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.

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Powtoon vs Apple Motion at a glance

Price
PowtoonFree plan, then Lite from US$15 a month billed yearly
Apple MotionUS$49.99 once, or in Apple Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month
smooth.videoFree, 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.video

Apple 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.video

When 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 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 templates

Open one, change the words, export. Every element stays editable.

Logo reveal

1080×1080

A name that pops into place

Bold statement

1080×1920

Three lines, one point

Count-up stat

1080×1080

A number that climbs

Lower third

1920×1080

Name and title, on cue

Quote card

1200×630

A line worth sharing

Product drop

1080×1350

An announcement that lands

Questions

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.

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