The Best Whiteboard Animation Software for Engaging Videos
Have you ever watched a whiteboard animation video and wondered how it was made? These sketch-style videos, often used for explainer content, educational lessons, advertisements and more, are extremely effective at conveying information in a way that resonates with viewers.
Studies have shown that the human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. And since 65% of the population are visual learners, it‘s no surprise that whiteboard animations have exploded in popularity in recent years across a wide variety of industries.
The good news is, you don‘t need to be a professional animator or have a huge budget to create your own compelling whiteboard videos. There are a number of excellent software tools available that make the process quick, easy and affordable – even if you have zero design or technical skills.
In this post, I‘ll share my picks for the best whiteboard animation software on the market today. I‘ll cover both desktop and web-based options at various price points to help you find the perfect fit for your needs and budget.
Let‘s dive in!
Top Pick: VideoScribe
After testing all the leading whiteboard animation programs, VideoScribe stands out as the clear winner for most users. Developed by UK-based Sparkol, VideoScribe offers an ideal balance of powerful features and ease of use at an affordable price point.
The magic of VideoScribe is how it makes animating a breeze, even if you‘ve never created a video before. The drag-and-drop interface is intuitive and uncluttered. You simply choose images, text and music from the built-in library (or import your own), then arrange them on the timeline. The program automatically draws each element in that classic whiteboard sketch style.
VideoScribe includes an expansive library with thousands of royalty-free images, icons, characters and music tracks to tell your story. The image library covers a wide range of categories from business to education to healthcare. Most graphics are vector SVGs that will be automatically sketched to life.
You can also import your own images, or draw directly in the program. Any vectors, JPEGs or PNGs you import can be "whiteboarded" as well. This allows you to create custom characters and scenes beyond what‘s available in the library.
In addition to the drag-and-drop functionality, VideoScribe provides granular control over each element‘s drawing style, timing, color palette, position and more. The smart "Auto Draw" automatically times your elements to flow with your narration or background music. Or you can manually fine-tune the timing down to 0.1 second precision.
One of VideoScribe‘s standout features is its text-to-speech engine powered by WellSaid Labs‘ ultra-realistic AI voices. If you don‘t want to record a voiceover yourself, simply type what you want your characters to say and the software will convert it to natural-sounding speech in 23 languages. You‘d be hard-pressed to tell it‘s not a human speaker.
When you‘re finished with your whiteboard creation, VideoScribe allows you to export in a variety of high-quality formats up to 4K resolution. You can also publish directly to YouTube, Facebook, PowerPoint and more.
VideoScribe is available for Windows, Mac and iPad. Pricing starts at $15/month and comes with an all-inclusive commercial license. The company offers deep discounts for educators as well.
With its wealth of assets, creative flexibility and output options, VideoScribe is an excellent choice for marketers, business owners, teachers and whiteboard enthusiasts of all types.
Try VideoScribe free for 7 days
Best for Professionals: Adobe Animate
For professional designers and animators who want complete control and customization, nothing beats Adobe Animate. As part of Adobe‘s Creative Cloud suite, this full-featured animation program is the industry standard for creating interactive vector animations.
While Animate isn‘t solely built for whiteboard videos like VideoScribe is, it provides all the tools needed to craft them at an expert level. The tradeoff is a much steeper learning curve – this complex software will take practice and training to fully master.
Inside Animate, you‘ll work with a multi-layer timeline to combine your visual and audio assets. These assets can be created directly in Animate with the program‘s advanced drawing and shape tools, or imported from Adobe Stock or your own files. Vector graphics are ideal to get that sketch style.
Animate really shines in the level of precision and control it offers over your animations. You can fine-tune literally every aspect, from easing the path of your lines to perfecting the timing between scenes. The Auto-Lip Sync feature will even automatically synchronize an animated character‘s mouth to your dialogue audio.
Another advantage of using Adobe Animate is the interoperability with other Creative Cloud applications. You can easily import layered Photoshop or Illustrator files to include in your whiteboard video. And your finished video can be exported for further editing in Premiere Pro or After Effects.
Now, all this power does come at a price. Adobe Animate alone costs $21/month, or you can get it as part of the full Creative Cloud suite starting at $53/month. For many whiteboard video creators, it will be overkill. But for professional animators and designers, the expanded capabilities are well worth it.
Get started with Adobe Animate
Other Great Whiteboard Animation Software
While VideoScribe and Adobe Animate are my top recommendations, there are a few other high-quality programs available. Here‘s a quick overview of some of the best alternatives:
Doodly
Doodly is one of the top competitors to VideoScribe in the "whiteboard in a box" category. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface and library of pre-made assets make it beginner-friendly. Doodly also lets you choose from multiple types of sketch styles, including blackboard, glassboard and greenboard looks.
Explaindio
Explaindio is unique in that it allows you to make whiteboard, 2D cartoon and 3D animation videos from one tool. It‘s a solid choice if you want to experiment with other explainer styles too. The downside is the outdated interface can be confusing to navigate.
Easy Sketch Pro
Living up to its name, Easy Sketch Pro offers a clean, user-friendly layout for whipping up whiteboard videos quickly. While the built-in asset library is limited, you can flesh it out with your own imported graphics and footage. It‘s very affordable too, with one-time pricing starting at $37.
Raw Shorts
If you prefer a web-based tool, check out Raw Shorts. This online whiteboard video maker stands out for its extensive library of templates and modern UI. There‘s a free plan to get started, with premium plans adding more assets, privacy controls and download options.
How to Choose the Right Whiteboard Video Software
With all the whiteboard animation programs out there, how do you determine which one is right for your specific needs and skills? Here are the key factors I recommend evaluating:
Ease of Use: How quickly can you learn the software and start producing videos? The best programs offer tutorials, templates and drag-and-drop functionality to flatten the learning curve.
Asset Library: Consider both the quantity and quality of the pre-made images, characters, props, text and music available. Being able to add your own assets is important too.
Customization: Look for robust options to personalize your videos with custom colors, fonts, backgrounds, aspect ratios and more. Some programs also let you draw or record directly in the app.
Animation Features: The best whiteboard software provides smart tools to automate the sketch drawing, synchronize elements to audio, and create camera panning/zooming effects. More advanced programs like Adobe Animate offer timeline editing and granular controls.
Output Flexibility: Consider what video formats and resolutions you need, and where you‘ll be sharing your videos. The ability to export in HD/4K and publish directly to sites like YouTube is very convenient.
Price: Whiteboard video software ranges from free to over $50/month. Those higher-end programs offer more professional features and control, but make sure you‘ll actually use them. The sweet spot for most users is around $15-$25/month.
Whiteboard Animation Tips
To wrap up, here are a few tips for making your whiteboard animation videos as impactful as possible:
- Keep it simple. Don‘t cram too much information or too many visual elements into your video. Stick to one core message and focus on the essential points.
- Make it engaging. Use characters, humor and storytelling to connect emotionally with viewers. Adding some subtle background music can also help set the right mood and hold attention.
- Brand it. Incorporate your company‘s fonts, colors and logos throughout the video for consistent branding. A strong call-to-action at the end is important too.
- Script it out. The real work of making a whiteboard video happens before you even open the software. Carefully map out your script and storyboard first to ensure a logical flow.
- Invest in a good microphone. Audio quality matters just as much as the visuals. Using a crisp, professional-sounding voiceover will make your video so much more credible and persuasive.
I hope this guide has given you all the information you need to find the ideal whiteboard animation software for your business, classroom or project. No matter which tool you choose, you‘ll be well on your way to creating captivating videos that resonate with your audience.