Apple Motion vs Rive

Apple Motion and Rive 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.

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Apple Motion vs Rive at a glance

Apple MotionRivesmooth.video
PriceUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a monthFree plan, then Cadet at US$9 per seat a month billed yearlyFree

As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Apple Motion and Rive 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.video

Rive

Exports on the free plan
None
Account
Required
Output
.riv files for runtimes, plus video and images
Interactivity and state machines
Yes
Runtimes for apps, websites and games
Yes
Rigging, meshes, real-time collaboration
Yes

When Rive fits better

The animation lives in a product and reacts to people: a button that responds to hover, a character that follows the cursor, a loading state driven by your app's data. That takes a runtime, and smooth.video doesn't have one.

Rive 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 ends up in a video, a post, an email or a slide, and plays the same way every time: a logo reveal, a product teaser, an animated stat, a GIF.

Open the editor

Start from a template

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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 smooth.video export Lottie or .riv files?
No. It exports video (MP4 and WebM), GIF and images.
Can I put a smooth.video animation on a website?
Yes, as a video or a GIF. It plays the same way for everyone, without reacting to the cursor or to clicks.
Is there a watermark?
No, on any format.