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DaVinci Resolve vs Toon Boom Harmony

DaVinci Resolve logo

DaVinci Resolve

Entertainment

Professional video editing, color correction, visual effects and audio post production

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toon Boom Harmony logo

Toon Boom Harmony

Video Production

Creating worlds of Animation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DaVinci Resolve has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DaVinci Resolve free version limits noise reduction to CPU-only processing, significantly slower than Studio's GPU acceleration; Toon Boom Harmony licensing is subscription only across Essentials, Advanced and Premium tiers, with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DaVinci Resolve and Toon Boom Harmony actually diverge.

Attributes where DaVinci Resolve and Toon Boom Harmony differ
AttributeDaVinci ResolveToon Boom Harmony
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb
CategoryEntertainmentVideo Production
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 DaVinci Resolve

  • Multi-user collaboration
  • 8K editing
  • Color correction
  • Visual effects
  • Motion graphics
  • Audio post production
  • Fairlight audio
  • Fusion VFX

Only in Toon Boom Harmony

Nothing recorded that DaVinci Resolve does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

DaVinci Resolve

  • Professional video editingnot Toon Boom Harmony
  • Color gradingnot Toon Boom Harmony
  • Visual effectsnot Toon Boom Harmony
  • Audio post productionnot Toon Boom Harmony
  • Film productionnot Toon Boom Harmony

Toon Boom Harmony

  • Traditional frame by frame animation productionnot DaVinci Resolve
  • Cut-out character animation with rigsnot DaVinci Resolve
  • Studio animation pipelines on the Premium editionnot DaVinci Resolve

Where each one falls short

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

DaVinci Resolve

  • Free version limits noise reduction to CPU-only processing, significantly slower than Studio's GPU acceleration
  • Free version caps export resolution at 4K without 8K support
  • No multi-GPU support in free version, limiting rendering speed on powerful workstations
  • AI tools and features like Super Scale AI only available in $295 Studio version
  • Users report random issues requiring restart suggesting architectural stability concerns

Toon Boom Harmony

  • Licensing is subscription only across Essentials, Advanced and Premium tiers, with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page
  • Access beyond the 14 day free trial requires purchasing a subscription through the shop

Pricing, plan by plan

DaVinci Resolve

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Professional editing tools
    • Color correction
    • Visual effects
  • Studio$295/one-time
    • All free features
    • AI tools and Super Scale AI
    • 8K editing support

Toon Boom Harmony

On request
  • Harmony Essentials$null/month
    • Fundamental drawing, painting, and animation tools
    • Designed for enthusiasts
  • Harmony Advanced$null/month
    • Full traditional, paperless style animation
    • Simple cut-out style animation
    • Designed for students and professional animators and studios
  • Harmony Premium$null/month
    • Sophisticated cut-out rigs
    • Natural and realistic character movement
    • Unlimited special effects for any style of animation

Which should you pick?

Choose DaVinci Resolve if

  • You need multi-user collaboration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want 8k editing.
DaVinci Resolve review

Choose Toon Boom Harmony if

Nothing in the data separates Toon Boom Harmony from DaVinci Resolve on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Toon Boom Harmony review

Questions people ask

Is DaVinci Resolve or Toon Boom Harmony better?
Neither clearly leads. DaVinci Resolve starts at Free and Toon Boom Harmony at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DaVinci Resolve or Toon Boom Harmony?
DaVinci Resolve has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DaVinci Resolve and On request for Toon Boom Harmony.
Does DaVinci Resolve or Toon Boom Harmony run on more platforms?
DaVinci Resolve runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Toon Boom Harmony runs on Web.
Can I use DaVinci Resolve for free?
Yes. DaVinci Resolve has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Toon Boom Harmony starts at On request.
What is DaVinci Resolve best used for?
DaVinci Resolve is most often used for professional video editing, color grading, visual effects, audio post production. Of those, professional video editing and color grading are not what Toon Boom Harmony is typically brought in for.
What can DaVinci Resolve do that Toon Boom Harmony cannot?
DaVinci Resolve covers Multi-user collaboration, 8K editing, Color correction, Visual effects.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DaVinci Resolve: What is the pricing for DaVinci Resolve?

DaVinci Resolve has a completely free version with professional editing tools and no watermark. DaVinci Resolve Studio adds AI-powered features, 8K support, and multi-user collaboration as a one-time $295 purchase.

Source
Toon Boom Harmony: What tiers are available for Toon Boom Harmony?

Toon Boom Harmony is available in three subscription editions: Essentials (with fundamental drawing and painting tools for enthusiasts), Advanced (with full traditional and simple cut-out animation for students and professionals), and Premium (with sophisticated cut-out rigs and unlimited special effects, recommended for studios and educational institutions).

Source
DaVinci Resolve: What features are only in DaVinci Resolve Studio?

Studio version adds AI tools like Super Scale AI, noise reduction with GPU acceleration, 8K editing support, HDR color grading, multi-user collaboration, and advanced codec support.

Source
Toon Boom Harmony: What does the Harmony Premium tier add?

The Harmony Premium tier adds sophisticated cut-out rigs, very natural and realistic character movement, and unlimited special effects for any animation style. It is recommended for professional studios, freelancers, and educational institutions, whereas Advanced is more suited for students and professional animators.

Source
DaVinci Resolve: What are the hardware requirements for DaVinci Resolve?

For optimal performance with modern RAW footage, an NVMe SSD is required for cache and scratch files. Multi-GPU configurations benefit only specific effects workloads, while most users achieve better performance with a single high-VRAM GPU.

Source
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