Avid Media Composer
Avid Media Composer is professional video-editing software for film, television, and news production.
What Avid Media Composer is
Avid Media Composer is professional video-editing software for film, television, and news production. It runs on macOS and Windows and offers desktop and web access, 4K export, and team collaboration. ScriptSync AI aligns transcripts with audio waveforms, while PhraseFind AI can search spoken dialogue phonetically. Editors can group as many as 64 cameras into multicamera timelines. Shared projects support multiple editors through real-time bin locking and centralized media on Avid NEXIS or third-party shared storage. Proxy workflows use lightweight media that can be relinked to camera originals for final conforming and delivery. Media Composer connects with MediaCentral for news rundown and preview-feed workflows, and sequences can be sent to Pro Tools with track metadata and volume automation preserved. Finishing tools include Symphony color tools, ACES and 32-bit float support, and IMF packaging. Media Composer First is free to use indefinitely for new or casual editors; the listed subscription plans include standard web support with a 24-hour response.
Good
- Free Media Composer First edition
- Multicam timelines support up to 64 cameras
- Supports 4K export and team collaboration
- Proxy media can relink to camera originals
Watch out
- Some features require more than minimum system requirements
- Latest Windows support lists 64-bit Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise
Who it suits
It suits film, television, and news editors who need shared projects, multicamera timelines, or transcript-based editing. Media Composer First is an option for new or casual editors seeking a free edition.
Verdict
Media Composer brings editing, collaboration, and finishing tools together for film, television, and news workflows. Its free First edition offers an entry point, while platform and system requirements are worth checking before choosing it.
Plans and prices
From Avid Media Composer's own pricing page, checked 20 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Media Composer First | Priced on request | Free to use forever · Entry-level editing |
| Media Composer First | — | Free to use forever · Entry-level editing |
| Standard | $208 a year | 99 video tracks · 99 audio tracks · Standard color management · Avid NEXIS shared projects · Standard web support (24hr response) · USD/year; page also shows $259.99 |
| Ultimate | $539.99 a year | 99 video tracks · 99 audio tracks · Advanced color management · Avid NEXIS shared projects · ScriptSync · PhraseFind · Standard web support (24hr response) · USD/year |
| Enterprise | $899.99 a year | 99 video tracks · 99 audio tracks · Avid NEXIS and third-party shared storage · ScriptSync · PhraseFind · Virtualized deployment option · Enterprise admin · USD/year |
The facts
Each one read from Avid Media Composer's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- 4K export
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Audio integration
- Sequences can be exported to Pro Tools with track metadata and volume automation preserved for audio editing and mixing.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Extensions
- Third-party extensions add tools and workflows for VFX, dailies, archive, and automation within the editing workflow.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Finishing
- The product page describes built-in Symphony color tools, ACES and 32-bit float support, and IMF packaging for master delivery.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Multicam
- The product page says editors can group up to 64 cameras into multi-camera timelines.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Newsroom integration
- Media Composer integrates with MediaCentral for editing against live rundowns and preview feeds and delivering packages to playback.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Proxy editing
- Proxy editing uses lightweight media and can relink to camera originals for final conforming and delivery.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Media Composer is professional video editing software for film, television, and news production.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Shared projects
- Multiple editors can work in the same project using real-time bin locking and centralized shared media with Avid NEXIS or third-party shared storage.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- The listed subscription plans include standard web support with a 24-hour response.checked 11 Oct 2026
- System requirements
- Avid says Media Composer runs on desktop and laptop computers using Mac or Windows, and notes that some features require more than the minimum system requirements.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Transcript editing
- ScriptSync AI matches transcripts to audio waveforms, and PhraseFind AI searches spoken dialogue phonetically.checked 11 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Desktop app
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Platform support
- The latest version matrix lists macOS and 64-bit Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise as supported operating systems.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Web app
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Money
- Free edition
- Avid describes Media Composer First as free to use forever and suitable for new or casual editors.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Free trial
- Avid offers a 30-day Media Composer Ultimate trial that includes PhraseFind, ScriptSync, Symphony, and NewsCutter options.checked 11 Oct 2026
The company
- Headquarters
- Burlington, Massachusetts, USAchecked 23 Sep 2026
- Team collaboration
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Alternatives to Avid Media Composer
- 1
CyberLink PowerDirector
Free planAndroidiOSmacOSWindows9.0From $59.99 a year - 2
Captions
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI9.0From $4.99 a month - 3
Vizard
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI8.9From $29 a month - 4
InVideo AI
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI8.9From $4 a month - 5
FlexClip
Free planAndroidiOSWebWindows8.8From $143.88 a year - 6
Simplified
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI8.8From $19 a month