Apple's Final Cut Pro may introduce subscription plans — what that means for you

Final Cut Pro
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple's brilliant Final Cut Pro is without a doubt the best video editing software for Macs, with one huge drawback that many users struggle with — its hefty price tag of $299.99. However, Apple may be hinting at a solution.

A recent trademark update for Apple's Final Cut Pro suggests a new subscription service for the app will be introduced, offering more options to use the pricey video editing software. The update presents a number of different subscription plans that Apple could go with.

As seen on Patently Apple, Apple updated its trademark in Europe, adding the terms "rental of software", meaning it could offer Final Cut Pro as a software as a service (SAAS) via a cloud subscription (similar to Adobe Creative Cloud) rather than a one-off that offers complete access to its features. 

However, what kind of plan Apple is looking at is still up in the air. The Final Cut Pro SAAS could offer a monthly subscription plan to users along with the one-off payment option, make it purely a subscription service, or charge a subscription to have access to upcoming features or even cloud storage.

If Apple does introduce the plan, it would be a step in the right direction, as the pro video editing software would then be widely accessible to more MacBook users.

Whatever the case, video editing software is useless if not used with the right hardware, and these video editing laptops were made to handle it all. 

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.