5 Best 2D Animation Software for Beginners [Free/Paid]

Buckle up to win over the digital space as a beginner!

People love consuming it. But you probably know this. That’s why you are here. So, if you want to create an animation yourself, this space will be of help. Here, you will find the best 2D animation software that is excellent for beginners

The fun fact about animation is that it’s fun, shareable content. They end up having a lot more shares than static content.

Static images are a thing of the past now. To create a buzz, you need interactive visuals. That’s possible with 2D animation.

Animation can help you convey a powerful message. You are very well by everyone. Your marketingeffort has reached new heights. Your animated educational movies are being watched.

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, using Windows or Mac, there’s plenty of free animation software to select from.

Animator programs don’t have to cost hundreds of dollars anymore. The internet and open-source communities have produced some amazing free 2D and 3D animation tools.

1 Synfig – Free Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Pricing: Free

Compatible Platforms: Windows, OSX, and Linux

Synfig is a 100% free 2D animation maker software. It is a go-to for affordable animation services . It’s open-source. So, you can view your source code.

It’s more than just the best software for 2d animation. It is 2D animation on a budget. The user-friendly features help beginners pick up on animation.

Above all, the layout is simple. You can draw or import an object. Up to you.

It eliminates the need for frame-by-frame animation. Undoubtedly, it’s the best 2D animation software for newbies. More than 50 layers make it easier to select and animate.

2 Adobe Character Animator – Real-Time Motion Capture Animator

Pricing: 7-days free trial + paid plans

Compatible Platforms: Windows and macOS

Adobe Character Animator is new to the Adobe family. Despite this, it is the most innovative.

Capturing your motion and gestures in real-time, you create a wow-effect. This software uses a microphone and webcam to animate your actions. It’s time-saving.

Don’t have enough experience?

You don’t even need it here.

• Choose a character or import your work.
• Perform.

A character is a puppet in Character Animator. So, to animate a puppet-you do this:

Yep, that’s it. Now, the program will detect your movements, facial expressions, and hand gestures to animate the puppet for you.

After the 7-days free trial, paid plans begin from US$52.99/month.

3 Animaker – Online DIY Animation Maker

Pricing: Free plan & paid plans (starting from $12/month)

Compatible Platforms: Windows and macOS

Safe to say, Animaker has the most basic interface. It’s easy to use. You can bring your vision to life with a few drags and drops.

You have access to thousands of templates, even in its free plan. Above all, it has all the tools in one place.

The best bit?

You don’t even need design skills to master this software.

It’s ranked among the best 2D animation software and rightly so. It is ideal for businesses, educators, and digital marketers. The software supports up to 50+ languages.

It is fun to create absolutely free 4k quality videos. You can use it to create up to 2 custom characters in the free plan.

4 OpenToonz – Best 2D Animation Software for Anime

Pricing: Free

Compatible Platforms: Windows and Mac

Seeing the ongoing anime hype, OpenToonz is worth-considering. It’s open-source. It’s easy to use with advanced tools. What more do you need?

Studio Ghibli, the Japanese anime film studio, uses it for most of its work. Along with being highly tailored, it has a variety of lighting effects. It’s feature-rich.

Users often complain about the software crashing. But, it’s creative 2D animation services on a budget.

5 Pencil 2D – Hand-drawn 2D Animation Software

Pricing: Free

Compatible Platforms: Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, and Free BSD

Pencil 2D is a powerful software with a basic interface. It allows users to create fun vector and bitmap animations with a pencil or pen tool.

It’s a beginner’s best friend as it’s easy to use. It doesn’t take long to understand the functions of different tools in the software.

When you use Pencil 2D, you get a personal experience. You can customize your toolbar. As you like.

It offers multiple export formats like GIF, MP4, AVI, WEBM, and more. Besides, it is an open-source animation production software. So, you have full control over your source code.

It’s hard to take the first step. Especially, when you are a newbie. Gladly, you know all the easy 2D animation software. Plus, all of them have uncountable tutorials on the internet.

So, if you get stuck somewhere, you’ll find your way out.

Creating 2D animation is a breeze once you know the right software. And now, you do. Choose one, it’s your call.

There’s no need to overthink this. Start animating!