Stop Motion vs Time Lapse Apps

Before I move forward with stop-motion apps, it should be clear that stop motion and time lapse video are two different things. A time-lapse video has consistent time breaks between frames where several still images are clicked from a single position, viewpoint, to create the illusion that time is moving quickly. Stop motion, on the other hand, has inconsistent time breaks that are forced between the frames to create the illusion that time is moving quickly, but you don’t see the primary object doing it. That is why it is called stop motion because the primary object is not always seen moving. That being said, let’s check out some of the best stop motion apps Android has to offer. Also Read: 5 Best Apps to Create Stick Figure Animation on Android

Stop Motion Apps for Android

1. Stop Motion

Stop Motion is a minimalist app that will allow you to create stop motion, claymation, and animation videos. It comes with two overlays: onion and grid. In the free or lite version, you cannot control the quality of the video which is low, and the app is ad-supported. The pro version will cost you $1.99 and supports HD resolution.

The app is missing features like manual zoom, auto or manual focus, and it’s a little buggy. Only supports .mov format. Verdict: Stop Motion is a small little app that will allow you to make a stop motion video with the bare minimum. There is little to no learning curve. Download Stop Motion (Freemium, $1.99)

2. Motion

Motion supports both stop-motion and time-lapse videos which means you can do more with a single app. There is also support for flipbook. If you don’t know, flipbook allows you to use your existing images from your gallery to create slideshows. Apart from this, you will find other useful features like timer, adding and editing frames, add audio, and finally export and save.

If you are using images from the gallery, there is a limit of 30 photos which can be annoying. Another issue I faced was automatic cropping of my images. There is also no support for onion skinning and grid layout. Verdict: Motion is a good app which can be a lot better than it is. You will enjoy working with it, but sometimes, find it a little limiting. Leaves you wanting for more, but on the other hand, it is free. Download Motion (Free, Ad-supported)

3. Clayframes

Clayframes improves in a number of ways than the previous app I shared above. It supports onion skinning with preview loop that will allow you to review your work as you are shooting your video. The video can be exported in MP4 and AVI format. It supports remote gestures using the built-in sensors of your phone. You can clap or use a Bluetooth powered device. You can add soundtracks or audio recordings to the video. It will also allow you to draw on the images that you have imported to highlight areas.

You can add more frames after you are done editing, duplicate frames, adjust speed, and edit on the fly. Supports HD. The lite version will support only 2 videos with up to 50 frames each. The pro version will cost you $3.99. Verdict: Clayframes offers a number of features that immediately sets it apart from the rest of the apps. It is easy to use except the copy pasting frames which is a little tedious. Download Clayframes ($3.99)

4. Stop Motion Maker

Stop Motion Maker comes with all the bells and whistles like onion skin, grid-view, preview, editing frames and importing images. It only supports AVI and motion JPEG format. It lacks some features like the ability to record audio or add soundtracks. On the plus side, it supports creating slideshows.

The lite version is ad-supported and allows up to 200 images per movie with a watermark “KomaDori”, and only a max of 320px height videos. The pro version is $1.39 only. Verdict: Stop Motion Maker is a good app, but falls a little short of Clayframes. Off course, the latter is a little more expensive too so I guess, you get what you pay for. Download Stop Motion Maker ($1.39)

5. PicPac

PicPac is another app that will allow you to make both stop motion and time lapse videos in the same app, but does a better job than Motion that I mentioned above. The app supports sound input so you can clap to take a picture. This allows hands-free approach. You can record voice or add sound files, use images from gallery or time lapse images too. The free version will add a watermark. The pro version ($2.49 onwards) will remove watermark, support more resolutions including HD, adding your own watermark, and ability to add images to existing projects.

It has support for autofocus, dimming, but the cool thing I like is the drawing tool. I can draw on images which immediately makes things more interesting. It comes with an online music library where you can search for suitable music to add to your stop motion video. There is a community of creators where you can share your creativity and discuss tips and tricks. There is a feature to extract images from videos or alternatively, you can also use your Instagram images. Verdict: PicPac is a feature-rich app that has everything I have discussed so far, and more. The community feature is really cool as it kept me motivated to work on my video and share it with others. Plus, the app works flawlessly. Download PicPac ($2.49-5.99)

6. Stop Motion Studio

Stop Motion Studio really makes lives easier. The app is actually a studio because it offers so many features. The app comes with a number of features like overlay mode. This will display the difference between frames, previous and current, which will help you correct the position. Regular features like grid and onion mode, focus and zoom, editing and adding frames are all there. Additionally, it comes with 7 different special effects that you can choose to apply. There is also a fade option where frames will fade in or you can fade it out. It looks nice and more professional. Most Android stop motion apps support HD, this one also supports UHD (4k video output).

There 8 different themes to choose from for adding titles and credits which makes the end video even more professional. You can easily use this app for your YouTube channel. The image editor is advance than other apps I reviewed. You can easily remove unwanted parts and change the background on the fly. If you don’t know what rotoscoping is, you can paint and create new animations over frames. Verdict: Stop Motion Studio is jam packed with features and options that will help you create and edit your animations whichever way you like. It will a paid app, slightly expensive when compared with rest of the apps, but clearly the better one. Download Stop Motion Studio ($0.99-5.99)

Wrapping Up: Stop Motion Apps for Android

For me, the winner was Stop Motion Studio because it offers so many features and options. We have a YouTube channel, so this app really compliments our work. If you are looking for a toned down version with slightly fewer features and a little less expensive, Clayframes is also a cool app. If you are new and want to try your hands first, try Motion out. Read: Best Animation Apps for Android To Make Your Own Animation