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.

Does smooth.video generate subtitles?

No. You can type captions as text elements and time them on the timeline, but nothing is transcribed automatically.

How long are my projects kept?

They stay in your browser until you clear its data. Save any of them as a .smooth file to keep a copy or open it on another computer.

GIPHY GIF Maker vs Kapwing

GIPHY GIF Maker and Kapwing 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 Kapwing at a glance

	GIPHY GIF Maker	Kapwing	smooth.video
Price	Free, with ads	Free plan, then Pro from US$16 a month billed yearly	Free
Account	Required to create a GIF	Required to save a project	Not needed

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

Kapwing

Watermark: On free plan exports
Export resolution: 720p on the free plan, 1080p and 4K on Pro
Projects: Deleted after 3 days on the free plan
Where your files live: In Kapwing's cloud
AI subtitles, translation, dubbing: Yes
Real-time collaboration: Yes

When Kapwing fits better

You edit talking videos and need subtitles, translations or dubbing in many languages, or several people edit and comment in the same project. smooth.video has no subtitle generator and no shared workspace.

Kapwing 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're making the animated pieces of a video, like titles, lower thirds, logo stings or animated stats, want them at full quality without a watermark, and don't need a team workspace.

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.
Does smooth.video generate subtitles?: No. You can type captions as text elements and time them on the timeline, but nothing is transcribed automatically.
How long are my projects kept?: They stay in your browser until you clear its data. Save any of them as a .smooth file to keep a copy or open it on another computer.
Is there a watermark?: No, never.