In the world of animation, 2D animation has its own distinct beauty and versatility. Whether you're a beginner or a professional animator, choosing the appropriate 2D animation software is critical for bringing your artistic thoughts to life.
With so many alternatives available, deciding on the ideal software for your needs can be difficult.
In this article, we'll explore some of the top 2D animation software options to help you make an informed decision as each offers unique features to help you unleash your creativity.
1. Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate is a premium application in the Adobe suite. It supports both audio and video embedding, raster graphics, rich text, and ActionScript scripting.
Adobe Animate builds on the success of the original Adobe Flash. It is simple to use; you don't need as much instruction to learn the basics and produce your amusing 2D videos, though it doesn't hurt to watch a few tutorials first.
Animate has received praise for its features that enable the development of interactive animations. animation is the tool of choice for animating website elements.
It may be used to create animations for HTML5 Canvas, SVG animation, WebGL, and other platforms.
It has Natural brushstrokes that can be created with vector brushes for realistic views, using a virtual camera.
2. Toon Boom Harmony
Toon Boom Harmony is a 2D animation software that is industry-standard for its extensive features and professional-grade capabilities.
It includes tools for scanning and cleaning up traditional paper drawings, advanced rigging and deformer tools for animating puppets, and powerful compositing tools that eliminate the need to export your work elsewhere to add visual effects.
Its most notable feature is that it includes a 3D stage for creating multi-plane settings.
Toon Boom is a paid professional software program that is extensively used in studios for TV shows and feature films such as The Simpsons, Rick and Morty, Futurama, Bob's Burgers, and Klaus, to mention a few.
3. Moho Pro
Moho Pro, a vector-based 2D animation software, is well-known for its excellent bitmap capabilities. It also has capabilities that enable freehand drawing. However, it is not for the faint of heart and can be difficult to master.
Moho Pro is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X. It is paid software, but the benefit is that it provides an all-in-one animation studio for both 2D and 3D projects. Moho Pro is not for beginners, and it can take some time to become used to.
4. Pencil2D
It is currently one of the most powerful 2D animation applications available. This software has a simple workspace designed to keep distractions away from the main animation window.
Because it focuses on conventional frame-by-frame animation, each keyframe is created from scratch.
The program is absolutely free and is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 and Windows 10 PCs, as well as Mac and Linux devices.
5. Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio is a free, cross-platform application. It is a back-end and front-end program, which means you can build your animation and then render it in the back-end.
Synfig Studio software comes in two flavors. The first is a development version, and the second is a stable version.
The stable version has fine-tuned features that make it suitable for usage by inexperienced animators. Advanced users can switch to the development version to try out the new features.
6. Opentoonz
Opentoonz, which is based on the Toonz program, is the finest free alternative for creating 2D animated multimedia. Anyone can use and download the software for free.
Users can also alter the source code to add new features to this basic animation software.
It includes a GTS scanning tool, the ability to change picture styles, the ability to add distortion and light effects, and compatibility with both black and white and colorful scans.
7. TupiTube
TupiTube by Maefloresta is a free animation software that works on both Android and iPhone.
Install the software on your Android or iOS smartphone to begin making entertaining 2D videos to share with your friends. It's quite basic, but it's simple to get started.
It has an easy-to-use UI for beginners and a free downloadable app for Android and iOS devices.
8. Maefloresta
The Maefloresta app is unique in that it allows you to produce free 2D animated videos using your Android or iOS tablet or smartphone.
There is no need to purchase pricey software if all you want to do is make some entertaining films to show your friends. It also provides educational solutions for both teachers and students.
It works on smartphones and tablets using Easy animation software that includes training and an easy-to-use interface for beginners.
9. CelAction2D
Do you want to make distinctive and complicated 2D animations for forthcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that will assist you in creating beautiful and professional animations.
While purchasing a complete license is a financial commitment, you are obtaining a product with all of the features that you could possibly require.
You may construct a palette with up to 16 million colors, and the software is really simple to use.
It is intended for beginners and intermediate users, yet it includes all of the sophisticated capabilities that a professional would require.
10. Krita
Krita is a free painting program that is popular among comic book artists. The program provides a number of brush presets that may be customized, as well as a simple and unobtrusive interface with dockers and panels.
While it is usually used for intricate artwork, it also serves as 2D character creation software, allowing comic book panels to come to life.
It has almost 100 professional brushes. It is ideal for illustrators and works across platforms
