Top 6 DIY Video Production Tools to Create Eye-Catching Videos

Do you want to create cool videos for your company but don’t have the experience, resources, or time to go all out? If that’s the case, then you’ll find these DIY tools for video content creation pretty useful. You may not be able to bring your exact vision to life, but it’s a start.

Here’s our pick of the best tools available online:

 

1. Animoto

 

Animoto is a veteran when it comes to platforms offering DIY video creation tools. The company was established in 2006 and is based in New York. It is cloud-based and allows its users to create videos from photos, clips, etc. There’s room for customization as well. Add sound and effects for a cool-looking final product.

You can sign up and try out the free trial version, but the videos you make without any upgrades will have Animoto’s watermark on them.

Pros

• 3000+ tracks available for Professional users
• An assortment of customizable storyboards
• A library of stock images and footage to choose from

 

Cons

• No free trial
• Limited options when it comes to style. There are no animated templates or elements available
• You can’t add new scenes that match your storyboard. You can only customize blocks to some extent.

 

2. Powtoon

 

Powtoon has its headquarters in London and was established in 2011. If you’re more into animated videos, then this platform might be the most suitable option available.

There’s lots of room for customization. You also have plenty of styles to choose from, such as whiteboard, 2D animation, etc. If you want to make something that looks more realistic, that’s doable, too.

Powtoon has 100+ animated and live-action templates. Some of these, along with certain animation features and elements, are only available for paid plan members.

Pros

• Animated and live-action templates
• A massive library of stock images and stock footage
• The option to upload voice-over recordings or your own soundtracks
• You can browse music easily because it is categorized according to themes and moods, such as corporate, happy, motivational, etc.
• Offers advanced animation options that you can use to animate your characters. This may take longer to master.

 

Cons

• Compared to the previous platforms, this one may have a bigger learning curve and may not be ideal for people who are generally not tech-savvy.
• Users have often reported that the platform is heavy on their browser and hangs.
• No free trial
• No free version

Read more: Here’s Why Explainer Videos Are Perfect for Pitch Meetings

 

3. Renderforest

 

Renderforest was established in 2013. It’s another great cloud-based DIY video creation tool for making simple short videos and intros. You can create an explainer video, experiment with kinetic typography, promo videos, and other multimedia, such as slideshows, dynamic invitations, corporate presentations, infographics, etc.

Pros

• Simple interface
• Plenty of royalty-free music, stock photos, and videos to choose from
• Good customer service
• Storage options
• Free plan

 

Cons

• Users have complained that they are unable to preview videos. They have to download it every time they want to review it, which is very inconvenient and time-consuming.
• Slow processing and rendering times
• Limited customization

 

4. Moovly

 

The company was founded in 2012 and allows users to generate multimedia content, such as animated videos, animated infographics, and video presentations. If you want to experiment with motion graphics, Moovly will let you create something in the style you like.

Pros

• Simple interface
• A lower learning curve
• A good selection of stock images and footage

 

Cons

• Limited template options
• Limited library of free sounds

 

5. Biteable

Founded in 2013, the platform is cloud-based and is great for making short videos and intros. Start with a bang with templates for YouTube, corporate videos, ads, etc.

With Biteable, you get a user-friendly interface where you can add to your storyboard; click and drag scenes; customize them, and then preview what you’ve got so far.

The color schemes and templates take the guesswork out of the equation so you don’t have to start everything from scratch

If you’re on a paid plan, Biteable’s branding won’t be present.

Pros

• A wide selection of templates
• Massive library of stock images and footage
• Lets you share your video on social media
• Offers room for personalization
• 88+ songs to choose from or upload your own
• Animated elements and storyboards present

 

Cons

• Has limited font options
• Mediocre customer support.
• Does not have a free plan

 

6. Lumen5

Lumen5, which was established in 2016, is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. It is another online video creation platform that uses artificial intelligence to help users create engaging videos quickly.

It is ideal for creating social media videos, explainer videos, and promotional videos. Lumen5 offers features such as video editing, stock footage, and music libraries, making it easy to create professional-looking videos in minutes.

Pros:

• AI-powered video creation
• Easy-to-use interface
• Simple drag-and-drop editing tools
• Offers a variety of stock footage and music libraries to choose from
• Affordable pricing plans for both personal and business use

 

Cons:

• Limited customization options for more advanced video editing compared to other software
• Limited control over stock footage and music libraries
• Certain features may require higher-priced plans

 

Honorable mentions

 

Ivipid Video Maker

Ivipid surfaced on the web in 2010. It’s a more basic video-making tool compared to the ones we’ve talked about earlier in this post, but it gets the job done just fine.

‍Pros

• Very simple to use
• Negligible learning curve

 

Cons

• Looks very dated
• Video processing takes too long
• Doesn’t have a lot of personalization options
• Mediocre customer support

 

InVideo

We discovered InVideo recently and think it has potential as well. Here’s what their pricing looks like:

Pros

• 5000+ fully customizable templates
• Easy to use 
• Automated text-to-speech
• Over a billion royalty-free pictures
• Smooth user-interface
• 24*7 Live Chat Support

 

Cons

• Relies on a stable Internet connection
• Video duration is capped at 15 minutes.

 

The bottom line

All of these tools work fine if you want to make some simple video content for your company’s social media pages or if you want to combine a few videos together to make a short clip. But if you really want to unlock the full potential of video, consider hiring a professional production agency.

An agency that’s good at what it does will help improve your vision, messaging, and overall video concept. You will also get useful insight on how to market your new piece of video content in the best way possible.