Animoto is a cloud-based video creation service that assembles photos, video clips, and music into finished videos through its patented Cinematic AI technology. Jason Hsiao, Brad Jefferson, Stevie Clifton, and Tom Clifton — several of them former producers and editors at ABC, MTV, and Comedy Central — founded the company in New York City in August 2006.
Users upload photos and clips, choose a style and music track, and Animoto's engine handles pacing, transitions, and timing automatically rather than requiring frame-by-frame editing. The company earned a patent for its Cinematic Artificial Intelligence approach after passing 6 million users, and it was acquired by Redbrick Technologies in 2023 while continuing to operate under the Animoto brand.
Animoto suits small businesses, marketers, and real estate or events professionals who need social and marketing video without a full editing suite. A free-forever plan is available with a 1GB storage cap, and paid plans start at $16 per month billed monthly (roughly half that on an annual plan) up to $79 per month for the Professional Plus tier.
