Whatever your style—cinematic, moody, vibrant, or documentary-real—there’s a tool on this list to bring your color vision to life.
Interesting Reads:
10 Best Software for Fashion Design in 2025
