Apple Motion vs Placeit
Apple Motion and Placeit 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.
Apple Motion vs Placeit at a glance
| Apple Motion | Placeit | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | US$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month | Single purchases, or a subscription from US$89.69 a year | Free |
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Apple Motion and Placeit before you decide.
Apple Motion
- Platform
- Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later
- Install
- Desktop app from the Mac App Store
- How you animate
- Keyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space
- 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.videoPlaceit
- Watermark
- On previews, until you buy
- What you can change
- Text, colours, images and music in the template
- Formats
- MP4 for videos, PNG for designs
- Product mockups and logo generator
- Yes
When Placeit fits better
You sell merch and need photo mockups of your designs on shirts, mugs and phones, or want a logo generated for you along with matching assets. smooth.video only animates.
Placeit 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 one intro or logo animation rather than a subscription, want it to move your way, or need it on a transparent background.
Open the editorStart from a template
See all 172 templatesQuestions
- 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 use my own logo?
- Yes. Import it as an image, remove its background in one click if it has one, and animate it.
- Does smooth.video make mockups?
- No. It animates: intros, logo reveals, titles and social posts. For product mockups, Placeit is the better tool.
- Is there a watermark?
- No. The download is free and clean.