Animaker vs VideoScribe Comparison 2026
Animaker covers character animation and several whiteboard and 2D styles from one editor, with a free plan that keeps giving 3 downloads a month for as long as you want it. VideoScribe does one thing, the hand-drawn whiteboard scribble where a marker fills the frame as a voice talks over it, and does it with a library of thousands of drawn assets and AI assistance built into every paid tier. There is no free plan on VideoScribe, only a 7 day trial of the full product, and Lite at $12.50 a month billed annually undercuts Animaker's $25 Starter tier. Choose on how narrow you want the style, not just the price.
Animated explainer videos from templates
Whiteboard animation, drawn on as you watch
At a glance
- VideoScribe starts cheaper, at $12.50.
- Only Animaker has a free tier.
Side by side
Animaker | VideoScribe | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $25 | From $12.50 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Free trial, then paid |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Not stated |
| Free trial | Not stated | 7 days |
| API |
Animaker
Animated explainer videos from templates
Animaker builds character animation and whiteboard video out of a library rather than out of keyframes, which puts an explainer within reach of somebody who has never opened After Effects. Downloads are metered per month and the free plan watermarks them. Anything needing precise timing will fight the editor, and that is where most people give up on it.
Only on this side
- Covers video editing
VideoScribe
Whiteboard animation, drawn on as you watch
VideoScribe makes the hand-drawn explainer where a marker fills the frame while a voice talks over it. That format is narrow and VideoScribe is the tool that does it properly, with a library of images and the timing controls to match a script. Download limits are per plan, so the cheap tier is five finished videos a month.
Our note
If you want whiteboard animation, this is the tool that does it, and the five-download cap on the cheap plan is the only thing to check against how you work. Doodly and its imitators cover the same ground; VideoScribe has the better asset library.
Why people weigh these two
- VideoScribe instead of Animaker
- VideoScribe specialises in whiteboard animation, drawn on as you watch, from $12.50 after a trial.
- Animaker instead of VideoScribe
- Animaker builds explainer videos from templates rather than whiteboard drawing, and keeps a free tier before $25.
Which one should you pick
VideoScribe is for anybody who wants the drawn-whiteboard look specifically and wants it done well, particularly teachers and trainers explaining a process. Lite at $12.50 a month billed annually caps downloads at five a month and five-minute videos, so check that ceiling against how often you publish before the discount locks you into a year.
Animaker is for anybody who wants more than one look available, since character animation sits alongside whiteboard in the same editor, and the free plan never expires even though it stays at 3 downloads a month. Anyone who only ever wants the drawing-hand style will find VideoScribe cheaper at the entry tier and built specifically for that one look.
Common questions
- Does Animaker do the same whiteboard style as VideoScribe?
- It offers whiteboard as one of several styles, alongside character animation. VideoScribe only does the whiteboard scribble look, with an image library of thousands of drawn assets built specifically for it.
- Which one has a free plan?
- Animaker does, 3 downloads a month with a watermark, ongoing rather than time-limited. VideoScribe has no free plan, only a 7 day trial of the full product with no card required to start it.
- Which is cheaper for someone publishing a few videos a month?
- VideoScribe, at $12.50 a month billed annually against Animaker's $25 Starter tier, but VideoScribe caps that plan at five downloads a month and five-minute videos, so a longer video pushes you to a higher tier.
- Is AI assistance included on either one?
- VideoScribe includes it on every paid tier. Animaker's documented strengths are the character library, whiteboard styles and auto video resize rather than an AI assistant.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.