Animake

Animake vs ShotGrid

ShotGrid (formerly Shotgun by Autodesk) has been the industry standard for production tracking since 2010. But studios now spend $30+ per user on ShotGrid alone — and still need SyncSketch, Drive, Miro, and Slack on top. Animake replaces all five in one platform starting at $7.99/month per seat.

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Why Studios Are Switching from ShotGrid to Animake

ShotGrid was built in an era when production management meant tracking tasks in a spreadsheet. It excels at that — but modern animation studios need more. They need review tools, file storage, whiteboarding, and communication all working together. ShotGrid requires you to bolt on SyncSketch for reviews, Google Drive for storage, Miro for visual planning, and Slack for communication.

Animake was built from the ground up to be the all-in-one production hub. Every feature is designed to work together: assets link to reviews, reviews link to conversations, conversations link to tasks. No more context-switching between five browser tabs.

Feature Comparison: Animake vs ShotGrid

FeatureShotGrid + Add-OnsAnimake
Asset ManagementTask-centric tracking with basic asset fields. File storage requires third-party integration (Google Drive, Perforce, etc.)Full asset library with built-in file storage ($2/100GB), automatic version control, and one-click rollback. Every upload creates a new version — no overwrites.
Video ReviewRequires SyncSketch ($25/user/month) or RV for frame-accurate review. No built-in annotation tools.Built-in synced video review with frame-accurate annotations. Real-time playback sync between reviewers. No separate tool needed.
File StorageNo built-in storage. Studios typically use Google Drive ($12/user/month for Business) or Dropbox.Built-in encrypted storage at $2/month per 100GB. Private buckets per production.
Visual PlanningNo whiteboarding. Studios use Miro ($10/user/month) for storyboard layouts and visual planning.Collaborative whiteboards built for visual storytelling — directly connected to your production assets.
CommunicationNo built-in chat. Studios use Slack ($8.75/user/month) with messages disconnected from production context.Production-aware messaging tied to assets, episodes, and tasks. Every conversation stays connected to the work.
Import/ExportData exports require API scripting or Autodesk support. Limited self-serve migration tooling.Built-in import/export engine. Download your entire production as structured CSVs and media files in a single zip — or import from another tool. No lock-in.

Pricing Comparison

ShotGrid Stack (5 tools)Animake (1 tool)
Per-user cost$85.75/user/month (ShotGrid $30 + SyncSketch $25 + Google Drive $12 + Miro $10 + Slack $8.75)As low as $7.99/user/month (Teams plan, 75 seats) or $39/user/month (Cloud plan)
20-person team~$1,715/month$599/month (Teams) or $780/month (Cloud)

With Animake Teams at $599/month for up to 75 seats, your per-seat cost drops to just $7.99/month — that's over 10x cheaper than the ShotGrid stack.

Who Should Choose ShotGrid?

ShotGrid remains a good choice if you're deeply invested in the Autodesk ecosystem (Maya, 3ds Max, Flame) and need pipeline-level API integration with those tools. Large VFX houses with custom pipeline TDs may prefer ShotGrid's flexibility.

Who Should Choose Animake?

Animake is ideal for animation studios (2D and 3D) that want one tool instead of five. If you're tired of managing multiple subscriptions, training new hires on five different platforms, and losing context between tools — Animake consolidates everything. At $7.99/seat/month on the Teams plan, it's especially compelling for small to mid-size studios where every dollar counts.

What About the ShotGrid Shutdown Rumors?

Autodesk has repeatedly changed ShotGrid's branding (Shotgun → ShotGrid) and pricing model. Many studios worry about long-term commitment. Animake offers month-to-month pricing with no annual contracts — you're never locked in. And because Animake includes a full import/export system, you can download your entire production data at any time as structured CSV files and media archives.

For production tracking, asset management, and review workflows — yes. Animake combines the core functionality of ShotGrid with built-in review tools, file storage, whiteboarding, and chat. If you need deep Autodesk pipeline integration, ShotGrid may still be necessary alongside Animake.
ShotGrid costs approximately $30/user/month for production tracking alone. When you add SyncSketch, Google Drive, Miro, and Slack, the total reaches $85.75/user/month or more. Animake replaces all five tools starting at just $7.99/seat/month on the Teams plan (up to 75 seats for $599/month), or $39/seat/month on the Cloud plan.
Yes. Animake has a powerful built-in import/export engine that handles structured CSV files and media archives. You can import your production data — including asset hierarchies, episode structures, taxonomies, playlists, leadsheets, templates, reports, and more — directly into Animake from CSV files. And if you ever need to leave, you can export your entire production as a downloadable zip containing structured CSVs and all associated media files. No lock-in, no API scripting required. For Teams and Enterprise customers, our staff will work with you hands-on to migrate your ShotGrid data into Animake.
Animake focuses on being the centralized production hub rather than a pipeline API. It integrates with your production workflow through its asset management, review, and communication features. For deep DCC tool integration, check our roadmap or contact us about Enterprise options.

Also Compare

If you're evaluating production tools for your animation studio, you may also want to compare:

  • Animake vs SyncSketch — How Animake's built-in review compares to the dedicated review tool most ShotGrid studios bolt on
  • Animake vs ftrack — A VFX-lineage alternative to ShotGrid with its own Python pipeline API
  • Animake vs Kitsu — The free, open-source alternative built for indie animation studios

Ready to replace ShotGrid and four other tools?

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