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2D animation

Animate frame by frame or with tweens, from cartoons to interactive web content.

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Free 2D animation tools

Every free tool in this category, by name.

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5 alternatives

  • OpenToonz

    Open-source 2D animation software based on the Toonz pipeline used at Studio Ghibli, with xsheet and timeline editing.

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    Status: Active
    • SVG: opens and saves, partial fidelity. The source includes SVG import and export; fidelity was not tested
    • GIF: saves only, partial fidelity. Exports GIF; import is not documented
    • MP4: saves only, partial fidelity. Video export needs FFmpeg
    • PSD: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens PSD layers as images; effects and adjustments are not kept

    This replaces Adobe Animate, Adobe Character Animator and Clip Studio Paint

  • Pencil2D

    Open-source, lightweight 2D animation app for hand-drawn frame-by-frame work with bitmap and vector layers.

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Active
    • GIF: saves only, partial fidelity. Exports GIF; import is not documented
    • MP4: saves only, partial fidelity. Video export needs FFmpeg

    This replaces Adobe Animate

  • Synfig Studio

    Open-source 2D animation studio with vector tweening, a bone system and over 50 layer types.

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Active
    • SVG: opens only, partial fidelity. Imports SVG artwork as vector layers; it does not save SVG
    • GIF: opens and saves, full fidelity
    • MP4: saves only, full fidelity

    This replaces Adobe Animate

  • Tahoma2D

    Open-source 2D and stop-motion animation software, forked from OpenToonz, with brushes, FX nodes and lip sync.

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Active
    • SVG: opens and saves, partial fidelity. The source includes SVG import and export; fidelity was not tested
    • GIF: saves only, partial fidelity. Exports GIF; import is not documented
    • MP4: saves only, full fidelity

    This replaces Adobe Animate

  • Wick Editor

    Free, open-source animation and game tool that runs in a browser, with a timeline, drawing tools and JavaScript scripting.

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    • Web
    Status: Stalled
    • SVG: opens only, partial fidelity. SVG import was not tested; SVG export is not documented
    • GIF: saves only, partial fidelity. Exports GIF; import is not documented
    • MP4: saves only, partial fidelity. Video export was not tested

    This replaces Adobe Animate

Paid apps with no free alternative yet

No free tool ranks Strong for these yet. Each page says what a free version would need.