Pictory AI Review – How to Create Amazing Videos from Text

Focus Shaw
Last updated on 24 June 2024

Pricing:

Free Trial
from $19/mo
Free trial available!

Top alternatives:

Platform:

Web Based

Intergrations:

API

Best use cases:

#AI Video Editor #AI Video Generator #Influencers #Marketers

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Overview

Video content is one of the most powerful ways to communicate your message, engage your audience, and grow your brand. But creating video content can be challenging, especially if you don’t have the skills, time, or budget to do it.

What if you could turn any text into a stunning video with just a few clicks?

That’s exactly what Pictory AI does. It’s a revolutionary AI video generator that lets you create professional-quality videos from text in minutes. Whether you want to convert a blog post, a script, a URL, or a text prompt into a video, Pictory AI can handle it.

In this blog post, I’ll show you how Pictory AI works, what features it offers, and how you can use it to create amazing videos for your business or personal projects.

Editor's review

Overall Score: 4.7

Pictory is the best AI software for creating brandable videos from your long-form content (scripts, sales letters, blog posts, webinars, podcasts, Zoom recordings, and more). If you are a content creator or marketer looking for an easy way to convert your written work into video form, Pictory is the best option I’ve found to get started quickly.

Pictory uses advanced AI to automatically generate a video from your written content, with a professional voiceover, stock video clips, captions, and branding. You can also edit your video by changing the text, voice, clips, and music. Pictory has a huge library of stock videos, images, and music to choose from, and you can also upload your own media. You can also customize your branding with your logo, color scheme, intro, and outro.

PROS

Generous free trial with no credit card required
Automatically generates a video from written content
Huge library of stock video clips
Professional AI voiceover to narrate your video

CONS

Video rendering speed is slower than some alternatives
No lifetime deal currently available

Pictory Pricing

Pricing (monthly plan billed annually)	Plan	Best For
19 USD	Starter	Best for content creators starting with video
39 USD	Professional	Best for professional creators & small to mid-sized organizations
99 USD	Teams	Best for teams of video creators who share and collaborate

Pictory monthly pricing plans.

Pictory annual pricing plans.

Plan Name	Starter	Professional	Teams
Videos per Month	30	60	90
Text-to-Speech AI Voices	34	60	60
Video Transcription per Month	600 mins	1200 mins	1200 mins
Edit Existing Video	Up to 1 hr	Up to 3 hrs	Up to 3 hrs
Brand Kits	1	5	10
Hyper-Realistic AI Voices From IIElevenlabs	No	51	51
Music Tracks	5,000	10,000	15,000
API Access	No	No	Yes

What is Pictory

• Who is Pictory AI for?

Pictory AI is a versatile tool that caters to a broad spectrum of users. If you’re a content marketer looking to transform your text into engaging videos, or a blogger aiming to reach a wider audience with video content, Pictory AI is the tool for you. It’s especially useful for those who appreciate the power of video marketing and wish to leverage AI technology to create compelling video content efficiently.

• Pictory AI Top features

Pictory AI comes packed with top-notch features. Here are a few:

Easy Video Creation: Generate more leads and boost sales by turning any content into highly shareable videos using the power of AI.
Script To Video In Just Minutes: Professional quality videos from your script complete with realistic AI voices, matching footage and music in just a few clicks.
Transform Long-Form Videos into Engaging Branded Clips for Social Media: Automatically extract highlights from your Zoom, Teams, Webinar and Podcast recordings and convert them into short branded video snippets ideal for posting on social media.

• Tips for using Pictory AI

Here are my personal tips for making the most out of Pictory AI:

🌟 Treat it like a command: When you’re using Pictory AI, think of your prompts as commands. Be clear and concise in your instructions to get the best results.
🎯 Specify your topic clearly: Write your topic as clearly as possible. For example, “Create a video on the benefits of using Pictory AI for content marketing.”
📺 Specify the type of video: Clearly state the type of video you want Pictory AI to generate for you. It could be a YouTube Short, an Explainer video, or a video on recent events.
⏱️ State the duration of the video: Be sure to specify the duration of the video you want, such as 60 seconds or 2 minutes.
🗣️ Specify the language and tone of voice: Talk about the type of language you want it to generate and the tone of voice. For example, you might want a simple, energetic tone with a British accent.
📜 Specify the beginning and end: Clearly state what you want Pictory AI to discuss at the beginning and end of the video. This helps in creating a coherent narrative.
📚 Include a blog post or article: If possible, include a blog post or article from which Pictory AI can pick points. This can provide a solid base for your video content.
🔍 Be detailed and specific: The more specific you are with your instructions, the better Pictory AI can meet your expectations. Don’t hesitate to provide detailed instructions.
🌐 Use a compatible browser: For the most optimal experience, use a compatible browser like Google Chrome when using Pictory AI.
💡 Explore and Experiment: Spend some time exploring all the features that Pictory AI offers. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different settings and options to see what works best for you.
🔄 Automate Tasks: Identify tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming, and automate them using Pictory AI. This can free up your time for more important tasks.

Remember, Pictory AI is a powerful tool, and with these tips, you can harness its full potential. Happy video creating! 🎥

• Pros and Cons of Pictory AI

Like any tool, Pictory AI has its pros and cons. Here are some of the main ones that I found while using it:

Pros:

Fast and easy: Pictory AI is incredibly fast and easy to use. You can create a video from text in minutes, without any technical skills or prior experience.
High-quality output: Pictory AI produces high-quality videos that look professional and engaging. The AI voiceovers are realistic and natural, the footage and music are relevant and appealing, and the subtitles and captions are accurate and clear.
Versatile and customizable: Pictory AI is versatile and customizable. You can create videos for different purposes, platforms, and audiences. You can also tweak various aspects of your video, such as the voice, the visuals, the music, the text, and the branding.
Affordable and scalable: Pictory AI is affordable and scalable. You can choose from different plans that suit your needs and budget. You can also create unlimited videos with no watermark or branding.

Cons:

Not perfect: Pictory AI is not perfect. Sometimes, it may generate videos that are not exactly what you wanted, or that have some errors or inconsistencies. You may need to do some manual editing or revision to get the best results.
Dependent on internet connection: Pictory AI is dependent on internet connection. You need a stable and fast internet connection to use Pictory AI and to download your videos. If your internet connection is slow or unreliable, you may experience some delays or glitches.
Limited languages and voices: Pictory AI is limited in terms of languages and voices. Currently, it only supports English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, and Portuguese languages, and a few voices for each language. You may not find the language or voice that you prefer or that matches your target audience.

What other users are saying about Pictory

I have crosschecked my experience with the experience of other Pictory users on Product Hunt.

Here’s what I found:

🌟 Pictory has an overall rating of 4.2/5 on Product Hunt based on 40 reviews.
Most positive aspects highlighted by users:
- 🎥 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 🚀 Effective for creating high-quality videos
- 🔄 Continuous addition of new features
- 🔊 Ability to sync video with voice-over
- 🆓 Generous free trial without requiring credit card information

👍 Some users suggest the need for a “talking head” option in Pictory.

🤔 While there are generally positive reviews, a few users mention the desire for improved AI capabilities and reduced rendering time.

How to use Pictory

To provide you with a thorough evaluation of Pictory, I put each feature to the test. Pictory’s tools are incredibly easy to use.

Script to Video

Best for:

Educational videos
Listicle videos
Coaching videos
Step-by-step guides

1) When selecting “Script to Video,” you will begin in the Script editor. Name your video and upload the written content (the script) you would like in your video.

2) Select your scene settings by choosing whether or not you want Pictory to auto-highlight keywords, select the visuals for you, or create new scenes on sentence breaks, line breaks, or both.

3) Choose an aspect ratio based on where you will share your video.

4) Pictory generated a video with captions, stock footage, and background music for me in under one minute!

Everything can be edited within Pictory, from changing the background music to finding alternative footage, adding graphics, and more.

Article to Video

Best for:

Blogs
Press releases
HTML articles

1) Copy and paste the article URL from which you would like Pictory to create a video.

2) After waiting under a minute, Pictory will have extracted the key points from the article and broken them into appropriate video segments you can edit. Once you are happy, click “Next” to continue.

3) Select aspect ratio for your video.

After a few seconds, you’ll have an entire video with captions, stock videos, and images! You can now edit it to your liking.

Edit Videos using Text

Best for:

Adding subtitles
Cutting parts of the video
Video highlightsExperiment with a demo video, paste a YouTube link or upload a video from your computer.

You can edit your video using text, and remove the parts you don’t want. Use “Remove filler words” or “Remove silences” if needed. You can also extract the highlights from your video, convert your long videos to short videos, and share them to other platforms.

Visuals to Video

Best for:

Creating short videos using multiple images and videos from your computer

Start by uploading your files.

2. Click and drag to change the sequence.

3. Choose an aspect ratio and edit!

After a few seconds, you will have a video using the footage and images uploaded with background music you can now edit.

This feature is an excellent alternative for those who want to edit videos but don’t have the technical software or know-how.

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Pictory FAQ

Is Pictory AI worth it? +

Pictory AI is a tool that allows easy video creation for content marketers. It can generate leads and boost sales by turning any content into highly shareable videos using the power of AI. It’s fast, scalable, and affordable Therefore, it can be considered worth it for those who need such services. Pictory is best for social media videos or videos that you want to create with a high frequency. You can also use Pictory to also create explainer videos or short video ads, but for high-stakes videos, you probably should hire a video production agency.

Is Pictory AI safe? +

While I couldn’t find specific information about the safety of Pictory AI, it’s important to note that any reputable software should prioritize user safety and data protection. Always ensure to review the privacy policy and terms of service of any new software you use.

Is Pictory AI good? +

Pictory AI is praised for its ability to easily create videos for content marketers. It allows users to generate more leads and boost sales by turning any content into highly shareable videos. It’s fast, scalable, and affordable Therefore, it can be considered a good tool for those in need of such services.

How long does it typically take to create a Pictory video? +

In the beginning, as you are learning the software, it might take you about an hour to create a video, but over time this time will reduce to about 15 minutes. Most of the time will be spent trying to find the best visual for a specific scene.

Do I have to pay royalties to use the visuals or music provided in your product? +

No, Pictory has already licensed their collection of over 3 million visuals and hundreds of music tracks for your use in your videos.

What is the ideal length for a video for social media? +

Ideal videos are under one minute long. For video ads, Pictory recommends videos under 15 seconds of length.

What kind of articles can I use to create a video? Can the text be in a PDF or Word document? +

The acceptable types of articles are blogs or news articles published in HTML format. PDF, Word, or Google Docs are not currently supported.

Can I edit the text on the storyboard page? +

Yes, you can edit the storyboard text by simply clicking on the textbox on the scene. You can also edit the text using the left panel where you have only the text for each scene.

Can I move the text on a scene? +

Yes, simply click and drag the text box to your desired location.

How can I change the font size and color of my text? +

You can change these together using the preset, but if you want further customizability, please visit Pictory’s Adjusting Brand Settings. Another option is to double-click the text box and you will see the option to change the font and color of the text.

Can I record and upload my own voiceover? +

Pictory offers the capability to record or upload your own voiceovers. Simply click on the Add Audio button on a specific scene and you will be able to record your own voice for the scene. To apply the voice-over for the entire video just add it to your audio uploads and click on Entire video.

What if the voice-over mispronounces certain words? +

Sometimes the pronunciation of the text to speech may be incorrect. This can be fixed in Pictory’s backend very easily, simply send a request to them at [email protected] with the word and its correct phonetic pronunciation and they will fix it promptly.

Can I reorder the scenes in my storyboard? +

Yes, you can reorder the scenes in your storyboard.

How do I get help with this product? +

You can visit Pictory’s help portal or you can email them at [email protected].

Pictory Conclusion

Pictory is the best solution for bloggers, content creators, and marketers who are looking to generate more traffic and sales through sharing video content.

It’s not only very affordable but also extremely easy to navigate, allowing most users to get amazing results in very little time, and with almost no learning curve.

With Pictory, you don’t have to waste time or a ton of money creating easily sharable video content. You get to leverage the power of AI and cloud-based software to create high-quality videos with very little effort.

Focus Shaw

AI enthusiast and founder of AIcouldDOthat with 6+ years in sales and marketing. Passionate about using AI to fuel business growth through strategic marketing. Let's unlock your digital potential together!