Final Cut Pro's built-in colour tools are good enough for correction and a simple look. When editors outgrow them, they usually face a choice: move the grade to DaVinci Resolve, or stay in Final Cut and add a plugin. Color Finale is the plugin most of them look at first.
What is Color Finale?
Color Finale is a colour grading plugin made by Color Trix that runs inside Final Cut Pro. You apply it to a clip like any effect, and it opens its own grading panel. There are two editions, Color Finale 2 and Color Finale 2 Pro; the Pro edition adds tools and is aimed at higher-resolution work. Check the Color Finale site for current pricing and the exact split of features between editions.
What does Color Finale add to Final Cut Pro?
Based on the developer's descriptions and launch coverage, the main additions are:
| Tool | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Layer-based grading | Stack adjustments in order, like nodes in a simpler form |
| Masks and tracking | Shape and keyer masks, with an area tracker to follow a moving subject |
| Colour and log wheels | Lift, gamma and gain, plus log-style wheels for finer control |
| LUT manager | Browse and apply .cube files from inside the panel |
| Shot matching | Semi-automatic matching of one clip's primary grade to another |
| Film grain | Adjustable digital grain |
| Video scopes and analysis | Tools to spot technical problems |
For an editor who grades in Final Cut every day, masks with tracking are the main reason to buy, because they are the part Final Cut's own colour board and wheels do not match.
When is Color Finale the right pick?
It is the better tool in three situations:
- You edit in Final Cut and grade there too, and you want masks, tracking and a layered grade without round-tripping to another app.
- You match multiple cameras and want shot matching inside the edit.
- You deliver to clients who expect a polished grade, not just a LUT and a contrast tweak.
If that is you, Color Finale is a better choice than leaving Final Cut, and better than trying to fake masks with built-in effects.
When is DaVinci Resolve the better move?
If the grade is the main job, and you want node-based control, advanced colour management and a dedicated colour page, Resolve does more, and its free version covers a lot. Final Cut Pro vs DaVinci Resolve weighs it for a Mac editor.
When is neither needed?
When the job is not really grading. A card of log footage that needs converting to Rec.709, or a whole event that needs one consistent look, is a batch job. Applying a plugin per clip on a timeline and rendering is slower than it needs to be, and the masks and tracking go unused.
| Job | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Precise grading inside a Final Cut edit | Color Finale |
| A full colour page and node workflow | DaVinci Resolve |
| A simple look inside Final Cut | The built-in Custom LUT effect |
| One LUT across a whole folder, photos and clips | A batch LUT tool |
How do you apply one LUT across a whole shoot first?
Many editors do both: convert or apply a base look to the whole shoot, then bring only the selected clips into Final Cut for detailed grading. That keeps timelines light and footage consistent before the edit starts.
BatchTone does the first step on a Mac:
- Drop the folder in, clips and photos together.
- Pick the conversion or creative LUT; each look in a pack is previewed on your own first frame.
- Set a strength on any clip that takes the look too hard.
- Export H.264 MP4 (and JPEG or PNG for stills) to a folder you choose. Audio is copied untouched, and originals are never written to.
It has no masks or timeline; keep Color Finale for the detailed grade. Final Cut Pro colour grading covers applying LUTs inside Final Cut itself.
Only your own files and LUT pack can show whether it fits, which is why the seven-day trial has everything unlocked: video, unlimited batches, no watermark. After that it is one in-app purchase, not a subscription.
Download BatchTone free on the Mac App Store
Common questions
Is Color Finale a one-time purchase?
Color Finale 2 and Color Finale 2 Pro have been sold as one-time purchases with a demo available. Check the developer's site for current terms.
Does Color Finale work outside Final Cut Pro?
Color Finale 2 is built as a Final Cut Pro plugin. If you grade in another editor, look at that editor's own tools or a plugin made for it.
Can Color Finale load LUTs?
Yes. Its LUT manager browses and applies .cube files inside the grading panel.
Do I need Color Finale for log footage?
The conversion itself does not need it. Final Cut's Custom LUT effect applies a manufacturer's conversion LUT, and a batch tool can convert a whole card before you import it.