An EZGIF alternative for making GIFs from scratch

EZGIF is a toolbox for GIFs you already have: turn a clip into a GIF, crop it, speed it up, compress it, convert it to WebP or APNG. smooth.video starts earlier, before the GIF exists: you place text, images and shapes on a timeline, make them move, and export the result as a GIF. Both are free, with no signup and no watermark.

Open the editor
  • Free
  • No signup
  • No watermark
The New sticker template, playing live. Open it in the editor

smooth.video vs EZGIF

Price
smooth.videoFree
EZGIFFree, with ads
Account
smooth.videoNot needed
EZGIFNot needed
Watermark
smooth.videoNever
EZGIFNever
Makes a GIF from
smooth.videoText, images, shapes, drawings and video, animated on a timeline
EZGIFAn uploaded video or a set of images
Moving text
smooth.videoEntrances like slide, pop, bounce or blur, letter by letter if you like, plus keyframes
EZGIFText shown on a range of frames, without motion
Where your files go
smooth.videoNowhere, they stay on your computer
EZGIFUploaded to its servers, kept up to an hour after last use
Compression and optimization
smooth.videoNo
EZGIFYes: lossy, fewer colors, fewer frames, target file size
Format conversion
smooth.videoNo
EZGIFGIF, WebP, APNG, AVIF, MP4, WebM and more

EZGIF as of September 2026. Plans change, so check theirs before you decide.

When smooth.video fits better

The GIF doesn't exist yet: an animated headline for an email, a badge for a website, a demo for a README. You want to build it from text and images, make things move, and keep your files on your computer.

When EZGIF fits better

You already have the GIF or the clip and need to do something to it: cut it, change its speed, reverse it, shrink it under a size limit, or convert it to WebP, APNG or AVIF. smooth.video makes GIFs; it doesn't edit, compress or convert them.

How it works

  1. Open smooth.video. No account, nothing to upload.

  2. Add text, images, shapes or a video, and give each one an entrance or move it at points in time.

  3. Export as GIF at the size you set. To squeeze the file further, run it through EZGIF's optimizer.

Start from a template

See all 203 templates

Open one, change the words, export. Every element stays editable.

Logo reveal

1080×1080

A name that pops into place

Bold statement

1080×1920

Three lines, one point

Count-up stat

1080×1080

A number that climbs

Lower third

1920×1080

Name and title, on cue

Quote card

1200×630

A line worth sharing

Product drop

1080×1350

An announcement that lands

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.

Questions

Can I compress a GIF in smooth.video?

No. A short GIF with a modest size and few colors stays light; to shrink it further, run the exported file through a GIF optimizer such as EZGIF's.

Can I turn a video into a GIF?

Yes. Add the video to the scene, put text or stickers on top if you like, and export the whole thing as a GIF.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Everything, the GIF export included, runs in your browser, so your images and videos never leave your computer.

EZGIF compared with other tools

Try it before you settle on EZGIF.

It opens in a tab, works without an account, and exports without a watermark.

Open the editor
  • Free
  • No signup
  • No watermark