In 2026, there are three ways to make a GIF for a campaign, social media, or a presentation: assemble it by hand from frames in an online editor, generate it with AI from a text prompt, or create it right inside your email builder. The list below covers tools for each scenario.

Top 7 services for creating GIF animations

How do you turn a video into a GIF so the animation isn't just pretty, but effective too? You can use one of these popular services to create a GIF animation.

1. Giphy

Giphy is one of the most popular services for creating, searching, and sharing GIF animations. Its ease of use and rich feature set have made it the go-to choice for people who want to create or find the right animation.

  • Upload video files directly from your device or from YouTube and other sources. Giphy lets you select a clip of video to convert into a GIF.
  • The ability to overlay text on a GIF, choosing fonts, colors, and styles.
  • A huge library of stickers you can add to your GIFs.
  • Various filters and effects to improve the animation's visual quality.
  • Giphy has a powerful search engine that lets you find GIFs by keyword, hashtag, and category.
  • Giphy offers an API that lets developers integrate GIF search and embedding functionality into their apps and websites.

Pros

  • A clear interface that lets you quickly create and find the GIFs you need.
  • Millions of GIF animations for every taste.
  • The core features of the service are free.
  • Fast processing and uploading of content.

Cons

  • Compared to professional editors, Giphy offers less advanced editing features.
  • Promotional GIFs and sponsored content in search results can be distracting.

2. Imgflip

Imgflip is an online service that provides tools for creating memes, GIF animations, and other visual content. It's popular for being simple and accessible, making it convenient for users of any skill level.

  • A large library of templates for creating memes. Users can pick popular templates or upload their own images.
  • The ability to add and customize text on images. Users can change the font, size, color, and position of the text.
  • Tools for resizing, cropping, and rotating images.
  • Users can upload video files or paste links to videos from YouTube and other platforms.
  • The ability to create a GIF from a series of uploaded images.
  • The platform provides popular templates for creating demotivational posters.
  • Users can enter their own data and customize how charts look.
  • Easy integration with social media lets you quickly share the content you've created.

Pros

  • A simple interface and easy content creation.
  • A wide selection of templates and tools for creating varied visual content.
  • An active community that supports sharing ideas and creative work.
  • Most features are free, though there are paid features for more advanced use.

Cons

  • The free version adds watermarks to your content.
  • Ad banners and offers to subscribe to paid features are present.

3. EZGIF

EZGIF is an online tool for creating and editing GIF animations. The service is popular for being simple and versatile, letting users create and edit GIFs, video, images, and animations without installing specialized software.

  • Users can upload video files from their computer or paste links to video from the internet.
  • Adjust the size, frame rate, and quality of the GIF, and set the display time for each frame and the animation's looping.
  • Tools for optimizing a GIF by reducing the number of colors and removing unnecessary frames.
  • Settings for compressing a GIF without a significant loss of quality.
  • Support for various image formats (PNG, JPEG, and others) for converting to and from GIF.
  • The ability to extract individual frames from a GIF.

Pros

  • A large toolset for creating and editing GIFs.
  • Most features are free with no registration required.
  • Fast file processing and the ability to run several operations at once.

Cons

  • The free version has limits on the size of uploaded files.
  • The service's design and interface may feel dated.
  • Ads on the site.

4. Make A GIF

Make A GIF lets users easily create animated images from video, photos, YouTube links, and other sources. The service also provides tools for editing and optimizing GIF files.

  • Adjust the size, frame rate, and quality of the GIF.
  • You can upload multiple images to create an animation.
  • The ability to record video right from a webcam and turn it into a GIF.
  • Users can adjust the recording duration and camera settings.
  • Optimize the GIF by reducing the number of colors and removing unnecessary frames.
  • Users can publish their GIFs on Make A GIF and share them on social media.
  • Browse popular and recently created GIF animations from other users.

Pros

  • A clear interface that doesn't require special skills.
  • The ability to share your GIFs on social media and browse other users' work.

Cons

  • The free version has limits on the size of uploaded files.
  • Watermarks.

5. Gifmaker.me

Gifmaker.me is a free online tool for creating and editing GIF animations. The service offers a convenient, simple way to build GIF files from images or video, plus basic tools for editing and adjusting animations, and detailed instructions on how to make a GIF.

  • The ability to upload several images from your computer to build an animation.
  • Adjust the display time of each frame (in milliseconds) and the animation's looping (infinite or limited).
  • Tools for trimming the animation, letting you cut out unneeded parts of the image.

Pros

  • The service is free, with no registration required.
  • Various tools for creating, editing, and optimizing GIF animations.
  • The ability to work with images and video files in various formats.

Cons

  • Despite having basic tools, the service may not satisfy users who need more advanced editing features.
  • Users can't save their work on the service's server and have to download the finished files to their computer.

6. Figma

Figma is an interface design tool that can export animations as GIFs. In 2024, Figma added native support for Lottie — a vector animation format that's significantly lighter than GIF and looks better on retina screens.

How to create a GIF in Figma: set up animation via Smart Animate between frames, select "Prototype," run the preview, and export it via a third-party plugin — for example, GifLab or Figmotion.

Pros

  • A professional tool, team collaboration, Lottie support, precise control over every frame.

Cons

  • Exporting a GIF requires a plugin, not all functionality is free, and it's overkill if you just need a quick animation.

Picking the right service depends on your needs, requirements, and existing skills.

7. Letteros GIF Generator

A built-in GIF generator right inside the email builder. Upload frames, adjust the speed, insert into a block — no switching to third-party services. The service automatically controls file weight and optimizes the GIF for email client requirements.

A standout feature: a built-in AI model generates frames from a text description — you can create an animation of a product in different colors without a photo shoot.

Pros: no switching between tabs, automatic weight optimization, first frame and Outlook compatibility handled for you, AI frame generation.

Попробовать Letteros бесплатно

Runway, Krea.ai, Kling AI, Pika, and other tools let you create a GIF from a text description or a product photo — no shoot or designer needed. For a detailed breakdown of each service and ready-made prompts for email campaigns, see our article.