Clear communication is essential in medicine and life sciences. Whether you’re educating future doctors, explaining a treatment to a patient, or presenting a biotech innovation, the ability to accurately explain complex concepts is what separates informed drivel from engaging gold dust.

Two prominent leaders in this space are VOKA and XVIVO. While both companies create stunning medical and scientific visual content, their processes and primary strengths differ significantly. As such, choosing the right partner is not about finding the "best" agency but about identifying the one whose core competencies align with your project's specific demands.

This article provides a detailed comparison of VOKA and XVIVO, examining their portfolios, additional services, and content production approaches. Our goal is to provide you with the insights to help you make an informed decision and maximize value for money.

Feature comparison table: VOKA vs XVIVO at a glance

Feature VOKA XVIVO
Key animation services 3D medical animation, 3D scientific animation 3D medical animation, 3D scientific animation
Additional services 3D modeling, medical illustration, AR/VR experiences, visuals for events Medical illustration, VR experiences, healthcare-oriented applications development
Scientific accuracy Medical content supervised by the internal medical team of 20+ experts Research supervised by medical writers, along with standard studio-led content review
Сlient focus Innovative medtech & pharma companies, healthcare providers, educational organizations Large-scale biotech corporations and healthcare organizations
Feature
Key animation services
VOKA
3D medical animation, 3D scientific animation
XVIVO
3D medical animation, 3D scientific animation
Additional services
VOKA
3D modeling, medical illustration, AR/VR experiences, visuals for events
XVIVO
Medical illustration, VR experiences, healthcare-oriented applications development
Scientific accuracy
VOKA
Medical content supervised by the internal medical team of 20+ experts
XVIVO
Research supervised by medical writers, along with standard studio-led content review
Сlient focus
VOKA
Innovative medtech & pharma companies, healthcare providers, educational organizations
XVIVO
Large-scale biotech corporations and healthcare organizations

Detailed feature analysis

Portfolio and scientific accuracy

VOKA specializes in developing realistic, highly detailed 3D medical animations for education, clinical practice, scientific research, and professional communication. Our portfolio showcases our team’s deep medical expertise across a wide range of specialties.

What’s more, every animation is reviewed by our in-house medical professionals to ensure scientific accuracy and effective narration.

VOKA’s expertise covers two primary content areas:

  • 3D medical animation. We produce high-quality animations across various medical types, including mechanisms of action (MoA), mechanisms of disease (MoD), medical device operation, surgical techniques, physiological processes, and biotech innovations. In addition, we create content across 15+ medical specialties, including oncology, dentistry, and dermatology, meeting the diverse needs of educators, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies.

  • 3D scientific visualization. We excel at visualizing complex scientific subjects, including genetic structures (DNA/RNA) and chemical and microbiological processes, into accurate and compelling formats. It helps make complex data accessible and understandable.

In contrast, XVIVO specializes in creating 2D and 3D medical animations with a primary focus on microanatomy. For more than 20 years, the company has been creating high-quality MoA and MoD videos for the pharma and biotech industries.

However, despite vast market experience, the company has no dedicated medical team integrated into video production processes. The research and scriptwriting stages are primarily based on the analysis of relevant scientific literature conducted by medical writers and animators.

Additional services

VOKA's expertise extends beyond animation to a comprehensive range of visual solutions for the medical and scientific fields.

  • 3D medical modeling. Our library features 1,000+ detailed, interactive 3D models covering normal anatomy, pathology, microanatomy, and biomechanics. These models are available in our extensive VOKA 3D Anatomy & Pathology app, offering a large variety of interactive tools for enhanced learning.

  • Medical illustration. We create detailed, scientifically accurate renders to visualize complex medical processes. These illustrations are tailored for use in educational materials, scientific publications, and commercial presentations.

3D medical illustration of hypophysis by VOKA

  • AR/VR experiences. We develop immersive augmented and virtual reality solutions that place 3D anatomical models into interactive settings. These experiences are designed to improve medical training, lectures, and patient education.

  • Visuals for events. We produce custom 3D medical visuals for industry thematic events. Our content can be used in conference presentations and exhibition booths, ensuring your messages are communicated with maximum impact and clarity.

A person interacts with a tablet running the Voka 3D Anatomy & Pathology app, viewing a detailed 3D liver model with visible vessels and bile ducts

XVIVO also provides various additional services specifically tailored for medical marketing needs:

  • Medical illustration. The company produces high-quality illustrations for websites, scientific and medical presentations, digital media, publications, and more. These illustrations cover numerous disciplines, from dentistry to oncology, and various content types, including MoA, medical device illustrations, and many others.

Scientific illustration by XVIVO showing an antibody molecule connecting two cell surfaces

  • Virtual reality. XVIVO’s VR medical experiences immerse medical professionals and patients in physiological processes at the molecular level. For example, their Virtual Reality Celluverse solution for Oculus Quest 3 is an immersive game that allows the user to act as a drug delivery agent who prevents a cell from becoming cancerous. Patients have the opportunity to walk through procedures and decrease the level of anxiety.

  • Application development. XVIVO builds interactive touchscreen apps that bring medical data, visuals, and video together in one place, helping users better understand complex anatomy, physiology, and pathology.

The production process and client collaboration

VOKA’s medical animation production follows a structured, collaborative workflow designed to bring our clients’ ideas to life with precision and scientific integrity.

Our production process involves:

  • 1

    Creative brief & research

    Together, we define the project goals, while our video production team gets foundational insights on the topic from in-house medical specialists.

  • 2

    Script & storyboarding

    This is where we define the narrative structure and visual flow of the future animation.

  • 3

    3D modeling

    At this stage, VOKA’s 3D artists create detailed and accurate assets that will be used as the main objects of the video.

  • 4

    Animation

    Here, our animation specialists bring 3D models to life through motion and interaction.

  • 5

    Rendering, lighting, and shading

    This step is necessary for the final quality of the animation, as it adds realism and visual depth to the existing models.

  • 6

    Voiceover and sound design

    When the animation is ready, we complement the storytelling with audio lines.

  • 7

    Final review and delivery

    At the end, we focus on polishing and providing the completed animation.

No matter the phase, your input is essential. You are always welcome to shape the narrative, select models, and request adjustments to ensure the final product aligns with your objectives. In addition, every project is guided by our in-house medical team, which oversees the process from start to finish, guaranteeing scientific accuracy.

XVIVO’s workflow is similar to that of VOKA, including the stages of script writing, storyboarding, un-rendered and rough animation building, as well as final animation and delivery. However, regarding the research, the company's medical writers collect molecular structures, study key pathways, and create first drafts to figure out the best way to demonstrate complex scientific mechanisms. Their work goes without any interference or guidance from medical specialists.

Finding the right fit: Ideal use cases

How to choose between VOKA and XVIVO, two 3D medical animation companies, depending on your needs

Both VOKA and XVIVO are famous professionals in the industry of medical animation production, but they significantly differ in their core expertise, project focus, and approach used in scientific accuracy verification.

Choose VOKA if you are:

  • A university, educator, or research institution that requires expert-verified content for academic teaching or scientific communication, where the highest possible accuracy is obligatory.

  • A pharmaceutical or biotech company needing high-fidelity animations for R&D communication and investor presentations.

  • An organization looking for 3D medical and scientific content to use in educational programs, academic publishing, and marketing materials.

  • A team seeking a video production partner offering a broad suite of services, from 3D modeling and medical illustration to immersive AR/VR solutions.

  • A client prioritizing active collaboration and scientific review at every stage.

Choose XVIVO if you are:

  • A healthcare, pharma, or medical device company looking for high-quality microanatomy and molecular processes animation for their products and treatment demonstration.

  • A team interested in 2D and 3D medical and scientific illustrations for marketing needs, websites, or publications.

  • An organization looking for interactive medical applications that integrate multimedia content (text, images, and video) to help users explore scientific concepts.

Final verdict

Both VOKA and XVIVO are established medical animation studios, but they address different needs.

VOKA focuses on scientifically validated visual content, supported by a transparent production process and in-house expert review at every stage.

XVIVO, in contrast, emphasizes storytelling and engagement, with strong expertise in microanatomy and molecular visualization for marketing and broad audience communication.

The right choice depends on your project goals: choose VOKA for projects requiring scientific rigor and close expert collaboration, and XVIVO for marketing-driven animations designed to communicate ideas quickly.