VanityFilter is our recommendation for the skin-retouching part of a one-time-purchase video editing setup: $49, currently on sale for $29.95, with a perpetual license for one user on two active computers. Pair it with a free timeline editor such as Shotcut and the combined software price is $29.95. VanityFilter processes recorded clips on Windows or Apple Silicon Mac; the editor supplies the timeline. VanityFilter is not a timeline editor.
Looking for a one time purchase video editor? Final Cut Pro for Mac is sold outright, and Blackmagic sells DaVinci Resolve Studio as a paid license. You can also avoid an editor purchase: use free Shotcut or DaVinci Resolve and add VanityFilter only when you need its dedicated skin controls. Buy the editor for the editing work you need, not because you think paying more automatically buys the right skin treatment.
We make VanityFilter. This is a purchase and workflow comparison based on current vendor documentation, not an independent output test. Prices are US dollars checked October 29, 2026, before tax. Hardware and optional services are excluded; allow separately for storage; sale prices can change.
See the VanityFilter skin pass before choosing the editor
This actual VanityFilter walkthrough shows the mask and adjustable skin treatment, then the export. It is the separate pass you can bring into an editor. The settings belong to this clip; they are not a preset recommendation for every face.
Compare the cost of the complete setup
A timeline editor cuts and arranges the footage. VanityFilter returns a corrected clip or a skin mask matte. These are different purchases, so the table compares setups that can do both jobs. The first two keep the editor cost at zero.
| Setup | Timeline editor cost | VanityFilter skin pass | Combined cost now | Computer fit for the pair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanityFilter + Shotcut | $0, official free download | $29.95 once | $29.95 | Supported Windows PCs or Apple Silicon Macs |
| VanityFilter + DaVinci Resolve Free | $0, free edition | $29.95 once | $29.95 | Supported Windows PCs or Apple Silicon Macs; test the codec handoff |
| VanityFilter + DaVinci Resolve Studio | $236 sale, $295 regular | $29.95 once | $265.95 at the editor sale price | Windows or Apple Silicon Mac meeting both apps' requirements |
| VanityFilter + Final Cut Pro for Mac | $299.99 one-time purchase | $29.95 once | $329.94 | Apple Silicon Mac meeting both apps' requirements |
The totals add the listed editor price to VanityFilter's current $29.95 price. With Resolve Studio at its regular $295 price, that pair would cost $324.95. This is arithmetic for buying the two products now, not a prediction of future upgrade charges. Each vendor's license applies separately; VanityFilter's two-computer allowance does not transfer to the editor.
Download Shotcut from its official site for the free route. Blackmagic lists both Resolve editions and the current Studio sale. Apple's Final Cut Pro page confirms the separate Mac purchase. None of these editor prices includes VanityFilter.
What does buying once actually cover?
For VanityFilter, the full license is perpetual. It covers one individual user on two active computers shared across Windows and macOS. A Windows desktop and an Apple Silicon laptop can use that allowance. Two editors in a studio need their own licenses. Read the VanityFilter license agreement for the full terms.
A perpetual license describes how long the license lasts. It does not promise compatibility with every future operating system or include every future paid product. VanityFilter's current 3.2 upgrade accepts existing buyers' licenses without repurchase. Activation uses the purchase email, without an account, and successful license checks allow up to 30 days offline. Local video processing and online activation are separate parts of the product.
Apple still sells Final Cut Pro for Mac for $299.99 alongside its Creator Studio subscription. Apple says existing Final Cut Pro owners will continue to receive updates, while some premium content is reserved for subscribers. Choosing the Mac one-time purchase therefore does not buy every subscription extra. It also does not buy the iPad subscription.
For Resolve Studio, the table uses Blackmagic's current software purchase price. It does not assume that optional cloud services, separate third-party licenses or all future upgrades are included. Compare what the checkout sells with what your project needs. A progress bar is quite capable of arriving without a subscription.
Choose for the computer you have
VanityFilter supports 64-bit Windows 10 version 1809 or later, Windows 11, and Apple Silicon Macs on macOS 14 or later. It does not support Intel Macs or Linux. The editor may have different requirements. The pairing works only where both apps run.
Shotcut's current downloads include Windows and macOS builds. Its documented timeline and audio tools make it a full editor for assembling the corrected files. That is why it is our first budget pairing with VanityFilter for a straightforward recorded interview.
Resolve is a choice when you want its editing and color workflow. Its free edition is separate from Studio. Blackmagic describes the free edition's usual format range as virtually all 8-bit formats up to 60 fps and Ultra HD; Studio expands format support. Our Resolve Free versus Studio guide explains how the skin-work choices differ. Check the editor requirements and try your actual export before buying Studio for a codec you may not need.
Final Cut Pro's one-time purchase is for Mac. Check the current Mac requirements in Apple's US App Store listing before buying. VanityFilter's macOS 14 minimum does not establish compatibility with the current Final Cut Pro build. Do that check before adding up the prices.
Test the file handoff before committing to a setup
Open a representative source clip in VanityFilter. Inspect the mask, start lightly and use the controls the shot needs. Shine Removal addresses skin glare; Reduce Redness handles flushed areas. Keep the camera originals and save corrected files to a separate folder.
Export a short H.264 MP4 and import it into the proposed editor. Confirm that the picture and audio stay in sync at the expected frame rate, then make a short timeline export. This checks the whole route. Buying an editor does not fix a mismatch in the file you hand it.
VanityFilter also exports ProRes 422 HQ MOV when you want an editing intermediate. Those files need more storage. Its H.264 output is 8-bit and ProRes is 10-bit; do not assume the free version of an editor accepts every codec that its paid version accepts. Check the specific export on your computer. The download page lists current app requirements, and the batch workflow covers processing similar clips once the test passes.
The corrected video is a file, not a live effect on the editor's timeline. To change the skin treatment later, return to the source and export a revised pass. If you need to combine the treatment selectively with the original, the optional skin mask matte provides another route. Your editor still renders the finished program.
Already own an editor? Keep the part that works
If your existing editor handles the cut, adding VanityFilter costs $29.95 at the current sale price. You do not need to buy a second timeline application to use its output. If that editor has a subscription, adding VanityFilter does not cancel it; a completely subscription-free setup requires a suitable free or outright-purchase editor as well.
A skin effect that stays adjustable inside your editor can be preferable when revisions happen throughout the edit. VanityFilter's tradeoff is the separate exported pass. Choose it when you want dedicated skin controls and corrected files you can use in different editing projects. If your editor's included skin tools already deliver the result you want, test those before buying a second treatment tool.
For Adobe's subscription costs and the work involved in a manual skin treatment, use our one-time Adobe skin-retouching alternative comparison. This guide is about purchasing the complete setup; that one covers the specific Adobe skin-pass decision.
Our budget recommendation: VanityFilter plus a free editor
Start with VanityFilter plus free Shotcut if your recorded-video job needs a dedicated skin pass and a conventional edit. At the current prices, the software purchase is $29.95 before tax. Free Resolve is another pairing if its workflow and supported formats suit you. You can put off the paid editor purchase until a real project needs its additional capabilities.
Buy Resolve Studio or Final Cut Pro because you need that editor's workflow. Add VanityFilter when its separate skin treatment earns a place in it. The $265.95 and $329.94 examples are complete two-app purchase totals, not claims that either editor needs VanityFilter to function.
Try VanityFilter on your own clip. The $9.95 paid demo includes full features and clean exports for 30 days. It is time-limited, unlike the perpetual full license. Use the short file-handoff check before processing a long recording.
Frequently asked questions
Is VanityFilter a one time purchase video editor?
VanityFilter is a one-time-purchase skin-retouching app for recorded video, not a timeline editor. It currently costs $29.95 on sale, regularly $49. Pair it with a free editor such as Shotcut for a $29.95 software setup, or use its exported files in an editor you already own.
Which video editors have an outright purchase option?
Final Cut Pro for Mac has a $299.99 one-time purchase option, and Blackmagic currently sells Resolve Studio for $236 on sale, regularly $295. VanityFilter adds a separate $29.95 skin pass at its current sale price. The combined totals are $329.94 with Final Cut Pro or $265.95 with Resolve Studio, before tax.
Can I use VanityFilter with a free video editor?
Yes. Export corrected clips from VanityFilter and edit them in Shotcut or the free version of DaVinci Resolve. Test a short export for codec support, picture and audio sync first. VanityFilter costs $29.95 on sale; the official free editor download costs $0.
Does the VanityFilter license cover two people or two computers?
The full VanityFilter license covers one individual user on two active computers shared across supported Windows PCs and Apple Silicon Macs. It does not provide two seats for different people. Each editor has its own separate license terms.
Does a one-time purchase include every future upgrade?
A perpetual VanityFilter license describes the license duration, not a guarantee of every future paid product or compatibility with all future operating systems. Current 3.2 upgrades accept existing buyers without repurchase. Check each editor vendor separately for its upgrade terms and subscription-only extras.
Will VanityFilter remove my existing editor subscription?
No. VanityFilter adds a skin-retouching pass; it does not replace your timeline editor or end a subscription. To avoid recurring editor charges, use its output with a suitable free editor or an outright-purchase editor.