Can I upload my GIF to GIPHY afterwards?

Yes. Export the GIF from smooth.video, then upload it to your GIPHY channel like any other GIF.

Can I make a GIF from a YouTube video?

Not from a link. Add a video file from your computer to the scene and export it as a GIF.

No. Nothing is uploaded: the GIF is made in your browser and saved to your computer.

Can I draw in smooth.video?

Yes, with a simple brush: the drawing becomes an image you can move, scale, rotate and fade on the timeline. It isn't made for drawing each frame.

Yes. Add an audio file and it's included in the MP4 or WebM. A GIF can't carry sound.

No, and there's nothing to join.

GIPHY GIF Maker vs Brush Ninja

GIPHY GIF Maker and Brush Ninja 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

GIPHY GIF Maker vs Brush Ninja at a glance

	GIPHY GIF Maker	Brush Ninja	smooth.video
Price	Free, with ads	Free with ads, membership at US$7 a month or US$48 a year	Free
Account	Required to create a GIF	Only for membership	Not needed

As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of GIPHY GIF Maker and Brush Ninja before you decide.

GIPHY GIF Maker

What you get: A GIF uploaded to your GIPHY channel, public unless you set it to private
Starting point: A video under 15 seconds, images, or a YouTube link
Motion: Captions and stickers that appear and disappear
Sticker library: The whole GIPHY sticker library
Other exports: No

When GIPHY fits better

You want your GIFs out in the world: reaction GIFs or brand stickers on a GIPHY channel people can share from, with GIPHY's sticker library at hand while you make them.

GIPHY GIF Maker vs smooth.video

Brush Ninja

How you animate: Frame-by-frame drawing, with onion skin
Layers: None
Video with sound: WebM, for members
Formats: GIF, image sequence, and WebM for members
Lesson plans for teachers: Yes

When Brush Ninja fits better

You want to draw every frame, like a flipbook, in a tool made for children and classrooms, with stickers, sound effects and lesson plans ready to go.

Brush Ninja vs smooth.video

When smooth.video fits better

You need a GIF for an email, a website, a README or a slide, built from your own text and images, and you'd rather keep it off a public platform and skip the account.

The animation is made of things that move: a title, a photo, a logo, a sticker, a chart. You want sound in the video, more than one layer, and no ads, without a membership.

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 upload my GIF to GIPHY afterwards?: Yes. Export the GIF from smooth.video, then upload it to your GIPHY channel like any other GIF.
Can I make a GIF from a YouTube video?: Not from a link. Add a video file from your computer to the scene and export it as a GIF.
Is my GIF public?: No. Nothing is uploaded: the GIF is made in your browser and saved to your computer.
Can I draw in smooth.video?: Yes, with a simple brush: the drawing becomes an image you can move, scale, rotate and fade on the timeline. It isn't made for drawing each frame.
Can I add sound?: Yes. Add an audio file and it's included in the MP4 or WebM. A GIF can't carry sound.
Are there ads?: No, and there's nothing to join.