Who doesn’t want to create professional video content effortlessly? An excellent AI tool that gives you the upper hand in creating last-minute script-to-video content for yourself or your clients is all that you need. Among all the paid and free tools out there, Pictory AI manages to stand out. But is it really worth your subscription? In our Pictory Reviews, we delve deeper into getting this answer for you.
It rarely happens that a tool is so versatile in providing various options. But the makers of Pictory AI claim it to be an all-rounder. Let’s find out if what they say is just a marketing gimmick or if there is more.
Pictory Reviews | An All-Round Evaluation
It all started when the makers launched Pictory in 2020 to convert the long-form content of blogs, articles, demos, white papers, and webinars into short-form videos. Pictory AI converts your scripts or blogs to generate relevant videos. It can add or edit your subtitles and layer a music track and voiceover. You can even create video highlights and auto-summarize long video formats. Like the text positioning and scene composition, the editing part lies in your hands. In a gist, the tool performs these tasks in autopilot mode.
- Turn scripts into engaging videos.
- The tool draws out short video snippets from long-form videos.
- It generates attractive videos for blog posts.
- Add a caption or subtitle to the videos.
The monthly subscription groups are in three ranges: “Standard,” “Premium,” and “Teams”—the first caters to those just starting or using the tool as a hobby. In contrast, professional creators and minor to midsize organizations can use the second one. The third and the most-expensive plan with maximum features (“Teams”) is for video creators who want to collaborate.
All the plans differ regarding their video upload counts, length limits, and the number of tracks and templates, apart from some additional features. If you want to test before purchasing, use their free trial offer to create 3 video projects, each 10 minutes long. Or else, there is a 15-day money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied with the tool’s performance.
Think of having fewer followers or subscribers but still garnering organic views for your videos. This way, many customers leverage their engagement and reach that convert into their potential long-time viewers. The AI-enabled features make it easy to use, and the access to 3+ million licensed stock videos and images gets apt clips for your script demands. But there are a few shortfalls too. You do not get anywhere near a Netflix Documentary kind of features and results. This software runs finer than you think, except for a few more drawbacks (that you later see here),
How To Use?
Trust Me! The navigation part is the easiest. Follow these steps to automate and generate your videos within minutes.
Article To Video
This format best suits blogs, press releases, and any HTML article.
- Copy your article’s URL and paste it into the “Article To Video” section of Pictory.
- Pictures AI searches for the most exciting lines and highlights them. But you can alter or add any other line.
- Pictory searches videos from its vast library to match every line it picks. You can edit any visual from the video.
- It automatically adds music tracks. You may add a voiceover or your voice.
- Please select your desired aspect ratio, preview the video, and download it.
Script To Video
This format is for educational, listicle, coaching, and step-by-step guided videos.
- Copy-Paste or type your script in this section, as Pictory doesn’t yet have an “Upload directly” option.
- Keep spaces between your scripts to get proper subtitles later. Split the sentences into small scenes.
- Select your Template to generate any one caption design of your liking, and let the video storyboard do its job.
- Your video is ready, and you can edit, change the visuals of any scene, and add voiceover to it. You can upload custom visuals if you don’t prefer their storyblocks (Pictory gets the stock of free images/clips from here).
- While formatting, use the desired aspect ratio. The 16:9 Landscape is good for YouTube videos, the 9:16 Portrait for Reels, and 1:1 for Instagram Feed posts or likes. Switch the resolution to 1080p, and download it.
Check out the video below for a clearer understanding of using Pictory AI. The other two options, i.e., “Edit Videos using Text” and “Visuals to Videos,” are solid features with distinct uses. The good point is that you can watch their respective tutorials by clicking right below the options.
A Few Comparisons
Other tools compete well against Pictory. Without delving into deep detail, let us have a quick overview.
Pictory VS Invideo
More or Less, InVideo offers the same quality and features as that Pictory. But InVideo uses the same clips repeatedly sometimes, whereas Pictory has no such issues. While Pictory covers a 15-day money-back guarantee, InVideo sponsors only 7 days.
The pricing of InVideo is lesser than Pictory, and it also offers a free 40-minute video against a total of 30 minutes (3 videos of 10 minutes each) of Pictory. For the too-good-to-buy deal, I’d prefer InVideo over Pictory. Here’s an in-depth comparison of the two, Pictory VS Invideo.
Pictory VS Descript
Descript claims to write, record, transcribe, edit, collaborate, and share your videos and podcasts. And it stands true to it. I trust the accuracy rate of Descript for its quality audio transcription and podcasting features. It offers a free version and a free trial, whereas Pictory offers only the latter.
The starting price range of the Pictory and the Descript is $19 and $10, respectively. Both can edit videos automatically, but Pictory cannot transcribe audio as accurately as Descript — read our recent report where we compared these two.
If you’re a solopreneur, you may pick Descript over Pictory. But, for a favorable video content creation gig, Pictory should be your choice.
Pictory VS Lumen5
Both tools shine equally in their “ease of use,” with 4.7 stars by Capterra. Note that Lumen5 has a drag-and-drop interface that also supports URLs. Still, Pictory’s Script-to-Video needs to do that, but regular updates may see that happen anytime soon. Pictory AI has free video projects of 10 minutes, whereas Lumen5 offers five videos per month.
Both of them have monthly and annual subscriptions. Lumen5 costs more than Pictory AI in its monthly plan, but the latter outprices Lumen5 in the yearly plan. I liked the collaboration tools Lumen5 has, whereas Pictory supports it in the “Teams” plan only, which I don’t use. Pictory’s interface looks more user-friendly than Lumen5. However, the stock images and videos of Lumen5 outweigh Pictory. Both have superb features, and picking one is tricky.
Moving ahead, let us see what this tool is a thumbs up and thumbs down for.
Pros
- Pictory AI is an excellent alternative to Vidnami.
- You do not need any technical expertise to use it.
- This time-saving tool has a user-friendly interface.
- Adds logos, branded bumpers, and music to your videos.
- Extract Highlights from webinars, video podcasts, demos, etc.
- It has a distinct stockpile of clips and images that looks natural.
- You can reduce the video length by 25%,50%, or 75% by using it.
Cons
- The learning curve is almost negligible.
- Pictory AI has a limited number of uses.
- Image generation may need to be more precise.
- There is no “Upload” feature for script documents.
- The voiceover may sound too automated sometimes.
- Some folks have complained about the poor customer service.
Customer’s Feedback | Pictory Reviews
If I speak of myself, I went for the “Premium” as it seemed best for my tasks. I have created several videos (mostly Script-to-Video) for my YouTube channel. And hands down to its automated features! I used to take an hour or so earlier, but after three uses, I began creating videos in less than 15 minutes. It has helped me generate views from organic searches and is my most significant investment. But only some people agree with me. Hear out their side too.
Esha asserts, “Pictory helps me greatly in my content creation journey. I have released multiple guided videos on how to get started in my career. I do not have time, and it’s here where the tool leverages me by giving quality results in no time.”
John comments, “Honestly, Pictory has great features for the price that it offers. I recently switched to this software after Vidnami. I have made a few videos in less than 5 minutes and cannot wait to see what further upgrades hold.”
Abdul shares, “The site was crashing after a couple of uses. I tried to contact customer service, but they were only reassuring and did nothing for days. After a week or so, they contacted me and resolved my issue. The customer service is pathetic.”
Rudy discloses, “The only thing that bothers me is that it has no learning curve, and with loose regulations, amateurs may not feel ethically responsible in creating unlimited videos and releasing them everywhere.”
As you see, mixed reviews exist, but the general tendency points towards the technical superiority of the tool.
FAQs | Pictory Reviews
This section aims to clear all your remaining doubts, so if you still need clarification on its information, check them below.
Is Pictory Ai any good?
Pictory AI is an excellent script-to-video tool that generates visually catchy, professional-level videos from the script you put in within a few minutes. So, if you plan to develop YouTube videos or create video content, you must consider it.
What are the cons of Pictory?
The main drawbacks of Pictory lie in improper image recognition and wrong text highlights. But it happens rarely, and you can fix it manually. Apart from this issue, there are some others too that I mentioned earlier.
How is the Pictory pricing?
The ” Standard ” base price starts at $19 per month, while the “Premium” price is $39 per month. The “Teams” have a monthly rate of $99. The pricing is satisfactory for the features and results that Pictory provides.
Can I use Pictory for free?
You may avail of the free trial offer of 3 videos (10 minutes each). Still, beyond that, you need to purchase any one of their plans to continue using it.
How does Pictory work?
The software tool converts text and audio formats to video content. It adds value to the video by laying a voiceover and music track and adding captions. Though you may experience site crashes sometimes, it is a user-friendly tool running smoothly most of the time. If you need help with its work, visit their site help.pictory.ai or email them at [email protected] and seek help.
My Honest Opinion
Now that we have concluded our Pictory Reviews, you might have an idea of this AI tool. However, I would like to see voiceovers on the entire video, not just in the scene-to-scene trims. I’d do it this way if I had to rate it out of 5 regarding some parameters.
Ease of use – 4.7/5
Features – 4.5/5
Value For Money – 4.7/5
Customer Service – 4/5
My Recommendation: Quality content creation is at the tip of your hands if you consider using it. My workflow is smoother now, and I can also fit in my other tasks. But, it has some issues. For that, the tool is undergoing continuous upgradation to counter its drawbacks. To know if this tool is for you, try it for free. Decide whether you want to go for it at the end of the trial period.
Would you like us to address your remaining doubts? Put them down in the comments section, and we will reply quickly.