InstaDoodle vs Doodly: Which Whiteboard Video Tool Fits?

If you want to make whiteboard-style "doodle" videos, two names come up again and again: InstaDoodle and Doodly. People even search whether they are the same thing. They are not. They are separate products from different companies, and they work in quite different ways. This comparison uses each vendor's own pages, read on October 19, 2026. I have not used either tool. I am an affiliate for InstaDoodle and not for Doodly, so keep that in mind; my aim is to describe both fairly.

The short version

• InstaDoodle runs in your browser and leans on AI: you type a prompt and it draws characters and scenes for you. There is no free trial, but the vendor offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.
• Doodly is a desktop app for Windows and Mac where you build scenes from a large library of hand-drawn images, or your own images. Its site offers a trial, and it is sold as a monthly or yearly subscription.

If you want speed from a text prompt, InstaDoodle is the one built around that. If you want a mature desktop editor with a big stock library and a trial, Doodly is worth a look.

How each one works

InstaDoodle is cloud-based, per the vendor, so there is nothing to install and you can work from any device with a modern browser. The vendor says its AI engine generates characters, elements and backgrounds from a text prompt, in several styles such as cartoon, caricature and realistic, and can turn a photo or logo into a doodle. You arrange scenes, add animations, transitions, voiceover and music, then export.

Doodly is a desktop application. Its pricing page FAQ says you download the Windows or Mac version after purchase, and that it still needs an internet connection because it loads images and your saved projects from the cloud. Doodly is now part of Voomly, according to Voomly's own blog. You drag images from the library onto the canvas and Doodly animates a hand drawing them. The vendor says a feature called Smart Draw lets you set custom draw paths for images you upload. Doodly also lists blackboard, glassboard and green screen styles, and voiceover recording inside the app.

AI features

This is the clearest difference. AI generation is at the center of InstaDoodle: text-to-doodle, AI image styles and, on its higher plan, an AI script and voice tool. On the Doodly pages I read, I did not see AI image generation listed; its focus is the hand-drawn library and your own uploads. If you need a very specific character or object that is not in a stock library, AI generation may save time. If you care about a consistent, hand-drawn look, a curated library may suit you better. Either way, AI output needs checking before you publish.

Assets and export

• InstaDoodle: the vendor lists more than 1,000 doodle elements and 14 or more templates on its Standard plan, with 3,000 or more extra elements on Pro. Export is 1080p on Standard, with 2K and 4K on Pro.
• Doodly: its pricing page lists, on Standard, 1,164 character images, 1,620 prop images, 150 music tracks, 20 video templates and 35 fonts, with larger numbers on Enterprise. Its home page says you can export MP4 files from 480p up to 1080p, at 24 to 60 frames per second.

So if 4K export matters to you, check InstaDoodle's Pro plan; I did not see 4K listed for Doodly.

Pricing model, trials and refunds

InstaDoodle: its main page showed monthly plans, with Standard at $47 a month and Agency at $127 a month, and a Pro plan in between. The vendor's FAQ says there is no free version or trial, and that every plan has a 60-day money-back guarantee. The pricing has been changing, as I explain in is InstaDoodle legit?, so check the order page.

Doodly: sold as a Standard or Enterprise subscription, billed monthly or yearly, with the yearly option cheaper per month. Two official Doodly pricing pages I found showed different monthly prices for the same plan, so I am not quoting one; check the price at checkout. Doodly's site has a page offering a 14-day trial; read its terms, including whether a card is needed and when billing starts.

For any subscription, note when it renews and how to cancel before you start.

Licensing

InstaDoodle lists a commercial license under its Pro plan. Doodly's FAQ says you own the videos you create, while Doodly keeps the rights to its images and sounds, which are licensed to you under its end user agreement. If you make videos for clients, read the license for the exact plan you would buy.

Who each one suits

InstaDoodle may suit you if:

• You want to work in the browser on any computer.
• You want AI to draw custom characters and scenes from a prompt.
• You need 2K or 4K export and are willing to pay for the higher plan.

Doodly may suit you if:

• You prefer a desktop app and a large hand-drawn library.
• You want to try before you pay.
• You want blackboard, glassboard or green screen styles.

Neither may be necessary if you only need one short explainer. A free general video editor and a few simple drawings can work, and the planning matters more than the tool. How to make a simple explainer video walks through it.

A fair way to decide

1. Write the script for your first video before you choose a tool.
2. Try Doodly's trial if you are considering it.
3. If you choose InstaDoodle, make one full video in your first week so you can use the 60-day refund window if it is not right. ClickBank's refund steps are in how to get a refund on a ClickBank purchase.

My notes on what InstaDoodle includes go into its plans in more detail. If you want to see InstaDoodle's current plans, here is the InstaDoodle vendor's page (affiliate link). Doodly is at doodly.com.

Disclosure again: I earn a commission if you buy InstaDoodle through that link, at no extra cost to you. I earn nothing from Doodly.