If you want to try AI cartoonizing your video, the last thing you want is to end up with average results from subpar AI cartoonizers. (Trust me, I’ve been there.)
That's why we've invested hours in testing the majority of AI cartoonizers available on the app store and narrowed down your options to 4 cartoon apps.
We've used the same model for all 4 apps to make it easier for you to find the one that gives the best cartoon quality.
Let’s dive in!
👉 If you are looking for Photo to Cartoon, check out this blog instead: How to Cartoonize a Picture on iPhone
Top 4 AI Cartoonizers We've Tested ✅
In this section, we've tried out these video cartoon apps using the same video clips for testing.
We thought it would be simpler for you to see which one produces better cartoon results or which cartoon style you prefer.
#1 AI Cartoonizer: YouCam Video
First up, let's talk about YouCam Video. YouCam Video is a video editing app that comes packed with virtual makeup, aesthetic filters, effects, and of course, AI cartoon features.
Currently, it offers 13 cartoon filters for you to experiment with, but here are our favorite cartoon effects. So give them a try!
👉 Read More: Cartoonify Yourself Free: 16 Cartoonify Filters for Video
What we like about YouCam Video:
- The cartoon effect is realistic without delay
- Can beautify your video from head to toe (Play with face retouch, makeups, video filters, and cute stickers)
- Provide a plenty of cartoon filters for you to choose from
What we don’t like about it:
- This app is better suited for editing short videos (like selfie video) rather than long ones.
How does it work:
- Create a new project and import your video
- Scroll right on the toolbar at the bottom and find “AI Effect”
- Look for the category “Cartoon” and start trying all the cartoon filters
👉 Read More: How to Convert Video to Animation With AI
#2 AI Cartoonizer: PowerDirector
PowerDirector is an AI cartoonizer that can transform your video clips and photos into cartoons.
It provides various cartoon filters, some of which include different anime backgrounds, like the example below named "Cartoon". This effect it features vibrant fonts and stickers to spice up your video without requiring manual editing.
What we like about PowerDirector:
- This app provides a variety of cartoon filters that come with different effects
- Offers advanced video editing and retouch tools (like motion tracking texts and stickers, video stabilizer, etc.)
What we don’t like about it:
- Some AI cartoon effects might be a bit grainy
- Bugs are more frequent these days
How does it work:
- Create a new project and choose the video you want to cartoonize
- Scroll right on the toolbar at the bottom and find “AI Effect”
- Scroll right again and tap on AI Art
- Select the cartoon filter you want to try
#3 AI Cartoonizer: Prequel
Prequel is famous for its vintage filters and AI editing capability. One of the popular AI features includes turning yourself into AI art (3D Toon & Cartoon+).
Prequel also provides tons of picture templates for you to choose from, for instance, anime, artistic, fantasy, cosplayer, and comics styles. All worth a try.
What we like about Prequel:
- Prequel comes with a wide range of cartoon effects, especially for photo editing
- Offers advanced video editing and retouch tools (like motion tracking texts and stickers, video stabilizer, etc.)
What we don’t like about it:
- When cartoonizing the videos, it might take up to a minute to finish the loading
- Very limited video cartoonizing options
How does it work:
- Go straight to the search bar and look for "cartoon" effect
- Scroll all the way to the bottom and you will find 3 "Cartoon+ on Video" options
- Choose one of the video presets and tap on "Use Preset"
- Select the video footage you want to cartoonize and that's it!
#4 AI Cartoonizer: Filmora
Filmora is a video editing software powered by artificial intelligence, offering advanced editing features like cinematic editing, text-to-speech, speed adjustments, and AI-enhanced effects, including cartooning.
What we like about Filmora:
- It offers a variety of photo cartoon effects (a total of 22)
- You can edit stylish videos with cinematic editing features and smart tracking, including adding text and stickers
What we don’t like about it:
- Limited options for cartoon video effects
- Loading process can be time-consuming (might take 2~5 minutes to complete)
How does it work:
- Tap on AI Show on the homepage
- Go to Video section and choose the only video cartoon effect available now "Fantasy"
- Click on the Generate buttom below, then import the video you want to cartoonize (Usually takes 2 to 5 minutes to finish the process)
- Export and share!
Summary Table for AI Cartoonizers
AI Cartoonizer Apps | Availability | App Rating | AI Cartoon Quality |
1. YouCam Video | iOS | 4.8 (iOS only) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
2. PowerDirector | iOS / Android / Win / Mac | 4.6 / 4.4 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
3. Prequel | iOS / Android | 4.8 / 4.2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
4. Filmora | iOS / Android | 4.7 / 4.6 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Examples of Poor AI Cartoonization ❌
In case you are wondering what does poor AI cartoonization look like, here are some examples for you.
☝️You may have noticed that the quality of the AI cartoon for this video is not really ideal.
This cartoon effect actually makes the faces quite blurry.
☝️When applying these AI cartoon filters on SNOW, your video hardly changes.
This effect only alters your hair color, which is not what we had in mind for an AI cartoonizer.
Finally, Some Takeaways for Choosing an AI Cartoonizer
At the end of this blog, we would like to share with you some key takeaways for choosing the best AI cartoonizer. These are the steps we take to filter out the good ones.
- Preview the video to see if the cartoonizing effect makes it look grainy or blurry.
- Import videos with significant movement to test the quality of the AI cartoonization.
- Always try the free AI cartoon effects in the app before considering unlocking features behind a paywall.
Below are two good vs bad examples from YouCam Video and VivaVideo we've just mentioned:
☝️ The AI face detect quality of YouCam Video is better compared to its counterpart, displaying a smooth facial expression.
☝️ When the girl blinks or smiles, you can clearly see a mismatch or blurriness on her face, so this is probably not something we'd want.
And that's a wrap! We hope you enjoy this blog and found the AI cartoonizer you like :)