Powtoon vs Apple Motion
Powtoon and Apple Motion 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.
Powtoon vs Apple Motion at a glance
| Powtoon | Apple Motion | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan, then Lite from US$15 a month billed yearly | US$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month | Free, no paid plan |
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Powtoon and Apple Motion before you decide.
Powtoon
- Account
- Required
- Watermark
- On free plan videos, and on all but 5 exports a month on Lite
- MP4 download
- Paid plans only
- Export resolution
- 720p on the free plan, 1080p on paid plans
- Animated characters and props
- Thousands, with a character builder
- PowerPoint import
- Yes
- Team review and brand locking
- Yes
When Powtoon fits better
You're making an explainer with characters and scenes, turning a PowerPoint deck into a video, or working with a team that reviews videos and locks the brand. smooth.video has no characters, no PowerPoint import and no shared workspace.
Powtoon vs smooth.videoApple Motion
- Platform
- Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later
- Install
- Desktop app from the Mac App Store
- How you animate
- Keyframes, 230+ behaviors, 2D and 3D space
- Transparent video
- ProRes 4444 and HEVC with alpha
- 3D and mask tracking
- Yes
- Final Cut Pro templates
- Yes
When Motion fits better
You edit in Final Cut Pro and want titles and effects your editors adjust in its inspector, or you need 3D, behaviors, mask tracking or ProRes with alpha for a professional pipeline.
Apple Motion vs smooth.videoWhen smooth.video fits better
You need a short animated piece, like a title card, a stat, a product demo with a cursor or a social post, and a file you can download right away, with no watermark and no plan.
You're on Windows, Linux or a Chromebook, you edit in something other than Final Cut Pro, or you only need an animated title or logo from time to time and don't want to install anything.
Open the editorStart from a template
See all 172 templatesQuestions
- Can I import my PowerPoint?
- No. Export your slides as images, add them to a scene and animate them there.
- Can I put a smooth.video animation in a presentation?
- Yes. Export an MP4 or a GIF and insert it into PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides.
- Is there a watermark?
- No, and the download is free too.
- Can I use smooth.video exports in Final Cut Pro?
- Yes. Import the MP4 like any other clip.
- Does smooth.video work on a Mac?
- Yes, in a recent browser, and just as well on Windows, Linux or a Chromebook.
- Is it really free?
- Yes, with no watermark, no account and no purchase.