15 BEST 2D Animation Software Free & Paid [Updated in 2021]

Alyssa WalkerByAlyssa Walker Hours Updated

2D Animation Tools help you to create characters, backgrounds, storyboards, and apply effects. 2D animation stands for two-dimensional animation, meaning characters and backgrounds in these types of project are created in two-dimensional, flat space. These tools use vector and bitmap graphics to make and edit animated images.

Following is a handpicked list of Top 2D Animation Software and tools, with its popular features and website links. The list contains both open source(free) and commercial(paid) vector animation software.

Top 2D Animation Software for Windows, Mac & Linux

Name Price Link
Animate CC Free Trial + Paid Plan Learn More
SketchBook Free Learn More
Synfig Free Learn More
Animaker Free + Paid Plan Learn More
Krita Free Learn More

1) Animate CC

Animate CC is a tool that helps you to design interactive bitmap and vector animations for games, apps, and the web. You can add action to infographics and tutorials.

Features:

  • You can create new poses for vector images or figure.
  • It enables you to arrange your layers in a parent-child hierarchy.
  • It automatically matches mouth poses to voice inflections.
  • You can export 360 VR animations.
  • This tool allows you to create ads directly with Animate.
  • Export images with the right resolution by bypassing the image optimization and using image settings.

2) SketchBook

SketchBook is a 2D animation application that enables you to animate your ideas with minimal effort. It offers more than 140 brushes to design your art. This program allows you to add unlimited layers that can be blend together.

Features:

  • Enables you to draw basic shapes like circle, rectangle, triangle, etc.
  • You can adjust the rules as per your desire.
  • Allows you to fill color into your artwork.
  • It enables you to import or export the layer as PSD (Photoshop Document).

3) Synfig

Synfig is an open-source 2D vector graphics and animation program. This software works on three OS platforms Windows, OSX, and Linux.

Features:

  • It allows you to transform any image containing a vector shape into another.
  • You can link parameters of layers through mathematical expressions.
  • This free 2D animation software provides more than 50 layers to create animation.
  • You can create a cutout animation effect using bitmap images.

Download Link: https://www.synfig.org

4) Animaker

Animaker is an online 2D animation tool that provides numerous animated characters, icons, properties, BGs, maps, and charts. It is one of the best 2D animation software that helps you to create an ideal video for your organization, presentation, freelancing projects, as well as personal projects.

Features:

  • You can create animated videos in 6 unique video styles like 2D, handcraft, whiteboard, infographics, 2.5 D, and typography.
  • Beginners can make videos and use them as both animation and animated presentations.
  • It is one of the best free 2D animation software that has 200 sound effects to choose.
  • This tool provides 100 background music tracks.
  • It enables you to record direct voice recordings.
  • Animaker allows the team to collaborate.
  • You can export video in full HD quality.

5) Krita

Krita is a simple 2D animation tool that allows you to customize your workflow. This free animation software offers more than 100 professionally made brushes.

Features:

  • This animation maker software enables you to add a stabilizer to brush to smooth it.
  • Customize brush with 9 unique brush engines.
  • You can create comic panels using built-in vector drawing tools.
  • Create seamless textures and patterns by making image reference on the x and y-axis.
  • It allows you to import texture and brush packs from other artists.
  • You can combine, flatten, or order layers to organize your artwork.
  • You can highlight the drawing portion.
  • Krita helps you to incorporate it into your current color management pipeline.

Download Link: https://krita.org/en/features/highlights/

6) Pencil2d

Pencil2d is a 2D hand-drawn animation software. It is easy to use and lightweight. It is a 2D animation software for free which allows you to sketch ink and paint on the go.

Features:

  • Pencil2D is a cross-platform tool that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.
  • It can be used freely for commercial business.
  • You can quickly review work using flipping or rolling techniques.
  • This free 2D animation software provides support for TIFF format (Tagged Image File Format).
  • You can import image as new layers on particular frames.

Download Link: https://www.pencil2d.org

7) Opentoonz

Opentoonz is an open-source animation production application. It is compatible with 4 types of scanning. It allows you to save settings of scanning.

Features:

  • It is compatible with TWAIN (Technology Without an Interesting Name) standards.
  • It allows you to use anti-aliased lines.
  • This tool provides an easy way to paint with provisional colors.
  • You can synthesize effects with the Graphic User Interface (GUI) via the node tree.
  • Images can be managed with the actual scale resolution.
  • This 2D animation software for free is compatible with both raster and vector images.
  • You can use more effects using plug-ins.

Download Link: https://opentoonz.github.io/e/

8) Stop Motion Studio

Stop Motion Studio is a powerful 2D animation editor that is available for iPhone, iPad, and macOS. It supports cameras from the most famous camera makers, including Canon, Nikon, and Sony.

Features:

  • It has a frame-by-frame view that shows you all the images in chronological order.
  • Stop Motion Studio allows you to set in and out points to mark a specific portion of your movie for playback and looping.
  • It comes with dozens of music clips and sound effects.
  • It has various painting tools to paint as you would on a traditional canvas.
  • This tool has a magic eraser to remove unwanted objects in the movie.
  • It helps you to design title and credit screens.
  • It provides a wide varieties of effects to change the look of your movie.

Download Link: https://www.cateater.com

9) Celaction

Celaction is a professional 2D animation application for films, ad-commercials, and TV series. This tool helps you to handle complex projects with numerous layers with ease.

Features:

  • You can use bitmaps or vectors or both simultaneously.
  • It offers floating and dockable panels and user-definable workspace.
  • This tool provides the user to define shortcut keys.
  • You can create palate from more than 16 million colors.
  • It works on Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP, Windows 8 and Windows 10.
  • You can convert vector shapes into deformable, morphable objects.

Download Link: https://www.celaction.com

10) harmony

Harmony is an all-in-one tool for efficient animation, from drawing to final production. It allows you to create artwork, animate, and add sounds and special effects into animation.

Features:

  • Stabilizer for smooth lines.
  • It provides 3, 4, and 5-point curved perspective guides.
  • This application allows you to create cut-out animation.
  • You can integrate it with software available in the production pipeline.
  • It offers 2D or 3D integration.
  • Harmony helps you to create 2D animation for the game.
  • You can import multilayer PSB and PSD files, Illustrator, PDF, bitmaps, and media files.

Download Link: https://www.toonboom.com/products/harmony

11) Blender

Blender is a 2D computer graphics software application for developing visual effects, animated movies, games, and more. This tool allows you to import or export videos in MPEG, QuickTime, and AVI file formats.

Features:

  • This tool Provides Python API for scripting and customization.
  • You can customize shortcuts.
  • It provides a path tracer for realistic rendering.
  • You can create, transform, sculpt, and edit your models.
  • It provides a real time preview of the 3D scene and tracked footage.
  • You can turn still characters into impressive animations.

Download Link: https://www.blender.org

12) CrazyTalk Animator

CrazyTalk Animator is a 2D animation product that enables you to turn images to control characters and animated characters. With this software, you can easily to generate lip-sync animation from audio.

Features:

  • It allows you to capture facial motion.
  • You can convert photoshop layers into 2D characters.
  • It provides motion path and timeline editing.
  • You can create interactive compound animations.
  • It supports up to 4K high definition monitors.
  • CrazyTalk Animator helps you to transform existing content into 360 heads with motion.

Download Link: https://www.reallusion.com/cartoon-animator/default.html

13) FlipBook

FlipBook is a 2D animation tool that is used in converting pdf files to HTML flipping books. It can run on Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X.

Features:

  • It allows you to customize the toolbar.
  • You can insert and delete frames to remove time.
  • FlipBook helps you to shoot your pencil test drawing by just clicking on the capture icon.
  • Import 4 types of images into this software like backgrounds, overlays, movies, and cels.
  • You can add up to three soundtracks.
  • It enables you to paint the scene in less time.
  • You can use the number keys to determine the total number of frames you like to paint.

Download Link: https://digicel.net/

14) Moho Pro

Moho Pro tool is a 2D animation system that combines animation technology with professional tools. It allows you to create unique textures and effects for the characters.

Features:

  • It has a custom bitmap brush that allows you to create custom bitmap brush.
  • This tool has improved 3D object support.
  • You can see better object previews during camera manipulations and make changes in 3D object’s material properties.
  • You can search using sub words, keywords, and Boolean operation.
  • It enables you to create traditional style animations in Moho by combining the Bitmap Tools with frame by frame layers.

Download Link: https://www.mohoanimation.com/moho-pro.shtml

15) Tvpaint

TVPaint is a 2D application based on bitmap technology. You can mix animation on paper and digital animation and make your project with this software.

Features:

  • This tool enables you to manage the layers and images.
  • You can make storyboards and view them instantaneously as animatics.
  • It allows you to combine many FX (effects) within the FX stack.
  • You can use a graphics tablet to handle the opacity, size, jitter, and angle of brushes in real-time.
  • Tvpaint enables you to modify live camera parameters like tint, luminosity, hue, etc.
  • You can touch up images with a drawing tool.

Download Link: https://www.tvpaint.com

FAQ

❓ What is 2D Animation?

2D Animation, also called two-dimensional animation is a technique to create a movement or image in a two-dimensional space. Two individual images are rapidly sequenced on two-dimensional space for creating a lifelike motion illusion in traditional animation or computer vector graphics. 2D animation includes creating characters, creatures, backgrounds, FX, etc.

💻 Which is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

Following are one of the best 2D Animation software for beginners:

  • Animaker
  • Pencil2D
  • Synfig
  • CrazyTalk Animator
  • Blender

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