Is Red Giant subscription-only compared to Dehancer?

At the time of writing, yes. Red Giant sells as a subscription, while Dehancer offers a perpetual licence as well as a subscription. Lost Media Emulator is a one-time purchase with no recurring fee.

Which is better for film looks specifically?

Dehancer is the more specialised film-emulation tool, with film stocks, print emulation and professional colour pipelines. Red Giant's Magic Bullet covers looks as part of a much larger suite.

What does Lost Media Emulator add?

Authentic CRT, VHS and tube looks alongside film stocks, a standalone Mac app, and a one-time price. It does less than Red Giant overall but focuses entirely on analog and lost-media aesthetics.

Dehancer vs Red Giant

Dehancer is a focused film‑emulation plugin with deep colour science and a perpetual licence. Red Giant is a broad subscription toolkit where retro and looks are a few tools among hundreds. They suit different needs and budgets. Lost Media Emulator sits beside both as a one‑time, standalone option built for analog and lost‑media looks.

Dehancer vs Red Giant vs Lost Media Emulator

	Dehancer	Red Giant	Lost Media Emulator
Pricing	~$449 perpetual, or a subscription (at the time of writing)	Subscription only, ~$32/mo (Universe) to ~$85/mo (full), at the time of writing	a one‑time $39–$69 (no subscription)
Form	Plugin, needs a host NLE (Resolve, Premiere, FCP)	Plugins, need a host NLE	a standalone macOS app and a Premiere Pro / After Effects extension
Looks library	60+ film profiles	Universe + Magic Bullet across many categories	91 looks, 97 controls
Platform	Windows and macOS	Windows and macOS	macOS 13 Ventura or later, Apple Silicon

Who each is for

Dehancer

You're a colourist who needs precise, profile‑accurate film‑stock emulation, print‑film looks and ACES‑grade pipelines inside DaVinci Resolve, that's Dehancer's home turf, and it's excellent at it.

vs Lost Media Emulator ▸

Red Giant

You want a broad, do‑everything motion‑graphics and VFX toolkit, transitions, glitch, looks, retouching, and you're comfortable with a subscription across Windows and macOS. Red Giant is hard to beat on breadth.

vs Lost Media Emulator ▸

Lost Media Emulator

You want authentic CRT, VHS and tube/lost‑media looks (not just film stocks), a standalone Mac app you can use without an NLE, and a one‑time price instead of $449 or a subscription.

Dehancer vs Red Giant, answered

Is Red Giant subscription‑only compared to Dehancer?: At the time of writing, yes. Red Giant sells as a subscription, while Dehancer offers a perpetual licence as well as a subscription. Lost Media Emulator is a one‑time purchase with no recurring fee.
Which is better for film looks specifically?: Dehancer is the more specialised film‑emulation tool, with film stocks, print emulation and professional colour pipelines. Red Giant's Magic Bullet covers looks as part of a much larger suite.
What does Lost Media Emulator add?: Authentic CRT, VHS and tube looks alongside film stocks, a standalone Mac app, and a one‑time price. It does less than Red Giant overall but focuses entirely on analog and lost‑media aesthetics.