Buyer's guide

Best Storyboard Software in 2026

Ten storyboard tools for film, commercials and video, compared on what they actually do: drawing, AI frames, 3D previs, client review and the step from board to shoot. With current prices and free plans.

Updated October 14, 2026 · 10 tools compared

Our recommendation in 30 seconds

The short answer depends on how you make your frames and what happens after the board is done.

  • Board that becomes the shootTillyBoardAI preview frames per shot, sitting in the same project as schedule, call sheet and packing list. Free plan available.
  • Agency pitch boardsBoordsScript to storyboard, AI frames, animatics and client review without sign-up.
  • Drawing by hand, freeStoryboarderFree desktop app with drawing tools, animatics and NLE export; no longer actively updated.
  • 3D previs on iPadPrevis ProSets, cameras and lenses in 3D, with AR on location.
  • Full feature-film suiteStudioBinderStoryboard next to script breakdown, stripboard and call sheets.
  • Generative AI visualsLTX StudioAI storyboards and pitch decks from a script, with video generation on top.

What storyboard software has to do in 2026

A storyboard is a working document, not a piece of art. It tells the DP which frame to light, the client what they are buying and the editor what they will get. The best storyboard software gets those frames out of your head quickly and keeps them connected to the shots you actually have to film.

In 2026 there are roughly four ways to make the frames: drawing them yourself, placing figures in a 3D scene, building them from templates and stock, or generating them with AI. The tools below cover all four. Some stop at the board, others carry it on into the shot list, the schedule and the call sheet. That second question decides more about your workload than the drawing tools do.

Disclosure: this guide is published by TillyBoard, and TillyBoard is on the list. We put it first for one use case and say plainly where other tools are the better choice. All competitor facts come from the vendors' own websites and are linked.

Comparison at a glance

Tool Best for Free plan Paid from Platforms
1TillyBoardBoards that turn into the shoot planYes (1 project)€19/mo (annual)Web, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
2BoordsAgency boards and animaticsYes (5 boards)$26/mo (annual)Web
3StudioBinderStoryboards inside a full production suiteYes (1 project)$29/moWeb
4StoryboarderHand-drawn boards, freeYes (free)FreemacOS, Windows, Linux
5Previs Pro3D previs and AR on locationYes (watermark)$119.99/yriPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro
6LTX StudioAI-generated boards and decksYes (personal use)$28/mo (annual)Web
7MilanoteMoodboards and visual brainstormingYes (100 items)$9.99/mo (annual)Web, desktop and mobile apps
8Krock.ioStoryboards plus video reviewYes (2 projects)$10/userWeb, plugins for Resolve, Adobe, Final Cut
9CanvaQuick template-based boardsYes€12/moWeb, Windows, Mac
10MiroCollaborative whiteboard boardsYes (3 boards)$8/mo (annual)Web, iOS, Android

Prices as listed on each vendor's official pricing page in October 2026, excluding VAT unless stated. Annual billing is usually cheaper than monthly. Sources are linked under each tool.

How we compared

We judged each tool as someone who delivers a board this week and shoots from it next week. Prices and free-plan limits were checked on each vendor's official pricing page on 14 October 2026.

How frames are made

Drawing tools, 3D scenes, templates or AI generation, and how much skill each one needs.

From board to shoot

Whether the frames stay linked to a shot list, schedule and call sheet, or end as a PDF.

Client review

Comments on frames, share links and whether the client needs an account.

Animatics and export

Timed playback with sound, PDF, image and NLE export.

Price and free plan

Entry price, what the free plan really allows and licence limits such as watermarks or personal use only.

Platforms and upkeep

Browser, desktop, iPad or phone, and whether the software is still updated.

The 10 best storyboard tools in detail

#1

TillyBoard

Best for commercial and brand-film crews who shoot from the board

TillyBoard is pre-production software for commercials, brand films and social content. The storyboard is not a separate canvas: every shot in the shot list gets an AI preview frame generated from its action text. Select the rows, click Generate images, and each shot has a frame for framing and mood. If you tick the option, talent headshots and location photos go in as references.

Because the frames live on the shots, they travel with them into the shooting schedule, the call sheet and the client review. Tilly AI, the assistant inside TillyBoard, drafts the concept and the shot list from your brief; you set the direction.

Strengths

  • Preview frames are generated per shot and stay linked to schedule and call sheet
  • Your own cast and locations can be used as image references
  • Segments add up runtime against a target, so a 30-second spot is checked before the shoot
  • Web app plus native apps for iPhone, iPad (with Apple Pencil) and Apple Watch

Weaknesses

  • No freehand drawing canvas or animatic editor like dedicated storyboard tools
  • AI images are capped per plan, from 10 a month on Free to 200 on Team
  • Built for commercials and brand content rather than feature-film script breakdowns
  • Native apps only for Apple devices; elsewhere it runs in the browser

Pricing: Free €0 (1 project, 1 GB, 10 AI images a month). Creator €22 a month or €19 billed annually, Studio €39 (€35), Team €109 (€99), Enterprise on request. Excluding VAT, monthly plans cancel any time.

Who it is for: Directors, producers and in-house video teams who need a board the client understands and a shoot plan built from the same shots.

Source: TillyBoard pricing on the homepage · As of October 2026

TillyBoard storyboard software

#2

Boords

Best for agencies pitching and approving boards with clients

Boords calls itself a pre-production platform for video agencies. You paste or write a script, and Boords turns it into a storyboard; frames can be uploaded, drawn elsewhere or generated with AI in sketch, vector or photoreal styles. A built-in animatic editor adds timing and audio and exports MP4.

Strengths

  • Script-to-storyboard and AI frames with several styles
  • Animatic editor with audio and MP4 export
  • Clients comment on frames without signing up; password-protected links
  • Generates a shot list from the script; API, webhooks and MCP server

Weaknesses

  • Web only, no native apps mentioned
  • Free plan is limited to five active storyboards and eight AI credits
  • No shooting schedule or call sheet; the board ends at pre-visualisation

Pricing: Free: five active storyboards, eight one-off AI credits. Solo $26 a month billed annually or $39 monthly with 250 AI images a month; Pro $50 (up to 5 users), Team $85 (up to 10), annually.

Who it is for: Agency producers, creative teams and freelance directors whose main deliverable is an approved board or animatic.

Source: Boords pricing page · As of October 2026

TillyBoard vs. BoordsBoords alternatives

#3

StudioBinder

Best all-in-one suite for scripted film and TV

StudioBinder is a browser-based production management suite. The storyboard sits next to a screenplay editor, script breakdown, stripboard scheduling, shot lists, lookbooks and call sheets. Frames are uploaded images arranged per scene and shot, so the board connects to the rest of the production data.

Strengths

  • Storyboard, shot list, stripboard and call sheet in one workspace
  • Script breakdown for scripted productions
  • Free plan without time limit

Weaknesses

  • Free plan caps every module at ten entries, which ends a real storyboard quickly
  • No native app according to its help center; mobile is the responsive website
  • Extra users cost $25 a month each

Pricing: Free never expires but caps each module at ten entries. Starter $29 a month (1 user, 10 projects), Indie $49 (2 users), Professional $99 (4 users); extra users $25 a month.

Who it is for: Production companies and indie filmmakers working from a screenplay who want one system for every department.

Source: StudioBinder plan overview (official help center) · As of October 2026

TillyBoard vs. StudioBinderStudioBinder alternatives

#4

Storyboarder

Best free tool for drawing boards yourself

Storyboarder by Wonder Unit is a free, open-source desktop app for drawing storyboards. It has pencil, pen and brush tools, builds animatics, and exports to Premiere, Final Cut and Avid as well as PDF contact sheets and GIFs. Its Shot Generator builds a 3D reference from a typed shot description that you can draw over.

Strengths

  • Completely free, no account needed
  • Real drawing tools plus animatics
  • Export to Premiere, Final Cut and Avid

Weaknesses

  • Last stable release 2.1.0 is from September 2020
  • Desktop only, no cloud sharing or client comments
  • No shot list, schedule or production features

Pricing: Free download, no paid tiers. The last stable release, 2.1.0, dates from September 2020; a 3.0 pre-release followed in February 2021.

Who it is for: Students, story artists and directors who draw and want a free tool without subscriptions.

Source: Storyboarder download page · As of October 2026

#5

Previs Pro

Best for 3D previs on iPad and iPhone

Previs Pro builds storyboards from 3D scenes: characters, props, sets, cameras and lights that you place and frame with real lens values. You can import a Final Draft script, animate shots into an animatic, place the scene in augmented reality on the real location and add AI-generated characters and images paid for with credits.

Strengths

  • Accurate framing with virtual cameras and lenses
  • AR placement on the real location
  • Lifetime licence available; actively updated (version 3.6.0 in October 2026)

Weaknesses

  • Apple devices only, no web or Windows
  • No shot list, schedule or call sheet
  • AI features cost extra credits on top of the subscription

Pricing: Free with watermarked exports. $39.99 a month, $119.99 a year or $359.99 lifetime (US App Store). AI assets cost extra credits, from $4.99 for 100.

Who it is for: DPs, directors and students who need exact blocking and lens choices before the shoot, without drawing.

Source: Previs Pro pricing page · As of October 2026

#6

LTX Studio

Best for generative AI storyboards and pitch decks

LTX Studio from Lightricks is a generative AI studio. It turns text, images or a script into storyboards and pitch decks, keeps characters and objects consistent as reusable elements, and goes on to generate video with its own LTX models and partner models.

Strengths

  • AI storyboard and pitch-deck generator
  • Consistent characters across frames
  • Can go on from frames to generated video

Weaknesses

  • Free plan is for personal use only and has no AI storyboards
  • AI storyboards and the commercial licence start with the Standard plan
  • Credit-based, so heavy use costs more; no production planning

Pricing: Free: 800 one-off credits, personal use, blank storyboards only. Lite $12 a month billed annually. AI storyboards and the commercial licence start with Standard at $28 a month annually or $35 monthly.

Who it is for: Creators, marketers and agencies who want polished AI visuals for a pitch rather than a working board for set.

Source: LTX Studio pricing page · As of October 2026

#7

Milanote

Best for moodboards and loose visual planning

Milanote is an infinite canvas for creative work. Its storyboard templates for film, motion, TV commercials and photo give you frames you fill with images, sketches and notes, right next to references and moodboards.

Strengths

  • Storyboard templates next to moodboards and references
  • Pen tool and sketch cards; Pexels image search built in
  • Share via secret link, viewers need no account

Weaknesses

  • No AI image generation, animatic or shot list on the storyboard
  • Free plan holds only 100 items, which a board fills quickly
  • Not a production tool: no schedule or call sheet

Pricing: Free without time limit for 100 notes, images or links. Paid: $9.99 per person and month billed annually, or $12.50 monthly.

Who it is for: Creative directors and filmmakers in the idea phase, before shots are locked.

Source: Milanote pricing page · As of October 2026

TillyBoard vs. MilanoteMilanote alternatives

#8

Krock.io

Best for storyboards that go straight into review

Krock.io is primarily a review and approval platform for video, images and audio, with a storyboard module and Storyboard AI added. Storyboards export as PDF, CSV or animatic, and the same workspace later handles timecoded feedback on the cut.

Strengths

  • Storyboard and later video review in one place
  • Unlimited reviewers, password and expiring links
  • Low entry price of $10 per user

Weaknesses

  • Storyboarding is one module, not the core product
  • No shot list mentioned, no shooting schedule
  • Plan-by-plan feature split was not clearly stated on the pricing page

Pricing: Free: one user, two projects, 2 GB, unlimited reviewers. Pro $10 per user with unlimited projects and 2 TB; Unlimited from $400 including 100 users. 7-day trial.

Who it is for: Post-heavy video teams and animation studios that want boards and cut approvals in the same tool.

Source: Krock.io pricing page · As of October 2026

#9

Canva

Best for quick template boards without film tools

Canva is a general design tool with storyboard templates: panel grids you fill with stock images, illustrations, text and AI-generated images from Canva AI. Boards are shared and edited together in real time and exported as PDF or images.

Strengths

  • Many templates and stock assets even on the free plan
  • Familiar to most marketing teams
  • Real-time collaboration and easy sharing

Weaknesses

  • No animatic, shot list or frame-by-frame approval for storyboards
  • Frames are not linked to shots or a schedule
  • Free plan limits AI use to 20 uses

Pricing: Free with templates, 5 GB and up to 20 AI uses. Pro €12 a month or €110 a year for one person, Business €17 per person and month.

Who it is for: Marketing and social teams who need a simple visual sequence fast and already work in Canva.

Source: Canva pricing page · As of October 2026

#10

Miro

Best for workshop-style storyboarding with a team

Miro is an online whiteboard with 32 storyboard templates for film, animation, product and UX work. Teams upload reference images, comment and present the board directly in Miro.

Strengths

  • Strong real-time collaboration, unlimited members on Free
  • Present mode and PDF export
  • Apps for iOS and Android

Weaknesses

  • Free plan keeps only three boards editable
  • No film-specific features such as animatics or shot lists
  • Low-resolution export on the free plan

Pricing: Free keeps three boards editable, with unlimited members. Starter $8 per member and month billed annually, Business $20.

Who it is for: Teams already using Miro who storyboard in workshops and do not need production features.

Source: Miro pricing page · As of October 2026

Free storyboard options

If the budget is zero, Storyboarder is the only tool here that is completely free without limits. It is a good choice for drawing, but it has not had a stable release since 2020 and works on a single computer without sharing.

Every other free plan is a trial in disguise with a hard ceiling. TillyBoard Free gives you one full project with 10 AI images a month and no time limit. Boords Free allows five active storyboards and eight AI credits in total. StudioBinder Free stops at ten frames per module. Milanote stops at 100 items, Miro at three editable boards, and the LTX Studio free plan excludes AI storyboards and commercial use.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best storyboard software in 2026?

It depends on the job. For commercial and brand-film crews who want the board to turn into the shoot plan, we recommend TillyBoard. For agency pitch boards and animatics, Boords. For drawing by hand at no cost, Storyboarder. For 3D previs on iPad, Previs Pro. For a full scripted-film suite, StudioBinder.

Is there completely free storyboard software?

Yes. Storyboarder by Wonder Unit is free and open source for macOS, Windows and Linux, though its last stable release dates from 2020. TillyBoard, Boords, StudioBinder, Milanote, Canva and Miro have free plans with limits.

Can AI create a storyboard for me?

Several tools generate frames with AI. TillyBoard generates a preview frame for each shot from its action text, Boords turns scripts into AI frames, and LTX Studio generates storyboards and pitch decks on its Standard plan and up. The frames are references for framing and mood; the picture itself is still made on set.

Do I need to be able to draw?

No. AI tools such as TillyBoard, Boords and LTX Studio generate frames, Previs Pro builds them from 3D scenes, and Canva works with templates and stock. Storyboarder is the tool for people who want to draw.

Which storyboard software works on iPad?

Previs Pro runs natively on iPhone, iPad and Mac. TillyBoard has native apps for iPhone, iPad with Apple Pencil support and Apple Watch, plus the web app. Browser-based tools such as Boords and StudioBinder can be opened in the iPad browser.

What is the difference between a storyboard and a shot list?

A storyboard shows each shot as a picture, a shot list describes each shot in a row: size, movement, action, cast, location and duration. On set you need both. In TillyBoard they are the same data: every shot list row carries its preview frame.

How much does storyboard software cost?

Paid entry plans in this comparison range from about €10 to €30 a month: Milanote $9.99, Krock.io $10 per user, Canva Pro €12, TillyBoard €19 billed annually, Boords $26 billed annually, LTX Studio $28 billed annually for AI storyboards and StudioBinder $29. Previs Pro costs $119.99 a year.

From board to shoot day in one project

Write the shots, generate a preview frame for each one, and plan the shoot day from the same list. TillyBoard is free to start.

Start for free

Free plan available · no credit card