Baselight

Overview

Baselight is a colour grading and finishing system for film, television, commercials and broadcast, with editions for individual freelancers and connected facilities. Its layered timeline, localized correction tools and face tracking suit demanding finishing work; it is less compelling if you need Windows support or a modest hardware setup.

Key features

Baselight’s multitrack timeline uses layered architecture with implicit alpha handling, a useful foundation for building complex grades. X Grade in Baselight 6.0 allows multiple localized corrections in one layer without creating a key or matte, which can simplify targeted adjustments. Chromogen is built for creating scene-referred looks from modern wide-dynamic-range camera data.

Face Track uses machine learning to locate and follow faces, and corrections can be copied across a timeline. Baselight v7 adds tools for creating and refining mattes, a channel system for handling hundreds of mattes, and Transform Matching for scaling, rotation and translation. HDR finishing, camera RAW support and managed colour management extend its role across finishing workflows; maximum output resolution is 4K.

Baselight M connects with Baselight CONFORM and Baselight ASSIST, while supported AJA Kona, Io4k/Plus and T-Tap/Pro devices, as well as Blackmagic Ultrastudio and Decklink hardware, give macOS users defined hardware paths. The macOS system can connect over 10/25/100GbE to other Baselight systems or FLUX Store. These integrations suit facilities building a connected pipeline, but the breadth of those capabilities comes with substantial system requirements.

Pricing

The 14-day Baselight M trial costs 0.00 USD and is described as fully functioning, making it the clearest way to assess the facility-focused edition before committing. A Baselight free licence is also listed at 0.00 USD, but it has no stated feature set or duration, so it is difficult to weigh against the paid options.

The Baselight S custom-duration licence costs $90 per day, with 10 days at $510 and 100 days at $2850; the maximum term is 365 days, and the per-day price falls with longer durations. It includes full grading features but no advanced collaboration tools. That makes it a practical fit for freelancers who need a defined period of access, rather than facilities requiring multi-user interconnectivity.

The quarterly subscription is $2,500 a month, billed at $2500pq (per quarter), and the annual subscription is $7,500 a year, billed from $7500pa. Both offer S and M options: S excludes advanced collaboration tools, while M includes multi-user interconnectivity. The annual price is a substantial commitment, and the quarterly option retains the same facility-versus-solo distinction. Choose M when shared workflows matter; paying for it otherwise brings no stated collaboration advantage over S.

Platforms

Baselight supports Linux and macOS, not Windows. For Baselight for macOS, the maker recommends macOS 14–15 or macOS 26 Tahoe on Intel or Apple Silicon, at least 64GB unified memory and an external Thunderbolt NVMe enterprise SSD with at least 8TB reserved for cache. That is a demanding configuration, so macOS users should check their workstation and storage budget before choosing an edition.

Baselight for macOS includes 24/7 user support. FilmLight also describes global follow-the-sun phone and email support, project advice, training, installation and consultancy—meaning the product is supported as a facility workflow, not just as an individual grading tool.

Who it's for

Baselight S is aimed at single freelancers and provides full grading features without advanced collaboration tools. Baselight M is the better match for facilities needing multi-user interconnectivity, particularly those connecting with CONFORM or ASSIST. Its steep hardware recommendations and facility-oriented M capabilities make it a poor fit for buyers seeking a lightweight, low-cost setup.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Localized X Grade corrections, face tracking and extensive matte tools support detailed grading and finishing without requiring separate keys or manual face tracking.
• Pros: Baselight M interconnectivity, high-speed network connections and supported video hardware give facilities options for integrating it into a broader Baselight workflow.
• Cons: The recommended macOS configuration calls for 64GB unified memory and an 8TB cache drive, a significant infrastructure commitment.
• Cons: Baselight S omits advanced collaboration tools, so freelancers needing shared work must consider M instead.
• Cons: Windows is not supported, and output is capped at 4K.

Alternatives

Video Color Grading Software

DaVinci Resolve is worth considering if Windows support or a free plan matters; it offers Linux, macOS and Windows versions, plus a free option described as supporting 60 fps and Ultra HD 3840 x 2160.

Colourlab Ai may suit buyers looking for a different paid grading option with a free trial; its public beta is free during the beta period and requires an Apple Silicon Mac.

Mistika Boutique is an alternative for those who want a free educational edition, though that edition limits renders to H264 and offers community support.

fylm.ai is a freemium option with broad platform support, including web, and its free plan allows one user and three cloud projects.

SCRATCH is another paid option, with a monthly subscription at $99 a month that includes support and updates during the subscription period.

Dolby Vision Professional Tools offers free command-line tools for Dolby Vision processing and QC, a narrower alternative for buyers focused on those tasks.

Assimilate Live Looks may fit buyers seeking a paid option with a free plan and trial; its monthly subscription is $89 a month and includes support and updates during the subscription period.

Mistika Ultima is a customisable turnkey system for Linux or self-hosted deployment, with custom pricing.

Verdict

Baselight is the stronger choice for freelancers and facilities whose work needs serious grading and finishing tools, with M offering a clear route to multi-user interconnectivity. Its specialized correction and matte capabilities are compelling, but the hardware recommendations, high subscription costs and lack of Windows support are reasons to look elsewhere if you need a leaner setup or broader platform choice.