Doodly

Pros

The drag-and-drop interface of this whiteboard animation software is very user-friendly: I didn't have any previous experience with animation software, but I was able to create engaging videos quickly. It's solid software. The basic version of Doodly is also very affordable. I paid $67 for it in 2019, which is a one-time payment. Doodly is perfect for creating short videos to explain concepts, in a cartoon style, which is a very nice idea. As a career coach and trainer, I find it very useful to communicate in a funny and effective way with my clients. The 3-minute limit is not a big issue for me as I prefer to keep my videos short and to the point.

Cons

Even if the standard version of Doodly is affordable, I should mention that if you want to explore more features, they are charged, and it can quickly become unaffordable. It's easy to buy it the first time, but after that, if you want to explore more, and add character to your materials, it can become very expensive. The basic version is somewhat limited, from this point of view. This is the marketing upselling strategy of the manufacturer. A little... greedy.

Pros

Ease of use and large amount of assets. The cost. I paid a one off price prior to it being offered for a monthly fee.

Cons

Could do with a few more hand options for moving solid items other than a pen

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Doodly

Pros

I have tried months on this on but ended up going to my previous software

Cons

Could not customize anything with the basic version, they said its unlimited but comes with a string of purchases. which i did not had to do with videoscribe.

Pros

The easiest way to create an explainer video. It has a tons of ready-made drawings that you can search for inside the software. Just select the one you want, and the tool will automatically make it as a drawing.

There are a huge amount of assets ready to use, but if you don't find what you're looking for, you can import your own and use the "edit" tool where you can place points on how the drawing hand will make that drawing appear in the video. Honestly, in my opinion, this is the best feature.

Using this, you can use whatever image you want and just tell it how to draw, and you'll have a nice explainer video, with custom drawings, that makes your video unique. This is a lengthier process than normal, since you have to teach the tool how the hand needs to move, but for me, it's better.

The options you have is how fast or slow you want the hand to draw the asset. You can also chose different hand styles, with a shirt, without a shirt, different pen types, and even cartoon hands!

Another great option is you can choose whatever background you want to use. The standard is white, but you can also switch to a blackboard, a greenboard, a glassboard and even CUSTOM - where you upload whatever background you want. This is great if you want it written over a video, or special slides. Again, I like custom the most, but make sure the assets you are using or uploading have transparency for best looking results.

Cons

There is rainbow add-on that gives you "colorful" assets, but it basically just gives the option to have those previous characters be filled with color. The color in these assets doesn't have a nice path for the hand to move when filling them up. It just goes to a standard fill, which isn't fancy at all, and looks un-natural to the rest of the drawing. To be honest, I don't even use this add-on and it seems like a lazy attempt to get more money.
There is also no way to mass-add assets that are made for doodly. Over time I got several assets that I've received as a bonus or reward through email, but I just got an archive with image files. Of course I can add these in, but they don't have the drawing paths included, so I would need to edit and configure the drawing paths manually. There are no specific software file types for these types of assets.
You can also buy assets from the marketplace, which I've never done, but I'd expect those to have the drawing paths included in the purchase.

Pros

I bought this for my blogs first and then to fulfill clients’ requirements if it is needed fully. It is absolutely amazing. It is straightforward to use, and you can create professional-looking animated videos within minutes. It is great for explaining the concept of any service or product. I am still learning thanks to this app, and it has a lot more potential than you would think at first glance because of just how little tech know-how required!

Cons

Doodly is a great tool that takes advantage of creative, design-driven people. Though the capability to make a visual mind map has been patented by Doodly, their Basic Version is still quite budget friendly for those just starting out or are in need of a powerful diagramming app at work or school. Users can choose from seventy-seven preloaded templates and download whatever basic assets they want the software to use when presenting their doodles to others (Black & White Templates). However, there is also an option if you need some premade doodle templates or want something colorful (Rainbow Templates). Additionally, there are other templates available such as Business Templates and Training Templates that range up to more than $250 altogether!

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to Doodly