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.

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Adobe Animate vs Apple Motion at a glance

Adobe AnimateApple Motionsmooth.video
PriceUS$22.99 a month on an annual plan, 7-day free trialUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a monthFree, no paid plan
InstallDesktop app for Windows and macOSDesktop app from the Mac App StoreNothing, runs in the browser
How you animateFrame-by-frame drawing, tweens, bone riggingKeyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D spacePresets 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 does none of that.

Adobe Animate vs smooth.video

Apple 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.video

When 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.

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Start from a template

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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.