CapCut vs Apple Motion
CapCut and Apple Motion 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
CapCut vs Apple Motion at a glance
| CapCut | Apple Motion | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free version, with CapCut Pro for premium features | US$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month | Free, no paid plan |
- Price
- CapCutFree version, with CapCut Pro for premium features
- Apple MotionUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month
- smooth.videoFree, no paid plan
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of CapCut and Apple Motion before you decide.
CapCut
- Account
- Sign-up asked for in the online editor
- Export resolution
- Up to 1080p free, 4K and 60 fps with Pro
- Premium templates, effects and fonts
- Pro needed to export them
- Built for
- Editing videos: cuts, transitions, filters, effects
- Phone and desktop apps
- Yes
- AI tools, music and sticker library
- Yes
When CapCut fits better
You're editing footage: cutting clips, adding transitions, filters, trending sounds and effects, on your phone as much as on a computer. smooth.video isn't a video editor, and it has no app.
CapCut vs smooth.videoApple 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.videoWhen smooth.video fits better
You need the graphics, not the edit: an animated title, a stat, a logo reveal or a lower third, in 4K or on a transparent background, and you'd rather not unlock Pro for a font or a template.
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.
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 a smooth.video animation in CapCut?
Yes. Export an MP4 and import it into your CapCut project like any other clip.
Can I edit my footage in smooth.video?
Only lightly: add a video file to the scene and put text, shapes and images on top. For cutting and arranging footage, a video editor is the better tool.
Do I need to sign in?
No. The project you're working on is autosaved in your browser, and you save it as a .smooth file to keep it or open it on another computer.
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.
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