10 Best GIF Maker Tools

Whether you want to convey humor, give a reaction, or explain a concept visually, a GIF can make your communication engaging. These animated short videos can add depth to your conversation, enhance your narrative, and foster meaningful interactions.

The GIF (short for graphical interchange format) was invented in 1987 as a way to animate images using the smallest possible file size. Their popularity exploded in 2013, and they remain a great way to communicate humor and share relatable emotions.

GIFs are an incredibly versatile design element and can be used in social media and email marketing to give your brand more personality and build a connection with your audience.

The incorporation of artificial intelligence into GIF tools has made it easier to create content. AI-powered GIF tools can analyze long videos, discover high-impact moments, and help you create GIFs that will resonate with audiences.

This guide will introduce you to the top GIF creator tools for making your own GIFs. We’ll highlight their features and pricing plans so you can pick the right one for you.

1. Canva

Canva’s free online GIF maker lets you take your design project to the next level by creating high-quality animated GIFs from images and videos. You can make a GIF from scratch, or choose from an extensive library of ready-to-use templates. You can animate all the elements in the GIF individually and create distinct movements for each text box and image. The Canva app even allows you to keep working, even from your phone.

If you want to create template-based GIFs, Canva is a good option. However, the video and photo editing tools are limited, and creating a custom GIF from scratch can be difficult. Moreover, the free version doesn’t give you access to the majority of the stock library, and you can’t resize templates. So if you’re looking to create GIFS for a variety of social media posts, you won’t be able to adjust the size to work, for say both, Instagram stories and posts.

Features:

• Create GIFs from images or videos
• Choose from a large library of diverse templates and over 100 million images
• Customize your GIFs with texts in various fonts, stickers, transitions, filters, and frames
• Use the effortless drag-and-drop tool to add media elements
• Download and share your design directly from the online editor

Pricing: Canva’s GIF maker is free to use. You can subscribe to Canva Pro for $15 per month to get access to the library of images and templates. Canva for Teams is also available for $30 per month for three people.

‍Best For: This option is best for pre-made templates. Canva’s ready-to-use templates make it easy to create professional, eye-catching GIFs in minutes without much expertise.

2. Makeagif

Makeagif is an easy-to-use online tool that creates animated GIF files online using photos or videos. You can customize the animation speed and title of the GIF, add tags for better visibility, and design an animated flipbook. Makeagif also allows you to upload a GIF to their library and browse others' creations for inspiration.

While creating a GIF animation on the platform is easy, Makeagif has limited photo and video editing tools. GIFs designed on Makeagif have the platform’s watermark unless you pay for the premium version. Another drawback is that you can’t preview the custom text before adding it to your GIF.

Features:

• Create GIFs in three easy steps using pictures or videos
• Upload videos directly from YouTube, Facebook, or your Webcam
• Create a free account to store all your GIFs in one place
• Access high-definition GIFs, customized watermarks, and ultrafast editing with the premium version
• Three-day free trial for premium membership

Pricing: You can create a regular account for free, or purchase the premium membership for $11.95 per month.

Best For: This app is perfect for creating simple GIFs. While it lacks advanced features, it has all the basic elements you need to create an effective GIF.

‍Source:Makeagif

3. Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular image editing software programs in the world. It’s an incredibly versatile tool for editing photos, designing graphics, and creating GIFs.

Photoshop allows you to create GIFs in several ways. You can use a series of photos or videos and convert the frames into layers, or you can sketch a custom design using the drawing tools and animate them into a GIF. Its multifaceted features make Photoshop a great investment for professional digital artists.

With integrated artificial intelligence, users can edit content faster using Adobe Photoshop. AI-powered features like Generative Fill and Generative Expand make it possible to generate, edit, and add new objects in videos, GIFs, and images. You can also access helpful AI suggestions, which can enhance your content creation process.

One of the major cons of the software is its short free trial and high price. Moreover, Photoshop comes with a steep learning curve. Understanding all its features can take effort and patience.

Features:

• Several advanced GIF editing options
• Object remover and content-aware fill features
• Create GIFs from scratch with Photoshop’s drawing tools
• Software works online and offline
• Seven-day free trial
• AI-powered Generative Fill feature generates and adds different objects to images, videos, and GIFs

Pricing: You can get a free 7-day trial of Adobe Photoshop. Subscriptions are $34.49 per month or $263.88 when paid annually. Photoshop is also part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud All Apps package of over 20 tools, available for $59.99 monthly.

Best For: This option is best for professionals. Photoshop is a powerful photo editing and graphic design software well-suited for experts in the field. However, it may be too comprehensive for those looking to create simple GIFs quickly.

4. Gifs.com

Gifs.com is used by over a million people to create and edit GIFs and short videos. This easy-to-use tool comes in premium and free versions and has many features, such as cropping, padding, and converting GIFs to black and white.

You can create GIFs using URLs from YouTube videos and Instagram or by uploading your own video files. You can also add stickers and text to make your animations unique and interesting.

A drawback of Gifs.com is that all GIFs created using the free version will have the platform’s watermark. Moreover, the website only lets you convert videos to GIFs and doesn’t support images.

Features:

• User-friendly interface suitable for beginners
• Create longer GIFs up to 15 seconds
• Watermark-free GIFs with the paid version
• Works on any web browser with no downloads required

Pricing: The premium subscription starts at $1.99 per month and then varies depending on your usage. For instance, it will cost you $5.99 per month for 11 GIFs, $10.99 per month for 28 GIFs, $19.99 per month for 58 GIFs, $39.99 per month for 108 GIFs, and $59.99 per month for unlimited GIFs. There’s also the Enterprise edition for a custom price quote.

Best For: This program is best suited for businesses. Compared to other free video editors, the Gifs.com pricing model makes the most sense if you’re creating hundreds of GIFs per month for your brand’s marketing activities.

5. GIPHY

GIPHY, originally a search engine for GIFs, can also create custom GIFs. Upload URLs from various social sharing sites to make GIFs using your own videos and photos. With GIPHY, you can also create GIF slideshows and presentations and personalize them with effects and filters.

While GIPHY is great for browsing GIFs, it lacks some basic editing features. For example, there’s no crop tool on the platform, which is often necessary when creating custom GIFs.

Features:

• Customize duration, speed, and text of GIFs
• Large library of GIFs
• Create GIF mashups, presentations, or slideshows
• Supports GIF, MP4, MOV, and WebM video formats
• Decorate your GIFs with filters, effects, and stickers

Pricing: GIPHY is free to use.

Best For: GIPHY is best for creating GIF slideshows. It offers the unique feature of creating slideshows, presentations, and mashups, giving you plenty of ways to showcase your creativity.

Source:GIPHY

6. PhotoDirector 365

‍PhotoDirector 365 is a comprehensive platform for editing images with support for GIF creation. It’s built on generative artificial intelligence, which allows you to edit and transform multimedia content quickly. You can use prompts to direct the underlying AI models to perform tasks like object creation, background removal, and other photo enhancements.

PhotoDirector 365 also offers an extensive library of over 4,000,000 royalty-free photos and music tracks. However, you can only access these with a paid subscription.

Features:

• A library of more than four million royalty-free images
• Can be used online and offline
• Compatible with Windows and Mac systems
• User-friendly and intuitive software
• Decorate your GIFs with filters, overlays, and stickers
• Generate objects and remove backgrounds using generative AI

Pricing: PhotoDirector’s subscription is available for $59.99 per year for Windows and Mac users. You can also purchase their Director Suite for Windows for $134.99 a year. 

Best For: PhotoDirector is perfect for those wanting value. It offers several features, such as photo editing, graphic design tools, AI-powered editing abilities, and a slideshow maker, along with a large library of stock resources, so you can get the most for your money.

7. Imgflip

Imgflip creates animated GIFs from video files, video websites (like YouTube), and images. It features an intuitive user interface, allowing individuals to easily upload multimedia content and convert them to GIFs.

Imgflip is highly customizable, enabling you to add fonts, stickers, drawings and scribbles, and different types of animations. With an Imgflip account, you can save generated GIFs online so your data doesn’t get lost. You can also adjust the speed of animations in GIFs, to help viewers get the message you’re tyring to convey.

Features:

• Ability to drag and drop images and arrange them in your desired order
• Supports numerous audio and file formats, including mpeg, mp4, 3gp, avi, PNG, JPG, and ogg
• Create custom animations from drawings and clipart
• Add videos from links and generate GIFs from them
• Ability to create high resolution GIFs
• Does not require an account for basic creation tasks
• Access to customizable GIF templates
• Add sound to GIFs with the pro version

Pricing: Imgflip is free to use, but you can also upgrade to the pro version for $12.95 per month.

Best for: With its wide customization options, Imgflip is suited for creatives who want to make truly unique GIF designs.

8. Kapwing

Kapwing is a robust platform for creating different types of content including videos, images, and GIFs. With AI integration, you can quickly create videos and GIFs from simple prompts.

It also features online resources and articles that beginners can use to learn how to create content. Kapwing’s GIF maker is flexible, enabling you to create GIFs from videos, images, and even audio. It also provides different GIF templates which you can use for inspiration.

Features:

• Cloud-based platform, so all of your GIFs are stored online, and you can access them from any device
• Access to a wide range of free GIF templates
• Ability to import images from Google Photos directly in Kapwing’s workspace
• Drag and drop interface makes it easy to add and arrange images
• Add different objects, shapes, fonts, and backgrounds to GIFs

Pricing: You can use Kapwing’s GIF maker for free. You can also upgrade your Kapwing’s workspace by subscribing to Pro (for $32 per month), Business ($64 per month), and Enterprise for a custom quote.

Best for: This option is best for creating GIFs that feature AI-generated videos and images.

9. Flixier

Flixier is an online platform that allows you to upload multiple images and videos and use them to create GIFs and memes. It features a drag and drop interface, which makes it easy to work with diverse content.

You can edit, trim, and cut various sections in your GIFs to your liking and export or download the final product.

Features:

• No account required
• Ability to create and export high quality GIFs in 4K
• Intuitive timeline editor makes it easy to arrange images for GIFs
• Ability to convert GIFs to MP4
• Access to a wide variety of templates and themes for inspiration
• Ability to extract high impact moments or funny clips from long videos and convert them to GIFs
• You can import files from numerous sources, including Drop Box, Google Drive, Twitch, and OneDrive

Pricing: Flixier’s GIF maker is available for free. You can also upgrade your workspace by purchasing the Pro version for $14 per month, Business plan for $29 per month, and Enterprise edition for $55 per month.

Best for: This option is perfect for individuals who want comprehensive GIF editing tools on a budget.

10. Veed.io

Veed.io lets you extract short clips from long videos and convert them to GIFs. You can also import images into the Veed workspace, arrange them in a desired order, and turn them into a GIF. What’s more, Veed allows you to add drawings, captions, emojis, and personalized text in GIFs to communicate your message more effectively.

Features:

• No account required to create and download GIFs
• Offers numerous GIF templates for inspiration
• Ability to add videos from links
• Access to stock videos of animals, nature, and people you can use in your GIF designs
• Resize GIFs for social media platforms

Pricing: Veed’s GIF maker is available for free. You can also upgrade your Veed workspace starting at $24 per month (Lite), $55 per month (Pro), and a custom price quote for the Enterprise edition.

Best for: Veed is perfect for analyzing long videos, identifying high-impact moments, and converting them to GIFs.

Advantages of using GIFs

GIFs were introduced over thirty years ago and, with the widespread use of social media and smartphones, are a powerful digital advertising tool. With the advent of generative AI, they’ve become easier to create and edit than ever, and are now a part of many people’s everyday communication, and brands can capitalize on their impact.

Regardless of your industry, GIFs can enhance your communication strategy in many ways:

• Engage your audience. GIFs are short and play repetitively, making them perfect for grabbing users' attention as they scroll on their smartphones. GIFs are appealing and make information easy to consume quickly. Because of this, GIFs can help you engage your audience.
• Promote your products or events. GIFs are an effective tool to market deliverables such as a new product, service, upcoming event, or sale. GIFs are easily shareable, helping you reach a large audience quickly while building up hype for your launch.
• Showcase your brand personality. Conveying you’re relatable and trendy through traditional marketing methods can be hard—that’s where GIFs can help. Displaying your brand’s personality encourages your customers to purchase from you by positioning your brand as authentic and memorable.
• Tell a story. Modern consumers want to be told a story that connects them to the brand. Effective marketing is built on powerful storytelling, and GIFS can communicate your values in a few seconds through emotive visuals that strike a chord.
• Get your audience involved. GIFs encourage user-generated content (UGC) and help you create a community where people can share their creativity. By setting GIF challenges, you can get your audience to create content for you while promoting your brand’s name.
• Accessibility. GIFs make your content more accessible by providing additional information not available through static images. They can also provide cues that enable people with hearing impairments to follow along easily.
• Compact size. GIFs are usually smaller compared to other multimedia content like videos, making them quite easy to share.

Best tools to create GIFs

There are dozens of GIF maker apps to choose from. With these tools, you can convert images, videos, and graphics into attractive GIFs that capture the viewer’s attention. Here are some characteristics you should look out for when searching for the right tool for creating GIFs:

• Ease of use. Beginners should opt for simple software with a clean interface, whereas experienced GIF makers might prefer a more advanced and versatile tool with a wide selection of features.
• Compatibility. Some GIF makers are downloadable on computers, smartphones, or tablets, while others can only be accessed online. Be sure to look up compatible operating systems and web browsers when choosing a GIF creator tool.
• Formats supported. Some GIF makers allow you to convert only videos into GIFs—while others accept images and graphics. Various GIF makers also accept different file formats, such as MOV, JPG, MP4, and WebM.
• Features. This is perhaps one of the most important things that GIF designers look for in software. Necessary features include the ability to upload various files, edit and crop GIFs, and export them easily. If you want to create unique and engaging GIFs, look for a GIF maker that lets you add transitions, filters, stickers, and text.
• AI compatibility. Artificial intelligence tools can automate the GIF creation and editing processes. For instance, they can analyze long videos, identify high-impact moments, and generate GIFs from them. These tools can also suggest new ways to edit and enhance GIFs and boost your creativity.
• Price. While more advanced photo and GIF editors have subscription fees, many free GIF creation tools are available. However, these tend to have ads and don’t let you export your creations without the platform’s watermark.

Hire a professional GIF creator to help

GIFs help you connect with your audience in a memorable way. Explore our list of GIF creator tools to make your own GIFs and share them with your community.

However, if you don’t have the time, expertise, or creativity to make quality GIFs, why not find an expert to help? Upwork can connect you to experienced GIF creators to help with your design process.

And if you’re a GIF creator looking for work, start your search on Upwork. With regular GIF jobs and projects being posted on the Upwork talent marketplace, you can find something to work on and earn extra income. Get started today!

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyse and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.

Prices are current at the time of writing and may change over time based on each service’s offerings.