Very fast drafts
Paste a script, blog or audio file and get a full video draft with characters or stock footage in minutes.
Steve AI alternatives for cartoon videos
An automated script, blog or audio-to-video generator from the makers of Animaker, with animated, stock and generative output styles. It is a good tool for what it was built for. This page is for creators who want original cartoon stories instead, and are weighing whether Steve AI is the right fit or something else would serve them better.
Facts checked October 14, 2026 · Written by the CartoonMakerAI team
Full disclosure: we make CartoonMakerAI, one of the alternatives below. We list where Steve AI is the better choice too, and every price links to its source.
What Steve AI is
How Steve AI works.
Steve AI takes a prompt, script, blog post, audio file or image and assembles a video automatically in one of several output styles — animated characters, live stock footage, or generative AI. It is far more automated than Animaker: you get a complete draft and edit it afterwards. Paid plans include hundreds of animated characters, tiered text-to-speech with multi-voice dialogue, avatars and translation. Monthly AI video minutes are generous on paper, but truly generative video seconds are metered separately and small on most plans (120 seconds a month outside the dedicated Generative AI plan).
Where it shines
Generous monthly minutes
100 to 400 minutes of AI video a month on paid plans covers frequent publishing of assembled videos.
Built-in narration
Text-to-speech with multiple voices for dialogue, plus avatars and translation, all in one place.
Where it falls short
Confusing pricing
The pricing page shows at least three price sets for the same plans, so it is hard to know the real cost before checkout.
Commercial rights on Enterprise only
Steve AI's own plan comparison lists commercial and reselling rights as available only on Enterprise. That matters for monetized channels.
Little truly generated video
Outside the Generative AI plan, generated clips are limited to 120 seconds a month; the rest is library animation and stock.
Why creators switch
Why cartoon creators look beyond Steve AI.
01
Monetization uncertainty
If the plan table says no commercial rights below Enterprise, monetized creators need either Enterprise or another tool.
02
Stock look
Assembled stock and library animation can look generic next to channels using original generated scenes.
03
Unclear real price
Inconsistent published prices make budgeting difficult for a new channel.
Alternative #1
CartoonMakerAI vs Steve AI at a glance.
CartoonMakerAI turns one written idea into a cartoon video: you pick a style, describe the character and story, and longer pieces are split into scenes of up to 15 seconds that are rendered and joined into a single file.
What it makes
CartoonMakerAI
AI-generated cartoon scenes from a written prompt, rendered in a chosen style and stitched into one video file.
Steve AI
Automatically assembled videos from text, audio or images, using animated characters, stock footage or generated clips.
Starting price
CartoonMakerAI
Free for images; video from $19/mo (125 credits ≈ 62 s of video).
Steve AI
Free with watermark; paid from about $10/mo (published prices vary by billing period).
Free plan
CartoonMakerAI
3 images a month. No video on the free plan.
Steve AI
Yes, watermarked, with limited downloads.
Video length
CartoonMakerAI
Up to 10 minutes per generation: an LLM splits the story into scenes of up to 15 s each. Credits are the practical limit.
Steve AI
No per-video cap stated; limited by monthly AI video minutes.
Finished multi-scene video
CartoonMakerAI
Yes. Scenes are rendered and joined into a single downloadable file automatically.
Steve AI
Yes, an automatic draft you then edit.
Cartoon / animation styles
CartoonMakerAI
Eight cartoon directions: Cel Classic, Anime, Claymation, 3D Toon, Watercolor, Pixel Art, Noir Comic, Kids Song.
Steve AI
Animated characters, live stock, generative AI and more (7+ output styles).
Character consistency
CartoonMakerAI
Each scene starts from the last frame of the one before it, and the character and setting wording is repeated in every scene. No reference-image upload yet.
Steve AI
Library characters are reused; consistency of generated clips is not documented.
Voice and audio
CartoonMakerAI
Music track in Kids Song mode. No narration or text-to-speech yet.
Steve AI
Tiered TTS, multi-voice dialogue, avatars, translation.
Commercial use
CartoonMakerAI
Paid plans: you own the videos and may use them commercially, including monetized channels.
Steve AI
Steve AI's comparison table lists commercial/reselling rights on Enterprise only.
How you pay
CartoonMakerAI
Credits: 2 per second of video. Failed generations are refunded automatically.
Steve AI
Subscription with monthly AI video minutes plus separate generative credits.
Pricing
What you pay on each.
Steve AI
- FreeFree
Watermarked videos with a limited monthly allowance.
- BasicFrom $10/mo
720p, 100 AI video min/mo, 120 s generative video.
- StarterFrom $30/mo
1080p, 100 AI video min/mo, 120 s generative video.
- ProFrom $40/mo
2K, 300 AI video min/mo, 120 s generative video.
- Generative AI$40–80/mo
2K, 400 AI video min/mo, 15 min generative video.
- EnterpriseCustom
4K, 50 min generative video, commercial and reselling rights.
CartoonMakerAI
- FreeFree
3 images/mo + 5 one-time credits. No video.
- Starter$19/mo
125 credits/mo ≈ 62 s of video. No watermark.
- Creator$49/mo
325 credits/mo ≈ 162 s of video. Priority queue.
- Pro$99/mo
650 credits/mo ≈ 325 s of video. Highest priority, batch generation.
Steve AI's pricing page shows several different price sets for the same plan names (for example Basic at $10, $15 or $20), most likely yearly versus monthly billing. We show the lowest published figure as "from"; check the checkout page for your billing period. Unused credits do not roll over.
More alternatives
Other Steve AI alternatives worth a look.
Not every creator needs a cartoon generator. Depending on your format, one of these may fit better. Each link opens our notes on that tool.
InVideo AI
A general AI video studio: prompt-driven agents plus a full timeline editor, with many third-party models and stock media under one per-seat plan.
Read our notes →Fliki
Turns text, ideas, blogs or slides into voiceover-led videos, with one of the largest voice libraries and optional AI visuals.
Read our notes →Animaker
A browser-based DIY animation studio built on templates and a character builder, with AI tools layered on top.
Read our notes →Decision guide
Which one should you pick?
Choose Steve AI if
- You want a narrated video from a script or blog post as fast as possible.
- Stock footage or library characters are acceptable for your format.
- You need built-in text-to-speech and avatars.
Choose CartoonMakerAI if
- You plan to monetize and want commercial use on every paid plan.
- You want every scene generated in a consistent cartoon style, not assembled from stock.
- You want one clear price per second of video.
Our honest gaps
Where CartoonMakerAI is not the answer.
No free video
The free plan is for testing styles with images. Video starts on Starter, so you cannot try a full video without paying.
No narration yet
There is no built-in voiceover or text-to-speech. Faceless channels that rely on a narrator add the voice track in an editor afterwards.
Prompt-driven, not frame-by-frame
You direct each video through the brief and style, not a timeline. If you need to place a character's hand at an exact frame, an animation editor gives you more control.
Long videos cost real credits
Video is 2 credits per second. A 10-minute story is 1,200 credits, more than any single monthly plan includes, so long formats need top-ups.
The short version
Steve AI is quicker to a narrated draft and includes voices, which CartoonMakerAI does not. CartoonMakerAI generates every scene as original cartoon footage and includes commercial use on all paid plans, which Steve AI's plan table reserves for Enterprise.
Frequently asked questions
Steve AI alternatives: FAQ
What is a good Steve AI alternative for monetized channels?
Look for a tool that grants commercial use on regular paid plans. CartoonMakerAI includes commercial use on all paid plans; InVideo AI and Fliki also publish commercial terms on paid tiers.
Is Steve AI made by Animaker?
Yes. Steve AI is made by Animaker Inc. and links to Animaker from its site.
Does Steve AI have a free plan?
Yes, with a watermark and a limited monthly allowance of AI video and downloads.
Does Steve AI generate original video?
It offers a generative AI style, but most plans include only 120 seconds of generated video a month. Most output uses library characters or stock footage.
Sources and method
Steve AI details were checked against Steve AI's own website on October 14, 2026. Prices are in USD before tax. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on their site before buying. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@cartoonmakerai.com and we will correct it.
Test the styles before you pay.
Free accounts get three images a month, enough to see whether a look suits your channel before you commit to video.