Adobe Express vs Apple Motion

Adobe Express 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 Express vs Apple Motion at a glance

Adobe ExpressApple Motionsmooth.video
PriceFree plan, Premium at US$9.99 a monthUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a monthFree, no paid plan
Transparent videoNot supportedProRes 4444 and HEVC with alphaFree, as WebM

As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Adobe Express and Apple Motion before you decide.

Adobe Express

Built for
Every kind of design: social posts, flyers, PDFs, presentations, video
Motion
In, Loop and Out presets, with duration, speed and intensity
Photoshop files
PSD and Illustrator files placed linked or converted
Where your files live
In Adobe's cloud, 5 GB on the free plan
Templates and stock
100,000+ templates and Adobe Stock
Generative AI
Firefly, with monthly credits

When Adobe Express fits better

You need matching flyers, posts and presentations from a huge library of templates and stock, you work with Photoshop and Illustrator files that stay linked, or you want AI to generate images. Animation is a finishing touch.

Adobe Express vs smooth.video

Apple Motion

Platform
Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later
Install
Desktop app from the Mac App Store
How you animate
Keyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space
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

The animation is the deliverable: an intro, a lower third, an animated stat, a Reel. You want to decide exactly where each element is at each moment, and a transparent export to put over video.

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

Start from a template

See all 172 templates

Questions

Can I bring my Adobe Express designs in?
Yes, as images: download your design or its parts as PNG, add them to a scene and animate them in smooth.video.
Can I animate a Photoshop file?
Yes. Drop the PSD into the editor and each layer becomes its own element, in place, ready to animate.
Is there a watermark?
No. Every export is free and clean, transparent WebM included.
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.