Animoto vs VistaCreate
Animoto and VistaCreate 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
Animoto vs VistaCreate at a glance
| Animoto | VistaCreate | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan, then Basic, Professional and Professional Plus | Free plan, Pro at US$10 a month billed yearly | Free, no paid plan |
| Account | Required | Required | Not needed |
| Export resolution | 720p free, 1080p on Basic, 4K on Professional | HD downloads on Pro | Any size, 4K included |
- Price
- AnimotoFree plan, then Basic, Professional and Professional Plus
- VistaCreateFree plan, Pro at US$10 a month billed yearly
- smooth.videoFree, no paid plan
- Account
- AnimotoRequired
- VistaCreateRequired
- smooth.videoNot needed
- Export resolution
- Animoto720p free, 1080p on Basic, 4K on Professional
- VistaCreateHD downloads on Pro
- smooth.videoAny size, 4K included
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Animoto and VistaCreate before you decide.
Animoto
- Watermark
- On the free plan
- How you build
- Templates made of drag-and-drop blocks
- Licensed music and Getty Images stock
- Yes
- Screen and webcam recording
- Yes
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.
Animoto vs smooth.videoVistaCreate
- Built for
- Every kind of design: posts, flyers, print, presentations
- Motion
- Presets: move, fade, scale, zoom, wobble, flash, shake, spin
- Templates and stock
- 100,000+ templates and Depositphotos stock
- Social media scheduling
- Yes
When VistaCreate fits better
You need lots of matching posts, flyers and print files from a big template and stock library, resized in one click and scheduled to your social accounts, with a simple animation on top.
VistaCreate vs smooth.videoWhen 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.
The animation matters more than the layout: an intro, a lower third, an animated stat, a Reel. You want the timing and motion exactly right, and a 4K or transparent export for free.
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
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.
Can I bring my VistaCreate designs in?
Yes, as images: download your design or its parts as PNG, add them to a scene and animate them.
Can I schedule posts from smooth.video?
No. Export the video and post or schedule it with the tool you already use.
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