mockvid
Rotato in short
Rotato is a native macOS app for 3D device mockups: you import a screenshot or a screen recording, place it on a device, animate the camera and export a video or an image. It is well made, fast on a recent Mac, and its catalog of photoreal devices is the broadest in this category.
- Price: a one-time license rather than a subscription, roughly €79 to €199 depending on the plan when we last checked (August 2026), with 12 months of updates (6 on the entry plan). No free version.
- Platform: macOS 11 or newer only. No Windows, no browser version.
- Input: footage and images you record and import yourself.
- Best for: mobile app demos and App Store material, where the footage comes from a simulator or a device.
The honest summary
Rotato is excellent at what it does. It is a polished macOS app with a large catalog of photoreal device models, loved for app demos and App Store material. If you are showing an iOS app, or you already have carefully directed screen footage, Rotato is a strong choice.
The difference is the input. Rotato animates footage you record, crop and import. Mockvid starts from a URL: it opens the live website in a real browser, records the scroll on desktop and mobile by itself, then stages the result in an animated 3D scene. For websites specifically, that removes the entire recording and importing stage.
Side by side
| Rotato | Mockvid | |
|---|---|---|
| Input | Screen recording you make and import | A URL, captured automatically |
| Platform | macOS app | Browser, any OS |
| Desktop + mobile of a site | Two recordings, two imports | One capture, both devices |
| Device catalog | 30+ photoreal models, incl. iPhones, iPads, watches | Laptop + phone, tuned for websites |
| 3D staging | Yes, keyframable camera | Yes, 18 directed motion presets |
| Product-style shots | Backgrounds and templates | A 3D podium under the devices, with three product shots built around it |
| Formats | Video up to 4K/8K, transparent | MP4, WebM, GIF, WebP, transparent, PNG, up to 4K |
| Live shareable 3D embed | No | Yes, rendered in the visitor's browser |
| Pricing model | One-time license, no subscription; updates depend on the plan | Free tier · $9 one-time per site · Studio yearly |
| Best at | App demos from your own footage | Website showcases from a URL |
Competitor details reflect public information checked in September 2026 and may change; check rotato.app, previewed.app and shots.so for current specifics.
Other Rotato alternatives worth a look
Mockvid is not the only option, and it is not the right one for every job. The two browser-based tools people most often compare with Rotato:
| Input | Platform | Pricing | Best at | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mockvid | A website URL, captured automatically (or your own clip) | Browser | Free 720p · $9 one-time per site · Studio $39/yr | Website showcases, desktop + mobile in one shot |
| Previewed | Screenshots and footage you upload | Browser | Free 2D at 720p · $9.99 one-time pack · Pro $19/mo | App mockups from templates |
| Shots.so | Screenshots and videos you upload | Browser | Free library, paid options (see shots.so) | Quick mockup images and animated social posts |
| Rotato | Screenshots and footage you import | macOS app | One-time license, no free version | Photoreal device catalog, app demos |
If what you are presenting is an app, Previewed and Shots.so are closer to Rotato than Mockvid is. If it is a website, Mockvid is the only one of the four that records it for you.
Pick Rotato if…
- You are showcasing a mobile app, not a website, and your footage comes from a simulator or device recording.
- You need specific hardware models (iPads, watches, foldables) or fine keyframe control over the camera.
- You work on macOS and prefer a native app in your toolchain.
Pick Mockvid if…
- The thing you are showcasing is a website: yours, or a client's. The capture is the product; you never touch a screen recorder.
- You want desktop and mobile in the same shot without recording twice.
- You ship client sites and want per-site pricing you can bill to each project, rather than a per-user license. See for web designers and for agencies.
- You want a live 3D embed of the mockup on a portfolio or case-study page, not just a video file.
- You want product-style shots: the devices stand on a 3D podium in the finish and colour of your choice, free to try in the preview, exported on the Studio plan.
- You are not on a Mac, or you do not want to install anything.
The fastest way to compare is to run your own site through it.Free export, no account, no editing.
Paste a URL →Frequently asked
Is there a free Rotato alternative?
Yes. Mockvid exports 720p MP4 and WebM for free with a small watermark, with no account and no card, and every motion is available on the free tier. Previewed also has a free plan for 2D exports at 720p. Rotato itself has no free version.
Does Rotato work on Windows?
No. Rotato is a native macOS app and needs macOS 11 or newer. Browser-based alternatives such as Mockvid, Previewed and Shots.so run on Windows, Linux and ChromeOS as well as on a Mac.
Previewed vs Rotato: what is the difference?
Previewed runs in the browser and is built around app mockups and templates, with a free 2D tier, a one-time pack and a monthly Pro plan for 3D and video. Rotato is a macOS app sold as a one-time license with a larger catalog of photoreal devices. Both start from images or footage you provide; neither captures a website from its URL.
Can Mockvid animate footage I recorded myself, like Rotato?
Yes. Manual upload exists as a fallback (some sites block automated capture), so you can bring your own clip and still get the 3D staging. But the point of Mockvid is that for public websites you should not have to.
Is the 3D quality comparable?
Mockvid's devices are built for website presentation: physically based materials (matte, glossy, glass), studio lighting, reflections, glare and tilt-shift, rendered in real time. Rotato has the broader device catalog; Mockvid has the automated pipeline. Judge the output on your own site with a free export.
What about ScrollingMockup and Canva-style tools?
Those produce flat scroll videos rather than 3D scenes. There is a separate honest comparison with ScrollingMockup.io, and the manual Canva method is covered in this walkthrough.