Top 15 2D Animation Software Free That Worth to Try

When you are trying to create a funny cartoon, explainer videos, or other short informative content to post online, 2D animation software is a breeze to use.

With access to the best 2D animation software, you can create compelling and intricate stories that will help you sync with the audience.

01Wondershare Filmora

Price: Free, $99.99 (Perpetual); $59.99 (1-Year)

Pros

Numerous preset options

Both for beginners and professionals

Quick video trim/edits

Cons

Straightforward user interface

Lacks various shortcuts

May need high system requirements

What are users saying?

"I am solving the problem of getting an easy-to-use, all-in-one video editor. In addition, the editor gives you the ability to command over your audio files, whereas other editors just give you the basic audio editing capabilities. Lastly, the fully editable text effects and the vast numbers too."

Key Features

Unlimited Video Tracks.

Audio Noise Reduction.

Automatic Audio Sync.

Motion Graphics animation support.

Auto color correction.

Available for Mac and Windows.

02Opentoonz

Price: Free

Pros

Accessible plugin to automatically create animation effects

Unique Xsheets & Timelines features

Audio/Soundtrack Implementer

Cons

Somewhat Limited drawing capabilities

Intricate setup

A bit outdated UI design

What are users saying?

"Not a very self-explanatory 2D animation software. I had to look up some help, but it worked out in the end (youtube tutorials)."

Key Features

GTS scanning tool

Easy to modify picture styles

Add light and distortion effects

Works with black and white and colored scans

03Pencil 2D

Price: Free

Pros

Easy to use

Open sources

Supports multiple languages

Cons

It doesn't support shape tools

Only for beginners

It doesn't support 3D animation

What are users saying?

"The main thing against Pencil2d is the lack of complicated tools. Some tools are not there to bring better color effects, curves, drawing tools, etc. But honestly, this is not a big problem, the intention to be the most robust in the world but to be a tool that provides you a great introduction to animation with vector drawing."

Key Features

Simplistic design to let you make animation easily

Raster and vector workflow switching

Cross-platform compatibility to free download

04Maefloresta/TupiTube

Price: Free

Pros

Great for beginners

Effective tools management

Friendly price plan

Cons

Differences in color correction

Certain confusing tools

Unable to erase unwanted frames

 What are users saying?

"Honestly, I love the app, but I wish there were an eraser, but other than that, it is great for everything from experimental clips to my YT videos that will be coming out in a few months."

Key Features

A free downloadable app that assists on tablets and smartphones

Simple software with tutorials

Interactive user interface that beginners can use with ease

05Synfig

Price: Free

Pros

Offers 50+ layers

Easy to use layout

Lots of technical tools and functions

Cons

Difficult layout

Hard learning curve

Only a few tutorials available

What are users saying?

"It is cumbersome. You will look for tutorials to understand it, even if you have the best 2D animation software Background. - Though, it's not famous so you may not wander for information about it as easily. - You do need high PC requirements to operate it, it is heavy. - You have to Constantly save because there are a few operations that make it crash."

Key Features

Compatible with multiple content layers

The bone system assists for the cutout animations creation from bitmap images

Consistent with sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and music to the video

06CelAction 2D

Price: $1300 Studio Edition (Single License Use)

Pros

Fast to use

Low system requirements

Add-ons available

Cons

Less dynamic

Less in demand

Time-Consuming to learn

What are users saying?

"I found the software pretty responsive and may not be good for beginners. Being a beginner, I need easy-to-use free download 2D animation software with low learning, and it didn't fit my needs entirely."

Key Features

Quick and straightforward to use professionally

Features ergonomic controls

Simply manages complicated projects with different layers

Compatible with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also runs with Macs through Boot Camp

The multiplane camera helps you have more excellent controls

07Moho (Anime Studio) Pro

Price: $399 (Full Pack)

Pros

Regular updates available

Advanced features

Also good for beginners

Cons

Doesn't automatically sync

Some functions are highly advanced

Lacks flexibility

What are users saying?

"I am freelance, and Moho12 has allowed me to give more character to animated characters that I can use for some clients. The compatibility that I get with Adobe Illustrator and the speed of the render makes it one of my central tools when it comes to working with character animations."

Key Features

Improved freehand drawing tools

Beizer manages to make it simpler for you to design your videos

Brilliant warp feature assists in creating custom meshes to twist and bend your animations

Realistic motion blur

Best 2D Animation software for different layers at the same time

08FlipBook

Price: $19.99 (FlipBook Lite); $49.99 (FlipBook Studio); $149.99 (FlipBook Pro); $199.99 (FlipBook Pro HD)

Pros

Simple to draw

Easy to import from a scanner

Quick uploads

Cons

No free version

Challenging to make subtle changes

May not be user-friendly features

What are users saying?

"FlipBook does not contain a steep learning curve, and even first-time animators will be able to produce creative projects."

Key Features

Modifications will be active while you draw the animation, so FlipBook is pretty quick

Easy to use the shift key to make speed painting

Ten animation layers for adding extra touches

Simple to use a scanner to import images

09Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator

Price: $199 (Pipeline); $99 (Pro)

Pros

Large library of appealing templates

Both for beginners and professionals

Easy to control characters

Cons

No drawing tools

A bit high learning curve

Hard to sync voice

What are users saying?

"This is a 2D animation maker online that makes sense. CTA makes sense in everything it does. One will find the tools exactly where they are supposed to be, and things work exactly the way one expects them to work."

Key Features

Assists real-time facial expression with precise modification

Black magic to transform the image into a moving cartoon

You can make 2D visual effects for professionals

10Stop Motion Studio

Price: $59.99

Pros

Inbuilt sound editor

Easy to schedule

Not free

Cons

Certain hoops

No bone ringing tools or template designs

Only for 2D stop motion, 2D animation online

What are users saying?

"So I am in high school, Considering an animation class. Currently, we use this to make a claymation. I have noticed a few complexities with it. The camera does not aim well, which is a big hassle. It also Consists of a glitch where sometimes, if you hit the undo frame, it will delete all your other projects. When that happened to me, I was not happy. Now, this last part may just be nitpicking, but when I saw the official company's animation, I saw their fingers in it, and the animation was not smooth."

Key Features

Onionskin helps you to view previous frames via a transparent overlay

Audio recording and Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects

Simple

 one-click upload to Facebook and YouTube

DSLR camera assistance for creating perfect 1080p recordings

11Harmony

Price: $25.50/month (Harmony Essentials); $64.50/month (Harmony Advanced); $117.50/month (Harmony Premium)

Pros

Lots of animation and drawing tools

Offers various color controls

Flexible 2D animation

Cons

Complicated to learn

High system requirements

Not free

What are users saying?

"I have created really powerful 2D animations with Harmony; it offers almost every tool to be precise and creative in the artworks and the advanced tools for paperless animations, which they helped me a lot."

Key Features

Smooth lines

Stabilizer 

It offers 3, 4, and 5-point guides for curved perspectives.

It helps create cut-out animation.

Easy integration with software available in the production pipeline.

It offers 2D or 3D integration.

12Krita

Price: Free

Pros

Completely free

Easy to use

High compatibility

Cons

No dedicated support

Use only on desktop

Outdated UI

What are users saying?

"Krita helps me with my advertising videos as well as logos and other image editing use cases. I mainly use it to make thumbnails for my youtube channel and featured images for the articles on my website. I also use it to make some quick logos for my youtube channel and website."

Key Features

This online 2D animation maker software allows you to add a stabilizer to the brush to smooth it.

Personalized brush with nine different brush engines.

Create comic panels with built-in vector drawing tools.

Create seamless patterns and textures by making image reference on the x and y-axis.

Import brush packs and texture from other artists.

You can flatten, combine, or order layers to organize your artwork.

13Animaker

Price: $10/mo (Basic); $19/mo (Starter); $49/mo (Pro); Custom Pricing (Enterprise)

Pros

Helpful app

Able to make beautiful videos

Tons of features

Cons

May not work on specific systems

Chunky UI

Time-Consuming

What are users saying?

"Firstly, it displays that you are limited to the materials that you can use. If you want it, you can go for its paid version, which I think is ideal for a company but still hard. Secondly, I am trying to execute a project for my science class, and so far, I've had three days to work on it."

Key Features

Create animated videos in 6 unique video styles like 2D, handcraft, infographics, whiteboard, 2.5 D, and typography.

Beginners can create videos and use them as both animation and animated presentations.

Best free download 2D animation software has 200 sound effects to choose from.

It offers 100 background music tracks.

It helps you to record direct voice recordings.

Animaker allows the team to collaborate.

Export video in full HD quality.

14SketchBook

Price: Free

Pros

Many options of pencils, brushes etc.

Various color options

Ideal for quick inspirations

Cons

It may be hard to enlarge projects

Lack of usability in some features

Some functions are confusing

What are users saying?

"Sketchbook has helped us in mobility. Since it is also available for tablets like iPad, it can be used to create quick artworks and concept arts and be used as a notebook to take notes. The different features also come in real handy, and the artwork created can be used to display professionally with a good amount of details."

Key Features

It helps you draw basic shapes like circles, triangles, rectangles, etc.

Adjust the rules as per your desire.

Fill color into your artwork.

Also, import or export the layer as PSD.

15Animate CC

Price: $20.99/mo

Pros

Helpful user interface

Various essential modules

Extremely smooth

Cons

High battery utilization

Steep learning curve

Lack some tools for handling sound

What are users saying?

"We use Animate to make educational videos, but we also use some of the drawing tools to create vector-based illustrations, and we can export them out from Animate to use them in printed products."

Key Features

Create new poses for vector images or figures.

It helps you to arrange your layers in a parent-child hierarchy.

● Automatically matches mouth poses to voice inflections.

● Easy to export 360 VR animations.

● Create ads directly with Animate.

● Export images with the correct resolution by bypassing the image optimization and using image settings.

● Key Takeaways from This Episode →