Adobe Animate vs Apple Motion
Adobe Animate and Apple Motion side by side, as of September 2026: what each one costs, what it's made for, and when smooth.video, a free animation tool that runs in your browser with no account, does the job instead.
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
Adobe Animate vs Apple Motion at a glance
| Adobe Animate | Apple Motion | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | US$22.99 a month on an annual plan, 7-day free trial | US$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month | Free, no paid plan |
| Install | Desktop app for Windows and macOS | Desktop app from the Mac App Store | Nothing, runs in the browser |
| How you animate | Frame-by-frame drawing, tweens, bone rigging | Keyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space | Presets and keyframes on one timeline |
- Price
- Adobe AnimateUS$22.99 a month on an annual plan, 7-day free trial
- Apple MotionUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month
- smooth.videoFree, no paid plan
- Install
- Adobe AnimateDesktop app for Windows and macOS
- Apple MotionDesktop app from the Mac App Store
- smooth.videoNothing, runs in the browser
- How you animate
- Adobe AnimateFrame-by-frame drawing, tweens, bone rigging
- Apple MotionKeyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space
- smooth.videoPresets and keyframes on one timeline
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Adobe Animate and Apple Motion before you decide.
Adobe Animate
- Account
- Adobe account required
- Development
- Maintenance mode: fixes, no new features
- Interactive output
- HTML5 Canvas, WebGL, SVG, sprite sheets
- Photoshop files
- PSD and Illustrator layers imported
When Adobe Animate fits better
You draw frame by frame, rig characters with bones, or deliver interactive HTML5 Canvas content, games or sprite sheets. smooth.video has no frame-by-frame drawing, no bones and no HTML5 output.
Adobe Animate vs smooth.videoApple Motion
- Platform
- Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later
- Transparent video
- ProRes 4444 and HEVC with alpha
- 3D and mask tracking
- Yes
- Final Cut Pro templates
- Yes
When Motion fits better
You edit in Final Cut Pro and want titles and effects your editors adjust in its inspector, or you need 3D, behaviors, mask tracking or ProRes with alpha for a professional pipeline.
Apple Motion vs smooth.videoWhen smooth.video fits better
You used Animate for banners, animated logos or social posts, you'd rather not pay for a tool that no longer gets new features, and your animation is made of text, images and shapes that move rather than drawings.
You're on Windows, Linux or a Chromebook, you edit in something other than Final Cut Pro, or you only need an animated title or logo from time to time and don't want to install anything.
Open the editor- Free, full stop
- No plan, no trial, no credits, no export limit.
- No account
- Open the page and the editor is already there.
- Nothing is uploaded
- Your files are read and rendered by your own browser.
- No watermark
- Every export is clean, at any size, 4K included.
Start from a template
See all 203 templatesOpen one, change the words, export. Every element stays editable.
Questions
Is Adobe Animate discontinued?
No. Adobe announced its end in February 2026 and reversed the decision the next day: Animate stays available, with security and bug fixes but no new features.
Can I open .fla files?
No. Export your artwork from Animate as PNG images, then animate them in smooth.video.
Can I make HTML5 banner ads?
Not as HTML5: smooth.video exports video, GIF and images. Where an ad slot takes a GIF or an MP4, a banner made here works.
Can I use smooth.video exports in Final Cut Pro?
Yes. Import the MP4 like any other clip.
Does smooth.video work on a Mac?
Yes, in a recent browser, and just as well on Windows, Linux or a Chromebook.
Is it really free?
Yes, with no watermark, no account and no purchase.
Or skip the decision.
smooth.video is free, opens in a tab and exports without a watermark. Try it while you compare.
Open the editor- Free
- No signup
- No watermark