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 animate a chart from a spreadsheet?

No, you type the values in. smooth.video suits a handful of figures; for charts built from real data, Cavalry is the better fit.

Can I open Cavalry projects?

No. smooth.video opens its own .smooth files and imports images, video, audio and layered PSD files.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The editor and every export run in your browser.

GIPHY GIF Maker vs Cavalry

GIPHY GIF Maker and Cavalry 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 Cavalry at a glance

	GIPHY GIF Maker	Cavalry	smooth.video
Price	Free, with ads	Free for individuals	Free
Account	Required to create a GIF	Canva account required	Not needed

As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of GIPHY GIF Maker and Cavalry 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

Cavalry

Install: Desktop app for Mac and Windows
How you animate: Keyframes plus procedural tools: duplicators, falloffs, behaviours
Transparent video: WebM, ProRes 4444, plus APNG, GIF and WebP
Animation driven by spreadsheets: Yes
Rigging, dynamics, scripting: Yes
Lottie and SVG export: Yes

When Cavalry fits better

You build complex motion design: hundreds of shapes driven by one rig, charts animated from a spreadsheet, dynamics, scripts, or Lottie and ProRes deliverables. smooth.video has none of that.

Cavalry 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.

You need an animated title, a logo reveal or a social post today, on any computer, including one where you can't install software, and you don't need procedural systems to get there.

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 animate a chart from a spreadsheet?: No, you type the values in. smooth.video suits a handful of figures; for charts built from real data, Cavalry is the better fit.
Can I open Cavalry projects?: No. smooth.video opens its own .smooth files and imports images, video, audio and layered PSD files.
Do I need to install anything?: No. The editor and every export run in your browser.