# Doodle Video Makers Compared (2026) *Updated 2026-11-07. What a doodle video is, how to make one, and how Simpled.ai, InstaDoodle, DoodleMaker, Animaker, FlexClip, Doodly and VideoScribe compare on price, colour and free options.* ## What is a doodle video, and how do you make one? A doodle video is a narrated explainer where simple hand-drawn images appear as if sketched live, usually on a white background. To make one, write a script, create the drawings and add a voiceover. Simpled.ai does all three from a prompt, with 10 free minutes and no card. ## What counts as a doodle video Doodle video is a looser name for whiteboard animation. Both use simple line drawings that appear to be sketched while a narrator explains the idea. Animaker's own doodle page answers the same question this way, saying doodle videos serve the same purpose as whiteboard videos, with a more playful look. The difference is mostly tone. Whiteboard animation usually means a marker on a white board, often with a drawing hand. Doodle video can also mean colour, cartoon characters or a sketchbook feel. Search results for the phrase also include free stock clips from sites like Vecteezy and Pixabay. Those are loose drawings to drop into an edit, not a finished narrated video. ## Doodle video makers at a glance Simpled.ai facts come from our own plans. InstaDoodle, DoodleMaker and FlexClip were read on 7 November 2026, Animaker on 6 and 7 November 2026, Doodly on 4 November 2026, and VideoScribe on 24 August 2026. | Tool | How you make it | Colour | Free option | Entry price | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Simpled.ai | Prompt or document; AI writes, draws and narrates | Black and white only | 10 one-time credits, no card, logo watermark | $29/mo for 20 minutes | | InstaDoodle | Text prompt | Black and white, or colour | None; 60-day money-back guarantee | $37 one-time or from $47/mo, both shown on its site | | DoodleMaker | Text or existing content | Black and white, or colour | None mentioned on its sales page | $47 one-time (commercial licence) | | Animaker | AI prompt or 100+ templates | Colour | Free plan with watermark | From $10/mo (Basic) | | FlexClip | Text prompt, image or template | Not checked | Free to try; limits not checked | Not checked | | Doodly | Manual, placing each image | Not checked | 14-day Voomly Cloud trial | $49/mo (Voomly Cloud) | | VideoScribe | Manual, placing each element | Not checked | 7-day trial, 3 watermarked downloads | $19/mo | Prices are USD list. Vendors change offers often, and one-time prices on sales pages can differ from renewal or upgrade costs, so confirm on the vendor's page before buying. ## How to make a doodle video in four steps Every doodle video needs the same four things, whichever tool you use. The tool only changes how much of the work is yours. ### 1. Pick one idea Doodles work best when each scene carries one point. Across 632 videos made on Simpled.ai between 4 April 2026 and 23 August 2026, the median ran 61 seconds and the average used 7.8 scenes. ### 2. Write the script Read it aloud before you draw anything. Short spoken sentences leave time for each drawing to appear, and a long sentence forces the visuals to rush. ### 3. Create the drawings In a manual editor, you choose and place each image and set its timing. In a prompt-based tool, the AI draws from your script, and your job is to review the result and regenerate what misses. ### 4. Add narration and export Match the export to where the video will run: 16:9 for YouTube or a website, 9:16 for Shorts, Reels and TikTok. Simpled.ai exports both in HD and narrates in 29 languages. ## Which doodle video maker fits which job The right tool depends on who does the drawing and how the video should look. Choose by those two things before comparing price. ### A narrated explainer from a prompt: Simpled.ai Type a prompt or upload a document, and Simpled.ai writes the script, draws the scenes and records the narration. The median video rendered in 6 minutes 55 seconds. The 10 free credits make it easy to test, though the look is black and white, and you cannot hand-place individual drawings. ### Full-colour doodles: InstaDoodle, DoodleMaker or Animaker Each of these advertises colour doodle output, which Simpled.ai does not offer in its whiteboard style. If colour is the point of your video, start with one of these three. ### Hand-placing every drawing: VideoScribe or Doodly These are manual editors. You get control over each element and its timing, and you pay for that control in hours per video. ### Templates and mixed media: Animaker or FlexClip Both offer doodle templates alongside AI, which suits social posts and short promos more than a long spoken explainer. ## What Simpled.ai will not do here Simpled.ai's whiteboard style renders in black and white today, so it will not produce colour doodles. Its Science Explainer style is full colour, but that is flat animated vector art rather than a hand-drawn doodle. If you need a specific colour doodle look, a tool in the table above is a better fit. ## FAQ ### What is a doodle video? A doodle video is a short animated explainer made of simple hand-drawn images that appear as if sketched in real time, with a voiceover. The term overlaps heavily with whiteboard animation. ### Is a doodle video the same as a whiteboard video? In practice, nearly. Both use sketched drawings and narration to explain an idea. Whiteboard video usually means a marker-on-board look, while doodle video can also cover colour and more playful cartoon styles. ### Can I make a doodle video for free? Yes, with limits. Simpled.ai gives 10 free minutes with no card and a logo watermark. Animaker has a free plan with watermarked exports. InstaDoodle's site said on 7 November 2026 that it offers no free version or trial, only a 60-day money-back guarantee. ### Can AI make a doodle video? Yes. Simpled.ai, InstaDoodle, DoodleMaker, Animaker and FlexClip all generate doodle-style video from text. They differ in how much they automate. Simpled.ai handles the script, drawings and narration from one prompt. ### How long should a doodle video be? Short enough to hold one idea. The median video on Simpled.ai ran 61 seconds, across 632 videos. Longer training videos work too if you split them into scenes that each make one point. ### Does Simpled.ai make colour doodle videos? No. Its whiteboard style is black and white today. For colour doodles, compare InstaDoodle, DoodleMaker and Animaker. ## Related - [How to make a whiteboard animation video](https://simpled.ai/how-to-make-whiteboard-animation) - [Best whiteboard animation software (2026)](https://simpled.ai/best-whiteboard-animation-software) - [Doodly alternatives compared](https://simpled.ai/doodly-alternatives) - [Free whiteboard animation software compared](https://simpled.ai/free-whiteboard-animation-software) - [Best AI whiteboard video generators](https://simpled.ai/ai-whiteboard-video-generators)