Text to Animation AI
your words, drawn and moving
Paste or upload your text. DistilBook turns it into narration, draws a scene for each idea and animates it as the voice speaks.
- •Say who it is for and what they should be able to do after watching.
- •Name the two or three ideas the video must cover.
- •Mention an example or analogy you want used.
Trusted by teams, schools, and organizations around the world
DistilBook turns text into animation by writing a narration script from it, drawing an original illustration for each idea, and animating each scene in time with an AI voice, either as a hand-drawn whiteboard reveal or as motion graphics. You edit the script before anything is drawn, and a short whiteboard animation is ready in about 5 minutes. It animates the meaning of your text; it does not add animated effects to the letters themselves.
You start free: signing up gives you 10 credits with no credit card, a slide costs 10 credits, so the first slide of your video generates free and you can watch it in full; the rest unlocks on a paid plan. DistilBook accepts PDF, Word, images, plain text, a web article link, or a written prompt, and you approve the AI narration script before anything renders. Paid plans start at $20 per month for 227 credits, roughly 22 slides, which removes the watermark and unlocks MP4 export at up to 1440p. Narration is available in 20 languages, and the text to animation output can carry your own logo and brand colors. Whiteboard and motion videos can be made in 16:9 landscape or in 9:16 vertical for Shorts, Reels and TikTok. Since April 2026, more than 1,400 people have made over 2,800 videos with DistilBook, most of them from PDFs.
Last updated : timings, limits and prices on this page were checked against the live product.
Which kind of text to animation is this?
Text to animation means three different things. Animated text effects, such as typing, bouncing or glowing titles, are made in video editors like CapCut, Canva or After Effects. Character and 3D animation, where figures act out a story with lip-sync, is a job for character-animation tools such as Animaker or a 3D package. The third kind turns what the text says into an animated explainer: illustrated scenes, drawn or moved on screen while a voice explains them. DistilBook is the third kind.
Is it the right tool for you?
Best for
- Explaining a concept, process or argument from notes, a lesson, an article or a script
- Whiteboard animation from text without drawing anything yourself
- Faceless YouTube channels, Shorts and course lessons that need a steady output
- People who want to approve every spoken line before the animation is made
Not for
- Animated titles and kinetic typography: use CapCut, Canva or After Effects
- Characters that walk, talk and lip-sync, or 3D scenes
- Realistic or cinematic footage from a one-line prompt
- Frame-by-frame control over every element: use a manual editor
What do the videos look like?
Untouched DistilBook output. Press play on any of them.
How does it work?
Add your text
Paste or type it, or upload a .txt, Markdown, Word or PDF file. Notes, a script, a lesson or an article all work. If you only have a topic, describe it and the AI writes from that.
Pick how it should move
Choose Guided Explainer for hand-drawn whiteboard animation, where each scene is drawn stroke by stroke as the narration reaches it, or Motion Explainer for motion graphics in styles such as isometric, soft 3D, cut paper collage or inkwash. Then pick 16:9 or 9:16.
Approve the script
The AI turns your text into spoken narration, one scene per idea, and pauses. Edit any line, and add visual instructions if a scene should show something specific. Nothing is animated until you approve.
Watch, adjust, export
Each scene is illustrated and animated in sync with the voice. Change a slide's artwork in the editor if one misses, then share a link or download the MP4.
How do you write text that animates well?
The animation follows the ideas in your text, one scene per idea. Text written with that in mind comes out clearer, whatever style you pick.
Give each idea its own paragraph
- Put one idea in each paragraph or under each heading; headings become the scene breaks.
- Lead each paragraph with its point, then the detail.
- Cut asides and lists of caveats that would need their own scene.
Write things that can be drawn
- Use a concrete example or analogy for abstract ideas, such as a leaking bucket for customer churn.
- Name the objects you want to see, because the illustration is drawn from them.
- Use visual instructions at the script step to steer any scene, for example show a timeline left to right.
Match the style to the job
- Whiteboard for teaching and step-by-step reasoning, where the drawing-on effect holds attention.
- Motion styles such as isometric or flat vector for products, processes and business topics.
- 9:16 vertical for Shorts, Reels and TikTok; 16:9 for YouTube, courses and slides.
What do you get in every video?
| Video styles | 19 styles: hand-drawn whiteboard plus motion graphics |
|---|---|
| Narration | AI voices in 20 languages, reviewed and editable before generation |
| First result | First narrated slide plays in about 6 minutes |
| Branding | Your logo, colors, and company text on every slide |
| Editing | Edit narration, slide images, titles, and reveals before rendering |
| Export | MP4 at 720p, 1080p, or 1440p, plus a shareable web link |
| Inputs | PDF, Word, images, plain text, web articles, or a written prompt |
What does it cost?
The first slide generates free with 10 signup credits. Paid plans are priced per slide, so a video costs a predictable amount.
| Plan | Price | Credits | What that makes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 10 credits on signup | First slide generated, watermarked preview | No credit card |
| Basic | $20 / month | 227 credits / month | About 22 slides, 45 minutes of video | MP4 download, no watermark |
| Pro | $50 / month | 643 credits / month | About 64 slides | 1080p export, longer videos |
| Max | $100 / month | 1,334 credits / month | About 133 slides | 1440p export, priority queue |
One slide costs 10 credits. Yearly plans are 30% cheaper. Full details on the pricing page.
Who is this for?
YouTube and Shorts creators
Turn a written script into an animated, narrated video on a schedule, with no drawing, no recording and no timeline.
Teachers and exam-prep tutors
Turn lesson notes into a whiteboard animation students can replay, with every step drawn as it is explained.
Small studios and agencies
Produce first cuts of animated explainers from client copy in minutes, then refine the slides that need it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free text to animation AI?
You can start free: signup gives 10 credits with no credit card, and a slide costs 10 credits, so the first slide of your animation generates free and plays in full. The rest of the video unlocks on a paid plan from $20 a month, which also removes the watermark.
How do I turn text into a whiteboard animation?
Paste or upload the text, choose Guided Explainer and a whiteboard style, review the narration script, and approve. Each scene is drawn by AI and revealed stroke by stroke in time with the voiceover. A short whiteboard video takes about 5 minutes.
Can it make cartoon characters or 3D animation from text?
No. The scenes are 2D illustrations, either hand-drawn whiteboard or motion graphics such as soft 3D-look and isometric styles, animated as they are explained. There are no rigged characters, no lip-sync and no true 3D scenes.
Can I animate my text word for word?
Yes. By default the AI writes narration from your text, but if you already have the exact words you can have them narrated as written. Either way the script pauses for your review before anything is generated.
How long can a text animation be?
You set the length and the number of slides follows it. Each whiteboard slide gives about 2 minutes of finished video and each motion slide about 25 seconds. Motion videos run up to 4 minutes on the $20 plan, 6 on Pro and 10 on Max.
Can I add on-screen text and titles?
Yes. After generation the editor lets you change text, overlays and timing, and edit any slide's artwork. Animated typography effects as the main event are better made in a video editor.
How does DistilBook compare?
Deciding between tools? These honest comparisons cover pricing, visual styles, and who should pick which.
Common questions are answered on the answers page, and step by step guides live in the docs.
Or read the full roundup: the best AI tools to turn documents into training videos in 2026.
Related tools
Text to Video AI
Upload your notes, an article or a chapter. DistilBook writes the narration, draws a scene for every idea and voices it.
Animated Video Maker
Animated scenes generated for your content, narrated and synced. No animator, no timeline, no clip-art library.
Script to Video
You already wrote it. Paste the script and get animated scenes narrated in your words, not a rewrite.
AI Whiteboard Animation Generator
Turn any document or idea into a hand-drawn whiteboard video with AI narration. No drawing, no recording, no timeline editing.
Doodle Video Maker
Playful, hand-drawn doodle videos generated from your content. Big personality, zero drawing skill needed.
Free Animated Video Maker
Animated scenes generated from your topic or document, narrated. Free to make, no credit card, no animation skills.
Notes to Video Generator
Messy notes in, a clean narrated lesson out. The AI organises your notes into a story, illustrates each idea, and narrates it in the voice and language you choose.
Ready to see your content as a video?
Your first narrated slide is about 3 minutes away.