Comparison

Stop Motion Studio vs YouTube

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Stop Motion Studio

Easily create stop motion animations and films with powerful editing tools. Capture every frame with manual camera controls, add sound and effects, and share your creations in high definition. Suitable for beginners and experienced animators alike.

Highlights
  • Onion skinning and animation guides
  • Frame-by-frame editing
  • Manual camera controls
  • Voiceover and sound effects
  • Green screen effects
  • 4K export
  • Remote camera control
Features
Read full description

Join 25 million creators making stop motion animation with ease. Stop Motion Studio is the Apple-featured app for creating stunning stop motion films. Enjoy powerful creative tools with no ads, no tracking, and no subscriptions. Stop Motion Studio is the easiest and most powerful stop motion animation maker for iPhone and iPad. Create beautiful animated films with LEGO, clay, drawings, or everyday objects — no experience required. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned animator, Stop Motion Studio gives you everything you need to turn your ideas into motion. Loved by Millions Worldwide * Over 25 million creators and counting * Rated 4.7 stars with more than 65,000 reviews * Featured in Apple’s “Life on iPad” TV commercial “Stop Motion Studio makes it easy to create your own stop-motion movies.” – The Washington Post “Brings out the LEGO moviemaking geek in all of us.” – TechNewsWorld Create and Edit with Precision * Onion skinning and animation guides for perfect alignment * Interactive timeline and frame-by-frame editing * Copy, paste, cut, and insert frames with ease * Rotoscoping: draw over videos for unique effects * Built-in drawing tools, text cards, and speech bubbles * Erase unwanted objects and add facial expressions or layers * Merge frames to simulate motion blur or speed effects Capture Every Frame * Full manual camera controls: focus, exposure, ISO, and white balance * Timelapse capture mode for automatic shooting * Use your Apple Watch or another device as a remote camera Add Sound and Style * Record voiceovers and narration directly in the app * Add sound effects, background music, or import from your library * Use filters, fades, and transitions for cinematic results * Green screen effects let you place characters anywhere Share Your Masterpiece * Export your films in 4K or 1080p HD * Share directly to YouTube, TikTok, or save as a GIF or iMessage sticker * Transfer projects via AirDrop, iCloud, or Dropbox * Start on iPhone and finish on Mac — your work stays in sync Learn and Improve * Step-by-step tutorials and creative tips included * Built-in manual for quick guidance and inspiration Yours to Create No ads. No tracking. No subscriptions. Your data stays private and your creativity stays yours. Download Stop Motion Studio today. Join millions of creators and bring your imagination to life — one frame at a time. * Some features require in-app purchases. All features are already included in the Pro version.

About

YouTube

Watch and subscribe to a vast array of videos, from music and gaming to news and learning. Discover trending content, connect with creators, and even upload your own videos. Offers options for ad-free viewing and exclusive perks.

Highlights
  • Personalized video recommendations
  • Subscribe to favorite channels
  • Explore trending and popular content
  • Connect with creators via comments and posts
  • Create and upload videos
  • Ad-free viewing with Premium
  • Save videos for offline playback
Features
Read full description

Get the official YouTube app on iPhones and iPads. See what the world is watching -- from the hottest music videos to what’s popular in gaming, fashion, beauty, news, learning and more. Subscribe to channels you love, create content of your own, share with friends, and watch on any device. Watch and subscribe ● Browse personal recommendations on Home ● See the latest from your favorite channels in Subscriptions ● Look up videos you’ve watched, liked, and saved for later in Library Explore different topics, what’s popular, and on the rise (available in select countries) ● Stay up to date on what’s popular in music, gaming, beauty, news, learning and more ● See what’s trending on YouTube and around the world on Explore ● Learn about the coolest Creators, Gamers, and Artists on the Rise (available in select countries) Connect with the YouTube community ● Keep up with your favorites creators with Posts, Stories, Premieres, and Live streams ● Join the conversation with comments and interact with creators and other community members Create content from your mobile device ● Create or upload your own videos directly in the app ● Engage with your audience in real time with live streaming right from the app Find the experience that fits you and your family (available in select countries) ● Every family has their own approach to online video. Learn about your options: the YouTube Kids app or a new parent supervised experience on YouTube at youtube.com/myfamily Support creators you love with channel memberships (available in select countries) ● Join channels that offer paid monthly memberships and support their work ● Get access to exclusive perks from the channel & become part of their members community ● Stand out in comments and live chats with a loyalty badge next to your username Upgrade to YouTube Premium (available in select countries) ● Watch videos uninterrupted by ads, while using other apps, or when the screen is locked ● Save videos for when you really need them – like when you’re on a plane or commuting ● Get access to YouTube Music Premium as part of your benefits Note: If you subscribe via Apple, payment will be charged to App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the rate of the selected plan. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase. YouTube paid service terms: https://www.youtube.com/t/terms_paidservice. Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy

Screenshots

Stop Motion Studio4 screens
YouTube4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Stop Motion Studio at none against YouTube's shown. Stop Motion Studio also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 48%). YouTube's advantage is ratings volume (49M vs 78K) and chart position (#1 vs #180). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Stop Motion Studio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and YouTube sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Stop Motion Studio against 4.7 for YouTube. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YouTube has 49M ratings behind it against 78K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Stop Motion Studio's written reviews are positive against 48% of YouTube's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stop Motion Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, YouTube weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Stop Motion Studio versus YouTube: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStop Motion StudioYouTube
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (78K ratings)4.7 (49M ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.0% of reviews — better48.2% of reviews
Number of ratings78K49M — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#180#1 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size179 MB375 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCATEATER, LLCGoogle

Customer experience

Stop Motion Studio

All ratings78,202 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral3.7%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews2,009 reviews
Positive79.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative12.7%

YouTube

All ratings49,072,318 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral3.1%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews20,111 reviews
Positive48.2%
Neutral9.3%
Negative42.5%

User reviews

Stop Motion Studio

From 78K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for stop motion
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Allows for creative expression
  • 👍 Good for beginners
  • 👍 Helpful tutorials

Room to improve

  • 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
  • 🐛 Glitches and bugs
  • 🔋 Battery draining
  • 🔍 Limited free features
  • 🔍 Restricted editing options without premium

YouTube

From 49M App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Great app
  • 🎨 Diverse content
  • 🎓 Educational videos
  • 🎶 Excellent music selection
  • 🌐 Vast library of videos

Room to improve

  • 💰 Too many ads
  • 🤖 Biased algorithm recommendations
  • 🔇 Inability to listen with screen off
  • 🔍 Difficult to find relevant content
  • 🔒 Censorship concerns

Bugs and requests

Stop Motion Studio

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Camera shaking/blurry issues
  • Sound not working properly
  • Frames skipping or lagging
  • Inability to restore deleted projects
  • Inconsistent performance across devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More free features and effects
  • Improved erasing and editing tools
  • Ability to import photos and videos
  • More sound effects and audio options
  • Easier way to add text and titles

YouTube

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Video playback issues
  • Subscription tab bugs
  • Inconsistent UI changes
  • Syncing problems across devices
  • Unreliable video recommendations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Bring back dislike button
  • Improve playlist management
  • Add option to customize video quality
  • Enhance background playback
  • Improve comment section functionality

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Stop Motion Studio

One-time1
  • All Features Forever$5.99
11 purchases

YouTube

Subscriptions6
  • Premium Lite1 Month trial$11.991 Month
  • FOX One3 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • YouTube Premium1 Month trial2 variants$20.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • YouTube Premium2 variants$20.991 Month
  • Youtube Premium Family1 Month trial$34.991 Month
  • YouTube Premium Family$34.991 Month
One-time5
  • Super Chat$1.99
  • Movies & Shows$2.99
  • Movies & Shows$3.99
Show 2 more
  • Super Chat$4.99
  • Movies & Shows$5.99

Questions

Is Stop Motion Studio free?
Stop Motion Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is YouTube free?
YouTube is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stop Motion Studio or YouTube?
YouTube is rated higher. Stop Motion Studio averages 4.6 out of 5 from 78K ratings, while YouTube averages 4.7 from 49M ratings.
Do Stop Motion Studio or YouTube have ads?
YouTube shows ads; Stop Motion Studio does not.
Which is updated more often, Stop Motion Studio or YouTube?
Stop Motion Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, and YouTube weekly. Most recently, Stop Motion Studio was updated on September 24, 2026 and YouTube on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Stop Motion Studio or YouTube?
Stop Motion Studio currently peaks at #180 in the App Store charts, and YouTube at #1. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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