Animation has always been an intricate part in our lives as from childhood. After the introduction of the anime even the adults of the society are into these animations as well. And the major reason behind that popularity is because the animation is the most strong and the meaningful way to express a story. And it comprises a wide range of creativity from personal story to narratives of the marketing origin as well.
This article will be focusing on the best software’s for animation. Animation industry has taken a big lapse in society and is one the major emerging fields in the terms of profession.
- Blender: This is the best 3D animation software which is available currently and is free of cost as well. It has very intriguing tools for animation of the personal projects and designing the video games as well. But for a beginner it might be difficult to grasp. It is available for the major operating systems: like windows, Linux and macOS.
It is one of the most recommended software’s by professionals in which 3D animations are available free of cost. It has an very interesting open #-D source animation which comprises multiple tools for modelling, rigging, simulation, composition and video editing. We can even use it to design and develop video games and all the credits goes to integrated game engines. The first time users may find its interface a little difficult to work with but once getting familiar with it, it’ll be worth working.
Advantages: it is a free and open- source animation software.
It has a wide range of features and options for customization.
Disadvantages: it has a very steep learning curve.
Its interface is very complicated for new users.
- Powtoon: this is a cloud-based animation app for the beginners. This is very user friendly and is for creating video guides, online advertisements and for making educational materials for students as well. And is available for any internet user. This is a visual communication platform. This tool helps in creating engaging videos and the ppts in no time. This app is not just used by beginners but by advanced animators and global businesses too.
With its free platform, it is used to create countless presentations and video projects up to 3 minutes in length. These videos and presentations can be then exported to various platforms like YouTube, Facebook or VImeo. For additional features, it has packages as well starting from $19 per month.
Advantages: it is very easy to use.
It does not require any technical knowledge and skills.
It is used for creating professional-looking videos.
It has a wide range of features.
Disadvantages: the free version of this app has its limitations.
- Synfig Studio: this is one of best free 2D animation software. It is widely used to create frame-by-frame animations. This is used to create timeline-based animations with the help of its vectors based software. The main feature of this software is in the transformation of one vector graphics into another.
It comprises more than 50 layers for simple and as well as advanced animations which futheron includes geometric, filters, distortions and gradients. This feature allows the users to create characters like puppets and advanced dynamic structures. It also allows users to submit their enhancements and to upgrade their suggestions as it is an open-source software.
Advantages: it is free to use.
It has multiple advanced animation features.
It has multiples of layers to choose from.
Disadvantages: it is not easy to work for beginners.
- Animaker: this is a web-based animation software being used worldwide. It is also free software. This is one of the most beginner-friendly software with the option of advanced features after paying reasonable charges. And is available for any internet user. This software is intended for a wide range of users like from beginners to enterprise clients. It has a unique feature of dragging- and-dropping functionality and a very interesting intuitive interface.
This is used for making videos in a wide range like 2D, 2.5D, infographics, handcrafts and typography. It also comprises an extensive variety of pre-designed templates and full HD support, so that the user can create very professional-looking videos in no time.
Advantages: it has a unique drag-and-drop interface.
It is easy to navigate.
The great template library.
It also has a wide range of infographics.
Disadvantages: its free version has certain limitations.
There are certain times where a video takes a long time to export, aka Video-lagging.
- Pencil2D: this is a free tool used for making ideal hand drawn 2D animations. This is used by beginners and by small businessmen. This is available for various operating systems like Windows, LinuX, and MacOS.
This tool is widely used as it has a feature of traditional hand drawn animation. It is free of cost for personal and commercial use. It is best used by beginners, hobbyists and smaller businesses who are intended to promote their business. Its unique feature is to switch in between raster and vector graphics. When combined with UI design minimally it makes this software very easy to learn and is pretty straightforward to use. The tool has a lot of animation options like: layer panel, light effects and export formats etc.
Advantages: pretty basic interface.
Easily learnt by beginners.
Its classic support for vector and raster graphics.
Disadvantages: the user has to enter the preferences every time when it is being used.
This is not suitable for advanced animators.
- OpenToonz: this is free animation software which provides professional-level results. The most classic feature of this software is, it can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects. It is used worldwide by educators on all academic levels. It is available for both Windows and macOS.
Its features are:
Motion tracking features.
Plug-in effect for image processing, SDK.
It also has vectors and bitmap drawing tools.
It has frame-by-frame animation.
It contains animated special effects as well, and many more.
This is another open-source program which is being used for all commercial and non-commercial projects. It is used by educators as it has powerful features and professional level output.
Advantages: it has very robust features.
It also contains unique effects in the development kit.
It is free of cost and is used for commercial and non-commercial purposes.
It is greatly used in achieving professional results.
Disadvantages: it has many bugs which have been reported by the users.
It is not beginner-friendly as compared to many other options.