Computer animation has come a long way since inception in the year 1960. The fundamentals of animation software or animation tool can be traced back to the time when William Fetter, a computer graphics designer made a diagram of a human body inside an airplane cockpit. Although the intention was to maximize the efficiency of Boeing’s cockpits, it paved the way towards more sophisticated process flows and thus, towards animation generated by computers. The credit for the first animation software, however, goes to Ivan Sutherland, an MIT graduate. His program Sketchpad (developed in 1963) drew lines that looked like recognizable figures. Little did he know that his idea would become a multibillion-dollar industry in the years to come.
Slowly and steadily, more progress was made in the field. The movie Tron which was released in the year 1982, was one of the first movies to use computer-generated graphics. Movies like the Terminator, Jurassic Park, Toy Story, the Matrix, and Avatar further refined the process, adding more details and sophistication to computer animation. The animation software industry grew to great heights within this period.
Fast forward to 2021, we have a plethora of examples to celebrate the genius of CGI or computer-generated imagery. There are a variety of animation software available in the market, widely used by professionals at animation studios. Depending on the medium you choose —hand-drawn or 2D, 3D, or stop-motion and the price range, there are plenty of options to get started. A well-built animation software provides intuitive controls and flexibility that can be easily understood by a beginner but also has vastly superior tools for an experienced user.
Browse through this list of quality animation software, and select the one that best suits your requirement. We hope it will help you hone your foundation skills, practice animation styles, and help you get professional results.
Adobe Character Animator
This animation software comes from one of the biggest development companies in the world and serves up to the hyped expectations. One of the recent additions to the Adobe family, this simple animation software uses facial recognition, gesture recognition, etc to animate cartoon characters. The Character Animator is a real-time animator that uses your facial expressions, hand movements, full-body motion capture, and various other inputs to animate characters. It is extremely smooth and fast and you can live stream your development process to share work with team members or your audience. Just plug in your microphone, web camera and start animating! You can also create a character from your artworks in a few mouse clicks using the built-in Adobe Sensei.
Adobe Character Animator is one of the best animation software and is used by many Hollywood film houses. The software offers a huge variety of options for animating. You can also use the built-in puppets to begin animating as soon as you open the software. Animation options include breathing, walking, blinking, behaviors, etc. It is a great animation software for beginners as well as experienced professionals.
Computer animation has come a long way since inception in the year 1960. The fundamentals of animation software or animation tool can be traced back to the time when William Fetter, a computer graphics designer made a diagram of a human body inside an airplane cockpit. Animation Desk is free so everyone can try it. If you want to get rid of the ads or acquire some additional tools, you can use in-app purchases. Back to menu ↑ Animation Desk Classic. Animation Desk Classic is an app for drawing animation right on your smartphone. The interface of this app resembles an animator’s workplace.
The free trial lasts for 7 days after which you can buy the paid versions of this simple software for animation. You can buy all the Adobe applications (creative cloud) for around 52 USD per month, billed annually. Adobe has created different packages for individuals, businesses, schools, and professionals. You can check this link out for more information on pricing.
Toon Boom Harmony
Toon Boom by Harmony is a cartoon animation software for beginners as well as for professionals. The software allows the user the flexibility, fluidity, and the smoothness of traditional animation. The learning curve is moderate since the software is meant for newbies as well as for professionals. The software has been used by leading animation studios for more than 25 years.
GitHub illustrator and animator, Tony Jaramillo writes in his testimonial, “Harmony makes it possible to level up our animation productivity without sacrificing quality..we're big fans”. Some of the most famous users of Toon Boom are Universal Studios, Fox Studios, Cartoon Network, Ubisoft, and Lucas Film.
New features that came with the latest update include a stabilizer for lines, stylus pressure responsiveness, and tilt and angle responsiveness. Standard features include a brush engine, traditional paperless animation, deformers, cut-out animation, 2D/3D integration, export to game engines, and pipeline integration. It is also easily integrable with software such as Adobe Illustrator, and extensions such as PSD, PSB, PDF, and Bitmaps.
Pricing options come in different packages that include this animation software. Harmony Essentials cost 16 Euros per month, billed annually. You can also choose to purchase the package for a one-time cost of 400 Euros. Similarly, Harmony Advanced is a 1,030 Euros one-time purchase (41 Euros per month if not purchased) and the Harmony Premium is a 2,085 Euros one-time purchase (78 Euros per month if not purchased). You can use the software for free for 21 days; a duration that is good enough to understand and explore this amazing animation software.
DigiCel FlipBook
This 2D animation software is easy-to-use but don’t let the simplicity fool you. You can do a lot of things with this animation software although it is intended for beginners. Developed by DigiCel, FlipBook runs on both Windows and macOS. You can also call this a frame by frame animation software since the method it employs deals with designing one frame at a time. Since the learning curve is smooth, you can directly dive into animating. The software lets you easily scan your artworks from paper directly onto the software. You can also make stop motion videos if you want.
Some of the features of FlipBook include a multiple-frame work desk, lip-sync support, pan, zoom, rotate, blur options, import and export capabilities, and scanning options. The software is efficient and super-smooth. The speed is amazing as well. You can make changes while the animation is running and the changes are visible the next time the loop runs! As aforementioned, the animation software is simple to use. However, some big names have complimented the software and recommended it to their followers. Disney’s Animation Director, Eric Goldberg calls it a great program and praises the draw tool provided by the software.
DigiCel’s Flipbook is priced according to four different packages that are Lite, Studio, Pro, and ProHD. If you use the free version of this animation software, all published exports are watermarked. The Lite version is listed at 98 USD but is currently at a sale price of 19 USD! The package offers 2 columns, 300 frames, and 800x600 screen capabilities. As the packages advance, so do their features. A complete pricing list can be seen here.
Moho Debut by Anime Studios
The Moho Debut is an animation software suitable for beginners interested in learning the art of animation. The interface is easy to understand and allows you to animate real fast. The simplicity does not, however, undermine the strength and the robustness of this software. The tools offered by Moho Debut are powerful and can be used to convert your strangest imaginations into an animated story. The software comes with multilingual support and has the capability to handle English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese.
The software runs on both macOS and Windows and offers advanced and sophisticated freehand tools. Features such as bone rigging, pen pressure support for tablets, animated effects for shapes and layers, brushes that can be used to easily edit and animate, PSD support, and keyframe options are available. Advanced masking options and an auto freeze tool are also available. The software is priced at 69.99 USD. The free trial can be availed for 30 days.
Moho Pro by Anime Studios
The Moho Pro is the advanced version of its lighter version, the Moho Debut. The user base is more professional and advanced. The software is costlier but has more features that can be used to create better animations. This 2D animation software includes all the features of Moho Debut. The latest version Moho Pro 13 integrates the best animation technology with the most sophisticated tools. The software runs on both macOS and Windows and requires a minimum RAM of 4GB and 2.0 GHz Intel i3 processor.
Moho Pro offers a bone rigging system, physics engine, dynamic bones, and smart bones to control complex movements, frame by frame capabilities, vector tools with Bezier handles, accurate SVG, AI, and EPS import, 4K video export, vector export, motion blur, and multilayer and multi-channel control. The newest update adds bitmap frame by frame capabilities, bitmap freehand drawing tools, custom bitmap brush creation, 3D objects light manipulation, 3D objects material properties support.
You can also purchase add-ons to improve the experience. The 100 Brush Pack, for example, is priced at 39 USD. Other add-ons include the Retro Space Pack, School Days Pack, Content Pack, and the Puppets Pack. This animation software is priced at 399.9 USD with a free trial that lasts for 30 days.
Pencil2D
This is a great free animation software for people who are into traditional hand-drawn animation. The software allows you to work with both raster as well as with vector graphics. The minimal design of the interface makes it easy and smooth to work with. The clutter-free UI/UX experience is one of the selling points of this free software. Pencil2D is a cross-platform software that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The software is open-source which has allowed a great and helpful community to develop around this product.
The software has a variety of handy animation tools and options. You can also upload your Pencil 2D project to aid in the development of the software; one of the plus points of being open-source. You can import GIFs and export them as well. The latest version, v0.6.4 released last year with several new tweaks and adjustments. Bug fixes and patches were also part of the update. Upcoming features may include a new undo/redo system, x-sheet support, new layer manipulation operations, etc.
The biggest disadvantage of using Pencil2D is that the software requires you to fill in your preferences every time you open it.
Synfig Studio
Another open-source 2D animation software that comes free of cost. If you are not comfortable with a frame by frame animation software, this is the perfect tool for you. You can run this free animation software on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Since the software is open-source, you can make changes to the source code and submit enhancements and upgrades.
One of the main features of Synfig Studio is vector tweening; you can convert any vector graphic into another form easily. The software offers powerful tools to help you achieve that. Synfig also provides more than 50 layers to make artworks and animations. Some of the layer types are geometric, transformations, gradients, filters, distortions, fractals, etc. The bone system is also full of options and is a powerful tool on its own. The software also provides an additional skeleton distortion layer. Finally, you can connect different layers via mathematical expressions. With the help of this, you can make characters, puppets, and complex dynamic structures. The software has a steeper learning curve for beginners.
Cartoon Animator 4
Cartoon Animator 4 is a 2D animation software intended for both beginners as well as for professionals. You can design characters and digitally animate them via expressions and lip-sync capabilities. The Cartoon Animator 4 community is a strong one and materials for learning the software are easily available. Much like Adobe’s Character Animator, you can use your facial expressions and your voice to make animations. A few examples of videos made using this animation software are given here; The Curious Child, a TV series by Eon De Bruin, and an Animated comic by Fransesco.
Key features of this amazing animation software include webcam and iPhone facial mocap, hand tracking and digital puppets, full-body motion capture, sprite-based facial system, audio lip-syncing, precise FK/IK system, smart motion retargeting, stretch animation, and so much more. If you want to explore all the features of this superb software, head to this link for a detailed view. The software also lets you integrate your work with Adobe Photoshop and allows you to use PSD templates for designing. Pipeline features include capabilities to import 3D motions into 2D artworks and to create custom and unique elastic motion libraries. Finally, you can work with a huge number of file extensions without any trouble. It supports up to 4K resolution monitors.
The free trial is for 30 days after which you can buy the pro edition for 99 USD, the pipeline edition for 199 USD, or avail special bundle discounts.
Stop Motion Studio
An animation software for beginners, Stop Motion Studio helps to create high-quality stop motion videos. Adopting the frame by frame animation technique, this software can help you make 4k stop motion videos with ease. The software is cross-platform and cross-device and can run on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Your projects are accessible from all the devices where you have your account.
You can use your phone camera to click the single frames or you can even hook up your digital camera to your device. You also have the option to use a second phone to add more perspective to your videos. Editing these images is also easy and just requires a few touches or clicks. You can add audio clips, titles, credits, and filter effects to your videos as you click the frames. There is also the option to add looping to your videos using in and out set points. The software has built-in sound clips that you can use in your videos and you can directly record our voice and apply it on the video as you work your way through the project. Other features include grid and onion skinning options, paint tools, magic eraser, and import of images, audio, video files, etc.
Download keychain access mac os x. This animation software costs just a dollar and 99 cents on Windows. The mobile application costs 4.99 USD and the macOS version costs 9.99 USD.
Blender
Probably the best free animation software on this list and one of the most recommended software for animation by professionals, Blender is an open-source software that runs on different platforms with ease. It is one of the few 3D modeling and animation software that is free of cost, yet it does not lack any power or robustness of its paid counterparts. In fact, it might just have a slight edge over them. This animation software is suitable for beginners as well as for professionals. With the help of Blender, you can develop animations, games, animated models, renders, and other types of 3D projects. It is available on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Blender is a pretty good animation software when it comes to the features it offers. Blender provides real-time viewport review as well as CPU and GPU rendering. With Blender, you have PBR shaders and HDR lighting support. Other features include VR rendering support, advanced modeling, sculpting, and UV tools, advanced rigging and animation tools, powerful visual effects, auto-tracking, manual tracking, camera reconstruction, drawing in 2D mode оnto the 3D viewport, onion skinning, etc.
Blender is one of the best free animation software that you can use at all levels. Blender has some amazing open projects where you can contribute. Ever since the year 2005, the Blender Foundation has tried to invite developers and animators to contribute to open projects to promote creativity and innovation in Blender. The first such project was called ‘Elephants Dream’, which won the best short film award. Here is the official link to all open projects started by the Blender Foundation. If you are an advanced animator, make sure to check these out.
Some of the drawbacks are that the learning curve is very steep and it would take beginners a lot of time to learn to use this software. It is also not easy to make image animations since the software aims more at 3D animation.
Animaker
Animaker is a browser-based animation software that can be used by beginners, professionals, and animation enthusiasts. It is a great tool for making handcraft videos, whiteboard videos, short marketing bits, animated infographic videos, and educational videos. Used by huge brands such as Amazon, Nokia, Siemens, and Dell, Animaker’s buffed-up client base speaks for itself. With Animaker, you can make 2D and 2.5D videos via a variety of tools and features. You can choose from different plans based on your needs.
Animaker supports full HD and both horizontal and vertical layouts. Animaker provides great features for animation such as record, curve, camera in/out, multimove, transition effects, and enter/exit effects. Along with these, the animation software also has a deck feature that allows users to use animations as videos or presentations. The software also has some amazing audio features such as text-to-speech, preloaded background tracks, sound effects, voice recording, etc. You can also use libraries for pre-defined templates.
With the free package, you can download your animations with a watermark. The free package also lets you work with HD support. The starter pack is priced at 19 USD per month and is intended for individuals and startups. The starter pack supports full HD and you can download 6 premium animations without the watermarks. The business pack is priced at 39 USD per month and has all the features that this great animation software has to offer.
OpenToonz
OpenToonz is a free animation software that you can use to make cartoon animations. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. OpenToonz was customized by Studio Ghibli and is in use by the same for many years. It was first used in the making of the famous film, ‘Princess Mononoke’ by Studio Ghibli. Since it is open-source, you can contribute to its source code as well.
OpenToonz has all the features required to make a great animated film. Its unique features have been specifically customised to meet those requirements of the production staff. The scanning tool or 'GTS’ for instance, that specializes in animation. OpenToonz also comes with an effects development kit developed by Dwango. The SDK is a plug-in effect for image processing. Other features include digital drawing tools such as vector and bitmap drawing tools, indexed color palettes, animated special effects, and composite scene, scripting, motion tracking, frame-by-frame animation, motion tweening, bones character animation, particle systems for dust, rain, and similar effects, etc.
It can be used free of charge for both commercial and non-commercial videos. In case you face any issues, you can post your query in the developers’ forum or any community blog. The plug-in effects of this animation software are, however, very limited.
Powtoon
Another browser animation software that is free to use, Powtoon is intended for beginners but can also be used by more advanced animators. It can be used to make dynamic video presentations. Used by brands such as Microsoft, IBM, Google, Adobe, Coca Cola, eBay, Cisco, and Starbucks, Powtoon is a trusted software that can be used to develop engaging infographic videos and marketing bits. The official website describes Powtoon as a platform for visual communication. Hopping on the visual communication description, the animation software is a great means to talent acquisition, change management, internal communications, and marketing. Schools and universities can also use Powtoon to make infographic videos and educational tutorials to teach their students. In fact, during times such as these when the world is fighting against COVID-19, such a tool can come in handy to reach out to colleagues and team members.
With Powtoon’s free version, you can export YouTube videos, Facebook videos, Vimeo videos, and PDFs, and Powerpoints. The version also offers customs styles and you can change the aspect ratio as well as sizes. You can implement image files and animate and make GIFs. Once you get past the beginner level, you can choose from the various packages based on your requirements. Powtoon is one of the best animation software that you can use to learn about animation. You can import themes from Microsoft Powerpoint as well in case you don’t want to start working from scratch.
The three paid packages that come with this animation software are Pro, Pro +, and Agency. At 19 USD per month, you can buy the Pro package which gives you access to free content and 2 GB of storage. The Pro + is priced at 29 USD per month and gives you access to all the content and 10 GB of storage. With Agency, the cream package, you get all the features of Powtoon and 100 GB of storage at 99 USD per month.
Tupi
Here’s a treat for Mac users; a free animation software with amazing features and lots of content. The software was developed by animators who wanted to allow people to make and edit videos without having to pay for them. The learning curve of this software is moderate and you can create quality 2D videos once you get the hang of it. You can contribute to the Tupi source code as well and tweak it in case you require specific customizations or would like to help the community.
Features of Tupi include support for vector illustrations, adding shapes, filling areas, import raster images, export all your finished images into different file formats, support for tweeting positions, etc. You can also make lip-sync animations using Tupi. The software also supports vector illustrations and different file formats. The official website contains lots of resources for animators of all levels. It features an extensive resource base of examples and tutorials. One of the drawbacks of Tupi is that it cannot be used to make 3D videos.
Terragen
Terragen is a free animation software for Windows. You can use it to make CG animation. It is meant for moderate level users but can be used by beginners who are interested in learning animation. The learning curve is moderate and it requires some time to get the hang of it. The newest feature, the ray-traced preview is great for animation. It can be installed on all Windows devices and is an amazing animation software for 3D animation. Developed by Planetside Software, Terragen 4.4, the latest update is feature-rich.
Besides ray-traced preview, some of the other features include photo-real clouds, ozone simulation, faster rendering (almost double), lens effects, and new shaders and enhancements, etc. Terragen Pro comes with FBX, render layers and AOVs, spherical cameras, full 3D motion blur, and stereo cameras. The price list of Terragen can be found here. The drawback of this animation software is that its interface looks very complicated. However, with use and understanding, you can work on it effortlessly.
Although the list of animation software is exhaustive, we have tried to put together the best intuitive software programs, and we hope it'll give you a good start. You might want to check out our list of the best graphic design software. Tech-savvy creatives would also like our feature on the best drawing and art apps.
As you get creative with your animation portfolios, do remember to create your portfolio website to showcase your work. Here’s a great article on how to create a portfolio website. Your design portfolio represents a window for the world to view your work and judge your talent, skills, and experience. So, if you haven’t built a website to showcase your design portfolio, start today with Pixpa. Here are some great examples of graphic design portfolios created on Pixpa for your inspiration. Explore all features that make Pixpa the perfect choice for creative professionals. Get ready to express yourself in stunning new ways and create awesome animation clips with ease and efficiency!
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When it comes to exploring and picking out the proper animation software or an app, the selection process can be tricky for the already existing enthusiasts and beginners.
When choosing animation apps, many aspects need to be considered in terms of functionality, difficulty and price.
Additionally, looking at the sheer volume of products out there, you might be scratching your head and thinking to yourself, ‘Where do I even begin?’ 🤔
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place and are now much closer to beginning exploring a great range of products on various platforms.
You’ll discover the best 2D, 3D, and stop-motion animation apps and programs for smartphones, tablets, and desktops in this piece.
You’ll be happy to learn that some of these animation creators are free, and some are relatively easy to pick up, even for beginner animators.
There is something for everyone.
With a brief yet informative description, you’ll be able to quickly familiarize yourself with some of the best animation apps currently on the market. So let's get started! 💻
1. Animation Desk
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
To kick things off, I'd like to bring to your attention to Animation Desk. It's a frame-to-frame-based animation app that beginners will acclimate to quickly, while advanced users will enjoy the high functionality and plenty of tools.
This animation app falls under the category of stop-motion apps.
It is incredibly intuitive, with plenty of features that will enable its users to make anything from quick sketches to lengthy cartoons.
There are plenty of import and export options available (Photoshop layers, PDF sheets, and even GIFs). Onion skinning is also one of the key features available on this app for 2D animation creation.
Animation Desk works on Windows, Mac, and Android without any hick-ups. However, this app shines brightest when used on the iPad alongside an Apple Pencil, or any other compatible stylus for that matter.
You can also draw inspiration from the Animation Desk community, where aspiring animators such as yourself share their work and find creative ideas and tips for their future animations.
2. Adobe Spark
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
With Adobe Spark, you’ll be able to create social graphics and short video stories based on different video formats and themes, all while on the go.
The sync features allow you to continue your projects across the web seamlessly and mobile devices - it's excellent in portability.
While it’s not an animation-only app, and in ways, it’s somewhat limiting from a creative standpoint, Adobe Spark stands out in its simplicity of producing videos based on the use of templates.
Adobe Spark can create creative video content for businesses, educational purposes, and personal use.
This product can improve your social media posts’ quality by adding a certain degree of professionalism and giving you options and features to truly personalize your video with animations.
The sharing options are also worth noting since Adobe makes it incredibly simple to get your work out there, making this a go-to platform for not only animations but for so much more.
3. Stop Motion Studio
Price: $4.99 (iOS and Android) $9.99 (Mac and Windows)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Animation Apps For Computer
Available on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, Stop Motion Studio is one of the best stop motion animation movie-making apps currently on the market.
With this app, you’ll be able to create amazing stop-action movies and have an incredible amount of features at your disposal.
If you happen to have multiple devices, you’ll be pleased to know that if you start a project on one device, you’ll be able to finish it on another, thanks to the advanced sync capabilities that are in place.
Stop Motion Studio will make even its most advanced users occupied and content from beginning to end when it comes to features.
At its core, this animation app is a full-featured movie editor, all while being easy to use with a simple interface.
You should primarily consider what type of camera you own when taking on this app.
Stop motion production relies on capturing images, and having a professional camera is highly recommended for advanced users (although at the beginning, your phone’s camera should suffice).
4. RoughAnimator
Price: $4.99 (iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
RoughAnimator is as straightforward as an animation apps get, with both beginner and professional animators finding ways to utilize and enjoy it.
The process that goes into using RoughAnimator relies on the traditional hand-drawn frame-by-frame animations, so having a stylus is recommended for this app to shine brightest!
The learning curve isn’t the steepest, either. Avr gcc download mac. Generally speaking, when doing frame-by-frame animations, patience is the key.
It's an artistic trade that plays the most pivotal role, rather than the actual ability to draw or be “good at art.”
When it comes to features, and there are plenty, it’s essential to know that you’ll primarily be working with layers and within a timeline.
Such animation apps allow room for error since you’ll be working frame by frame; deleting and reworking certain parts of your animations won’t cause too much headache.
As long as you’re feeling inspired, this app should provide you with enough features and tools to begin making exciting and quality hand-drawn animations.
5. Textro: Animated Text Video
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
When it comes to animated videos with text, Textro is excellent for doing just that. This animated text video app is only available on Google Play and Microsoft Store (sorry iOS users, you can skip this one altogether).
This app is straightforward to use when it comes to usability and takes very little time to create a quality-looking animated text on the go.
You can use Textro to write text on Instagram Stories, make intros for your YouTube channel and let your imagination run wild when adding text into any video project of your liking.
You’ll have tons of cool features at your disposal that will get your videos noticed, thanks to bright and colorful combinations that are easy to mix and match.
In the font department, your choices are far and wide when it comes to customization and style.
Additionally, there is an option to add music to any project to make your work feel genuinely complete.
So if you happen to be someone who's into social media and are active on various social media platforms, it won’t hurt you to check out Textro and see if you can implement their text animations into your content.
6. FlipaClip - Cartoon Animation
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
FlipaClip is a cartoon animation video app that works on Android and iOS and rates as one of the best frame-by-frame animation tools for portable devices.
You’ll be able to create animations by sketching and storyboarding (that can go beyond the familiar stick figures), all while having access to a wide range of features that are intuitive and simple to use.
Plastic Animation Paper
Sharing options are deeply integrated into the app, so posting your work to platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook will only require a press of a button.
With FlipaClip, you’ll also be able to create GIFs and save your work in the MP4 format.
What’s even more exciting is that this app hosts contest events where you can win prizes and become a part of a community of animators that can help you get inspired and grow as an animator.
This app is a fun way to begin animating and learning as you go with all of the available features and an incredible arsenal of tools to progress with as you get better!
7. Animoto: Social Video Editor
Price:Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Built specifically with storytellers in mind, posting on social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) is a breeze.
Animoto: Social Video Editor is only available on iOS devices and is great for creating amazing vertical videos, digital marketing, and other video editing needs.
This animation maker is very intuitive and user-friendly and only takes minutes to figure out.
Even if you don’t have any animation background, you won't have any trouble creating content that your followers will notice and appreciate.
With templates for video stories, uploading photos and video clips directly from your phone happens instantly. There are also collages and layouts, as well as fonts and animated text.
All this will give your videos a genuinely authentic feel without being and feeling too repetitive.
Additionally, you’ll be able to import music from your iTunes library; just don’t forget about the copyright guidelines if you plan on sharing your videos online.
Most of the features become available with a premium subscription that comes at $9.99/month. Still, if you’re a business and are running multiple social media marketing platforms, then this is worth considering if you’re trying to up your SMM game.
8. Pixel Studio
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Pixel Studio for pixel art entails what it has been named after, plus so much more! Available on both Android and iOS, this fun and exciting application will put you in the front seat of pixel art and animation creation.
Created for both beginners and professionals, Pixel Studio allows you to create pixel animations. If it’s something you’ve never considered or tried before, this app makes the entire process super simple and intuitive.
With Pixel Studio, animation creation centers around the frame-by-frame method and the multiple-layer approach that we’ve already gotten familiarized with.
The app supports external drawing tools like the Samsung S-Pen and the Apple Pencil for iPad users. There are also autosave and backup functions in place so that you’ll never have to worry about losing any of your work.
9. MotionBook
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Available exclusively on iOS devices, MotionBook - Draw & Animate is an excellent little tool for making unique cartoon-style flipbook animations.
This app comes packed with many features, and navigating through the UI is intuitive and straightforward.
Files that you’re working on can also be saved on iCloud and synced across your iPhone and iPad.
You can also import real videos and use them as references to help you draw poses/gestures.
This traditional frame-by-frame animations tool sets the stage for the more advanced programs that exist today and is a great beginner’s tool for novice animation enthusiasts.
10. Muvimi
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
The next app that we're going to look at is a fun one! Have you ever wanted to create an animation of yourself without actually animating anything? Well - here's your chance!
Muvimi lets you create avatars of yourself and your friends (or any other characters).
Once your avatars are ready, you can start directing the movie that comes with entirely customizable sets and voiceovers.
Once your scenes are ready to be spliced together, the editing process is pain-free and also fun.
Muvumi can be used for fun and somewhat serious projects as well - it's all up to you. Sharing to social media and collaborating with friends is also relatively easy. All in all, this is a fun app, and now I want to try it out myself.
11. Blender
Price: Free (Open-Source)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Blender is one of the most popular open-source 3D creation suits that’s been around for over two decades.
Although Blender isn’t available for smartphones, it happens to be cross-platform compatible for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
With Blender, you will have an incredible tool that will enable you to create high-quality 3D animations that will feel and look professional, as long as you put in the time and effort to take on the high learning curve.
Luckily, there are tons of tutorials available on the web to get you started.
So if you ever wanted to get serious about animation and 3D development, this program is your one-way-stop on that exact path. Just make sure that your computer is up to scratch and meets the minimum system requirements.
12. Animaker
Price: Free (with the lowest cost monthly plan starting from $10) Wordpress 5.5 bugs.
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Animaker is a nifty online animation tool that will enable you to create personalized animated videos with a click of a button.
Since it’s a browser-based platform, you won’t have to worry about accessibility as long as you’ve got an internet connection.
When it comes to using Animaker, beginners without a single second of background knowledge in animation will have no hard time mastering its video-making capabilities, creating animated GIFs, and so much more.
There are six main types of animations that you can create with Animaker:
1. Infographics
2. Typography
3. Handcraft
4. Whiteboard
5. 2D
6. 2.5D
Animaker is a perfect tool for anyone who understands the importance of visual communication but doesn’t have the time or resources to create high-quality animations with robust professional programs. Hence, the paid plans can become a viable option for many.
13. Picsart Animator - GIF & Video
Price: Free (With In-App purchasing options)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Suppose you’re looking for an easy-to-use animation app with a high degree of functionality that will allow you to create cartoons, videos, or animated GIFs. In that case, Picsart Animator is that very app.
Available on both Android and iOS, this animation app will suit anyone, thanks to its almost non-existent learning curve and a high level of functionality.
Picsart Animator probably has the most significant appeal to social media users since you can take your selfies (or any pictures for that matter) and simply bring them to life by drawing over them and sharing once you feel proud of your creation.
Don't forget that the animating process takes some time, and you must be patient when creating.
If you’ve made it this far into the article and are still examining the list that we’ve put together, do pat yourself on the back, and hopefully, your research is beginning to narrow down!
14. Pencil2d
Price: Free (Open-Source)
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
If Blender is a go-to open-source 3D animation software, then Pencil2D is the same open-source program but for the 2D hand-drawn animations.
Running on Mac OS, Windows, and Linux, again with no smartphone device compatibility, this software has FreeBSD cross-platform capabilities so that you can continue your workflow at various locations.
Pencil2D is quite intuitive, as far as animation programs go, though you should invest in acquiring a graphics tablet and a stylus to get the most out of your hand-drawn animations. Thus, consider your artistic needs accordingly.
Function-wise, Pencil2D switches between raster and vector workflows that happen seamlessly and quite naturally, enabling you to focus more on the task at hand.
15. Toontastic
Price: Free
Difficulty level: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
Toontastic 3D is a wonderful app that’s available for both iOS and Android. Owned by Google, this storytelling app will bring out the joy of creating animated cartoons for children and adults.
With this creative platform, users will draw characters and scenes and give guidance and direction for how their stories unfold, from beginning, middle, and end.
There’s a handful of pre-made locations to choose from, and it becomes up to you what exactly happens in your story, so let your imagination run wild!
On the technical side of things, it’s one of the most straightforward applications to use that we’ve covered on the list. The entire process, from beginning to end, feels and intuitive as it is fun.
Animation Programs For Beginners
Just know that it’s not compatible with some older devices, so best make sure that your gadget has what it takes before rushing to hit the download button.
Animation Apps For Computer
Animation apps come in all shapes and sizes. When you're selecting one, you need to figure out what your goals are and what level of animation proficiency you're trying to reach.
Animation Apps Free Download
Once you do, the rest falls into place. Hopefully this article helps you with narrowing down your selection and finding that one special app that works for you.