Both sell a subscription and a one-time licence
Filmora sells Basic, Advanced and Premium annual plans and a Perpetual licence that receives updates within Filmora 16 but not future major versions. [1] CyberLink sells PowerDirector 2027 as a one-time lifetime licence and PowerDirector 365 or Director Suite as subscriptions; its pricing page says the one-time version does not receive regular updates, new content after purchase, or the monthly GenAI credit allowance. [4]
Both offer a free tier. PowerDirector Essential is free with no time limit, with advanced AI tools and some export options restricted. [5] Filmora's free version adds a watermark to exports. [1] Both advertise a 30-day money-back guarantee subject to their refund policies. [1][4]
Price and plan comparison (Windows, US)
Both pages showed promotional crossed-out prices, so treat these as a dated snapshot and confirm the renewal amount at checkout. CyberLink's page also offers a monthly billing toggle; this guide compares the annual prices it displayed by default. [4]
Credit counts are not directly comparable: each vendor prices its AI tools in its own credits, and neither page converts credits into minutes of output.
| Plan | Price shown 30 Oct 2026 | AI credits | Cloud storage | Updates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filmora Basic | US$49.99/yr | None | 1 GB | Continuous while subscribed [1] |
| Filmora Advanced | US$53.99/yr (shown against US$59.99) | 1,000/month | 10 GB | Continuous while subscribed [1] |
| Filmora Premium | US$79.99/yr (shown against US$99.99) | 2,000/month | 100 GB | Continuous while subscribed [1] |
| Filmora Perpetual | US$79.99 once | 1,000 one-time | 1 GB | Within Filmora 16 [1] |
| PowerDirector 2027 | US$139.99 once | 500 one-time, valid 1 year | 25 GB for 1 year | No regular updates or new content [4] |
| PowerDirector 365 | US$59.99/yr (shown against US$79.99) | 1,200 a year, issued 100/month | 50 GB | Monthly feature and content updates [4] |
| Director Suite 365 | US$109.99/yr (shown against US$149.99) | 3,000 a year, issued 250/month | 100 GB | Adds PhotoDirector 365 and AudioDirector 365 [4] |
AI tools and stock media
PowerDirector's comparison table lists GenAI and AI editing tools including an Agentic Editor, AI video and image generators, AI text to speech and speech to text, AI voice translator, AI video object removal, Auto Reframe, AI background removal, AI motion tracking and AI frame interpolation, plus voice cloning and AI audio denoise. [4] Filmora's pricing table marks most AI tools as 'Paid by AI Credits' and gives the free plan 15 AI Mate uses a day, and marks some tools, including Smart Search, Auto Reframe, AI Face Mosaic, AI Portrait and AI Color Palette, as free rather than credit-based. [1]
Stock is where PowerDirector 365 stands out on paper: CyberLink lists millions of premium videos, photos and music from Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection on the subscription plans; its FAQ says PowerDirector 365 subscribers get 30 Getty Images downloads a month, with unlimited downloads only on a separate Unlimited Premium Stock Content Plan. [4] Filmora lists 1.1M+ stock media items on paid plans against 600+ on the free version. [1]
Platforms, mobile apps and requirements
Filmora runs on Windows and Mac. Its Windows specifications list Windows 11, 10, 8.1 or 7 on x64 and Windows 11 or 10 on ARM, 8 GB of RAM minimum (16 GB recommended for HD and 4K), and a GPU such as a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or Intel UHD 630 with 2 GB of VRAM; export formats include MP4, MOV and MKV, with 8K export in MP4 and MOV. [2] The same page references a Filmora Mobile app version, and Filmora's screen recorder supports Windows and macOS 10.15 or later, with game recording on Windows only. [2][3]
PowerDirector's product page links a macOS version, and its FAQ says it supports MP4 (H.264/H.265), MKV, WMV and MPEG-2 with up to 4K output. [6] The CyberLink pages we loaded did not show PowerDirector's hardware requirements, so check its specs page for your machine before buying. PowerDirector 365 also lists Screen Recorder 4 SE for screen capture. [4]
Decision table by use case
| Use case | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube tutorials with screen recording | Filmora Advanced or PowerDirector 365 | Both include screen capture; Filmora is cheaper per year, PowerDirector bundles more stock [1][3][4] |
| Family videos, edited a few times a year | Filmora Perpetual | US$79.99 once versus US$139.99 for PowerDirector 2027 [1][4] |
| Gaming clips and montages on Windows | Filmora (game recording mode) or either editor | Filmora's recorder has a Windows-only game mode; check 60 fps and 4K export on your plan [3] |
| Stock-heavy social or marketing videos | PowerDirector 365 | Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection stock included; 30 Getty downloads a month unless you add the Unlimited plan [4] |
| Video plus photo and audio work | Director Suite 365 | Adds PhotoDirector 365 and AudioDirector 365 for US$109.99 a year [4] |
| Mac user wanting one licence for Mac and PC | Filmora Basic or Advanced | Pricing FAQ says these licences cover both platforms; a support article says licences are OS-specific, so confirm at checkout [1] |
Who should skip each
- Skip PowerDirector 2027 if you want new AI features; CyberLink says the one-time version gets no regular updates or new content. [4]
- Skip Filmora Basic if you will use AI tools; it includes no AI credits. [1]
- Skip Filmora Perpetual if you want future major versions; it covers updates within Filmora 16 only. [1]
- Skip both if you only need simple 1080p edits without a watermark; PowerDirector Essential and other free editors have restrictions but cost nothing to try. [5]
- Before paying, check that the free tier of each opens and exports your real footage on your computer.
Cancellation behaviour
CyberLink says you can cancel PowerDirector 365 at any time with no fee; premium features stay active until the end of the billing cycle, after which the account returns to Essential and projects are not lost. [5] Filmora's annual plans state 'Automatically renew. Cancel anytime.' and the money-back guarantee is subject to Wondershare's refund policy. [1]
Questions before you decide
Is Filmora cheaper than PowerDirector?
For one-time licences, yes on 30 October 2026: Filmora Perpetual was US$79.99 and PowerDirector 2027 US$139.99. For subscriptions, Filmora Basic was US$49.99 a year and PowerDirector 365 US$59.99 a year, with different inclusions.
Which has more stock media, Filmora or PowerDirector?
CyberLink lists millions of premium videos, photos and music from Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection on PowerDirector 365, with 30 Getty downloads a month on the standard subscription. Filmora lists 1.1M+ stock media items on its paid plans.
Does PowerDirector 2027 get new AI features?
No. CyberLink's pricing page says the one-time version does not receive regular updates, new content after purchase or the monthly GenAI credit allowance; it includes 500 one-time credits valid for a year.
Are Filmora and PowerDirector available on Mac?
Yes. Wondershare sells a Mac version of Filmora, and CyberLink's PowerDirector page links a macOS version. Check each vendor's Mac pricing page, as prices can differ from Windows.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Wondershare Filmora: Pricing and plans (Windows, US view) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Wondershare Filmora: Technical specifications (Windows) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Wondershare Filmora: Screen recorder Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CyberLink: Compare plans for PowerDirector (US) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CyberLink: Buy PowerDirector (US) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CyberLink: PowerDirector product and specs page Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.