Filmora: Best AI & Free Adobe Animate Alternative (2025 Guide)
Searching for a free and easy-to-use alternative to Adobe Animate? With its complex interface and high price tag, it's no surprise that many creators, especially beginners, are looking for a better option. This guide will introduce you to the best Adobe Animate alternatives, including Filmora, a top AI-powered video editor. Whether you need a simple tool to create animated videos or a professional-grade animator, we've got you covered with this list of the best alternatives.
Our Top 3 Adobe Animate Alternative Picks
Wondershare Filmora
Filmora is a video editor with built-in pre-made animation tools, making it a great alternative for users who want to create animated videos fast without the complexity of traditional animation software.
Blender is a powerful open-source program that supports both 2D and 3D animation. It's the best free alternative for animators who want full control over modeling, rigging, simulations, and visual effects for professional-level projects.
Krita is the best free option for traditional hand-drawn animation. It comes with essential tools like onion skinning, timeline controls, and a storyboard editor for those who prefer a frame-by-frame workflow.
Part 1. Top 10 Adobe Animate Alternatives Comparison
To give you a sneak peek and a quick glance at the top alternatives to Adobe Animate in our list, we've put together a side-by-side comparison table as seen below.
First on our list is Filmora, a video editing program that's packed with powerful features but still easy for beginners to use. If you only want to make a simple animation video without animating from scratch, Filmora might be the best Adobe Animate alternative you are looking for.
Although it's not a frame-by-frame animator, Filmora comes with plenty of pre-animated stickers, text, and titles that make creating motion-based videos quickly. Additionally, you can use its keyframe animation feature for more control of the animation.
Free version; Check the purchase page for full subscription pricing.
Pros & Cons
Text-to-Video: Automatically generate an animated video by simply typing in a script.
AI Image Generator: Create unique characters and backgrounds for your animations from a text prompt.
AI Portrait Cutout: Instantly remove background from a video and replace it with an animated scene.
Not ideal for frame-by-frame or hand-drawn animation
Some advanced features are for pro users only
Highlight Features
Keyframe Animation: Control how the object moves, spins, zooms, or fades by adding keyframes to your clips.
Voiceover Recorder: Record audio directly in the app to narrate your video or add character dialogue.
Text to Speech: Generate natural-sounding voiceovers from texts in multiple languages and tones.
Animated Stickers Library: Choose from a bunch of fun, ready-to-use animated stickers to make animated videos.
Motion and Planar Tracking: Make text, stickers, or effects follow moving objects smoothly, even on tilted or shifting surfaces.
Video Effects: Add filters, overlays, transitions, and more to level up your video's style without much effort.
Customizable Animated Titles: Drop in animated text templates and easily change the words, colors, and timing.
Why We Recommend It
While tools like CapCut and Adobe Animate offer certain animation features, Filmora's integrated AI tools for text-to-video, image generation, and speech make it a more comprehensive and faster solution for creators who want to produce animated content without a steep learning curve. Unlike many free tools, Filmora offers professional results with an intuitive interface.
2. Blender – Best free tool for 3D and 2D animation
If you are looking for a free Adobe Animate alternative because of its high cost, Blender is definitely worth a look. It's completely free and open-source, yet packed with professional-grade tools for both 2D and 3D animation. The Academy Award-winning film “Flow” was created using Blender, which says a lot about what it can do.
Animation & Rigging: Supports full character animation with a pose editor, non-linear animation (NLA), shape keys, motion paths, and auto-rigging
Simulation: Built-in simulation engines support realistic physics like smoke, cloth, soft bodies, and particles.
VFX & Motion Tracking: Import live footage, track camera or object motion, mask areas, and combine 3D elements with real-world video.
Why We Recommend It
Blender is the tool you need if you want to make a high-quality animation without spending much on the software alone. Although it's free, this program offers all the tools you need to make both 2D and 3D animations. However, Blender is only for those who already have the basics in animation, or you will only get lost in its menu.
If Adobe has Animate, Toon Boom has Harmony, which can help its users make 2D animations. It's widely used in the animation industry for producing TV shows, films, and web content. Besides Harmony, Toon Boom also offers Storyboard Pro that lets you make storyboards with ease.
Free trial available, subscirption plan started from $29/month
Pros & Cons
Wide range of brush styles (pencil, chalk, pen, etc.)
Provides more professional-grade features used in the animation industry
Provides complete tutorials to get started with the tool
The pricing can be more expensive than Animate
File names with spaces can somehow cause errors
Most advanced features are available through Harmony Premium only
May not run smoothly on older or low-spec computers
Highlight Features
Universal Scene Description Support: Import 3D models in USDZ format, which makes it easier to move scene data through a CGI workflow.
Photoshop Brush Integration: Use the same custom brushes from Photoshop directly within your storyboards and animations.
Pencil Line Retouching: Tweak the opacity and thickness of pencil strokes by tracing over them with the retouch tool.
Breakdown Pose Assistant: Adjust rigged character poses and other keyframed elements for more refined animation.
Why We Recommend It
Just like Animate and Blender, Harmony is also a professional-grade animation program used in TV animation, commercials, and films by major studios. One thing that sets it apart is its ability to mix traditional hand-drawn animation with modern digital techniques. It's a great Adobe Animate alternative for projects that require detailed character rigging and precise control over animations.
4. Animaker – Best for animated explainers and marketing videos
Animaker is an AI-powered animation video platform designed for both non-designers and professionals. You don't need to start from scratch; AI can generate animations for you, or you can customize one of the many ready-made templates to speed up your workflow.
Online-based platform, no need to install software
Available as a mobile app for editing on the go
Not suitable for making complex animations
Lacks advanced rigging and timing controls
Relies on a stable internet connection
The price is still expensive compared to other, more advanced tools
The free plan includes watermarks and limited export quality
Highlight Features
AI Video Creation: Select a category, type in a prompt, and automatically generate an animation based on your input.
AI Character Maker: Turn a photo into an animated character instantly for your videos.
AI Voiceover & Lip Sync: Convert text into lifelike voiceovers with access to 800+ voices in over 100 languages, complete with automatic lip-syncing.
AI Asset Creator: Generate custom visuals, like backgrounds, props, or images, by entering a text description.
Why We Recommend It
Animaker can be an Adobe Animate alternative for business-focused users who want quick results without much complexity. Its AI tools take care of the hard parts, so you can focus on what you want to make.
5. Synfig Studio – Best free 2D animation software for rig-based animation
Synfig Studio is a free, open-source 2D animation tool built for creating high-quality animations using both vector and bitmap artwork. It's designed to streamline the animation process by removing the need for frame-by-frame drawing. Even if you have minimal resources and a small team, you can still produce professional-grade 2D animations.
Windows (7 or above), macOS (10.8 or above), Linux.
Pricing
Free
Pros & Cons
Completely free and open-source
Doesn't require a powerful computer to use it
Supports both vector and bitmap artwork
Advanced control through parameter linking and expressions
Good for learning basic rigging in animation
The interface feels outdated
Lacks real-time preview
Despite its simple appearance, Synfig could be quite complex for beginners
Highlight Features
Vector Morphing: Animate transitions between different vector shapes without redrawing each frame.
Layer Variety: Includes over 50 types of layers (geometric shapes, gradients, distortions, and filters) to build complex animations.
Bone Rigging System: Offers a complete bone setup for animating both bitmap cutouts and vector graphics.
Parameter Linking: Lets you connect layer properties using direct links or mathematical formulas for more advanced animation control.
Why We Recommend It
Synfig Studio is a nice, low-cost Adobe Animate alternative for creating simple sketches or short animations. The software offers enough features for beginners to experiment with 2D animation. Although when you first use it, you'll notice the interface feels a bit outdated, almost like the old Microsoft Paint.
But since it's completely free, Synfig can be a good starting point to learn rigging and basic animation techniques before moving on to more advanced tools.
Krita is actually a free drawing and painting program that serves as a great tool for artists who need an affordable art solution. But beyond illustration, its features can help you create frame-by-frame raster animation.
Comes with a large variety of brushes and creative tools
Pretty easy to get started with
Can consume a lot of RAM, especially with large projects
Lacks advanced vector editing capabilities
Supports only 2D frame-by-frame animation with no rigging features
Highlight Features
Timeline Panel: Lets you view and organize all frames in your animation for better control and editing.
Onion Skin Panel: Customize onion skin settings to easily reference earlier frames during the animation process.
Curve Editor Panel: Tweak motion paths for smoother animations through curve adjustments.
Storyboard Panel: Build and manage your storyboard directly within the software.
Why We Recommend It
Not many digital painting programs also include solid animation features, but Krita does. Not to mention that it's a completely free tool. If Animate feels like a heavyweight, Krita is a lighter, more accessible alternative.
7. OpenToonz – Best open-source animation alternative with pro features
OpenToonz is an open-source professional-grade 2D animation software that's completely free to use for both personal projects and commercial ones. Originally developed from the Toonz software by Digital Video S.p.A. in Italy, it was later customized by the legendary Studio Ghibli for their productions.
Fully free and open-source, where users to modify and customize the software's code
Supports four different scanning modes (black & white, color, and options with or without binarization)
Works with TWAIN-compatible scanning devices
Requires a solid understanding of animation principles
The interface can feel complex for beginners
Often crashes or slows down during mid to heavy projects
Only available on Windows
Highlight Features
Visual Effects and Layer Compositing: Add special effects and combine multiple animation layers.
Bone Rigging: Set up bones to simplify character movements and create reusable animations.
Scanning and Cleanup: Traditional animators can scan hand-drawn artwork directly into the software and clean it up digitally.
Vector and Raster Animation: Work with both clean vector lines and rich raster textures.
Keyframe Animation: Control movement, changes, and transitions over time using precise keyframe tools.
Why We Recommend It
Studio Ghibli contributed to the development of Toonz, which helped it produce iconic movies like Princess Mononoke and The Secret World of Arrietty. And since it's open source, you're free to explore, customize, and use it.
However, the overall user experience can be frustrating for those expecting more stability. You can't manage the frame rate without it affecting your entire animation. Plus, performance issues like lag with brushes and undo actions can really slow down your workflow.
Unlike Adobe Animate, which is vector-based and better suited for sharp, scalable designs, TVPaint Animation is a professional 2D animation software built on bitmap technology. This program focuses on giving traditional animators a more organic, paper-like drawing experience.
Free trial available, subscription plan started from €650.
Pros & Cons
Excellent drawing tools that closely mimic traditional pencil-on-paper animation
Full production workflow from rough sketches to final film
More cost-effective long-term compared to subscription-based software like Animate
High upfront costs, and you need to pay again to upgrade to a higher version
Lacks vector support and advanced puppet-rigging features
Effects and filters are not applied non-destructively
Not suitable for computers with lower specifications
Highlight Features
Dual Papers System: You can blend two textures or surfaces together to create custom, multi-textured brushes.
Key-Based 2D Camera: Add smooth pans, zooms, and camera movements across your scenes.
Bitmap Rigging Engine: Rig and animate puppets using bitmap images.
Custom Brushes Engine: Design and save personalized brushes with specific textures, shapes, and behaviors.
Why We Recommend It
TVPaint Animation is used by many studios and professionals in the animation industry who want a digital tool that still feels like drawing on paper. It's the ultimate alternative to Adobe Animate for those who aren't reliant on rigging in their workflow.
9. Powtoon – Best for quick business and social media animations
Powtoon works a bit similarly to Animaker. It's a web-based platform designed to help users create videos quickly, including animated videos. With pre-made templates and character libraries, Powtoon is more suitable for making animations for business presentations, explainer videos, and social media content.
Free trial available, subscription plan started from $49/month (Lite).
Pros & Cons
No need for any design or tech skills to start
Quick turnaround time with ready-to-use templates
Easy to share or download in multiple formats
Not for advanced users who wish to make a complex animation project
A limited selection of animation templates
Most of the templates are for premium users only
Expensive compared to other Adobe Animate alternatives
Highlight Features
100+ Ready-Made Templates: Get started fast with pre-designed templates
Character and Asset Libraries: Access a variety of animated characters, icons, props, and backgrounds to add to your video.
Drag-and-Drop Video Editor: Customize your animations with a built-in editor.
AI Text to Speech: Turn written text into natural-sounding voiceovers.
AI Avatars: Add animated, lifelike digital presenters to your videos.
Why We Recommend It
You may want to consider Powtoon if you need fast, polished videos for business or social media. With minimal effort, you can build professional-looking animations without a deep understanding of design or animation theory.
10. Autodesk Maya – Best for advanced 3D character animation
Autodesk Maya is a professional 3D animation tool known for its ability to create detailed characters, complex animations, and movie-quality effects. Maya uses a node-based system, which means every part of your scene is made up of customizable building blocks. It gives you full control over how things look and move.
Free trial available, subscription plan started from $175/month.
Pros & Cons
Industry standard for film and motion capture
Flexible modeling system using layers instead of just modifiers
Does an excellent job of making realistic character animation and effects
High-quality built-in rendering with support for plugins
Not ideal for beginners
Its node editor and scene hierarchy can be difficult to manage
Some compatibility issues may require additional plugins
Expensive, which may not be suitable for casual users
Highlight Features
Modeling: Design characters, props, and environments using robust polygonal and NURBS modeling tools.
Rigging and animation: Animate characters with support for keyframing, nonlinear animation workflows, and motion capture integration.
Simulations and effects (Bifrost): Generate realistic effects like fire, smoke, explosions, and ocean surfaces using Maya's powerful Bifrost system.
Sculpting Tools: Access an intuitive sculpting environment for shaping and refining models
Why We Recommend It
Autodesk Maya is for those who think Adobe Animate is not enough for producing 3D animations. It comes with more capable tools compared to Animate, especially for creating complex character rigs, realistic textures, and dynamic simulations in a fully 3D environment. Film and game studios use it for building high-end animations, visual effects, and cinematic scenes with intricate detail.
Part 3. What to Look for in Adobe Animate Alternatives
Still unsure which one to try first? Even after exploring the best alternatives for Adobe Animate, it's normal to feel a bit overwhelmed. You can narrow it down by thinking about these aspects.
1. Ease of Use
Do you want something simple to learn or a more advanced tool? If you just want to make a quick video for your business, school project, or social media, you may want to consider using Filmora. It already offers enough tools for simple animations, while still being beginner-friendly.
2. Capabilities
Adobe Animate offers several key features that make it one of powerful software programs for animation, including:
Vector drawing tools
Animation timelines to control movement and timing frame-by-frame
Asset warping to create puppet-style animations
Lip-syncing tools to match voiceovers with mouth movements
Audio syncing to align sound and animation with precision
If those features are essential to your workflow, you'll want an alternative that offers something similar, or even better. For those focused on 3D animation, Autodesk Maya is the better fit. But if you prefer 2D animation with a more traditional or artistic feel, consider TVPaint Animation or OpenToonz.
3. Budget
Since Adobe Animate is only available through a subscription, it's completely understandable if you're hesitant to invest in it. In that case, you may want to try Adobe Animate free alternatives like Blender or Krita (for frame-by-frame animation).
Conclusion
If you're looking for an alternative to Adobe Animate that's both powerful and easy to use, Filmora stands out as the best choice. Unlike complex professional tools like Blender or expensive ones like Adobe, Filmora offers robust AI-powered features for free, making it a perfect tool for creating animated videos, explainers, and marketing content quickly. It is the best solution for creators who want to leverage AI to make high-quality animations without the steep learning curve or high costs.
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