The VideoScribe Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about VideoScribe in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
VideoScribe
The Insider’s Guide
Whiteboard-style animated video maker for explainers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among presentation tools, read from VideoScribe’s own pages.
Made by Sho · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from VideoScribe’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on VideoScribe’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 20 of the 89 other presentation tools we grade
VideoScribe builds animated videos in which images and text are drawn on screen as if by hand. It runs in the browser and as desktop apps for Windows and macOS, and exports finished videos as MP4. Plans are sold per license, with a 7-day free trial.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about VideoScribe, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating is on record, and building an animated video scene by scene takes learning.
- 1
Best for hand-drawn whiteboard-style animation
VideoScribe builds videos where images and text are drawn on screen as if by hand, in a browser or a Windows or Mac app, and exports MP4.
- 2
You can try it first
7-day free trial, no credit card required, with 3 video downloads, videos up to 5 minutes and watermarked output.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, Windows and macOS.
- 4
Hand-drawn animation
Images and text are drawn onto the canvas in sequence, and the timeline sets the order and timing.
- 5
Image and icon library
The trial includes 9,000+ images and icons; the paid Core and Max plans list 5M premium images and icons.
- 6
AI tools
All plans list AI tools with usage limits, including image generation.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 20 of 89
That is against the other presentation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace VideoScribe you would be making a video model, which you can rent by the second but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
VideoScribe at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial, no credit card required, with 3 video downloads, videos up to 5 minutes and watermarked output.
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows
- Made by
- Sho
- Category
- Presentations
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for hand-drawn whiteboard-style animation
VideoScribe builds videos where images and text are drawn on screen as if by hand, in a browser or a Windows or Mac app, and exports MP4. The 7-day trial watermarks its output and caps it at 3 downloads, and the cheapest plan caps videos at 5 minutes and 5 downloads a month.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No US list price was confirmed because the page showed a regional price, so it sits at C. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 7-day trial with no card, but only 3 video downloads, up to 5 minutes and watermarked output. |
| Features | C | Hand-drawn animation, an image and icon library, AI tools, MP4 export and a brand kit. The gaps are plan limits, such as Lite's 5 downloads a month. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating is on record, and building an animated video scene by scene takes learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web, Windows and Mac, with no phone apps and no integrations listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who VideoScribe is for
- Fits if you want hand-drawn explainer videos without animation skills
- Works for people who prefer a desktop app to a browser one
Who it is not for
- Tight if you make longer videos, because Lite stops at 5 minutes and Core at 10
- Watch out: Lite allows 5 downloads a month and watermarks premium images
- Skip it if you plan to resell videos, as reseller rights come only with Max
- Not for you if you want a free plan, since the 7-day trial is watermarked
Good to know
Good for
- Marketers and trainers who want a whiteboard-animation look
- Teams that need several licenses under one plan
- Charities and educators who qualify for the stated discounts
Worth knowing
- The pricing page served to us showed USD figures tied to a Malaysian region code, which may be a regional price; no US list price was confirmed, so prices are not recorded.
- Plan limits listed: Lite 5 downloads a month and 5-minute videos; Core 30 downloads and 10 minutes; Max unlimited downloads and 20 minutes.
- Lite adds watermarks to premium images, and Core and Max remove the watermark from videos.
- Reseller rights come only with Max.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
VideoScribe's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No US list price was confirmed because the page showed a regional price, so it sits at C.
We could not confirm VideoScribe’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. videoscribe.co has them.
Ways to pay less
Nonprofit
50% off for charities in the US and UK
VideoScribe says charities and non-profits in the US and UK can claim a 50% discount.
Stated on videoscribe.coEducation
Up to 25% off for education
The pricing page lists up to 25% off for teachers, students and institutions, plus UNiDAYS for students in the UK and US.
Stated on videoscribe.co
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, macOS and Windows
Whiteboard-style animated video maker for explainers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, templates, video editing, presentations, video generation.
Web, Windows and Mac, with no phone apps and no integrations listed.
- Hand-drawn animation
- Images and text are drawn onto the canvas in sequence, and the timeline sets the order and timing.
- Image and icon library
- The trial includes 9,000+ images and icons; the paid Core and Max plans list 5M premium images and icons.
- AI tools
- All plans list AI tools with usage limits, including image generation.
- Export as MP4
- Videos download as MP4 in full HD (1080p), with a music library included.
- Brand kit and custom fonts
- The Max plan adds custom fonts and brand kit configuration.
- Preview links and training bundles
- Core and Max can create preview links, and training bundles are sold as add-ons.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
VideoScribe is made by Sho.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/89
Other presentation tools it is graded above
VideoScribe's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 20 of the 89 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 16.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 90 presentation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. VideoScribe’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 22 of 89
- CFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 89
- CFeaturesAbove 8 of 89
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 89
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 of 89
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace VideoScribe you would be making a video model, which you can rent by the second but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 53 of the 89 other presentation tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A video model, which you can rent by the second but not make.
- A video editor.
- A slide editor.
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. VideoScribe’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Powtoon, simpleshow, Focusky, Prezi and Visme
The 5 tools VideoScribe is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Powtoon
Free plan · from $15/mo
Animated video and presentation maker with AI credits.
- Powtoon has a free plan. VideoScribe does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only VideoScribe lists Windows and macOS apps.
- VideoScribe also covers video generation.
- 2.0GPA
simpleshow
Free plan
AI explainer video maker that turns text into animated videos.
- simpleshow has a free plan. VideoScribe does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only VideoScribe lists Windows and macOS apps.
- VideoScribe also covers video editing.
- 2.0GPA
Focusky
Free plan · from $9.9/mo
Desktop presentation maker with an infinite zoomable canvas.
- Focusky has a free plan. VideoScribe does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only VideoScribe lists a web app.
- VideoScribe also covers video generation.
- 2.2GPA
Prezi
Free plan · from $7/mo
Presentation platform with AI drafts, live polls and quizzes.
- Prezi has a free plan. VideoScribe does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only VideoScribe lists Windows and macOS apps.
- VideoScribe also covers video editing and video generation.
- 2.4GPA
Visme
Free plan · from $12.25/mo
Template-based design tool for presentations and infographics.
- Visme has a free plan. VideoScribe does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Visme lists an iOS app.
- VideoScribe also covers video editing and video generation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is VideoScribe free?
No, VideoScribe is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial, no credit card required, with 3 video downloads, videos up to 5 minutes and watermarked output.
What platforms does VideoScribe work on?
VideoScribe is available on Web, Windows and macOS.
Does VideoScribe offer any discounts?
VideoScribe publicly lists the following: 50% off for charities in the US and UK; Up to 25% off for education.
Does VideoScribe have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. VideoScribe is listed for Web, Windows and macOS.
Does VideoScribe have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. VideoScribe is listed for Web, Windows and macOS.
Is VideoScribe open source?
VideoScribe is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does VideoScribe have a student discount?
Up to 25% off for education. The pricing page lists up to 25% off for teachers, students and institutions, plus UNiDAYS for students in the UK and US.
Who makes VideoScribe?
VideoScribe is made by Sho.
What are the alternatives to VideoScribe?
The closest alternatives to VideoScribe in our directory are Powtoon, simpleshow, Focusky, Prezi and Visme.
How does VideoScribe compare with other presentation tools?
VideoScribe's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 20 of the 89 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 16.
Could I make my own version of VideoScribe?
To replace VideoScribe you would be making a video model, which you can rent by the second but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from VideoScribe’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from VideoScribe's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Sho. Prices change, so check videoscribe.co before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- VideoScribe, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/videoscribe
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "VideoScribe: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/videoscribe
Know someone choosing between presentation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/videoscribe/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded presentation tools after VideoScribe, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Presentations Insider's GuideEvery one of the 90 presentation tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft PowerPoint Insider's GuideSlide presentation app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Zoho Show Insider's GuideOnline presentation software, free for individuals3.4 GPA
- Canva Insider's GuideTemplate-based design platform for slides, graphics and video3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what VideoScribe’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. VideoScribe is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Sho. Prices and plans change: check videoscribe.co before you buy.