25 Best Storyboard Software in 2026

Advantages:

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro is an industry-respected platform used by professional animation production companies. This program integrates drawing tools, camera placement and timeline controls that assist in animation storyboard creation meant to be prepped for the animatics stage. This one is best for those in need of advanced control panels and high-end animation tools. 

KEY features:

• Advanced layered frame control for sketching.
• Cinematic effects and advanced transitions available. 
• Timeline and audio integration.
• Professional file management and production-ready output.

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Wonder Unit offers some of the best software for storyboarding when it comes to digital hand sketches. Though its main focus is on simple frame-by-frame drawing, it provides a well-structured and free platform for both professional and aspiring storyboard artists. Given its free access, this is a great professional storyboarding tool for small indie productions. 

KEY features:

• Reliable shot and scene organization. 
• Drawing tools that allow for fast sketching.
• Compatible with Photoshop.
• Supports camera shot guides and reference images.
• Export options for PDF storyboards and images.

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

StoryboardHero is an AI storyboarding platform that focuses on speedy storyboard turnarounds without drawing frames manually. It works by inputting a script or concept as a prompt so it can then create storyboard frames based on your ideas automatically. This platform is especially useful for agencies, video creators, and pitch decks for entrepreneurs. 

KEY features:

• Provides hand drawn emulated images by request.
• Can export branded PDF storyboards. 
• Team collaboration tools, including comments section.
• Includes a frame-by-frame control feature.

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Storyboard That is considered one of the best storyboard software for classrooms, students, and straightforward creative projects. You can create comics, storyboards, and graphic organizers using a large library of characters, scenes, props, and customizable layouts. It’s a great choice for beginners, especially if you’re approaching storyboarding with no film or video production experience.

KEY features:

• Comes with customizable characters, scenes, and props.
• Includes comics and graphic organizers.
• Extensive built-in art library for quick image creation.
• Premium plans come with more cells, uploads, and privacy controls.
• Useful for teachers looking for creative education methods.

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

If you want a very straightforward approach to storyboard creation, then MakeStoryboard is the tool for you. This platform focuses on simplicity, particularly in panel creation, scene organization, and a clean, user-friendly interface. This option is among the best software for storyboarding when it comes to tighter production teams and anyone who doesn’t require a full production management suite. 

KEY features:

• Easy drag and drop workflow.
• Storyboard editing available across devices.
• Built-in organization features.
• Bypasses an advanced setup in favor of much quicker storyboarding.
• Clean export options for image files and PDFs.

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Plotagon works by uploading your script into their app-based software and turning dialogue and scenes into animated visuals. It doesn’t allow for much creator freedom when it comes to storyboard editing features, but it is useful as a side tool to help visualize characters, scene setup, and flow with straightforward animated sequences. If you’re a creator who needs to quickly visualize how a scene or moment will theoretically play out, this is a helpful enough tool for that. 

KEY features:

• Converts written dialogue into visual scenes.
• Pre-built characters and environments to apply to your scenes.
• Timeline-based scene editing for pacing and story flow visualization.
• Automatic character animation and lip-syncing for your character dialogue.
• Cloud-based platform.

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Boords is a cloud-based storyboarding software designed for professionals in film, TV, and advertising. With its drag-and-drop interface and built-in storyboard templates you can visualize your project. Its collaboration tools allow for sharing and commenting on projects with team members, making it good for remote teams.

KEY features:

• Storyboard tools with image library
• Collaboration for your team
• AI-powered storyboarding features
• Exportable in formats including PDFs or MP4s

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Though its AI visual quality is known to be inconsistent, Katalist still works as a helpful assistant that can take your script and quickly generate enough visual continuity to further incite your own creative ideas. This platform also allows you to customize characters, collaborate with your team, and edit sequences on the fly. If you’re a filmmaker or content creator, this can likely be a helpful tool for you. 

KEY features:

• Automatically converts scripts into visual boards.
• Custom character generation with uploaded images and built-in art styles.
• Features that allow you to adjust angles, poses, and compositions.
• Collaboration tools for sharing and editing storyboards.

Pros and Cons:

More Storyboard Software Alternatives:

Below are 13 more of the best storyboard software options that didn’t make the top 10 cut. These are listed in order of usefulness and are all worth looking into if the initial 10 don’t meet your best storyboarding software needs.

Best Software for Storyboarding

What is the best storyboard software?

The best storyboard software available today lives inside StudioBinder. Not only is it free to try, but it’s built as part of a complete production ecosystem which makes it far more powerful than standalone storyboard tools. Whether you’re a filmmaker, content creator, or creative professional, StudioBinder helps you move seamlessly from idea to execution.

With script importing, version control, and full production management baked in, your storyboards don’t live in isolation. Not to mention, it automatically connect sto your shooting schedule, breakdowns, and other production assets, keeping everything aligned as your project evolves.

Add in customizable templates and real-time collaboration, and you get more than a storyboard tool. You get a centralized command center for pre-visualization and production planning.

Choosing the Best Storyboard

How to select the best storyboard software

The best storyboard software should help you plan visual sequences clearly, stay organized, and collaborate efficiently from early concepts through production-ready storyboards. That is why this list focuses on dedicated storyboarding tools built specifically for visual planning and production workflows.

While general design platforms offer basic templates, they often lack essential features like shot tagging, aspect ratio controls, version control, and production syncing. This is the same reason tools such as Canva and Milanote were not included. When comparing tools, focus on the features that truly support a real storyboarding workflow. 

Here are the main factors to consider when choosing the right platform.

Core Storyboarding Features

A strong storyboard platform should cover the essentials, including:

• Create and edit storyboard frames
• Arrange scenes and shot order easily
• Add notes, dialogue, and shot details
• Export boards in multiple formats
• Support team sharing and feedback
• Offer templates for faster setup
• Provide basic layout or timeline controls
  
  

Extra Features That Set Tools Apart

Some platforms offer added capabilities that improve speed and flexibility, such as:

• Animatic playback with timing and audio
• Integration with production planning tools
• AI-assisted storyboard generation
• Advanced drawing and illustration options
• Versioning support for revisions
• Client-friendly presentation and approval tools

Usability and Workflow Fit

The right software should match your experience level and project needs:

• Easy for beginners to start quickly
• Flexible enough for creative customization
• Efficient for teams or solo creators
• Designed for film, animation, or marketing use cases
  
  

Evaluating storyboard platforms using the above criteria helps you choose a tool that supports better planning, clearer communication, and smoother production workflows. Consider StudioBinder’s all-in-one app, which offers a wide range of features that accommodate both beginners and industry professionals.

Choosing Best Storyboard Software

How to choose the best storyboard software

With so many storyboard platforms available, it’s easy to get distracted by long feature lists or pricing tiers that don’t reflect what you actually need. The best approach is to focus on the tools that support your creative process, match your production workflow, and scale with the type of projects you work on. That’s how you determine the best storyboarding software free from distraction.

Use the checklist below to evaluate the best storyboard software more clearly and narrow down the right option for your team or personal workflow.

What to Look for In Storyboard Software?

What are common trends in the best storyboard software?

The best storyboard tools are evolving quickly as more filmmakers, animators, marketers, and content teams rely on digital pre-production workflows. Today’s leading platforms go beyond simple frame layouts, offering smarter features that improve speed, collaboration, and visual planning across projects.

Below are some of the biggest trends shaping the future of storyboard software.

• AI-Powered Storyboard Creation: More platforms are introducing AI tools that help generate frames, suggest visual compositions, or speed up early concept development. This makes it easier to translate scripts and ideas into storyboard form with less manual effort. Be sure to always consider the best AI storyboard software available.
• 3D Previsualization Features: Storyboarding is becoming more dimensional, with many tools adding 3D blocking, camera simulation, and spatial planning options. This helps creators preview movement, staging, and shot design more realistically before production.
• Richer Multimedia Storyboards: Modern storyboards are increasingly interactive, allowing users to embed audio, video clips, GIFs, and links directly into frames. These features make storyboards more useful for pitching, client reviews, and animatic-style planning.
• Improved Remote Collaboration: Real-time editing, commenting, and approval workflows are now standard across many storyboard platforms. These tools are especially valuable for distributed teams who need to stay aligned across creative decisions.
• Cloud-First Storyboarding Workflows: Many storyboard solutions are shifting toward browser-based platforms with automatic saving, shared access, and cross-device usability. Cloud-based systems make it easier to manage updates and keep projects accessible from anywhere.

Storyboard Software Features

What features do the best storyboard software have?

The best storyboard software both organizes drawings into frames and helps you communicate your ideas clearly throughout the pre-planning process. As you compare different tools, keep an eye out for features that support creative flexibility and practical workflow needs. As you can find with StudioBinder, expansive features such as customizing the size of your frames make all the difference for unique projects that aren’t supported by traditional filmmaking storyboard dimensions

Below are some of the most valuable storyboard software features to look for.

• Easy frame and layout tools: A strong storyboard platform should let you arrange panels quickly, adjust shot order, and build sequences without slowing down your creative process.
• Ready-to-use templates: Many tools include storyboard templates for film scenes, commercials, animations, or pitch decks, helping you get started faster and stay organized from the beginning.
• Built-in collaboration features: If you’re working with a team or presenting to clients, real-time commenting, sharing, and approval tools can make feedback and revisions much more efficient.
• Script and shot detail support: The best software allows you to pair visuals with dialogue, scene descriptions, camera notes, or shot numbers so everything stays connected in one place.
• Flexible export and presentation options: Look for platforms that let you export storyboards as PDFs, image files, slides, or animatics, making it easier to share your work across production stages.
• Revision and version management: Storyboards often go through multiple drafts, so tools with revision tracking or duplicate-version workflows can help you stay organized as ideas evolve.
• Multimedia and animatic capabilities: Some platforms support video clips, sound, timing controls, or playback features — especially useful if you want to turn your storyboard into an animatic or interactive presentation.

More resources on the best storyboard software

If you find our list doesn’t provide the best software to create storyboards that meet your unique vision, then be sure to browse through these alternative listings for storyboard software. 

Advantage of Storyboard Software

What are the core benefits of storyboard software?

Using storyboard software can significantly improve how you develop your ideas, as well as how they’re, shared, and executed throughout a project. Instead of relying on loose sketches or disconnected documents, digital storyboards give you a structured way to visualize concepts and align everyone involved. With StudioBinder for example, you can easily control your team’s viewing, commenting, or editing privileges on your storyboard. And even if you're partial to physical sketches, StudioBinder's digital image suite lets you easily snap, upload and edit your illustrations. 

Here are some of the key benefits you can expect from using the best storyboard software:

• Clearer creative direction: Storyboards turn abstract ideas into concrete visuals, helping you define shot composition, pacing, and visual flow before production begins.
• Improved collaboration: Built-in sharing and commenting tools make it easier for teams, clients, and stakeholders to give feedback and stay aligned throughout the planning process.
• Faster planning and iteration: Drag-and-drop tools, templates, and reusable layouts reduce setup time and make revisions easier when ideas change.
• Stronger communication across teams: Visual storyboards help bridge gaps between creative, technical, and production roles by giving everyone a shared reference point.
• Support for remote workflows: Cloud-based platforms allow teams to access, update, and review storyboards from anywhere, which is especially valuable for distributed productions.
• Better preparation for production: Storyboards help identify potential issues early, allowing you to plan shots, transitions, and sequences more efficiently before filming or animation begins.
• Flexible sharing and presentation: With multiple export formats and presentation options, storyboards can be shared easily with collaborators, clients, or crew members at any stage.

ai storyboard software 

Features in AI storyboard software

In addition to standard storyboarding tools, many modern platforms are now incorporating AI to help speed up planning, spark ideas, and reduce repetitive work. These features are designed to support early concept development while giving creators more flexibility during pre-production.

Below are some of the most common AI-powered features found in today’s best AI storyboard software.

• Text-to-storyboard assistance: Some tools can turn written prompts or scene descriptions into structured storyboard notes.
• AI-generated visual frames: AI image generation makes it easier to visualize scenes without manual drawing.
• Shot and scene recommendations: AI systems can suggest camera angles, shot types, or scene progressions based on context, maintaining  pacing and visual continuity.
• Dialogue and script support: Certain platforms use AI to review dialogue or scene text, offering suggestions for clarity, tone and overall flow.
• Narrative and pacing insights: Advanced tools analyze your storyboard structure to identify potential gaps, uneven pacing, or missing transitions.

Storyboard Software Pricing

The best storyboard software pricing

Before choosing the best storyboard software for your project, you’ll want to make sure you consider the full spectrum of pricing options. Our table below will help you break down pricing plans and the features they typically include.

Pricing and Plans for Storyboard Software