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13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

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top 13 free animation software for beginners and professionals

1. entertainer

platforms: web browser based

best animation software 2022: Clara.io

animaker is free animation software for beginners, with easy drag and drop and intuitive interface to combine. there are six main types of videos you can make with animaker:

  1. 2d
  2. infographics
  3. craft
  4. blackboard
  5. 2.5d
  6. typography

With full HD support, horizontal and vertical video layouts, and pre-built graphics, you can create fun, animated videos in no time.

Audio features include text-to-speech, the option to add background music and sound effects, and voiceover. you can choose from the animaker sound library or upload your own melodies.

If you want to pay for the pro version, you can also get advanced features: in-app camera, multi-motion, curves, transition effects and in/out effects. it’s like all those powerpoint animations, except it’s cool and not so cheesy.

2. blender

platforms: windows, mac, linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

use blender if you are looking for the best video animation software for professional editors and creators. The free open source 3D animation tool supports “modelling, montage, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing, and 2D animation pipeline”. the platform is a public project and creatives from all over the world contribute to its ongoing maintenance.

let’s talk about functions:

  • rendering: cycles is blender’s ray-trace based production rendering engine, freestyle is an edge and line based non-photorealistic (npr) rendering engine, and comments real-time speeds up the editing process.
  • modeling: blender’s modeling tools include sculpting, retopology, modeling, curves, and more.
  • sculpture: digital sculpting tools are flexible for every stage of the digital production process.
  • animation and rigging: these tools include a character animation pose editor, non-linear animation (nla) for independent movements, ik forward/inverse kinematics for quick poses, and sound synchronization.
  • grease pencil: draw directly in 3d and combine 2d/3d art.
  • vfx: From tracking camera and object movement to masking and compositing, there are plenty of fixes you can make in post-production.
  • Simulation: Create simulations of fog, smoke, rain, fire, liquid and more.
  • pipeline: choose from a long list of import/export options.
  • video editing: a video editor built-in allows for basic actions like video cutting and splicing and more complex tasks like video masking or color grading.

yes, that’s a lot. blender is a complete tool. and everything is free.

Editor’s note: We also review blender, along with 29 other video editing tools, in this review.

3. k-3d

platforms: windows, linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

k-3d is free 3d animation software that specializes in polygonal modeling, a digital graphics approach that represents and approximates object surfaces using polygons. Designed for artists, the software combines plugins with a display pipeline architecture: it adapts to the look and feel of the tools it integrates with.

start with their wiki tutorials, which will show you how to master features like textures, shadows, and symmetrical modeling.

one of its best features? easy undo/redo functionality, so you can quickly correct a mistake. most programs only offer the option to undo an action.

With procedural and parametric workflows, you can make adjustments and see the change immediately. a node-based display pipeline means editors can create connections and combinations for different elements within the video. you can work on one side of a model and mirror the other side to see how it looks welded.

k-3d is an advanced tool for true creatives.

4. opentoonz

platforms: windows, mac and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

opentoonz is one of the best free 2d video animation software. open source software is free for commercial and non-commercial use, so you can use it to create marketing videos for your brand.

It’s also packed with features, like:

  • digital drawing tools: bitmap and vector drawing tools
  • indexed color palettes: quick paint and color change
  • effects and compositing: effects animated specials and composite scenes – choose from blurs, lighting, keys, masks, wraps and over 100 more effects
  • scripting – automations via an ecma-compliant scripting engine
  • motion tracking: combine your animation with video footage
  • scanning and cleaning: create vectors from drawings on paper
  • frame-by-frame animation: with onion skinning configurable
  • motion tween: link objects or use motion paths to execute complex movements
  • bone character animation: with ik support and mesh deformations
  • particle systems: for rain, dust and similar effects

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

You can do some pretty advanced animations with this tool.

maybe you could insert an example here https://twitter.com/hashtag/opentoonz some ideas:

  • https://twitter.com/tonygaddisart/status/1087045058417684480
  • https://twitter.com/darrentanims/status/1176928091811254272
  • https://twitter.com/ghostiesfm/status/1176645497240588288

If you’re having trouble using free animation software, you can always head over to the user community or developer forum.

5. 2dpencil animation

platforms: windows, mac and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

pencil2d is a simple animation software that you can use to create hand drawn 2d videos. open source software is free for both personal and commercial use, so you can use it just for fun or create videos to promote your products.

The interface is simple and easy to use. plus there are tons of tutorials on the pencil2d website to help you get started.

other functions:

  • image and audio import
  • switch between raster and vector workflows so you can draw, ink and paint
  • adjust frame rate
  • add distortion and lighting effects
  • onion skin
  • toolbar customizations
  • pressure sensitivity
  • multiple export formats

6. plastic animation paper

platforms: windows, mac and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

Although its interface is outdated, the plastic animation paper (pap) is free to download and use.

With pap, you can create hand-drawn 2d animations while viewing your edits in real time. the editing experience can be clunky, but it’s easy for beginners to learn and get familiar with. it is enough for basic animated videos.

featured features include basic drawing tools, zoom, rotate, crop, layer, and more.

Soon, the creator of pap will launch a new and more advanced program for $79, called animation paper.

Animation paper, best suited for skilled animators, will help animators create 2d graphics from hand-drawn illustrations, along with a long list of features:

  • small and large format frames
  • real time, smooth rotation and zoom, along with multiple flip options
  • advanced and customizable onion effect
  • layers and lasso
  • high quality lines and stabilization
  • coloring and painting
  • real-time full frame reference on a second monitor for quick editing

When you’re done creating your animated video, export options include .mp4, .mov, and .png or .svg frame stacks.

7. powtoon

platforms: web browser based

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

The next free video animation software is powtoon, designed for dynamic video presentations. while there are paid options with advanced features, powtoon also has a simplified free tool for videos up to three minutes long.

In addition to the above, the powtoon freeware also has:

  • custom styles
  • adjustable sizes and aspect ratios
  • youtube, facebook, wistia, vimeo, powerpoint and pdf export
  • full video , animation implementation, gif and image file

is a great tool for beginners, with several professional-looking templates to choose from, including infographic-style and animated explainer videos, as well as templates created specifically for product promotion. You can also start from scratch or import a theme from PowerPoint.

8. style

platforms: windows, mac and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

stykz is one of the easiest animation programs to use. With it, you can make basic 2d stick figure animated videos.

stykz is framework-based, which means it works on a single framework simultaneously. uses onion skins so you can see the frame above and how the two flow together.

all edits are done within the “stage”; in other words, you make your edits and see your changes within the same window. no need to switch between views.

Edit one or more stick objects, fill shapes, and import your own stick figures. everything will automatically save as you go, so you don’t have to worry about losing all your hard work.

9. sinfig studio

platforms: windows, mac and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

The next free video animation online is Synfig Studio, an open source platform for creating 2D animated videos. with it, you use vector graphics to create timeline-based animations.

Like opentoonz, it offers a bone system for animation controls so you can create natural motion. create cropped animations using bitmap images and use the additional skeleton distortion layer for complex deformations in bitmap artwork.

Advanced features include linking parameters for layers, allowing you to create character puppets and other advanced dynamic structures. It’s certainly not made for beginners, so fall back on an easier option to get started before upgrading to synfig’s advanced feature set. there are plenty of video tutorials to help you get used to the program.

here is an example of a fun animated short film created with synfig studio:

10. tontastic 3d

platforms: android, ios

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

toontastic 3d, google’s free animation software for android, is designed for kids, but brands can also use it to create 3d animated videos. Ideal for storytelling, you start with Toontastic by creating your own characters, either from scratch or based on an uploaded photo. then it’s time to insert your characters into a story.

toontastic encourages budding storytellers to get creative with their narratives, and brands can do the same. plan your story, animate, add narration and music, then export it to share with the world.

Your story is based on toontastic templates, each with a different number of scenes. toontastic also has pre-made scenes to choose from, so the only “drawing” you need to do is when it comes to the characters.

If that sounds like a lot of steps, Google says you can create a one-minute video with up to six scenes in just one minute, though that doesn’t include the time it takes to create your characters in advance. It also works offline, so you can create videos on your daily commute or when there’s no Wi-Fi.

if you’re looking for more control and creative flexibility, toontastic isn’t the best choice. it is more suitable for those who are very new to animated videos. you will soon graduate to one of the others on this list!

11. tubetube

platforms: windows, mac and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

tubitube is one of the best video animation tools for beginners. Great for hobbyists, hobbyists, and even kids, this simple software makes animation accessible to everyone. A clean and simple user interface means you won’t need to spend a lot of time learning before you can start bringing your creations to life.

with tubitube, you get a fantastic range of basic 2d animation solutions, including painting and drawing tools, image/vector import, manual scaling, rotation, and opacity.

Available under the “GPL” license, tubitube is ideal for budget-conscious animators and flexible too. it can render parts in swf, mpeg and avi formats. There’s even a social media community where you can connect with other animators for quick tips.

12. cinema 4d

platforms: windows and mac

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

Suitable for beginning and more advanced animators, cinema 4d is versatile software that allows users to do more than just animate. you can leverage cinema 4d for modeling, texturing, visual effects, and lighting, all within an intuitive user interface.

cinema 4d’s customizable layout is ideal for creating the most convenient user experience for every animator. there is also access to mograph, allowing designers to create more complex sequences without the confusing elements of traditional software.

If you’re looking for something easy to learn but scalable enough to help you create more sophisticated animations, this might be the tool for you. additional features include automatic zbrush retopology to create optimized meshes and advanced fabric simulation.

13. clara.io

platforms: web browsers, mac, windows and linux

13 Best Free Animation Software Program to Make Marketing Videos (2022)

clara.io, a web-based application for creative professionals, ensures that you can work from your browser when creating, animating, and rendering 3d content. The streamlined interface comes with a variety of powerful tools, including sub-object editing, vray cloud rendering, and responsive workflows.

While working on your animations using the modern interface, you can also invite other colleagues to engage with you. Easy sharing and embedding capabilities make collaboration easy. clara also automatically saves all your work and progress in the cloud.

there are more than 30 common 3d file formats supported for import and export. In addition, you can customize and extend the functionality of your application with plugins and access to rest APIs.

if you need help deciding what to build with clara.io, there’s a fantastic library of 3d models you can use for inspiration.

cheer your way to success

There you have it: a list of the 13 best free animation software for beginners and professionals. Which tool you choose really depends on your skill level, your hardware, and the types of videos you want to make. In short, this is what you get with the software featured in this article:

  1. animaker: simple browser-based animation software for beginners, with paid upgrades available
  2. blender: open source advanced 3d animation software for people with video experience
  3. k-3d: 3d animation software with polygonal modeling
  4. opentoonz: 2d animation software with a long list of features for experienced or expert video users
  5. pencil2d: hand drawn 2d animated videos with a simple interface that is easy to use for beginner but feature packed
  6. plastic animation paper: useful for incorporating hand drawn characters into 2d animated videos
  7. powtoon: great for creating simple three minute drawings explainer videos or infographics in presentation style format
  8. stykz: easy to use 2d stick figure based animation software for beginners
  9. s ynfig studio: solid software for creating vector based animated videos with advanced character control
  10. toontastic 3d: for people who are very new to creating animated videos; designed for kids, but you can also create simple, narrative, and character-based videos for brands
  11. tubitube: for fans, hobbyists, and even kids, this software is a great choice to start your animation journey
  12. cinema 4d: allows users to create complex sequences without the confusing elements of standard animation software
  13. clear .io – Offers a variety of powerful tools that make it easy to animate your video content

Do you want to know more?

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