GIPHY GIF Maker vs Clipchamp
GIPHY GIF Maker and Clipchamp 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.
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
GIPHY GIF Maker vs Clipchamp at a glance
| GIPHY GIF Maker | Clipchamp | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, with ads | Free, with Premium or Microsoft 365 for extras | Free |
| Account | Required to create a GIF | Microsoft account required | Not needed |
- Price
- GIPHY GIF MakerFree, with ads
- ClipchampFree, with Premium or Microsoft 365 for extras
- smooth.videoFree
- Account
- GIPHY GIF MakerRequired to create a GIF
- ClipchampMicrosoft account required
- smooth.videoNot needed
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of GIPHY GIF Maker and Clipchamp 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.videoClipchamp
- Watermark
- Never
- Export resolution
- 1080p free, 4K with Premium or Microsoft 365
- Formats
- MP4, GIF under 15 seconds, M4A audio
- Transparent video
- No
- Built for
- Editing videos: trimming, transitions, stock footage
- Screen recorder, AI voiceover, subtitles
- Yes
When Clipchamp fits better
You're putting a video together from clips: trimming, arranging, adding transitions, stock footage, an AI voiceover or subtitles, and you already use Windows or Microsoft 365. smooth.video isn't a video editor.
Clipchamp vs smooth.videoWhen 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 want the text or the logo to move exactly the way you picture it, need a transparent overlay or a 4K export, or you'd rather not sign in to make a ten-second animation.
Open the editor- 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.
Start from a template
See all 203 templatesOpen one, change the words, export. Every element stays editable.
Questions
Can I upload my GIF to GIPHY afterward?
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 use a smooth.video animation in Clipchamp?
Yes. Export an MP4 and add it to your Clipchamp project like any other clip.
Does it work on Mac, Linux and Chromebook?
Yes. It runs in a recent browser, whatever the computer.
Is it free?
Yes, completely: 4K, transparent WebM and GIF included, with no account.
Or skip the decision.
smooth.video is free, opens in a tab and exports without a watermark. Try it while you compare.
Open the editor- Free
- No signup
- No watermark