Final Cut Pro for iPad review

Final Cut Pro for iPad is the most iPad Pro specific editor on this list. Apple pairs the Magnetic Timeline with Multi-Touch gestures and a jog wheel for frame-accurate moves, and Live Drawing lets you write and animate on top of footage with Apple Pencil or Apple Pencil Pro. On supported models, Pencil hover lets you skim clips without touching the screen, and iPad Pro displays get an HDR workflow. Live Multicam connects up to four iPhones or iPads running Final Cut Camera and syncs the angles for editing. Beat Detection, Montage Maker and Auto Crop speed up social versions, and projects can move to Final Cut Pro for Mac for Magnetic Mask and advanced color. The catches are hardware and price model. It needs iPadOS 26.6 and an M-series or A16 or later chip, some tools need an M2 or later, and it now comes in Apple Creator Studio at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.

Who it is for

iPad Pro owners who edit with Apple Pencil and want to hand projects to Final Cut Pro on a Mac.

Price

Apple Creator Studio $12.99 per month or $129 per year on the US App Store.

Monthly $12.99 Annual $129.00
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Live Drawing with Apple Pencil or Apple Pencil Pro directly on footage
• Live Multicam with up to four iPhones or iPads running Final Cut Camera
• Magnetic Timeline with Multi-Touch gestures and a jog wheel
• Beat Detection, Montage Maker, Enhance Light and Color and Auto Crop
• Send projects to Final Cut Pro for Mac and import iMovie for iOS projects

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Most Apple Pencil features of any editor here, including hover skimming on supported models
• Strength: HDR workflow on Liquid Retina XDR and Ultra Retina XDR iPad Pro displays
• Strength: Creator Studio also includes Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro and Motion
• Weakness: Needs iPadOS 26.6 and an M-series or A16 or later chip
• Weakness: Some features need an M2 chip or later
• Weakness: Subscription only for new buyers, with no free tier

Key facts

• Price: $12.99 per month or $129 per year in Apple Creator Studio
• Requirements: iPadOS 26.6 or later, M-series or A16 or later chip
• Apple Pencil: Live Drawing; hover skimming on supported models
• Multicam: Up to four iPhones or iPads with Live Multicam

Where it ranks

Final Cut Pro for iPad is No. 3 in our Best Video Editors for iPad verdict.