Stop Motion Studio vs Swirly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Onion skinning and animation guides
- Frame-by-frame editing
- Manual camera controls
- Voiceover and sound effects
- Green screen effects
- 4K export
- Remote camera control
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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.
Swirly
Unleash your inner artist with a unique symmetrical drawing tool. Create vibrant artwork using a wide array of brushes, colors, and adjustable settings. Save, edit, and share your masterpieces with ease.
- Symmetrical drawing
- Large color palette
- Various brush types
- Adjustable brush settings
- Shape path brushes
- Save, edit, and share creations
- Adjustable grid divisions
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Bring out the artist within with this unique symmetrical drawing App. Create colourful and beautiful drawings with an arsenal of different tools to suit a variety of artists! Features: • Symmetrical drawing • Large colour palette • Various brush types • Adjustable brush size • Adjustable brush softness • Adjustable brush opacity • Shape path brushes / continuous drawing • Save, edit and share your creations • Large selection background styles • Clean, beautiful UI • Adjustable grid divisions • Free-form drawing - asymmetrical • Hi-res output
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Stop Motion Studio at 4.6 against Swirly's 2.3. Stop Motion Studio also leads on ratings volume (82K vs 26) and review sentiment (78% vs 53%). Swirly's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Stop Motion Studio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Swirly sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Stop Motion Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stop Motion Studio has 82K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Stop Motion Studio's written reviews are positive against 53% of Swirly's.
Stop Motion Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, Swirly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Stop Motion Studio | Swirly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (82K ratings) — better | 2.3 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.1% of reviews — better | 53.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 82K — better | 26 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #167 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 179 MB | 86 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CATEATER, LLC | Throwr Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
Stop Motion Studio
Swirly
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
Swirly
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Stop Motion Studio
- All Features Forever$5.99
Swirly
- Christmas 2015Free
- 50 Shades Of$0.99
- Pastel Perfect$0.99
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- All The Lovers$0.99
- Remove Ads$0.99
- Nebula$0.99
- Brightlight$0.99
- Sweet Like...$0.99
- Flat Flame$0.99
- Super Swirly$3.99
Questions
Is Stop Motion Studio free?
Is Swirly free?
Which has better reviews, Stop Motion Studio or Swirly?
Do Stop Motion Studio or Swirly have ads?
Which is updated more often, Stop Motion Studio or Swirly?
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