Overview of MotionBook
MotionBook is a mobile app for creating flipbook-style animations on iPhone and iPad. It focuses on traditional frame-by-frame workflow while offering modern digital conveniences, making it suitable for hobbyists and more serious animators alike.
Drawing instruments and brush set
- Paint Brush — a textured brush for painterly strokes and fill work
- Marker — great for bold lines and flat color areas
- Inking Tool — precision linework for clean outlines and details
- Graphite Pencil — sketchy, natural-feeling strokes for planning and roughs
- Soft and Hard Erasers — two erase profiles for subtle cleanups or full removals
The app also fully recognizes Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity for variable line weight and opacity.
How animation is built
- Timeline controls let you arrange pages and set the animation speed in frames per second (FPS)
- Onion-skin preview shows preceding and following frames as faint guides for smooth motion
- Undo/Redo makes it easy to experiment without losing progress
You create each frame individually, then use the timeline to sequence and refine your flipbook.
Editing tools and importing options
- Copy and paste individual drawings between frames for quick reuse
- Quick-edit tools allow fine adjustments to strokes and shapes without starting over
- Import images from other apps as references or elements to combine with hand-drawn frames
You can also place a video clip beneath your drawings to practice poses, trace motion, or add hand-drawn enhancements to existing footage.
Export, sharing and output formats
- Export animations as MP4 video files for playback and uploading
- Save animations as GIFs for easy sharing in chats or on social platforms
Exports can be shared directly with friends or repurposed into stickers and other assets.
File management and learning resources
- Integration with the iOS Files app lets you organize projects and access them from multiple apps
- iCloud storage enables syncing across your iPhones and iPads so work continues on any device
- Built-in sample templates and starter projects help you jump straight into animating
MotionBook combines familiar flipbook techniques with digital tools to streamline the creation process on Apple mobile devices.
Technical
- iPhone
- Chinese (Simplified)
- Japanese
- English
- Chinese (Simplified)
- Free