As a video editor, I used to think that owning individual licenses for my tools was the "professional" way to do things. Adobe Creative Cloud, ScreenFlow, specialized color grading software – I had it all. But after spending over $1,000 annually on video editing software, I decided to test whether Setapp could actually replace my entire toolkit.

Spoiler alert: It did, and saved me both money and time in the process.

How much did my video editing toolkit cost before Setapp

Being a video editor is costly. I create not just amateur videos, but professional reviews, advertisements, and tutorials for experts, so I couldn't afford to compromise on the basic video editing package.

I calculated how much I spent on video editing software per year, and this is what I came up with:

• Adobe Premiere Pro – $275.88/year
• After Effects – $275.88/year
• Photoshop (Photography Plan) – $239.88/year
• ScreenFlow – $169 (one-time, plus upgrade costs)
• Screen Studio – $89 (one-time payment)
• CapCut Pro – $89.99/year

Total: ~$1,050–$1,265+ per year

My colleagues share this financial pain. One Reddit user writes, "I need Screenflow but it's very expensive, I need it but I don't need to use it often." 

I know it's frustrating to pay over a hundred dollars for an app you rarely use. 

Another Reddit user complains about the price of Premier Pro: “I know that Premier Pro is not a toy, but I don't understand why it costs €26 per month”. 

I can agree with that, too. It was one of the most expensive apps in my collection. So, I looked for alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro and shared my findings here.

To avoid spending $1,000 every year on video software, I tried various apps from the Setapp collection. Now I pay only $9.99 + tax and can produce videos at the same high quality as before. 

Filmage Editor VS Adobe Premiere Pro

Filmage Editor became my primary video editing tool, handling everything from basic cuts to advanced timeline editing. While Premiere Pro costs $276 annually, Filmage Editor delivers professional results without the subscription burden.

This video editing software offers precise frame-by-frame editing, advanced picture-in-picture editing capabilities, and multi-track editing that rivals Premiere. I also like its stylish animated titles and transition library. What's more, with Filmage Editor, there are no rendering delays that plague Premiere Pro on older Macs.

My projects, which used to take 6-8 hours in Premiere, now take 4-5 hours, thanks to Filmage Editor's streamlined interface and fast previews.

Filmage Editor is available on Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month. You can sign up for a free trial and check out its features along with 250 other apps for creators, freelancers, and anyone dedicated to improving their productivity.

Learn more: 

• Best AI video editing software
• Five Final Cut Pro alternatives from Setapp
• How I sped up video editing workflow by 15% using 8 Setapp apps

CameraBag Pro VS Adobe Premiere Pro color tools

After struggling with Premiere Pro's complex Lumetri Color panels, I found a perfect alternative in Setapp. CameraBag Pro, with its extensive library of professional filters and cinematic looks, became my favorite for color grading. 

Now, I use prebuilt filters for fast grading. There is no learning curve; just click and tweak. Color work that used to take me 45 minutes in Premiere now takes 10 minutes with CameraBag Pro. The intuitive interface lets me focus on creativity rather than technical complexity.

CameraBag Pro is available on Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month.

iShowU VS ScreenFlow

I film and edit a lot of talking-head videos, so I needed a high-quality screen recording tool (but not one that costs a fortune). iShowU transformed my screen recording workflow by combining features that previously required ScreenFlow, plus additional background removal software. 

This screen recording software offers AI-powered background removal that rivals expensive plugins, intelligent face overlay positioning, and iPhone screen recording integration. 

iShowU is available on Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month, offering superior features compared to ScreenFlow's one-time purchase.

CleanShot X VS Screen Studio

For recording tutorials and product walkthroughs, I switched from Screen Studio to CleanShot X, which allows you to trim and edit clips on the spot. 

What I like most about this app is the option to edit screenshots. I can highlight or hide specific parts of my screenshots and add annotations. Plus, CleanShot hides desktop icons, so I can record the screen without spending time on cleanup. These built-in editing features save me from jumping between multiple apps.

CleanShot X is available on Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month, consolidating multiple tools into one powerful solution.

 “I work a lot with tutorial content, and I like that CleanShot X lets me create distraction-free recordings. The other benefit is that it's made my work with clients easier. I can always add arrows, text, and highlights to show exactly what I meant”, shares Alina Shevchenko, video editor, director of photography.

VidCap VS CapCut Pro

For a long time, I used CapCut Pro to create subtitles, but the subscription was becoming increasingly expensive, and I wasn't entirely satisfied with its functionality. I found VidCap in Setapp collection and switched to it completely. 

VidCap auto-generates captions in seconds. I use templates for different clients, so I don’t have to adjust styles every time. Subtitle creation now takes a couple of minutes. Moreover, the direct Mac integration eliminates the mobile-to-desktop workflow that slowed me down.

VidCap is available on Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month, delivering faster and more professional results than CapCut Pro.

Learn more: 

• Subscribe to Mac apps without overpaying
• Setapp vs buying apps individually
• Setapp benefits explained
• Setapp workflows for content creators

Luminar VS Photoshop Photography Plan

Luminar delivers professional image editing results without Photoshop's complexity and high annual subscription cost. For video editors like me, who need thumbnail creation and image enhancement, it's the perfect alternative.

This photo editing software offers AI-powered enhancement without manual masking, YouTube thumbnail templates, and one-click background replacement. Its professional portrait retouching capabilities efficiently handle client headshots.

Luminar is available on Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month, eliminating the need for Photoshop's expensive subscription.

Permute VS Adobe Media Encoder

While Media Encoder is included with Premiere's $276 subscription, Permute handles all my format conversion and compression needs faster and much cheaper. 

I no longer have to deal with Adobe's complex settings, but simply enjoy 

Permute's drag-and-drop interface. I used to encounter file conversions failing in Media Encoder, but that's no longer the case. The faster processing speeds mean less waiting time, especially with 4K content.

If you work with video files frequently, try Permute in Setapp for $9.99 + tax per month.

The bottom line: How to stop overpaying for video editing apps

If you're spending over $500 annually on video editing tools, give Setapp a try. Start with the free trial and see which of your expensive subscriptions you can actually replace.

For me, Filmage Editor, Luminar, CleanShot X, and VidCap are go-to tools when ot comes to video editing efficiency and saving money. Now I don't spend over a thousand dollars a year on expensive video editing software — I only need to pay $9.99 + tax per month!