When you think of animated movies, it's likely flicks from either Walt Disney Animation Studios or Pixar Animation Studios will spring to mind. 

After all, each studio is responsible for creating some of the most cherished movies of all time, such as The Lion King (1994) and Finding Nemo (2003). Plus, they will likely continue to do so, as both studios are expected to release animations in the near future, such as Pixar's Luca (2021) and Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon (2021).

Yet, you might be unsure about which studio reigns supreme. If this is the case, keep reading to find out which animation studio produces the best movies.

The Critics and Audience Winner: Pixar

CashLady recently took the time to analyze Disney and Pixar movies' popularity, which included box office revenue, critics score, and audience ratings. According to the CashLady research, Pixar Animation Studios came out on top, as it had an average critic score of 89%. It's also a more popular option with the public, as its audience score is 82%. While Disney might have been defeated, the studio's movies weren't too far behind, as it secured a critic score of 80% and a 75% audience score.

The Box Office Winner: Pixar

Disney also couldn't compare to Pixar at the box office. According to the research, which used data from Rotten Tomatoes, Disney generated the highest-grossing movies individually, but the combined total for Pixar movies enjoyed a greater box office figure. 

As Pixar has earned an average box office revenue of $350 million, the numbers speak for themselves, while Disney isn't too far behind with $324 million.

The Top Three Films

Despite Pixar winning over audiences and critics with its exceptional animations and emotional stories, Disney featured in the top 3 overall movies. It turns out silver screen lovers are huge fans of animated Disney classics, as the following three flicks came out on top:

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

• The Lion King (1994)

• 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Why Did Pixar Beat Disney?

While Disney might have secured the top 3 movies, they might struggle to rival the quality of Pixar's animations or emotional storytelling. Pixar seemingly can't put a foot wrong at the moment, as it has produced many box office hits in recent years, such as Finding Nemo (2003), Toy Story 4 (2019), and Incredibles 2 (2018).

Meanwhile, Disney has struggled to match its iconic movies, such as Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992). The studio has also created some box office flops that might have impacted its reputation and box office success, such as Home on the Range (2004) and Chicken Little (2005).

It's for this reason why Disney might have chosen to acquire Pixar in 2006 for an incredible $7.4 billion. While both studios continue to produce movies, acquiring Pixar was undoubtedly a shrewd financial decision for Disney and helped them to maintain their reputation of creating exceptional animations for audiences of all ages.