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Rotato vs Protato vs Hano: which 3D device mockup tool fits the job
Three renderers, three different jobs. Rotato for a Mac desk, Protato for a phone in your pocket, Hano for a browser tab. What each exports and what it costs.
· updated Sep 7, 2026 · 3 min read · 5 products
The short answer
Rotato is the pick when you sit at a Mac and want a video. It renders 3D devices and animations locally, and the download is free for any Mac. Protato is the pick for a still shot from a phone, it renders on iPhone as well as Mac. Hano is the pick when you want it in the browser, with animated scenes and a free tier. Mokkit and Ultramock cover the quick free case.
Every launch needs the same three pictures: the product on a phone, the product on a laptop, and one of them moving. Five tools on the board do this, and they split cleanly by where you sit when you make the picture.
Which one renders video?
Rotato and Hano. Rotato renders on your Mac, which means a 4K clip with a spinning phone finishes while you make coffee. Hano renders in the browser, so the machine matters less and the scene library does the work. Protato exports stills, and it does them at studio quality on a Mac or an iPhone, which is a stranger and more useful trick than it sounds: you shoot the mockup where the screenshot lives.
Which one is free?
Ultramock is free, full stop. It turns product screens into 3D mockups, visuals and video, and the price is the reason it is the first thing to try. Mokkit has a free tier and turns screenshots into animated transparent device mockups in seconds. Rotato's download is free for any Mac and the paid tier unlocks the export sizes and scenes you will want on the second day. Protato and Hano are freemium, with the watermark and the scene count as the line.
Which one for a launch page hero?
A still from Protato or a transparent PNG from Mokkit. The hero is the one image on the page that loads before anything else, and a video there costs you a second of first paint. Keep the video for the second fold and for the social card.
Which one for a social clip?
Rotato. A ten second rotation with a soft shadow is the clip that stops a feed, and it is the clip Rotato makes on its own presets. Hano gets there in the browser with its animated scenes and it is the pick when the Mac is elsewhere.
The rule of thumb
One tool, learned well, beats five tried once. Pick by where you work: Mac at a desk, Rotato. Phone in hand, Protato. Browser only, Hano. Just a picture right now, Mokkit or Ultramock. The whole shelf sits under mockups on the board, and the shot by shot advice for a launch page is in what a launch page needs.
The Mac renderer for video, free to download
Rotato renders 3D devices and animations on your own machine. A ten second rotation with a soft shadow is a preset away, and it is the clip that stops a feed.
Pros
- Free download for any Mac
- Video and stills from one scene
- Local rendering, so a 4K clip is quick
Cons
- Mac only
- The scenes you want on day two sit behind the paid tier
Studio stills, rendered on a Mac or an iPhone
Protato renders where the screenshot lives. Shoot the mockup on the phone, send it to the page. The stills are studio grade and the workflow is the shortest on this list.
Pros
- Renders on iPhone as well as Mac
- Studio quality stills
- Quick from screenshot to shot
Cons
- Stills only, motion needs another tool
- Apple hardware only
3D device mockups and animated scenes in the browser
Hano is the browser answer. Animated scenes, device mockups, and a free tier to find out whether it fits before paying. The machine matters less because the scene library carries the work.
Pros
- Runs anywhere with a browser
- Animated scenes built in
- Free tier to start
Cons
- Export sizes and scene count sit on the paid plan
- Browser rendering is slower than a local Mac
Screenshot to an animated transparent mockup in seconds
The quick one. Drop a screenshot, get an animated device with a transparent background, place it over any hero. When the page design is still moving this is the flexible choice.
Pros
- Seconds from screenshot to mockup
- Transparent output sits on any background
- Free tier
Cons
- Fewer scenes than the renderers
- Less control over camera and light
Free 3D mockups, visuals and video
Ultramock is free and covers stills, visuals and video. It is the first thing to try, and for a small launch it can be the last.
Pros
- Free
- Stills and video from one place
- Runs in the browser, zero install
Cons
- Less polish than Rotato on the clip
- Limited scene control
Questions
Is Rotato free?
The download is free for any Mac and the free tier renders real mockups and animations. The paid plan unlocks the larger export sizes, more scenes and the assets you reach for once the first clip is out. For a single launch the free tier covers the phone and laptop shots, the paid tier earns its price on the second product.
Can Protato render on an iPhone?
Yes, that is its defining trick. Protato renders studio quality 3D device mockups on a Mac or an iPhone, so a screenshot taken on the phone becomes a mockup on the same phone. The output is a still, so for motion you pair it with Rotato, Hano or Mokkit.
Which tool runs on a machine other than a Mac?
Hano, Mokkit and Ultramock all run in the browser, on any machine. Hano brings animated scenes, Mokkit turns a screenshot into an animated transparent mockup in seconds, and Ultramock is free and covers stills, visuals and video. Rotato and Protato need Apple hardware.
What size should a launch hero mockup be?
Export at twice the width it will display at, so a 1200 pixel hero comes out of the renderer at 2400. Keep the file under 300 KB with WebP. A transparent PNG from Mokkit sits over any background, which is the flexible choice when the page design is still moving.
