7 Best Storyboard Apps

The best storyboard apps help users do two important things: clarify the shot and accelerate the day. The right storyboard tool makes both happen faster — without turning your pre-pro, previs, and animatic processing into a full time second job.

This collection focuses on storyboard apps that filmmakers and video teams actually use, weighing factors related to speed, cinematic control (lenses, blocking, timing), collaboration (notes, versions, client sign-off), exports (if you can’t just hold up your tablet), and of course, value.

So read on to see the storyboard tools that will help get your vision from out of your head and into the medium of your choice.

The Emmy® Award winning app for iPad, iPhone, and Mac doesn’t need to import the script to your storyboard app; you can input your storyboards directly into your script! With Facing Pages, a director, producer, writer, actor, or any member of the crew smart enough to use Scriptation can digitally place their storyboards in front of any relevant script pages they wish.

 

But it’s not just about moving pages around; having your script and storyboards in Scriptation, you can annotate shots, collect department notes, and keep running change logs thanks to their fillable forms. We also recommend using Layers to separate director notes, DP adjustments, and agency comments on the same storyboards, so you’re never showing the wrong comments to the wrong clients. For timing, attach your animatic export and mark beats during table reads or tech scouts.

See how actor/director/producer Rob Morrow uses Scriptation to get the most out of his prep:

 

Try out Scriptation’s free download and see for yourself.

Why not start ‘where every great story begins’? Toon Boon Storyboard Pro has one of the best storyboard app names out there, but the product also brings animation & studio-grade boards to Mac and OS. Get industry standard drawing/boarding with timing, camera moves, audio, and animatic tools baked in. Deep layer management and pro‑level revision workflow means you’re doing the work and getting the results you need.

Their timeline-based edits, camera keyframes, robust drawing engine, panel-to-panel transitions, and sound sync make this storyboard tool one that any artist is lucky to have. With flexible licensing for individuals and studios, the pricing may be premium, but the product is unmatched for animated series work.

If you need tight previs for episodic animation or a pitch package with polished animatics, look no further. If you don’t know what any of that means? You’re probably in the wrong storyboarding app – but you can take advantage of Toon Boom’s education programs to learn what you’re missing!

Getting a quick version of your artist rendition was never easier than with Storyboarder by Wonder Unit. If you’re looking for free, fast sketching on Apple or PC, this open-source, distraction-free, and quick storyboard app is the one for you. Their lightning-fast paneling, built‑in shot generator, timeline preview, simple animatics, and export to Premiere and PDF.

Plus, it’s totally free! By being open sourced, you get the best of the program that’s best for your wallet. Storyboarder is a great intro to storyboarding tool that can help any creative add visuals to their pitching and pre-production process.

Boords presents itself as “the complete storyboarding platform for video professionals”, and if you’re in the business of agencies & client approvals, they hit the mark. Their web-based storyboarding with space for comments, versioning, and sign‑off flows keep stakeholders aligned no matter the size or scope of the project.

For painless review cycles more than a storyboard app that starts with the blank screen, Boords has shareable links for quick approvals (hopefully) along with the needed frame templates, drag‑and‑drop panels, collaboration, review links, and animatic exports. It’s less for you to draw images than to focus on how to sell them. With tiered plans for teams that pay off when you manage lots (and lots, and lots) of feedback.

STORYBOARD SMARTER proclaims another fix-it-in prep solution. FrameForge is best for the team seeking optically accurate previs for their visually challenging project. Build scenes with true lensing, camera height, and blocking so your storyboards reflect physics and field-of-view.

 

They also provide standout features ranging from virtual sets/talents/props, lens packages, depth of field, saved camera setups, and export animatics. Frameforge offers Pro-tier pricing and shines when you’re solving coverage in complex spaces.

Try it if you want to answer “Will a 25mm even see that?” before your scout van leaves the lot.

 

MakeStoryBoard is one of the best storyboard apps thanks to it’s easy UI and drag-and-drop panels, perfect for web-based collaboration & client approvals. This browser-based storyboard software allows for partners to work together through comments, versions, and shareable review links — ideal when you need feedback without a full production suite.

They have a free tier, as well as subscription models that open up more team features (such as permission control) and higher image quality exports. If you want fast storyboards you can circulate for department head sign‑off that allows you to iterate in the same place, MakeStoryBoard is your huckleberry.

Does my choice of Storyboard App need animatics?

Not always. Use animatics for timing‑sensitive pieces: VFX beats, comedy pacing, music‑hit spots. But if it’s just a sunset? We usually know how that goes.

How many frames per shot?

Enough to show intent: establish, action change, payoff. Avoid over‑boarding unless stunts/VFX demand it. We don’t need a storyboard for ‘Dad enters’.

What Storyboard file should I share with my production team?

PDF for boards, MP4 for animatics, plus a cloud link for revisions. Always have a back up and don’t forget to attach the file you said you attached.

Can I storyboard on an iPad only?

Yes — Previs Pro and several drawing apps handle full workflows; Scriptation can pair your storyboards with script pages instantly.

How do I know which Storyboarding App is right for me?

While all the apps, software, and tools mentioned here can help any artist, there are certain offerings that help certain skills more than others.

If you draw? Storyboard Pro; Storyboarder (free)

If you want speed without drawing: StoryBoard Artist; Previs Pro, Scriptation

If you need lens-accurate previs: FrameForge; Previs Pro

If you manage approvals: Boords; Scriptation

Use this Storyboard checklist as a pre-pro and on‑set sanity check. Duplicate it per scene or sequence. Keep one main PDF and update versions rather than spinning off new filenames. Your team will thank you.

Project Setup

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Breakdown & Inputs

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Shot Planning

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Visual Clarity

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Timing & Animatic (if needed)

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Collaboration

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Exports & Handoff

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On‑Set/Tech Scout

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When it comes to selecting the best app for storyboarding your project, pick the app that reduces friction for you and your production team. The best storyboard app is the one that allows everyone to understand the storyboard, previs, or set plan at a glance — and the one you can actually keep updated as the plan evolves.

The technology and visual ability of devices and storyboarding apps are constantly improving, so this list will too. Check back in the future for the latest and greatest storyboarding apps available now!

Want more tips, tricks, and production app recommendations? Bookmark the Scriptation Blog.