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Video Production · head to head

HitFilm vs Reduct

H

HitFilm

Video Production

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reduct logo

Reduct

Research

Edit video by editing its transcript, built for researchers rather than video editors

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HitFilm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Reduct automatic transcription struggles with technical vocabulary, product names and strong accents, so teams working in specialist domains spend real time correcting transcripts or pay extra for the human transcription add-on, which erodes the cost advantage.
  • They diverge on capability: HitFilm covers Composite shots, Reduct covers Transcript-based editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HitFilm and Reduct actually diverge.

Attributes where HitFilm and Reduct differ
AttributeHitFilmReduct
Starting priceFree$12/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOSWeb, API
CategoryVideo ProductionResearch

Identical on both: pricing model (Per user per month), 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 HitFilm

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

Only in Reduct

  • Transcript-based editing
  • Automatic transcription
  • Human transcription add-on
  • Highlight and tagging
  • Reel assembly
  • Redaction
  • Multicam sync
  • Collaborative commenting

What people use each for

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

HitFilm

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

Reduct

  • A research team that runs twenty customer interviews a quarter and needs stakeholders across product and design to watch and comment without buying them seatsnot HitFilm
  • A researcher assembling a five-minute highlight reel of user pain points for an executive review, working from transcript text rather than a video timelinenot HitFilm
  • A public defender office redacting faces and identifying details from body-camera and interview footage before disclosurenot HitFilm
  • A global insights team transcribing and translating interviews across several languages before coding them thematicallynot HitFilm

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Reduct

  • Automatic transcription struggles with technical vocabulary, product names and strong accents, so teams working in specialist domains spend real time correcting transcripts or pay extra for the human transcription add-on, which erodes the cost advantage.
  • Transcription hours are a pooled annual allowance rather than monthly, so a team that front-loads a large research programme in one quarter can exhaust the year and face overage charges for the remaining nine months.
  • The Personal tier caps file size at 4GB, which is easily exceeded by an hour of multicam or high-bitrate recording, forcing an upgrade for reasons unrelated to the feature set.
  • Independent review coverage is very thin, so there is little public evidence to check vendor claims against, and buyers effectively have to rely on their own trial rather than peer signal.
  • The company has raised only about 4 million USD since 2018 and remains small, which makes enterprise vendor viability review and data-export planning genuinely necessary before you make it the home of years of research recordings.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Reduct

$12/month
  • Personal$12/month
    • 120 transcription hours per editor per year
    • Up to 10 commenters
    • 720p export
  • Professional$40/month
    • 300 transcription hours per editor per year
    • Up to 50 commenters
    • Timeline view
  • Enterprise$75/month
    • 4K export
    • SAML and Google SSO
    • SOC 2 Type II

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Reduct if

  • You need transcript-based editing.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want automatic transcription.
Reduct review

Questions people ask

Is HitFilm or Reduct better?
Neither clearly leads. HitFilm starts at Free and Reduct at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HitFilm or Reduct?
HitFilm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HitFilm and $12/month for Reduct.
Does HitFilm or Reduct run on more platforms?
HitFilm runs on Windows, macOS. Reduct runs on Web, API.
Can I use HitFilm for free?
Yes. HitFilm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Reduct starts at $12/month.
What is HitFilm best used for?
HitFilm is most often used for cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositor, producing a youtube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscription, learning compositing concepts on the free tier before committing to a paid effects tool, adding tracked 3d elements to live footage in a one-person production. Of those, cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositor and producing a youtube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscription are not what Reduct is typically brought in for.
What can HitFilm do that Reduct cannot?
HitFilm covers Composite shots, Particle simulator, Camera tracking, Keying. Reduct covers Transcript-based editing, Automatic transcription, Human transcription add-on, Highlight and tagging.

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.

Reduct: How is Reduct priced?

Per editor per month: 12 USD on Personal, 40 on Professional and from 75 on Enterprise, with transcription supplied as a pooled annual hour allowance per editor.

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.

Reduct: Do stakeholders who only watch and comment need a paid seat?

No. Commenters are separate from editor seats and included up to 10 on Personal and 50 on Professional, which is the main reason research teams choose it.

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.

Reduct: Can I use it as a proper video editor?

Only up to a point. It handles transcript-driven cutting, reels and multicam sync, then exports to Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro when you need real finishing.

Reduct: Is there a free tier?

No. There is a 14-day trial on Professional with five hours of transcription, but no permanent free plan.

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