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Video Production · head to head

Adobe Audition vs HitFilm

Adobe Audition logo

Adobe Audition

Video Production

Industry-standard professional audio editing

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
H

HitFilm

Video Production

Video editor and 3D compositor in one application, now owned by Artlist

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HitFilm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Audition listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud for business (which bundles Audition) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey; HitFilm editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Audition covers Multitrack editing, HitFilm covers Composite shots.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Audition and HitFilm actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Audition and HitFilm differ
AttributeAdobe AuditionHitFilm
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMacos, WindowsWindows, macOS
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Video Production).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Audition

  • Multitrack editing
  • Audio restoration
  • Noise reduction
  • Effects and mixing
  • Spectral editing
  • Batch processing
  • Premiere Pro
  • After Effects

Only in HitFilm

  • Composite shots
  • Particle simulator
  • Camera tracking
  • Keying
  • Text and titling
  • Export presets

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Audition

  • Podcast editingnot HitFilm
  • Audio restorationnot HitFilm
  • Video post-productionnot HitFilm
  • Music productionnot HitFilm
  • Sound designnot HitFilm

HitFilm

  • Cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositornot Adobe Audition
  • Producing a YouTube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscriptionnot Adobe Audition
  • Learning compositing concepts on the free tier before committing to a paid effects toolnot Adobe Audition
  • Adding tracked 3D elements to live footage in a one-person productionnot Adobe Audition

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Audition

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud for business (which bundles Audition) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey

HitFilm

  • Editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • The perpetual HitFilm Pro licence was retired after the Artlist acquisition, so long-standing owners who bought outright must subscribe to receive current versions.
  • Effects and add-on packs were historically sold separately, and archived projects can open with missing effects if the current plan does not cover them.
  • Performance falls off sharply on integrated graphics, so a machine that edits comfortably can still be unusable for the particle and 3D work that is the reason to choose HitFilm.
  • Colour management and delivery options are thinner than DaVinci Resolve, so any project with a broadcast or cinema deliverable ends up round-tripping to another application anyway.

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Audition

$22.99/month
  • Audition Single App$22.99/month
    • Full Audition features
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Portfolio
  • All Apps$59.99/month
    • All Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Portfolio

HitFilm

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Editing and basic compositing
    • Limited export resolution
    • Limited effects set
  • Creator$undefined/month
    • Expanded effects
    • Higher export resolution
    • Additional export formats
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Full effects set
    • Highest export resolution
    • Advanced compositing and tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Audition if

  • You need multitrack editing.
  • You work on Macos, Windows.
  • You also want audio restoration.
Adobe Audition review

Choose HitFilm if

  • You need composite shots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want particle simulator.
HitFilm review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Audition or HitFilm better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Audition starts at $22.99/month and HitFilm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Audition or HitFilm?
HitFilm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Audition and Free for HitFilm.
Does Adobe Audition or HitFilm run on more platforms?
Adobe Audition runs on Macos, Windows. HitFilm runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use HitFilm for free?
Yes. HitFilm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe Audition starts at $22.99/month.
What is Adobe Audition best used for?
Adobe Audition is most often used for podcast editing, audio restoration, video post-production, music production. Of those, podcast editing and audio restoration are not what HitFilm is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Audition do that HitFilm cannot?
Adobe Audition covers Multitrack editing, Audio restoration, Noise reduction, Effects and mixing. HitFilm covers Composite shots, Particle simulator, Camera tracking, Keying.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HitFilm: Is HitFilm still free?

There is still a free tier with limited effects and export resolution. The perpetual Pro licence is gone; the paid tiers are subscriptions.

HitFilm: What hardware does it actually need?

A discrete GPU with adequate video memory. Integrated graphics will run the editor but stall on composite shots, particles and 3D layers.

HitFilm: Does the Artlist acquisition affect the software?

It puts HitFilm inside a stock media subscription business. The licence model changed after the acquisition, and the roadmap now serves that business.

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