Filmora vs Adobe Premiere Pro
Filmora lets you choose between an annual subscription and a perpetual licence, while Adobe Premiere Pro is sold by subscription only. Filmora's perpetual licence covers Filmora 16 only, and its free version watermarks exports. Premiere has a seven-day trial and no free version, so stopping payment ends the licence.
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Choose Filmora ifyou want the option of buying an editor once, have simple editing needs, and can accept that later major versions cost extra.
Choose Adobe Premiere Pro ifyour team already uses Creative Cloud, exchanges projects with After Effects, and accepts paying a subscription for as long as you edit.
Filmora and Adobe Premiere Pro side by side
| Filmora | Adobe Premiere Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Our video editing software rank | #8 of 12 | #12 of 12 |
| Established in | Canada | United States |
| List price, 2 November 2026 | Free version with watermark; Basic and Advanced annual plans, and a perpetual licence for Filmora 16 (amounts not read from the page) | Subscription only, billed as annual plans; 7-day trial (amounts vary by region and were not read from the page) |
| Free tier | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Small teams wanting an easy editor with a perpetual licence option | Teams already on Creative Cloud that exchange projects with After Effects |
| Not for | Teams wanting a free tier that exports without a watermark | Buyers who want to own the editor outright |
Both are reviewed in full in our video editing software ranking: Filmora and Adobe Premiere Pro.
Where they differ
Filmora 2 · Adobe Premiere Pro 2 · open 1- 01
Buying once or renting
Filmora offers a perpetual licence for Filmora 16 alongside annual plans. Adobe's plans page lists a single-app plan, Creative Cloud Pro and per-licence team plans, all billed as annual plans, with no perpetual option listed. Only Filmora lets you stop paying and keep working.
Edge: Filmora
- 02
What a perpetual licence covers
Filmora's perpetual licence applies to Filmora 16, and future major versions require a separate purchase. So owning it is not permanent access to new releases. Even so, Adobe offers nothing comparable to compare against.
Edge: Filmora
- 03
Trying it first
Filmora has a free version, but exports carry a watermark, and purchases carry a 30-day refund guarantee. Adobe offers a 7-day trial with no free version. The 30-day refund window is longer than a 7-day trial, though Filmora asks for payment first.
Depends on the buyer
- 04
AI credits and storage
Filmora's Basic annual plan lists 1 GB of cloud storage and 500 AI Mate conversations; Advanced lists 1,000 AI credits a month and 10 GB. Adobe's single app comes with 25 generative credits monthly and 100 GB of storage, and team plans add an Admin Console and 1 TB. For storage, Adobe's stated allowance is larger at every tier we read.
Edge: Adobe Premiere Pro
- 05
Team administration
Adobe sells per-licence team plans with an Admin Console, and one licence installs on two or more computers. Filmora lists team and education plans, but the page does not describe an admin console. A team that needs central licence management gets that stated detail from Adobe.
Edge: Adobe Premiere Pro
When neither fits
If you want an editor with no watermark at no cost, neither works. DaVinci Resolve pairs a free version with a one-time Studio licence, and Kdenlive is open source.
Filmora or Adobe Premiere Pro: questions
3 answersCan I buy Adobe Premiere Pro outright?
Not according to Adobe's plans page, which lists the single app, Creative Cloud Pro and per-licence team plans, all billed as annual plans, with no perpetual option.
Does the Filmora perpetual licence include future versions?
No. It covers Filmora 16, and future major versions require a separate purchase.
Does Filmora's free version add a watermark?
Yes. The pricing page says the free version adds watermarks to exports.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026- Filmora pricing page: Basic and Advanced annual plans, 1 GB and 10 GB storage, 500 AI Mate conversations, 1,000 AI credits, Filmora 16 perpetual licence, watermark on free version, 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Wondershare offices page: headquarters in Vancouver, Canada.
- Wondershare terms of use: Wondershare Technology Group Co., Ltd as developer and owner of Filmora.
- Adobe Premiere plans: single app, Creative Cloud Pro, team plans, annual billing, 25 generative credits, 100 GB, 1 TB and Admin Console on teams, 7-day trial, no perpetual option.
- Adobe terms: Adobe Inc., San Jose, California.