A free alternative to Animoto
Animoto makes slideshows and marketing videos from templates: drag in photos and clips, pick a song from its licensed library, and it arranges them, with Getty Images stock on higher plans. Its free plan exports at 720p with an Animoto watermark. smooth.video gives you a timeline where you place and animate each photo and title yourself, and exports up to 4K for free, with no account.
smooth.video vs Animoto
| smooth.video | Animoto | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paid plan | Free plan, then Basic, Professional and Professional Plus |
| Account | Not needed | Required |
| Watermark | Never | On the free plan |
| Export resolution | Any size, 4K included | 720p free, 1080p on Basic, 4K on Professional |
| How you build | Every element on a keyframe timeline | Templates made of drag-and-drop blocks |
| Licensed music and Getty Images stock | No, bring your own | Yes |
| Screen and webcam recording | No | Yes |
Animoto as of September 2026. Plans change, so check theirs before you decide.
How it works
- 1
Open smooth.video and pick a photo template, or start from an empty canvas.
- 2
Swap in your photos, type your titles, add a song, and set when each picture comes in.
- 3
Export an MP4 up to 4K, without a watermark.
Start from a template
See all 164 templatesWhen smooth.video fits better
You want control over how each photo and title moves, a 4K export, or a clean file, without paying for a plan or creating an account.
When Animoto fits better
You want a slideshow put together in minutes from a pile of photos, with licensed music and stock images included. smooth.video places everything by hand and has no music library.
Questions
- Do I place every photo by hand?
- Yes, each photo is an element you place and animate. Start from a photo template to go faster: replace the pictures and keep the motion.
- Can I add music?
- Yes. Add an audio file you have the rights to, and it plays under the animation in the exported MP4.
- Is there a watermark?
- No, at any resolution.