Positives
- Easy to use
- Various animation tools
- Numerous templates
- Possibility to upload images
- Secure payment
- Helpful webinars
Negatives
- Lack of mobile and macOS apps
- No refunds
Today, videos are one of the most popular types of online content. As such, video editing has become increasingly accessible, but people are continuously looking for new ways to express their creativity and ideas. Enter VideoScribe, a simple program for making a variety of whiteboard animations. The software’s easy-to-use dashboard is accompanied by numerous animation tools, and it even lets you work with photos. With its plethora of premade templates, almost anyone can find a theme that suits their needs, be it a marketing presentation or a surprise for a friend’s birthday. It’s also entirely secure to work with the software, as the company keeps a close eye on your data all the time. VideoScribe goes the extra mile with its extensive support, such as with its step-by-step video guides. Finally, the service’s reasonable prices start at $14 a month, and users can try out the 2D animation software without reaching for their wallet through its limited 7-day free trial.
Features
VideoScribe is a versatile whiteboard animation creator, perfect for all types of industries. For example, businesses can use it to create training videos, marketers can make promotional footage, and teachers can use the software to build lesson plans. This versatility is obvious from the moment you sign in, as countless templates are available right off the bat. Similarly, creating a new project couldn’t be more straightforward – all it takes is to click the relevant button, name the project, and choose its aspect ratio.
While VideoScribe’s dashboard may be overwhelming at first, you’ll quickly get used to it. When first launched, the software offers a step-by-step guide on how to use every function. It’s also possible to find out more about each slider, button, and feature, thanks to a small information box that appears when the cursor hovers over it. In addition, it’s easy to upload and add photos, which will then be transformed into animation by the software. This also means that it’s possible to create high-quality HD videos without needing any of the program’s premade samples.
Animation Tools
VideoScribe offers a slew of useful features, such as its multitude of different images, handily organized by category. For example, the ‘animals’ section contains illustrations of wildlife, ‘body parts’ contains hands and legs, while ‘education’ has pictures of teachers and students. Every image inserted appears as a new frame, organized into a timeline below the new animation. Once you have finished and play your video, a hand appears on the screen and draws each picture. The hand can be an illustration, a read hand, or even your own hand. Other options include having the illustration be drawn without a hand, or having it bounce, slide, or fade in on the screen. By altering the speed at which the image is created, users have a feature at their fingertips ideal for adjusting animations to the exact length necessary for their video or presentation.
Animations are infinitely customizable – not only can the images be repositioned and resized, but cropped and flipped both horizontally and vertically. Colors are also adjustable, as are text boxes. As a final touch, VideoScribe supports audio files, such as sound effects and background tracks, to help spice up your animation. Users can apply voiceover tracks as well as background music by either uploading or recording their own. Unfortunately, royalty-free tracks only become available once you download the desktop application. But it’s worth it, as the software provides about 200 songs free of charge.
Custom Templates
Any decent animation creator needs to offer at least a few premade samples. Luckily, VideoScribe ticks this box by providing a myriad of templates. There are pre-designed animations aimed at education, businesses, marketing, social media posts, birthdays, and much more. However, what makes this feature even more interesting is that it offers seasonal templates, such as Halloween or Christmas. Based on what is trending, the more popular options will always appear at the top, and users can preview the video before choosing any templates. The best part is that these preset animated videos are ready to use and can be edited for further personalization.
Privacy and Security
While creating whiteboard videos, VideoScribe ensures that everything is secure. The platform uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) technology to host its entire network, and the company’s employees can only access what they strictly need. This robust security ensures 24/7 application monitoring by the company’s engineers, who also conduct regular breach tests and quickly alert users when there’s an issue. Moreover, VideoScribe’s critical systems are automatically backed up, and all data regarding users is encrypted. In addition, the company stores no payment information whatsoever to prevent credit card fraud and other mishaps.
Device Support
VideoScribe offers both an online platform and a desktop application for Windows, but there are significant differences between the two. For example, the browser version is the only place to create 1:1 and 9:16 format videos, whereas the desktop app is only capable of 16:9. At the same time, only the desktop app has an unlimited number of canvases and noticeably more export formats, while the browser version is restricted to MP4 and GIF. Moreover, the downloaded app offers a collection of royalty-free songs and the option to import hand-drawn animations.
Unfortunately, neither a macOS nor a mobile app is available with VideoScribe. However, the browser version is mobile-optimized, meaning that working on videos with a mobile device is possible. Still, trying to do everything on a smartphone’s small screen is impractical, so we recommend using a tablet when creating videos on the go.
Pricing
Much like its software, VideoScribe’s pricing is incredibly straightforward. The software has only one plan that can be paid monthly or yearly. As usual, the yearly subscription is cheaper in the long run, as it comes with a 66% discount. This translates to $14 per month instead of $39. VideoScribe also offers a 7-day free trial so people can try out the video maker without taking any chances, but, unfortunately, there are no refunds nor a free version.
Although VideoScribe’s free trial is useful for trying out the program, it comes with a few limitations. It leaves a watermark on exported videos, restricts resolution to 640p, only exports in MOV and WMV, and limits the number of projects to 30. However, a paid subscription means watermark-free HD videos, an unlimited number of projects, and a wide variety of video export formats. It also allows users to work with their own photos, upload and record voiceovers, and access the built-in royalty-free tracks.
Customer Service
If you need direct help, the company’s chatbot is available 24/7 and is one of the fastest ways to find information. Getting in touch with customer support via phone is also possible on workdays, but submitting a support ticket describing a specific issue is an option as well. Plus, VideoScribe has social media pages and a YouTube channel displaying its video samples.
Additionally, the company’s website is full of helpful information for new animators. An extensive support page goes through the most common problems of video making. Moreover, the company’s blog offers several tips and tricks on producing better videos. VideoScribe also has countless free webinars, providing insight into creating storyboards, scripts, and much more. It’s also important to mention that the service runs an academy with courses and workshops that teach basic and advanced video-making techniques.
Bottom Line
VideoScribe is one of the best services for people who want to make engaging whiteboard animations. The platform is straightforward, with its plethora of customization tools that make the video-editing process a breeze and its templates that provide substantial help in adapting the final product to specific occasions. It’s also convenient that VideoScribe has a dedicated Windows app, and that its browser version is mobile-optimized. Having said that, dedicated mobile and macOS apps would come in handy. The user-friendly prices starting at $14 a month also give the software an advantage, with the 7-day free trial being a great way to test out the software before taking the plunge into a paid plan. Finally, if you’re ever stuck, VideoScribe’s exceptionally thorough customer support has your back.
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