Video, audio & media
Editors, transcoders, players and tag managers. Perpetual licences survive here better than almost anywhere.
| Licence type | App | Price | Licence | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Audio HijackRogue Amoeba | $69 | This version | Major versions are a separate purchase — the jump from 3 to 4 cost $29 | |
 Bitwig StudioBitwig GmbH | €99 | Paid upgrades | The Grid, the reason most people buy Bitwig, is only in the EUR 399 Pro edition | |
 DaVinci Resolve StudioBlackmagic Design | $295 | Perpetual | The free version already covers most 8-bit UHD work — check you actually need Studio | |
 DownieCharlie Monroe Software | $19.99 | Perpetual | Which sites work depends on constant updates; a redesign can break one for a while | |
 Final Cut ProApple | $299.99 | Perpetual | Some premium content is Creator Studio subscribers only, and Motion and Compressor cost extra | |
 FissionRogue Amoeba | $35 | This version | Major versions are a separate $15 purchase, though new ones come along rarely | |
 HandBrakeHandBrake Team | Free | Open source | It will not read the copy protection on a commercial DVD or Blu-ray by itself | |
 IINAIINA Project | Free | Open source | Volunteer-run, so fixes and releases arrive when contributors have time | |
 InfuseFirecore | $99.99 | Lifetime tier | The free app is deliberately limited — Dolby Vision, lossless audio and cloud sources are Pro | |
 Logic ProApple | $199.99 | Perpetual | Mac only, and Logic Pro for iPad is subscription-only rather than part of this purchase | |
 MacWhisperGood Snooze | €64 | Perpetual | Some optional AI features call out to cloud APIs you pay for separately | |
 PermuteCharlie Monroe Software | $14.99 | Perpetual | Permute 4 needs macOS 26 on Apple silicon; older Macs buy Permute 3 instead | |
 REAPERCockos Incorporated | $60 | This version | The $60 tier stops at $20,000 yearly gross revenue; past that the licence is $225 | |
 Yate2manyrobots | $20 | Perpetual | One licence covers two Macs at a time, so a third means deactivating one |