Choose a storyboard tool by what the board is for. A pitch or ad needs quick frames and easy client review, a shoot needs boards tied to shot lists and schedules, a classroom needs templates, and animation needs drawing tools. Then test how frames are made, shared, reviewed and exported.
Before you pick a replacement, decide what your board is for. Is it a pitch to a client, a plan for a shoot day, a lesson, or the first pass of an animation? Each answer points to a different kind of tool.
Boords brings scripts, storyboards and animatics together with client feedback and sign-off. If you're looking beyond it, here are eight tools in no particular order, described from each vendor's own site.
Which stage of production are you in?
Writing and planning
Celtx starts with the script, and Shot Lister starts with the shoot day. Neither is a drawing tool, but if your boards always end up as shot lists and schedules, they may cover more of your real work than a storyboard app would.
Boarding for a shoot
StudioBinder links storyboards to scripts, call sheets and schedules, which suits production companies running real shoots. PlottoFilm is lighter and more visual, built for pinning cast options and references and choosing frames.
Boarding for ads with AI
Katalist generates shots with AI models and keeps characters and products consistent, aimed squarely at agencies producing a lot of ad creative.
Teaching and drawing
Storyboard That is template-led and popular with teachers and students. Storyboarder comes from a film studio and suits people who like to sketch. Toon Boom is the heavyweight here, built for animation studios and schools planning 2D work.
How frames get made, shared and signed off
The tool you're leaving puts as much weight, in its own description, on sharing work with clients, collecting feedback, tracking versions and getting sign-off as it does on drawing. That's the part people underestimate when they switch. Making frames is only half the job.
There are three ways tools make frames: you draw them, you build them from templates and characters, or you generate them with AI. Drawn frames give you full control and take longest. Templates are fast and consistent but can look generic. AI-generated frames are fastest of all, but you'll spend time keeping faces, products and settings consistent from shot to shot.
The sharing side matters just as much. Check whether a client can comment without making an account, whether versions are kept, and whether you can export to PDF, images or an animatic. If your current process depends on clients approving boards in one link, make sure the replacement can do the same before you move a live project.
Storyboard and pre-production tools compared
| Tool | Kind of tool | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Celtx | Screenwriting software | Getting a script production-ready before boarding |
| Katalist | AI storyboard and shot generator | Agency ads with consistent characters and products |
| PlottoFilm | Visual reference board | Pinning cast and references and choosing frames |
| Shot Lister | Shot list and schedule app | Shot lists and shooting days on set |
| Storyboard That | Online storyboard maker | Classroom storyboards and comics from templates |
| Storyboarder | Storyboard software from a film studio | Sketching boards from a studio that makes films |
| StudioBinder | Production management software | Scripts, boards, call sheets and schedules together |
| Toon Boom | 2D animation and pre-production suite | Animation studios and schools planning 2D work |
The eight tools, alphabetically
Alphabetical and in no particular order. Each line reflects the vendor's own account.
Celtx
Best for: Writers who start from the script, since the vendor positions its software as a way to turn an idea into a production-ready screenplay.
Katalist
Best for: Performance agencies generating shots with AI models while keeping characters and products consistent across many client campaigns, as the vendor describes it.
PlottoFilm
Best for: Directors pinning cast options and visual references side by side, comparing candidates and deciding which frames make the film, per the vendor.
Shot Lister
Best for: Directors and assistant directors building shot lists and shooting schedules, which is the app's whole focus according to the vendor.
Storyboard That
Best for: Teachers, students and filmmakers making storyboards and comics online; the vendor names a free plan and education users.
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Storyboarder
Best for: Hands-on sketchers who like tools made by filmmakers; it comes from Wonder Unit, a studio that makes both films and software.
StudioBinder
Best for: Production teams who want scripts, shot lists, storyboards, call sheets and shooting schedules in one web app, as the vendor lays it out.
Toon Boom
Best for: Animators and animation schools wanting pre-production and 2D animation software from a long-established vendor, by its own account.
Advice before you switch storyboard tools
Match the tool to the stage that eats most of your time. If client sign-off is the slow part, put sharing and comments at the top of your list. If shoot days are the slow part, a tool that turns boards into shot lists and schedules will pay you back on set. If drawing is the slow part, try a template or AI tool on a real brief and see whether the frames are good enough to show a client.
Teachers have a simpler choice: look for templates, easy accounts for students and the option to print. Animators should judge drawing tools and timing above anything else, because a pretty sharing link won't help a scene that doesn't flow.
Agencies making a lot of ad creative have a newer option in AI frame generation. It's fast, and it's handy for testing several concepts before a shoot, but keep a person in charge of consistency. Check that the product looks right in every frame, that faces don't drift between shots, and that you're clear on who owns generated images under each vendor's terms.
Whatever you choose, board one real scene in your top two tools before you move a project. Export it, share it with a colleague and ask them to leave a comment. You'll learn more in an hour than from a week of reading feature pages. For more ideas, see my guide to the best storyboard software and my list of free storyboard templates.
Do you make storyboard software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a storyboard and a shot list?
A storyboard shows each shot as a picture. A shot list describes each shot in words, with camera, lens and movement, and is what crews work from on the day.
Can AI make a storyboard for me?
Some tools now generate frames from a script or prompt. They're fast, but you'll still need to check that characters, products and settings stay consistent.
Do I need to be able to draw to make a storyboard?
No. Template and AI tools let you build frames without drawing, and rough sketches are fine for many shoots as long as the framing is clear.
What's an animatic?
It's a storyboard played in sequence with timing, and often with sound, so you can check the pace of a scene before you shoot or animate it.
Can students use storyboard software safely?
Many education tools offer classroom accounts. Rules on student data vary by country and school, so check your school's policy and your regulator's guidance.
