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9 Best Free 2D Animation Software in 2025
You grew up inspired by your favorite cartoon characters, and now you can bring your ideas to life with 2D animation. However, with numerous software available, finding one that fits your unique needs and preferences can be overwhelming. That's why we put together nine of the best 2D animation software options that are both powerful and user-friendly for any skill level. Whether you're a beginner trying out 2D animation or a professional looking for an advanced suite of tools, there's something for everyone.
If you're looking for the best tool to help you get started, try PowerDirector. This software features easy-to-use AI-powered tools that help you create stunning animations in no time.
- Best 2D Animation Software in 2025
- 2D Animation Software Comparison Chart
- How to Choose a 2D Animation Software
- How We Test the 2D Animation Software on This List
- Try the Best 2D Animation Software
- 2D Animation Software FAQ
Best 2D Animation Software in 2025
1. PowerDirector
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Key Features:
- 2D Animation Assets
- Royalty-Free Stickers and Media
- AI Anime
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.33/month
PowerDirector software is mainly for video editing, and it comes with lots of AI-powered tools. Along with these features, it has a 2D animation maker that you can use to create simple cartoon videos.
You can use the software’s 2D overlays and sticker assets to create animated video clips. PowerDirector comes with plenty of built-in, royalty-free elements to help you put together your video.
Its keyframes let you make your stickers and characters move, and you can control the timing of each one. You can even add other features for a more exciting video with effects like AI Anime, title templates, and transitions.
2. MohoPro
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Key Features:
- 2D Rigging System
- Smart Bones
- Vector tools
Price: $399.99 for perpetual license
Moho Pro is a 2D animation software solution that makes animating efficient. It has several methods of animation in its platform, so you can use the one that’s compatible with your characters and art style.
The software makes it easy to rig your characters and use its Smart Bones feature. These features create a simple skeleton that guides your character’s movements, so you can animate different parts of them without having to draw every frame.
Moho Pro does have a hand drawing feature with vector tools, but it’s not as robust as other platforms on our list. You can even import your Photoshop files for seamless animation.
3. Adobe Animate
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Key Features:
- 2D Animation Tools
- Flash Animation
- Adobe Fresco Brushes
Price: $22.99/month
Adobe Animate lets you create 2D animations for cartoons, games, and other design projects. Animate has the coding and design tools you need to complete your whole project with one platform.
The software comes with brushes, so you can draw your characters and animate frame by frame. If you prefer rigging, Animate’s Flexi bone feature and Envelope deformer make it easy to move your character or adjust vector edges.
Many Adobe products have a steeper learning curve than products like PowerDirector, so it may take time to get the hang of its animation tools.
4. Animaker
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Key Features:
- AI Animation Generator
- AI Character Generator
- Brand Kit
Price: Free with watermark
*Premium subscription available at $15/month
As an AI-powered online animation platform, Animaker does more of the work for you than most software. With its royalty-free assets and collection of models, you can create short and simple animations.
Animaker can generate your entire animation based on a prompt, and it lets you choose your style. You can even build a character to generate assets to add to your project.
With Animaker’s brand kit, you can create a professional presentation and make sure all your videos have a consistent style.
5. Linearity Move
Compatibility: iPad and macOS
Key Features:
- Motion Graphics
- Animation Presets
- Shape Builder
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.99/monthLinearity Move combines AI animation and traditional tools, and its motion graphics features make it a great choice for marketing and social media.
The all-in-one suite gives you design and animation tools, so you can start and finish your project without other software. With motion graphics, it can take your original static images and turn them into 2D animation.
If you like to work with certain settings, Linearity Move has presets to save them. You can also export GIFs and use animated templates to help you work faster.
6. Pencil2D
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Key Features:
- Lightweight Drawing Tools
- Keyframe Overlay
- Raster and Vector Drawing Layers
Price: Free
Pencil2D ’s open source platform is an accessible way to animate with hand-drawn 2D animation. It requires you to draw each frame yourself, and it helps if you know how to animate before you start.
The platform is straightforward with a vector canvas where you can draw your characters for each frame. While you can copy and edit your drawings, it still takes longer than other animation platforms that have rigging and other tools.
Pencil2D is harder to pick up than PowerDirector, but it helps you hone your skill if you plan to get into animation professionally and just need a place to start.
7. PowToon
Compatibility: Online platform
Key Features:
- Animated Slide Templates
- Character Creation
- Free Animation Elements
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $15/month
PowToon is an online platform made for creating educational 2D animation projects. Its whiteboards let you add your characters and text, and you can collaborate with your team.
It has illustrations, icons, and characters you can animate, along with fonts for your explainer text. The finished product creates a presentation with multiple slides and individual animation on each one.
Along with its animation tools, PowToon has screen recording, voice generation, and AI writing tools to help you with your project.
8. TupiTube
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
Key Features:
- Vector Illustration
- Frame by Frame Animation
- Layer Management
Price: Free
TupiTube’s open source software is one of the most accessible animation platforms. It’s not as advanced as many others, but it helps if you’re starting out with animation or want to try it for fun.
TupiTube is easy to understand, making it a great place to start learning. It’s built so even children can enjoy using it, and it comes with tutorials and resources to help.
While it has vector illustration and frame-by-frame animation tools, TupiTube lacks certain features, like an eraser tool.
9. OpenToonz
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Key Features:
- Frame-by-Frame Drawing Tools
- GTS Scanning
- Digital Painting
Price: Free
OpenToonz is an open source 2D animation platform that has tools for frame-by-frame animation. It has basic drawing tools, but it lacks more advanced features and flexibility.
The platform works for professional and personal use, and you can use plugins to enhance your images and animations. With the GTS scanning tool, digital painting, and filming tools, you can create layered animations.
OpenToonz doesn’t produce results with as much quality or efficiency as PowerDirector or Animaker, but it gives you a lot of tools to explore.
2D Animation Software Comparison Chart
| Solution | Best For | Notable Feature | Price | Try |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerDirector | Creating simple animated cartoon videos | PowerDirector’s 2D animation assets let you animate stickers and create short cartoons | Free, with premium subscriptions available at $4.33/mo |
Free Download
Secure Download
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| Moho Pro | Animating with rigging | Smart Bones and rigging give you control and flexibility with animating | $399.99 for perpetual license | Try |
| Adobe Animate | Creating animation for games | The 2D animation tools, like Flexi bone and Envelope deformer let you refine and reshape animations easily | $22.99/mo | Try |
| Animaker | AI-generated animation | The AI Animation Generator creates a cartoon based on your prompt | Free, with premium subscription available for $15/mo | Try |
| Linearity Move | Creating motion graphics designs for marketing | With motion graphics, you can turn your static image into animation | Free, with premium subscription available for $4.99/mo | Try |
| Pencil2D | Hand-drawn animation for animators with experience | The lightweight drawing tools give you freedom to animate your own way | Free | Try |
| PowToon | Educational animation projects | Animated slide templates and whiteboards help you create animated presentations | Free, with premium subscription available for $15/mo | Try |
| TupiTube | Beginners who want to learn animation | Vector illustration tools let you explore your own animation style at any skill level | Free | Try |
| OpenToonz | Frame-by-frame animation | Frame-by-frame drawing tools and digital painting help you create full-color animations | Free | Try |
PowerDirector
vs
Best For
Creating simple animated cartoon videos
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Notable Feature
PowerDirector’s 2D animation assets let you animate stickers and create short cartoons
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Price
Free, with premium subscriptions available at $4.33/mo
-
Try
Free Download
Secure Download
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How to Choose a 2D Animation Software
When choosing your 2D animation software, free and premium tools can both work if you know what to look for. Here’s what you should consider before you download a platform.
Experience Level
Have you animated before or is this your first project? Tools like OpenToonz require more animation experience. Others, like PowerDirector and TupiTube, are more user-friendly. It helps to know how much time you want to spend figuring out the platform’s tools and how much you want to do from scratch.
Features and Tools
Some platforms have AI-powered tools that make animation faster and easier for you. However, these tools don’t always let you customize your animations. You should also know what you can do with the free version of a platform and what tools are premium-only.
Format and Device Compatibility
Before you try to download your software, check whether it will work for your device. While many work across different operating systems, some, like Linearity Move, only work with on system.
How We Test the 2D Animation Software on This List
Before we recommend any software to you, we research and explore each one. Below, we explain how we decide which ones to include and where we get our information.
Product Testing
Our team tries the animation platforms and uses the tools we talk about in our reviews. We want to know how they all work, so we can give you an accurate picture of what you’ll get when you download them. This helps us form our own opinions and gives us firsthand experience with the platforms.
Reviews from Publishers
We look at detailed publisher reviews to see what others who have done in-depth tests have to say about the software. These reviews are more focused on single products, so it gives us a better look at the potential for each one. This research also helps us rate the products more fairly.
User Experiences
We want to know what users like you think about the products we recommend. It helps us to know whether they’re worth it for everyday users. We also use these reviews to list our pros and cons based on what people most often like and don’t like about the software.
Try the Best 2D Animation Software
There’s no right or wrong way to choose the best 2D animation software for your next project. Still, if you want a quick and easy way to create and edit a cartoon video, PowerDirector has all the AI tools you need. Download the software to discover how to animate stickers, turn yourself into an anime character, and get creative with your next cartoon!
2D Animation Software FAQ
1. What 2D animation software is best?
All of the products on our list make great options, but here are our picks for the best 2D animation software:
2. What is the best free 2D animation software?
There are several efficient 2D animation products on this list, but we recommend PowerDirector . It’s efficient and offers plenty of customization tools while still guiding you through the animation process. With AI-powered video editing, it creates impressive cartoons from stickers and static images.
3. What is the easiest animation software to use?
PowerDirector is one of the easiest tools for beginners and experienced animators. While its animations are simpler than some other platforms, it’s a great platform to use if you’re exploring animation for the first time or want to create a short cartoon.
4. Why is 2D animation so expensive?
2D animation requires a lot of skill, time, effort, and resources. Studios work with a team of people, including artists with many different skills. In terms of animation software, you can find many free and cheap options, and many professional animation software is reasonably priced for what it offers.
5. How can I make a 2D animation for free?
You can download many of the options on this list, including PowerDirector , to make 2D animation at no cost. Once you download the software, use PowerDirector’s royalty-free elements, stickers, and other assets to put together a short cartoon.
6. Is there a free animation maker?
We’ve included several free animation products on our list, including PowerDirector , Animaker, Linearity Move, and Pencil2D. The quality of free software varies, so make sure you know what features you want and check to see if you can use those tools with the free version of a product. PowerDirector lets you use many of its features for free, and you can try them all before you decide whether to go premium.
7. Is making 2D animation easy?
Whether or not 2D animation is easy depends on your experience level, the animation method you use, and your software. Hand-drawn animation takes longer, and many people find it harder to create natural-looking sequences with frame-by-frame tools. PowerDirector makes 2D animation easier than both hand-drawn and rigged animation by doing most of the work for you using AI-powered tools.
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