A control apparatus to control a vibration motor includes a control unit. The vibration motor includes a vibration body and a contact body contacting the vibration body. The control apparatus applies alternating voltages, generated based on pulse width and frequency of pulse signals, to an electro-mechanical energy conversion element of the vibration motor to cause relative movement between the vibration and contact bodies at a target velocity. The pulse width and the frequency are (i) set such that a first steady velocity exceeds the target velocity, before the relative movement starts, and (ii) changed such that a second steady velocity is less than the first steady velocity, after the relative movement starts, and before an actual velocity at a time of the relative movement exceeds the target velocity. The pulse width or the frequency is controlled such that the relative movement is performed at the target velocity.