Apple Motion vs Brush Ninja
Apple Motion and Brush Ninja 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
Apple Motion vs Brush Ninja at a glance
| Apple Motion | Brush Ninja | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | US$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month | Free with ads, membership at US$7 a month or US$48 a year | Free |
| How you animate | Keyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space | Frame-by-frame drawing, with onion skin | Presets and keyframes on one timeline |
- Price
- Apple MotionUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month
- Brush NinjaFree with ads, membership at US$7 a month or US$48 a year
- smooth.videoFree
- How you animate
- Apple MotionKeyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space
- Brush NinjaFrame-by-frame drawing, with onion skin
- smooth.videoPresets and keyframes on one timeline
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Apple Motion and Brush Ninja before you decide.
Apple Motion
- Platform
- Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later
- Install
- Desktop app from the Mac App Store
- 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.videoBrush Ninja
- Account
- Only for membership
- Layers
- None
- Video with sound
- WebM, for members
- Formats
- GIF, image sequence, and WebM for members
- Lesson plans for teachers
- Yes
When Brush Ninja fits better
You want to draw every frame, like a flipbook, in a tool made for children and classrooms, with stickers, sound effects and lesson plans ready to go.
Brush Ninja vs smooth.videoWhen smooth.video fits better
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.
The animation is made of things that move: a title, a photo, a logo, a sticker, a chart. You want sound in the video, more than one layer, and no ads, without a membership.
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
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.
Can I draw in smooth.video?
Yes, with a simple brush: the drawing becomes an image you can move, scale, rotate and fade on the timeline. It isn't made for drawing each frame.
Can I add sound?
Yes. Add an audio file and it's included in the MP4 or WebM. A GIF can't carry sound.
Are there ads?
No, and there's nothing to join.
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