Can I compress a GIF in smooth.video?

No. A short GIF with a modest size and few colours 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.

Do I place every photo by hand?

Yes, each photo is an element you place and animate. Start from a photo template to go faster: replace the pictures and keep the motion.

Yes. Add an audio file you have the rights to, and it plays under the animation in the exported MP4.

EZGIF vs Animoto

EZGIF and Animoto 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

EZGIF vs Animoto at a glance

	EZGIF	Animoto	smooth.video
Price	Free, with ads	Free plan, then Basic, Professional and Professional Plus	Free
Account	Not needed	Required	Not needed
Watermark	Never	On the free plan	Never

As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of EZGIF and Animoto before you decide.

EZGIF

Makes a GIF from: An uploaded video or a set of images
Moving text: Text shown on a range of frames, without motion
Where your files go: Uploaded to its servers, kept up to an hour after last use
Compression and optimization: Yes: lossy, fewer colours, fewer frames, target file size
Format conversion: GIF, WebP, APNG, AVIF, MP4, WebM and more

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 does none of that.

EZGIF vs smooth.video

Animoto

Export resolution: 720p free, 1080p on Basic, 4K on Professional
How you build: Templates made of drag-and-drop blocks
Licensed music and Getty Images stock: Yes
Screen and webcam recording: Yes

When Animoto fits better

You want a slideshow put together in minutes from a pile of photos, with licensed music and stock images included. smooth.video places everything by hand and has no music library.

Animoto vs smooth.video

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.

You want control over how each photo and title moves, a 4K export, or a clean file, without paying for a plan or creating an account.

Open the editor

Start from a template

See all 172 templates

Logo reveal

1080×1080

A name that pops into place

Lower third

1920×1080

Name and title, on cue

Bold statement

1080×1920

Three lines, one point

Product drop

1080×1350

An announcement that lands

Count-up stat

1080×1080

A number that climbs

Quote card

1200×630

A line worth sharing

Questions

Can I compress a GIF in smooth.video?: No. A short GIF with a modest size and few colours 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.
Do I place every photo by hand?: Yes, each photo is an element you place and animate. Start from a photo template to go faster: replace the pictures and keep the motion.
Can I add music?: Yes. Add an audio file you have the rights to, and it plays under the animation in the exported MP4.
Is there a watermark?: No, at any resolution.