- Storyboard tools side by side
- Eleven storyboard tools worth trying
- Where to start for your project
- Who relies on the storyboard
- Drawn storyboards versus 3D previs
- Questions to ask before you choose storyboard software
- Signs your videos need a storyboard
- My plain advice on choosing storyboard software
- Frequently asked questions
The best storyboard software helps you plan a video, advert or animation shot by shot before anyone picks up a camera. Some tools are free and quick for simple sketches, while others are full pre-production suites for agencies and animation studios. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
A two-minute brand video can go wrong in a hundred small ways: the wrong angle, a missing shot, a client who pictured something completely different. A storyboard catches those problems on paper, when changing your mind is free and nobody's waiting on set.
The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the tool's own website, read this week. If you're planning a video advert, my video ad storyboard template gives you a ready-made structure to fill in.
Storyboard tools side by side
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free tier or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boords | Storyboard and pre-production software | Client sign-off for video agencies | Not stated |
| Celtx | Screenwriting and pre-production suite | Script, storyboard and schedule together | Yes |
| FrameForge | Storyboarding software built to fix it in prep | Planning shots in detail before the shoot | Trial only |
| Krock.io | Video review platform with storyboard tools | Storyboards plus video review | Yes |
| Milanote | Visual boards with storyboard templates | Moodboards and storyboards side by side | Yes |
| Previs Pro | Storyboard app for Mac, iPhone and iPad | Planning shots on an iPad or phone | Not stated |
| ShotPro | 3D previs and storyboard app | Building scenes with 3D characters | Not stated |
| Storyboard Pro | Professional storyboarding software from Toon Boom | Studio-grade animation storyboards | Not stated |
| Storyboard That | Online storyboard creator | Classroom and quick business storyboards | Yes |
| Storyboarder | Free open source storyboard app | Quick sketches on any desktop | Yes |
| StudioBinder | Production management with a storyboard creator | Storyboards inside production planning | Yes |
Eleven storyboard tools worth trying
Boords
Best for: Video agencies who want to build storyboards, collect client feedback and get sign-off before a single frame is filmed.
Celtx
Best for: Writers and small crews who want the script, storyboard, shot list and schedule in one place, with a free option after the trial.
FrameForge
Best for: Directors, cinematographers and VFX supervisors who want to solve problems in preparation, before the shoot, rather than on set.
Krock.io
Best for: Creative teams who want storyboards, animatics and video review with client comments in the same platform.
Milanote
Best for: Marketers and creatives who want storyboard templates on a flexible visual board next to their references and notes.
Previs Pro
Best for: Filmmakers on Apple devices who want to block out scenes and camera angles on an iPhone or iPad before the shoot.
ShotPro
Best for: Indie filmmakers who want to pose 3D characters, cameras and lights to visualise scenes without drawing them.
Storyboard Pro
Best for: Animation studios and professional storyboard artists who need a full drawing, timing and animatic tool for production work.
Storyboard That
Best for: Teachers, students and business users who want to drag ready-made characters and scenes into simple storyboards online.
Storyboarder
Best for: Filmmakers on a tight schedule who want a free, open source desktop app for sketching storyboard panels quickly.
StudioBinder
Best for: Production companies who want storyboards linked to shot lists, call sheets and schedules in one production management tool.
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Where to start for your project
- Free sketching on any desktop: Storyboarder.
- Client sign-off for a video agency: Boords.
- Classroom and quick business storyboards: Storyboard That.
- Professional animation work: Storyboard Pro.
- Detailed shot planning before the shoot: FrameForge or ShotPro.
Who relies on the storyboard
The National Careers Service says animators discuss instructions from the storyboard artist and animation director, and visualise how to animate storyboard and script ideas. In other words, the storyboard is the brief the rest of the team works from.
That's true for a small marketing video too. The person filming, the editor and the client all read the same frames, so the right tool is one everyone can open, understand and comment on, not just the person drawing.
Drawn storyboards versus 3D previs
Drawn storyboards are quick and flexible. Stick people and rough sketches are perfectly fine, and for most marketing videos they're all you need to agree the shots and the order.
3D previs tools let you place characters, cameras and lights in a virtual set. They take longer to learn, but they show exactly what a lens will see, which helps on bigger shoots with tricky camera moves.
Questions to ask before you choose storyboard software
- Do I need to draw, or would templates and characters be faster?
- Can clients comment on frames without an account?
- Can I turn frames into a timed animatic?
- Does it link to a script, shot list or schedule?
- Can I export a PDF for the crew?
- Does it work on a tablet as well as a computer?
Signs your videos need a storyboard
- Clients say it's not what they pictured. Agree frames first.
- You reshoot missing shots. Plan every shot in advance.
- Edits take far longer than filming. Board the order first.
- Crews ask what's next on set. Share the frames before the shoot.
Do you make storyboard or pre-production software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing storyboard software
Match the tool to the job, not the job you hope to have. If you're making short social videos, a quick free sketching app or a simple online creator will do everything you need, and a studio suite will only slow you down.
Whatever you pick, get sign-off on the storyboard before filming starts, in writing. It's the easiest moment to change your mind. My talking-head video checklist covers the other things to settle before you press record.
Frequently asked questions
What is storyboard software?
Storyboard software helps you plan a video or animation as a series of frames, showing each shot, the camera angle and what happens, before production starts.
Is there free storyboard software?
Yes. Several tools are free, open source or offer free plans. The free plan column above shows what each tool's own site says.
Do I need to be able to draw to make a storyboard?
No. Many tools offer templates, ready-made characters or 3D scenes, and rough sketches are fine for most videos.
What's the difference between a storyboard and a shot list?
A storyboard shows each shot visually. A shot list is a written list of shots with details such as angle, lens and location.
What is an animatic?
An animatic is a storyboard played in sequence with timing and sometimes sound, so you can see how the finished video will flow.
Can clients review a storyboard online?
Many tools let you share a link so clients can view frames and leave comments before you film.
