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Adding a short intro clip that plays before your YouTube video content can help grab your viewer's attention.
You can use it to reveal the name of your YouTube channel, introduce you and your brand, and give a short overview of the video content. The most catchy intro videos are relatively short (a 10-second intro is a good length) and include brand assets like logos, colors, and images.
You can easily create custom intros for your YouTube videos using online software. These video intro makers often include customizable templates and many additional features to create an engaging clip.
We've created a shortlist of creative YouTube intro makers that offer a wide range of features to help you find the right software.
1. Linearity Move
Have you ever wished you could turn a static design into a sophisticated animated video? With Linearity Move, you can.
Since launching Linearity Curve, our flagship vector graphics software, we've seen a rising tide of vector animations in digital marketing.
This is where Linearity Move comes in: it's the easy-to-use, one-click marketing animation tool you've always wanted. You can create animated flyers, social media posts, explainer videos, digital displays, and online ads.
Built with simplicity and productivity in mind. You can even create custom shapes and text elements in Linearity Move Design Mode.
It's equally powerful for individuals and teams to create, collaborate, and share their work. Pricing starts at $7.99/month (annual).
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Pros and cons of Linearity Move
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy-to-use, one-click marketing animation tool | Currently less known than competitors |
| Sophisticated features like timelines, keyframes, layers, and customizable templates | Smaller online community |
| Equally powerful for individuals and teams, education pricing for students and teachers | |
| Huge stock library with over 3,000 customizable templates and 80,000 royalty-free icons | |
| A free plan is available to try out the tool before investing |
“Super easy to use! Love the templates—they mean any member of the marketing team can easily get started with creating animated assets for social channels, announcements, and even performance marketing assets. It makes marketing a ton more productive and efficient. Great quality output at a much faster pace.”—Rory W., Product Marketer on G2
Ready to try new and innovative animation software? Get started below.
2. Renderforest
Renderforest offers a library of intro video templates. These include sophisticated logo animations, outros, and more. You can then use its intuitive interface and customization options to change the fonts and color scheme, add audio files, and more.
You can create a high-quality YouTube intro using Renderforest, but it has a watermark when you export your custom video intro with the program's free version. To avoid this, you must sign up for one of Renderforest’s monthly plans, starting at $9.99/month.
Renderforest is a web-based platform, which is both a good and bad thing. On the one hand, the in-browser editor is accessible and can be used by anyone on any operating system or device. But you can only use the platform with an internet connection.
Pros and cons of Renderforest
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extensive library of intro video templates | Free version includes a watermark |
| Intuitive interface with customizable options | Monthly subscription required for advanced features and watermark removal |
| Web-based platform, accessible from any device with an internet connection | Dependence on an internet connection for use |
“Renderforest has been a staple in my advertising internally and externally. Our target audience loves it and always has delightful feedback about it. Whether it was a logo created or a video created using the awesome templates, everything is just so simple to use.”—Willis L., Renderforest user on G2
3. Canva
Canva is one of the best-known online graphic design tools used by many non-designers and marketers. You can use it to create quick template-based designs for web and print.
You can also use it to make intro videos for your YouTube channel. If you’re on the Canva Pro premium package, you can access many pre-made video intros, audio, and effects.
It offers a handful of basic tools to customize your video intro, and you can export it without a watermark. The platform is easy to use but lacks some essential video editing tools: layers and keyframes. It’s also limited by its small selection of animation presets.
Pros and cons of Canva
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly interface, ideal for non-designers | Basic video editing tools, lacking advanced features |
| Access to many pre-made video intros and audio effects in the Pro version | Pro version required for full access to features |
| Allows video export without watermarks | Limited customization options compared to specialized video editing software |
“I love that Canva provides an easy and intuitive way to create creative designs without the need for extensive graphic design knowledge. Canva's tools make it quick and easy to create eye-catching images, social media graphics, presentations, logos, and more. In addition, many templates and design elements help you get inspired and quickly bring your ideas to life. It's easy to implement a project in a couple of mouse clicks”—Anna S., Canva user on G2
4. Animaker
If you’re looking for a cartoon animation-style intro, Animaker is a good option. It has a stock library of custom animations from which you can choose. You can pick one of their templates that best suits your channel or video and then work from there.
It offers features for animating text, adding characters and avatars, inserting objects, and more. It has a user-friendly interface that beginners will welcome, but there are some animation tools and creative features to satisfy more advanced users and experts.
As with some of the other intro makers on our list, it’s free to use. Your intro animation will be watermarked when you export it, unless you sign up for one of the premium plans. The pricing starts from $10/month.
Pros and cons of Animaker
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers cartoon animation-style templates | Free version exports videos with a watermark |
| User-friendly interface suitable for beginners | Premium plans required for advanced features |
| Features for animating text, adding characters, and more | Limited in terms of complex video editing capabilities |
“One really great thing is the many ways you can share your creations. You can publish your videos directly from Animaker to platforms like YouTube or Facebook. This makes it easy to get your content out to a wide audience.”—Verified User on G2
Ready to create brand assets that pack a punch?
Visit our Academy for free marketing design courses.
5. Placeit
This video intro maker boasts a large library of video templates. Luckily, this massive template library is categorized, making searching for the perfect intro template much easier and more user-friendly.
You can customize the templates with your own logo and fonts, choose a soundtrack from Placeit’s music library, and more. Its simple interface is easy to use.
The downside is that the platform does not offer a free option. You can download your video clips for $9 per video or subscribe for unlimited downloads.
Placeit is a viable option for quick, professional intro videos made from a wide selection of high-quality intro templates. If you'd prefer to pay per video, this platform may fulfill your expectations.
Pros and cons of Placeit
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large library of categorized video templates | No free option available |
| Customization options for logos, fonts, and soundtracks | Pay-per-video or subscription model might not be suitable for all users |
| Simple, easy-to-use interface | Limited in terms of advanced editing features |
6. InVideo
This established and popular video creation platform has templates for various video types, such as gaming intros, 3D animations, podcast intros, and more.
It offers tools for making YouTube intros and lets you quickly create an eye-catching intro. Like almost all of the video makers on this list, it offers customizable template videos. There are over 8 million photos and video snippets to browse and choose from.
InVideo also has some handy design tools to get creative and make custom graphics. These include editing options to trim, crop, make transitions, and add text effects. You can also trim, loop, and manipulate the audio to add some sound effects.
The video animation options include slide, blur, disco, and more. The free software version uses watermarks, so you must upgrade to get non-watermarked versions. InVideo subscriptions start at $15 a month.
Pros and cons of InVideo
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Templates for various video types, including YouTube intros | Free version uses watermarks |
| Over 8 million photos and video snippets available | Subscription required for non-watermarked versions and more features |
| Handy design tools for custom graphics and editing | May not offer as advanced editing tools as some specialized software |
“If you're looking for a tool for creating short social media videos or Facebook ads, InVideo is the answer. It has a user-friendly interface and hundreds of ready-made templates. Above all, they're about to introduce their AI feature to create videos.”—Ahmed Y., Small Business Founder on G2
7. Adobe Express
Adobe Express, the new avatar of Adobe Spark, is a comprehensive design app from Adobe's suite. It's designed for creating graphics, web pages, and short videos.
This online video editor can be particularly effective for crafting engaging YouTube intros, thanks to its user-friendly interface and wide selection of pre-made animation templates.
Adobe Express is fully integrated with other Adobe products, making it ideal for users already using other professional Adobe design software. Luckily for those interested, Adobe express has a free plan. After that, users can expect to pay a minimum of $11.49 monthly.
Pros and cons of Adobe Express
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wide variety of professionally designed templates suitable for creating YouTube intros | Limited advanced video editing features compared to more specialized software |
| Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud | Advanced features and full template access require a subscription |
| Simple, drag-and-drop interface |
8. Biteable
Biteable is an intuitive online video maker for creating short, engaging video content like YouTube intros.
It's designed for ease of use, making it a go-to for businesses and individuals who want to produce high-quality intros quickly without deep video editing expertise. This platform is particularly suitable for users looking for simplicity and speed in creating professional-looking intro videos.
Pricing starts at $49/month.
Pros and cons of Biteable
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use, with a straightforward interface | Limited customization in the free version |
| High-quality video templates suitable for intros | The free version includes a Biteable watermark |
| Good selection of stock footage and animations | Premium version needed for more advanced features |
| Quick rendering and sharing options | Not as feature-rich as some other tools |
| Useful for both beginners and professionals |
"The best thing about Biteable is its simple, easy-to-use and implement interface, which makes video creation accessible to users of all abilities. From selecting web templates to incorporating text and music, end users can make professional-looking video clips with little effort.”—Seema C., Biteable user on G2
9. Vyond
Vyond, formerly known as GoAnimate, is a powerful animation tool primarily used for creating animated videos, including YouTube intros. It offers a broad range of features, from character animations to customizable scenes. This makes it ideal for more dynamic and story-driven intro videos.
It's best for creators looking for animated, explainer-style intros. However, there is no free plan, and the monthly prices start at $25, making it a relatively expensive option.
Pros and cons of Vyond
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extensive range of animation features | Higher learning curve than simpler tools |
| Large library of characters, props, and scenes | More expensive than some competitors |
| High customization potential | Limited options in the free trial |
| Ideal for storytelling and explainer videos | May be overwhelming for complete beginners |
| Regular updates with new features | Requires more time investment for complex videos |
“Vyond has been a game changer for our organization! We have the ability to easily create videos utilizing the content library with different characters, scenes, props and music. I love the new AI feature with Vyond Go which makes creating video content even faster! It's super easy to integrate your videos and characters into other e-learning software programs or training materials.” - Carolyn F., G2
10. Powtoon
This popular platform for creating animated videos and presentations is known for its ease of use and flexibility. It's also a good choice for creating YouTube intros without extensive technical skills.
It's optimized for users who want to create engaging animated or infographic-style videos.
Pros and cons of Powtoon
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly interface, suitable for beginners | Free version includes a Powtoon watermark |
| Wide range of styles and templates | More advanced features locked behind paywall |
| Large library of assets (images, videos, soundtracks) | Not as in-depth as professional editing tools |
| Good for both animated and infographic-style intros | Limited video export options in the free version |
| Regularly updated with new features and templates |
“Powtoon is one of the best and most advanced software that helps a user create beautiful videos and presentations in a matter of minutes. It has an intuitive interface and comes with an array of pre-made templates that are made to cater to a spectrum of needs.”—Verified user on G2
11. FlexClip
FlexClip is an online video editing platform for both beginners and experienced creators. It offers a user-friendly interface with various resources to help you create your YouTube intro. FlexClip stands out with its extensive library of pre-designed templates, allowing you to quickly create professional-looking intros, explainer videos, or social media content.
FlexClip offers the standard tools for adding text, music, and stock footage. However, it also has AI-powered automatic video creation and background removal features. There is a free plan, but if you need more features, you can expect to pay a minimum of $9.99 monthly.
Pros and cons of FlexClip
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality | Free plan restricts video length and resolution (only 480p) and includes a watermark on exported videos. |
| Large collection of royalty-free stock videos, photos, and music | You need to pay for the more advanced features |
| AI-powered features | Lacks professional editing tools |
| Cloud-based platform for flexible access to your videos | |
| Free plan available |
“The video footage library is excellent. It has absolutely everything I need to create short videos for my social media and websites. Graphics, texts, images, icons, can all be added easily using a very intuitive editor.”—Verified user on G2
12. Typito
If you don’t have extensive video editing knowledge, Typito may be the tool for you. This online platform makes text-based video creation easy. It provides a drag-and-drop interface where you can choose from a huge library of text templates and animations, incorporating motion graphics into your intro.
With free and paid plans available, you can decide on a solution that fits your budget and your YouTube intro needs.
Pros and cons of Typito
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free plan available plus affordable paid plans | Not suitable for complex video editing projects. |
| You can incorporate motion graphics and effects to add dynamism to your intro. | Very template-focused, so fewer customization options are available |
| The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to use, especially for those new to video editing. | The free plan exports videos with a Typito watermark |
| Good for both animated and infographic-style intros |
Typito is easy to use, with a simple interface and easy-to-follow steps that make uploading and editing videos quick and fun. There are plenty of text options to choose from, and the social media banners are great.”—Aviva S., Typito user on G2
Ready to make engaging videos for your YouTube Channel?
This is our small selection of the best and most popular YouTube intro makers out there, but you can also search for other animation software options.
Choosing a YouTube intro maker can be challenging, especially if you have a specific style in mind. Whether you want to go for an explainer, infographic, or cartoon animation style, there's an animation tool for you. And most of this software can be used for so much more than YouTube intros.
Linearity Move is seamlessly integrated with Linearity Curve. With this powerful design + animation software combo, you can create eye-popping designs and animate them in one click.
You can also develop your graphic design and motion graphics skills with the free step-by-step tutorials in the Linearity Academy.
Ready to try new and innovative marketing animation software? Get started with Linearity for free below.
FAQs
What is a YouTube Intro and why do I need one?
A YouTube Intro is a short video clip that plays at the beginning of your videos. It can help brand your channel, introduce yourself or your channel's theme, and grab viewers' attention.
How long should a YouTube Intro be?
Ideally, your intro should be short and sweet, around 5-10 seconds long. You want to capture viewers' attention quickly without dragging on.
What should I include in my YouTube Intro?
Your intro can include your channel logo, channel name, a catchy slogan, and some background music or sound effects. You can also use animation or motion graphics to make it visually appealing.
Do I need to be a graphic designer to create a YouTube Intro?
No! There are many free and paid intro maker tools available online that allow you to create a professional-looking intro even with no design experience.
Will there be a watermark on my intro if I use the free version?
Some free intro makers might add a watermark to your intro video. This watermark is usually a way to advertise their service. Paid plans typically allow you to remove watermarks.
Is it difficult to use an Intro Maker tool?
Intro maker tools are generally designed to be user-friendly, even for beginners with no editing experience. Many use a drag-and-drop interface where you can easily customize templates with your own text, logos, and colors.
What are some features to look for in an Intro Maker tool?
Here are some features to consider:
- Template library: Variety and quality of templates for different styles and themes.
- Customization options: Ability to change fonts, colors, animations, and music to match your branding.
- Free vs Paid options: Features and limitations of free plans compared to paid subscriptions.
- Export options: Ability to download your intro in high-quality video formats.
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Benjamin Barnhart
Ben is the Principal Copywriter for Linearity, living in Berlin. His hobbies include board games, cooking, reading, and writing.
