Doodly - Detailed Review
Design Tools
Doodly - Product Overview
Introduction to Doodly
Doodly is a user-friendly whiteboard animation software that enables users to create professional-looking videos with ease. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:
Primary Function
Doodly’s main purpose is to help users create engaging whiteboard animations for various purposes, such as marketing videos, educational content, social media posts, and more. It uses a drag-and-drop interface that makes video creation accessible even for those without prior video production experience.
Target Audience
Doodly is versatile and caters to a wide range of users, including marketers, educators, social media content creators, and businesses across different industries. It is particularly useful for anyone looking to create visually appealing and engaging videos to communicate their messages effectively.
Key Features
- Extensive Image Library: Doodly offers a vast array of custom-drawn images, including 200 different characters with 20 different poses each, 20 backgrounds, and hundreds of props. Users can also request custom images from Doodly’s team of artists.
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: The software features a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to select images, drag and drop them onto the canvas, and watch as they are sketched into the video.
- Royalty-Free Audio: Users can add sound to their videos using Doodly’s royalty-free music library. Audio editing is also straightforward, allowing users to drag and drop music tracks and adjust the volume easily.
- Offline Capability: Unlike many other whiteboard animation tools, Doodly can be used offline once it is downloaded and installed, ensuring fast and glitch-free video creation.
- Variety of Canvases: Doodly provides four different canvas options: whiteboard, blackboard, greenboard, and glassboard, allowing users to customize the look of their videos.
- Multiple Hand Options: The software includes dozens of male and female hands in different colors and sizes, enabling users to personalize their videos further.
- Export Options: Videos can be exported in various resolutions (480p-1080p) and quality settings, and can be shared directly to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or embedded into websites.
Overall, Doodly is a powerful and user-friendly tool that simplifies the process of creating engaging whiteboard animations, making it an invaluable asset for a wide range of users.
Doodly - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of Doodly, a cloud-based whiteboard animation software, is designed to be highly intuitive and user-friendly, making it accessible even for those without extensive video editing skills.Initial Interface
When you first log in to Doodly, you are presented with the “My Videos” page, which serves as a dashboard listing all your Doodly projects along with some available resources. The top portion of this dashboard displays thumbnails of your most recent videos, allowing you to easily access and edit them by clicking on the thumbnails.Dashboard Layout
The dashboard is divided into several sections:- The top portion shows recent video thumbnails.
- The middle portion includes two tabs: “Projects” and “Templates.” Here, you can find and manage your projects and templates, including those you have purchased from the marketplace.
- The mid-bottom section provides links to additional resources and tools.
- The bottom section features the Doodler Toolbox, which lists other products that users might find useful.
Creating a Video
To create a new video, you can click the “Create New Video” menu at the top right side of the dashboard. This opens a screen where you can select the board style, add a title, and choose the resolution for your video. You can drag and drop or double-click to place assets such as scenes and characters into your project. The interface allows you to adjust the size, alignment, and position of these assets using a grid for precise alignment.Video Settings
Doodly offers a range of video settings to customize your animations:- Background Style: Change the board style or upload your own.
- Subtitles: Turn subtitles on or off for the entire video duration.
- Doodly Rainbow: Enable or disable the color of your video, switching between color and black-and-white modes.
- Hand Style: Choose from different hand styles, including real or cartoon hands, and decide on 2D or 3D hands if using a glassboard.
Timeline and Editing
The timeline in Doodly has multiple tracks for video, audio, and voiceover. You can adjust the delay points and duration times for each item, and the changes are reflected in real-time on the timeline. The interface also includes full-screen and smaller preview options to review your video as you make changes.Ease of Use
Users consistently praise Doodly for its ease of use. The design interface is very intuitive, allowing first-time users to create videos without significant hassle. The drag-and-drop functionality and the ability to import your own assets make the process straightforward and efficient.Overall User Experience
The overall user experience with Doodly is positive, with many users appreciating its simplicity and the extensive range of pre-defined assets and templates available. The software is particularly praised for its ability to create engaging and professional-quality doodle videos quickly. However, some users note minor drawbacks such as limited transitions, slow timing for drawing multiple objects, and the need for additional features like color options at an extra cost.Conclusion
In summary, Doodly’s user interface is streamlined, easy to use, and highly intuitive, making it an excellent choice for creating whiteboard animations and doodle videos, even for those new to video editing. Doodly - Key Features and Functionality
Doodly Overview
Doodly is a versatile online whiteboard animation software that offers a wide range of features and functionalities, making it an excellent tool for creating various types of videos, including marketing videos, educational content, and social media posts.
Drag and Drop Interface
Doodly features a user-friendly drag and drop interface that simplifies the process of creating whiteboard animations. Users can select images, text, and audio from the library and drag them onto the canvas, making it easy for both beginners and experts to use.
Custom Image Library
The software boasts an extensive library of custom-drawn images, including 200 different characters, each with 20 different poses, along with 20 backgrounds and hundreds of props. This vast array of images caters to various topics and niches, ensuring there is something for every user’s needs.
Custom Image Upload
Users have the flexibility to upload their own images, which can then be integrated into the animation. This feature allows for personalized content and the ability to use specific images that may not be available in the library.
Hand Styles and Board Styles
Doodly offers multiple hand styles, including up to 15 real hand styles and 13 cartoon hand styles. Additionally, users can choose from different board styles such as chalkboard, glassboard, greenboard, whiteboard, and custom boards, allowing for varied presentation styles.
Audio and Voiceover
The software includes a royalty-free music library with various tracks that can be added to the videos. Users can also record and import voiceovers, enhancing the audio quality of their animations.
Video Editing
Doodly comes with a built-in video editor that allows users to tweak several aspects of their videos. This includes editing the timeline, duplicating or deleting scenes, adjusting the length of each stage, and adding scene transitions. The editor also supports text animation, color and black & white options, and video preview.
Export and Sharing
Videos created with Doodly can be easily exported and shared on various platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and websites. Users can customize the export parameters, including frame rate, quality, and resolution.
AI Integration
While Doodly itself does not natively integrate AI for character creation, users can leverage external AI tools like ChatGPT and Freepik to enhance their character designs. These tools can generate custom characters quickly, ensure consistency in style, and offer creative and innovative designs. For example, users can upload an image to ChatGPT, provide a prompt, and receive a new image based on the input, which can then be imported back into Doodly.
Additional Features
Timeline Editing
Allows users to manage the play head, pan and zoom, video, audio, and voiceover timelines.
Element Locking
Enables users to lock elements in place to maintain their position during the animation.
Undo/Redo Functionality
Provides the ability to undo and redo actions, making it easier to correct mistakes.
Multi-Language Support
Supports multiple languages, making it accessible to a broader user base.
Custom Draw Paths
Allows users to create custom draw paths for imported images, making them look more natural in the animation.
Conclusion
Overall, Doodly’s combination of a user-friendly interface, extensive image library, and comprehensive editing features makes it a powerful tool for creating high-quality whiteboard animations. While it does not have native AI integration, users can effectively use external AI tools to enhance their content.
Doodly - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
- Doodly is generally praised for its ease of use and intuitive interface. Users find it handy for creating doodle videos without requiring extensive technical or design skills.
- However, some users have noted that certain aspects of the software can be slow. For example, rendering speeds can be improved, and exporting videos can take a significant amount of time, sometimes up to 40 minutes for a 5-minute video.
- The software is cloud-based, which means it does not consume a lot of system resources, making it less of a resource hog compared to other video editing programs.
Accuracy
- Doodly’s drawing paths are highly accurate and precise, especially for props and characters. The software automatically aligns the durations of drawings to the length of the scene, ensuring there is always something to look at.
- However, there are some limitations with text animations. The drawing paths for text are not as smooth as those for other assets, with the pen not following each letter’s lines as well as it should.
- Users can import their own images and create custom drawing paths using Doodly’s Smart Draw technology, which helps in maintaining the accuracy and natural look of the drawings.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
- One significant limitation is the lack of color images in the standard plan. Users need to pay an additional fee for the color add-on, which some find to be of poor quality and not worth the extra cost.
- The voiceover feature is basic and can be frustrating to use, particularly when trying to synchronize voice and visuals. This often requires trial and error rather than a straightforward timeline-based approach.
- Doodly lacks offline use capability, which can be inconvenient for users with poor internet connections.
- Some users feel that the software could benefit from more templates and transitions to avoid the creation of repetitive and unprofessional-looking videos.
- The standard libraries are sometimes criticized for lacking contemporary assets, prompting users to upgrade or purchase additional assets.
User Experience
- Despite some limitations, Doodly is appreciated for its frequent updates and active community support. The software receives regular updates based on user feedback, which helps in addressing some of the issues and adding new features.
- The extensive training resources available help users to fully utilize the software’s features, although some users find that mastering these features takes time and practice.
Overall, Doodly performs well in creating professional-looking doodle videos, especially for those with limited design or technical skills. However, it has some areas that need improvement, such as rendering speed, text animation accuracy, and the availability of color images and offline use.
Doodly - Pricing and Plans
Doodly Pricing Plans
Doodly, a video creation tool specializing in doodle and whiteboard animation videos, offers two main pricing plans: Standard and Enterprise. Here’s a breakdown of each plan, including their features and costs.
Standard Plan
- Monthly Billing: $39/month
- Annual Billing: $20/month (which saves you up to 49% compared to monthly billing)
- Features:
- 1,164 Character images
- 1,620 Prop images
- 150 Royalty-Free Music Tracks
- 20 Video Templates
- 35 Fonts
- 84 Scene Templates
- Create Unlimited Videos
- Use On Multiple Computers
- Standard Support
- Invitation to Doodly Design Facebook Group
Enterprise Plan
- Monthly Billing: $69/month
- Annual Billing: $40/month (which also offers significant savings compared to monthly billing)
- Features:
- All features from the Standard Plan
- 3,959 Character images
- 3,341 Prop images
- 250 Royalty-Free Music Tracks
- 40 Video Templates
- 70 Fonts
- Premium Support
- Invitation to Doodly Design Facebook Group
- Access to Doodly Club – Monthly Membership, which includes new characters and images each month
Free Options and Trials
- Doodly does not offer a free version, but it does provide a 30-day money-back guarantee. This allows you to try the software and request a refund if you are not satisfied within the first 30 days.
- There is also a special offer through Voomly Cloud, where you can get Doodly for life when you sign up for a 14-day free trial of Voomly Cloud. However, this is a promotional offer and not a standard free trial for Doodly itself.
Conclusion
In summary, Doodly’s pricing is straightforward with two main plans, each offering a range of features suitable for different needs and budgets. The annual billing option provides significant cost savings for long-term users.
Doodly - Integration and Compatibility
Integrating Doodly with Other Tools
Currently, there is no specific pre-built integration available for Doodly with other tools or services. Unlike some other software, Doodly does not have native connectors to popular SaaS applications or services. If you need to integrate Doodly with other tools, you might have to rely on more generic connectivity options, similar to those described for other services like Doodle (though Doodly and Doodle are different products). However, there is no direct information available on how to achieve this with Doodly specifically.
Compatibility Across Devices
Doodly is compatible with multiple devices, allowing you to use it on various platforms. Here are the details:
Computers
You can download and install Doodly on multiple computers. Your login details can be used across all compatible devices, and your projects are stored in the cloud linked to your account.
Operating Systems
While there is no specific mention of the minimum OS requirements for Doodly, it is generally expected to work on modern operating systems such as Windows and macOS.
Cross-Platform Usage
Doodly does not have mobile apps, so it is primarily used on desktop and laptop computers. There is no information available on using Doodly directly on mobile devices like smartphones or tablets.
Cloud Access
Doodly allows cloud storage for your projects, which means you can access your work from any compatible device with an internet connection. This ensures that your projects are synchronized across all the devices you use.
Summary
In summary, while Doodly offers flexibility in terms of using it on multiple computers and accessing projects via cloud storage, it lacks specific pre-built integrations with other tools. For any advanced integration needs, you would need to explore generic connectivity options or custom solutions.
Doodly - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options
Phone Support
Doodly provides a toll-free phone number, (888) 411-0243, which is available 24/7. This number is primarily used for general inquiries, activation or cancellation requests, account issues, and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) inquiries. If the call is not answered immediately, an automated voice system is available to assist.Email Support
Users can contact Doodly through several email addresses:- support@doodly.com: This is the most commonly used email for general inquiries, complaints, and help with maximizing the benefits of the platform.
- support@voomly.com: An alternative email for general support.
- compliance@voomly.com: Dedicated to legal and privacy inquiries.
Corporate Office
For those who need in-person assistance, Doodly’s corporate office is located at Voomly LLC, 3443 W. Bavaria Street, Eagle, Idaho 83616, United States. The office is open from Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.Additional Resources
Help Center
While the specific Doodly website does not detail an extensive help center, users can find general information and guides on the Voomly blog. For example, there is a step-by-step guide on creating and using Doodly templates efficiently, which includes tips on customizing videos and maintaining consistency in content creation.User Guides and Tutorials
The Voomly blog and other associated resources provide detailed guides on how to use Doodly effectively. These guides cover topics such as converting videos into templates, customizing audio elements, and creating engaging content using Doodly’s features.Community and Feedback
Users can also provide feedback and interact with the support team through the contact information provided. This helps in addressing any issues or concerns and ensures that the support team can adapt to user needs.Product Features and Support
Doodly is part of the Voomly Cloud suite, which includes additional tools like Toonly for cartoon explainer videos, Talkia for professional voiceovers, and an interactive video player. These tools are integrated to enhance the overall video creation experience. For any issues related to these tools, the same support channels (phone and email) can be used. In summary, Doodly offers comprehensive support through phone, email, and in-person options, along with valuable resources such as user guides and tutorials to help users make the most out of the platform. Doodly - Pros and Cons
Pros of Doodly
User-Friendly Interface
Doodly is known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible to users of all skill levels. The drag-and-drop feature allows users to easily place and arrange elements in their videos.
Customization Options
Users can choose from various background styles, character templates, props, and images. Additionally, Doodly allows you to upload your own images, fonts, and music to personalize your videos.
Engaging Content
Doodly helps create fun and engaging content that encourages collaboration and audience interaction. The software supports cool animations, audio, and fun video content.
Diversity and Inclusivity
Doodly’s templates and characters are designed to be inclusive, representing diverse races and cultures.
Cost-Effective
Doodly offers a relatively affordable pricing model, especially with lifetime use offers, which can be more economical than subscription-based alternatives.
AI Integration
Users can enhance their videos by creating custom characters using AI tools like ChatGPT and Freepik, which save time and offer creative possibilities.
Cons of Doodly
Limited Templates and Assets
One of the significant drawbacks is the limited number of templates and assets available, especially in the basic version. Users often need to purchase additional packs, which can be pricey.
Slow Export Process
The export process can be slow, taking around 40 minutes to export a 5-minute video, which can be frustrating for users.
No Free Trial
Unlike some other whiteboard animation software, Doodly does not offer a free trial, making it difficult for users to test the software before committing to a purchase.
Syncing Issues
Doodly lacks the option to sync sound and animation automatically, requiring users to manually adjust the timing, which can be time-consuming.
Customer Support Issues
Some users have reported difficulties with customer support, including errors during the purchase process and a lack of helpful responses from the support team.
Limited Transitions
The software has limited transition options, which can result in videos looking less professional and less polished.
Overall, Doodly is a great tool for creating engaging whiteboard animations, especially for those who value ease of use and customization. However, it has some notable limitations, particularly in terms of templates, export speed, and customer support.
Doodly - Comparison with Competitors
When considering Doodly in the category of AI-driven design tools for creating whiteboard animations
It’s essential to compare it with its competitors to identify unique features and potential alternatives.
Unique Features of Doodly
- Extensive Image Library: Doodly boasts an extensive library of images, including 3596 character images and 3000 prop images. These images are highly detailed and visually appealing, making it easier to create professional-looking videos.
- User-Friendly Interface: Doodly is known for its easy-to-use interface, which includes drag-and-drop functionality. This makes it accessible even for users with no prior experience in video editing or animation.
- Customization Options: Users can customize their videos with various background settings such as whiteboard, dark chalkboard, green chalkboard, glassboard, and custom backgrounds. Additionally, Doodly offers real and cartoon hand options for drawing animations.
- AI Integration: Doodly can be used in conjunction with AI tools like ChatGPT and Freepik to create and enhance custom characters. The “Imagination” bar allows for adjusting the level of variation in the regenerated images, making it a versatile tool for creative needs.
Competitors and Alternatives
VideoScribe
- Similar Interface: VideoScribe also offers a user-friendly interface and a large library of images, although it may not be as extensive as Doodly’s.
- Hand-Drawn Style: VideoScribe is known for its hand-drawn style animations, which can be customized to fit various themes.
- Pricing and Features: VideoScribe’s pricing and features are comparable to Doodly, but it may lack some of the advanced customization options available in Doodly.
Explaindio
- 3D and 2D Animations: Explaindio stands out by offering both 3D and 2D animation capabilities, which can add more variety to your videos.
- Customization: Explaindio provides a wide range of customization options, including the ability to import your own images and videos.
- Ease of Use: While Explaindio is user-friendly, it may have a slightly steeper learning curve compared to Doodly due to its broader range of features.
Powtoon
- Interactive and Engaging: Powtoon is known for creating highly interactive and engaging videos with a focus on presentation-style animations.
- Templates and Assets: Powtoon offers a wide range of templates and assets, making it easier to create videos quickly.
- User Interface: Powtoon’s interface is also user-friendly, but it may be more geared towards creating presentation-style content rather than traditional whiteboard animations.
Additional Considerations
When choosing between these tools, consider factors such as ease of use, the size and quality of the image library, customization options, and pricing. Each tool has its unique strengths and may be more suitable for different types of users or industries.
For example, if you need a tool with a strong focus on hand-drawn animations and an extensive image library, Doodly might be the best choice. If you require 3D animation capabilities, Explaindio could be a better fit. For more presentation-oriented content, Powtoon might be the way to go.
By trying out the free trials of these software options, you can make an informed decision based on your specific requirements and preferences.
Doodly - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Doodly
What is Doodly?
Doodly is a whiteboard animation software that uses a drag-and-drop technique to create animated doodle videos quickly. It is user-friendly and suitable for both newbies and experienced video makers, allowing users to create various types of videos, including marketing videos, product promotions, and social media videos.Does Doodly have a free version or trial?
Doodly does not offer a free version or a free trial period. However, it provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try the software and request a refund if you are not satisfied.How much does Doodly cost?
Doodly offers two pricing plans:- Standard Plan: $39 per month for monthly billing and $20 per month for annual billing.
- Enterprise Plan: $69 per month for monthly billing and $40 per month for annual billing. The annual plans offer significant savings compared to the monthly plans.
What are the key differences between the Standard and Enterprise plans?
The main differences between the two plans are:- Character and Prop Images: The Enterprise plan includes more character images (3,959 vs 1,164) and prop images (3,341 vs 1,620).
- Music Tracks: The Enterprise plan offers 250 royalty-free music tracks, while the Standard plan offers 150.
- Video Templates: The Enterprise plan includes 40 video templates, compared to 20 in the Standard plan.
- Fonts and Scene Templates: The Enterprise plan has more fonts (70 vs 35) and the same number of scene templates (84).
- Support: The Enterprise plan comes with premium support, whereas the Standard plan has standard support.
Can I use Doodly on multiple computers?
Yes, you can download and install Doodly on multiple computers. There is no limit to the number of devices you can use with your login details, and all your projects will be stored in the cloud linked to your account.Do I need to have drawing skills to use Doodly?
No, you do not need drawing skills to use Doodly. The software is designed to be user-friendly and uses a drag-and-drop technique, making it easy for anyone to create whiteboard videos.Are there video templates available in Doodly?
Yes, Doodly offers free video templates based on your account access level (Standard or Enterprise). You can also purchase additional templates from the Doodly Marketplace.Can I import my own images and fonts into Doodly?
Yes, you can import your own images and fonts into Doodly. To upload fonts, go to the text menu on the Doodly dashboard and click the blue and white symbol. For images, go to the prop’s menu and follow similar steps.Does Doodly have an auto-save feature?
Yes, Doodly has an auto-save feature located under the settings option at the bottom left-hand side of the interface when working on a project.Do I own the work I create with Doodly?
Yes, you own the work product and content you create using Doodly. However, Doodly retains the rights to the software and the images, sounds, and other creative elements provided for use within the software. You are responsible for ensuring you have the necessary rights to any content you add to your work.Is Doodly available on mobile or tablet devices?
No, Doodly does not currently have a mobile or tablet app. It is designed for use on computers. Doodly - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Doodly
Doodly is a versatile and user-friendly whiteboard animation tool that offers a range of benefits, particularly for those looking to create engaging and informative videos without breaking the bank.Key Benefits
- Engagement and Retention: Doodly videos are highly effective at grabbing viewers’ attention and improving information retention through their dynamic visuals, illustrations, text, and voiceover.
- Simplifying Complex Concepts: The tool excels at breaking down intricate ideas into simple, digestible visual elements, making it easier for viewers to comprehend and remember key information.
- Versatile Use Cases: Doodly is suitable for various applications, including product or service explanations, employee training and onboarding, internal communication, and social media marketing.
Pricing and Features
Doodly offers two main pricing plans:- Standard Plan: Costs $39/month for monthly billing and $20/month for annual billing. This plan includes 1,164 character images, 1,620 prop images, 150 royalty-free music tracks, 20 video templates, and standard support.
- Enterprise Plan: Costs $69/month for monthly billing and $40/month for annual billing. This plan includes all the features of the standard plan plus additional character images, prop images, music tracks, and premium support.
Who Would Benefit Most
Doodly is particularly beneficial for:- Small to Medium-Sized Businesses: Looking to create engaging marketing videos, explain products or services, and communicate internally without a large budget.
- Freelancers and Course Creators: Needing a cost-effective tool to produce high-quality whiteboard animations for clients or educational content.
- E-Learning Developers: Seeking to make interactive and engaging training modules.
- Individuals in Rural Areas: Benefiting from the offline mode feature, which allows users to create videos without an internet connection.
Overall Recommendation
Doodly is a solid choice for anyone needing to create whiteboard animations without the need for advanced features or a high budget. Here are some key points to consider:- Cost-Effective: Doodly is more affordable compared to other premium animation tools, making it accessible to a wider range of users.
- Ease of Use: The tool is user-friendly and allows for the creation of custom drawing paths for imported images, a unique feature that enhances the visual appeal of the videos.
- Offline Mode: This feature is particularly useful for those with slow or unreliable internet connections.