Apple Motion vs Cavalry
Apple Motion and Cavalry 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 Cavalry at a glance
| Apple Motion | Cavalry | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | US$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month | Free for individuals | Free |
| Install | Desktop app from the Mac App Store | Desktop app for Mac and Windows | Nothing |
| How you animate | Keyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space | Keyframes plus procedural tools: duplicators, falloffs, behaviors | Presets and keyframes on one timeline |
| Transparent video | ProRes 4444 and HEVC with alpha | WebM, ProRes 4444, plus APNG, GIF and WebP | WebM |
- Price
- Apple MotionUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month
- CavalryFree for individuals
- smooth.videoFree
- Install
- Apple MotionDesktop app from the Mac App Store
- CavalryDesktop app for Mac and Windows
- smooth.videoNothing
- How you animate
- Apple MotionKeyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space
- CavalryKeyframes plus procedural tools: duplicators, falloffs, behaviors
- smooth.videoPresets and keyframes on one timeline
- Transparent video
- Apple MotionProRes 4444 and HEVC with alpha
- CavalryWebM, ProRes 4444, plus APNG, GIF and WebP
- smooth.videoWebM
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Apple Motion and Cavalry before you decide.
Apple Motion
- Platform
- Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later
- 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.videoCavalry
- Account
- Canva account required
- Animation driven by spreadsheets
- Yes
- Rigging, dynamics, scripting
- Yes
- Lottie and SVG export
- Yes
When Cavalry fits better
You build complex motion design: hundreds of shapes driven by one rig, charts animated from a spreadsheet, dynamics, scripts, or Lottie and ProRes deliverables. smooth.video has none of that.
Cavalry 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.
You need an animated title, a logo reveal or a social post today, on any computer, including one where you can't install software, and you don't need procedural systems to get there.
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 animate a chart from a spreadsheet?
No. In smooth.video a chart is built from shapes, and its numbers are texts you type, which can count up as they appear. That suits a handful of figures; for charts built from real data, Cavalry is the better fit.
Can I open Cavalry projects?
No. smooth.video opens its own .smooth files and imports images, video, audio and layered PSD files.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The editor and every export run in your browser.
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