CapCut vs Rive

CapCut 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.

Open the editorFree, no signup, nothing to install

CapCut vs Rive at a glance

CapCutRivesmooth.video
PriceFree version, with CapCut Pro for premium featuresFree plan, then Cadet at US$9 per seat a month billed yearlyFree, no paid plan
AccountSign-up asked for in the online editorRequiredNot needed

As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of CapCut and Rive before you decide.

CapCut

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.video

Rive

Exports on the free plan
None
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 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.

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 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. Your projects stay in your browser, and you can save any of them as a .smooth file.
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.