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.

Open the editorFree, no signup, nothing to install

Apple Motion vs Brush Ninja at a glance

Apple MotionBrush Ninjasmooth.video
PriceUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a monthFree with ads, membership at US$7 a month or US$48 a yearFree
How you animateKeyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D spaceFrame-by-frame drawing, with onion skinPresets 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.video

Brush 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.video

When 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

Start from a template

See all 172 templates

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.