Guide
The best AI tool for making an animated series in 2026
Short answer
There is no single best tool; it depends on what you are making. For a story series with a recurring cast, look at tools built around saved characters and episodes: StudioRam (you direct each scene, priced per scene), Anijam (an agent plans whole episodes) and Atlabs (whole videos from a script). For training or explainer videos, template tools such as Vyond, Animaker and Powtoon fit better. For 3D characters, try Krikey AI.
See it: one cast, many scenes
The first clip was made in the StudioRam app and is also shown on our homepage. The second is a demo made by the StudioRam team. In both, watch the face, clothes and small details hold from shot to shot.
We make StudioRam, so read this with that in mind. We have not run side-by-side quality tests. This page compares what each company publishes about its own product, checked on 18 October 2026. Prices and features change, so check each site before you decide.
What matters for a series (not a one-off clip)
A single clip only has to look good once. A series has to look like the same show every week. Before you compare prices, check four things:
- The character holds. Can you save a character and have it come back with the same face, outfit and style in episode ten?
- Scenes connect. Does the next shot pick up where the last one ended, or does each one start from nothing?
- Voice and editing are built in. Can you add dialogue and cut scenes together without three other apps?
- The cost scales with your schedule. A weekly series of many short scenes costs very differently on a per-scene price than on a seat-based plan.
The tools side by side
| Tool | Built for | How it keeps a character | Free option | Paid from (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StudioRam | A recurring cast acted out scene by scene, with AI voice | Saved character reused as the reference in every scene; next scene starts on the last frame | 1 scene, no card, watermarked | $5.99 for 1 scene, $59.99 for 15; Creator $29 a month |
| Anijam | An AI agent that outlines a series and generates episodes | Cast stored as “persistent project assets”, up to 4 characters in one scene | Signup bonus credits; free outputs are non-commercial | $16 a month billed yearly ($192), or $25 monthly |
| Atlabs | Whole videos from an idea, script or audio file | Consistent character library; training your own characters on its Plus plan and up | Free tier with 720p export and videos up to 2 minutes | $39 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly ($348) |
| Vyond | Business, training and explainer animation, AI avatars | Template characters, plus “Photo to Character” | Free trial with 2,000 credits; exports watermarked | $99 a month, or $699 billed yearly |
| Animaker | 2D, whiteboard and explainer videos from templates or a prompt | Custom character builder (2 characters free, 15 on Starter, 30 on Pro) | Free plan, watermarked | $45 a month, or $300 billed yearly |
| Powtoon | Explainers and presentations, with an AI animation generator | Character Builder for saved custom characters; says AI characters keep the same look across scenes | Free plan: 720p, up to 3 minutes, watermarked | $15 a month billed yearly, or $49 monthly (Lite) |
| Krikey AI | 3D character animation with AI text-to-animation | 3D character library | Free plan with 20 one-time credits | $15 per person a month (Pro) |
Which one to pick
You want to direct a story series yourself: StudioRam
StudioRam is built for one cast across many short scenes. You save a character once, describe a scene in your own words, and get back a finished animated scene of up to 8 seconds with the character and an AI voice on it. What happens next? starts the next scene on the last frame of the previous one, so a story builds shot by shot. Output is 720p MP4. You pay per scene ($4.00 to $5.99 in packs that never expire) or $29 a month on the Creator plan, and the first scene is free with no card. The trade-off: you direct scene by scene rather than pressing one button for a whole episode. See pricing or how to go from script to series.
You want an agent to plan whole episodes: Anijam
Anijam says its agent breaks a series concept into episodes and keeps the cast as persistent assets, with lip-synced dialogue and a timeline editor. It sells monthly credit plans, and its Beginner plan exports up to 720p, with 1080p from the Creator plan. Note that free-plan outputs are for non-commercial use.
You want a finished video from a script in one go: Atlabs
Atlabs makes whole videos from a script, idea or audio file in many visual styles. Paid plans export 1080p, with longer videos on higher plans. We compare it in detail in StudioRam vs Atlabs.
You make training or explainer videos: Vyond, Animaker or Powtoon
These are template-and-timeline tools with built-in characters, and all three now add AI generation. Their rigged characters stay consistent because they are the same puppet each time, which suits workplace and marketing video. They are less suited if you want a cast in your own art style acting out a story. Vyond is priced for businesses; Animaker and Powtoon start lower. See our Vyond, Animaker and Powtoon pages.
You want 3D characters: Krikey AI
Krikey focuses on 3D character animation, with a free plan and a $15-a-month Pro plan that removes the watermark.
How to test before you pay
Most of these tools have a free scene, plan or trial. Use it the same way on each: make one character, then make three scenes with that character in different places and lighting, and put the stills side by side. If the face or outfit drifts in three scenes, it will drift across a season. Then price out one month of your real schedule on each tool's pricing page.
Questions
What is the best AI tool for making an animated series?
It depends on the job. For a recurring cast you direct scene by scene, StudioRam; for an agent that plans whole episodes, Anijam; for whole videos from a script, Atlabs; for training and explainer videos, Vyond, Animaker or Powtoon. Test each with the same character across three scenes before paying.
Can AI keep the same character in every episode?
Several tools now save a character and reuse it. StudioRam reuses a saved character as the reference in every scene; Anijam stores characters as project assets; Atlabs has a character library. Template tools such as Vyond and Powtoon reuse rigged characters, which stay the same by design.
Is there a free AI tool for an animated series?
Most have a free way to try. StudioRam gives 1 free scene with no card (watermarked). Animaker and Powtoon have watermarked free plans, Krikey AI has 20 one-time credits, Vyond has a watermarked trial, and Anijam gives signup credits for non-commercial use.
How much does it cost to make an animated series with AI?
It depends on how many scenes or minutes you make. StudioRam charges $4.00 to $5.99 per scene in packs, or $29 a month for 12 scenes after the first month. The other tools here sell monthly or yearly plans with credits or export limits, so price one month of your real schedule on each.
Can I use AI-made episodes on YouTube?
Check each tool’s licence. StudioRam’s Terms license generated videos to you for personal and commercial use, subject to the content policy. Anijam’s free outputs are non-commercial, and Animaker lists commercial rights on its Pro plan and above.
Sources
- StudioRam prices and limits: studioram.app/pricing and studioram.app/llms.txt, checked 18 October 2026.
- Anijam, anijam.ai/pricing, AI Series Generator and Consistent Character AI, checked 18 October 2026.
- Atlabs, atlabs.ai/pricing, checked 18 October 2026.
- Vyond, vyond.com/plans and vyond.com/faqs, checked 18 October 2026.
- Animaker, app.animaker.com/pricing and animaker.com, checked 18 October 2026.
- Powtoon, powtoon.com/premium, powtoon.com/ai/animation-generator and Using the Powtoon Character Builder, checked 18 October 2026.
- Krikey AI, krikey.ai/pricing, checked 18 October 2026.
The free scene needs no card. It is watermarked; paid scenes are not.