:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/safari-photo--canon-and-nikon-digital-cameras-and-lenses--masai-mara-game-reserve--kenya--769713645-5bde071546e0fb0026a2c012.jpg)
Updated 2024 Approved 10 Best 2D Animation Software Free/Paid
Updated: 10 Best 2D Animation Software [Free/Paid]
10 Best 2D Animation Software in 2024 [Free/Paid]
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.
Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.
If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.
- Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
- Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
- Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
- Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
Recommend free download animation maker Filmora
If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.
It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.
Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.
A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators
Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?
- 100 Million+ Users
- 150+ Countries and Regions
- 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
- 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use
* Secure Download
Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download
| No. | Product Name | Supported OS | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Synfig | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 2 | Opentoonz | Windows and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 3 | Maefloresta | iPhone and Android | Free | Beginners |
| 4 | Pencil 2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | Free | Beginners |
| 5 | Toon Boom Harmony | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $109 per month | Professionals |
| 6 | CelAction2D | Windows, Linux, and OSX | $1300 for one single license | Professionals |
| 7 | Moho (Anime Studio) Pro | Windows and OSX | $399.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 8 | Stop Motion Studio | Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS | $59.99 for the full package | Professionals |
| 9 | FlipBook | Windows and OSX | $19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99 | Professionals |
| 10 | Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator | Windows and OSX | $199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro | Professionals |
Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.
Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.
The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers of content
- The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
- Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video
02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.
Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.
Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.
And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.
Features:
- GTS scanning tool
- Ability to change picture styles
- Add distortion and light effects
- Compatible with black and white and colored scans
03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone
Price: Free
Compatibility: iPhone and Android
Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.
Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.
The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.
There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.
Features:
- The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
- Easy animation software with tutorials
- Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease
04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.
Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.
Features:
- Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
- Raster and vector workflow switching
- Cross-platform compatibility to free download
Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional
Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.
Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.
Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.
This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.
You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.
Features:
- Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
- Advanced color palettes and paint options
- 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
- Cut-out animation tools
- Traditional paperless animation.
06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation
Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX
Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.
Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.
Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.
While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.
You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.
It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.
Features:
- Easy and fast to use for professional users
- Features ergonomic controls
- Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
- Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
- The multiplane camera features let you have more controls
07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software
Price: $399.99 for the full package.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.
Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.
Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.
While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.
There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.
Features:
- Enhanced freehand drawing tools
- Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
- Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
- Realistic motion blur
- Animation for multiple layers at the same time
08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.
Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS
Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.
Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.
Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?
Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.
You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.
And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.
Features:
- Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
- Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
- Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
- DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings
09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software
Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.
Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.
FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.
If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.
Features:
- Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
- You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
- Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
- You can use a scanner to import images
10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
Compatibility: Windows and OSX
Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.
Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.
CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.
Features:
- Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
- Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
- For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects
Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.
You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>
Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
Step 1 Put forward an idea
A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.
It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.
Step 2 Make a storyboard
After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.
Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.
Step 3 Produce materials
At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.
Step 4 Animation
After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.
Step 5 Animation editing
In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.
Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.
Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel
Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.
Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software
01 What is the best 2D animation software?
It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.
02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?
For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.
03 Is there any free animation software?
For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.
Conclusion
Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.
If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Best of the Best: 4K/8K Video Editing Software for Professionals
3 Best 4K/8K Video Editing Software in 2024
Max Wales
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Red, Panavision Sony or Sharp are some of the leaders on the 8K camera market, but the footage these cameras capture isn’t compatible with all video editing apps for Macs and PCs. Currently, there are only a handful of 8K video editors you can use to process footage captured in 8K resolution professionally.
Even so, 8K video files can be edited with some powerful video editing software . In this article, we are going to take you through some of the best 8K video editing software products on the market and help you select the app that can cater to all of your video editing needs.
3 Best 4K/8K Video Editing Software Products
Editing the footage recorded in 8K resolution at the professional level requires much more than a versatile video editing app. A computer’s processing power, having sufficient storage space, and a monitor that can display 8K videos accurately are all factors that can simplify and facilitate the video editing process. So let’s that a look at some of the best 8K video editing apps film and TV industry professionals can use to process the footage captured in 8K resolution.
1. Wondershare Filmora - for 4K video editing
It doesn’t support 8k video yet, but mostly for 4K video editing, it’s your best choice. The latest version of Filmora video editor is the stripped back, simpler option for video editors who do not want the complexity, advanced features and extra cost of the professional video editing software. It features an interface that has been created for ease of use, but there is also the option to select between Expert or Quick editing modes, depending upon your skill level and needs.
Cool effects include the particularly interesting Hollywood style effects, sound effects and stunning templates. Other interesting and new features include the Green Screen and Scene Detection options. The software can also automatically fix the footage with lighting or color issues which can result in a much more polished end result.
The newly added Action Cam Tool allows you to merge, cut and edit 4k videos shot by your action cameras, smartphones or other 4k cameras in minutes. You can have a try it. It’s free trial.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
2. Adobe Premiere Pro - for 8K video editing
Price: $20,99 per month as a single app
Compatibility: macOS, Windows
Importing and editing 8K footage with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019 isn’t any different than editing videos captured in lower resolutions. However, this video editing software for Mac and PC computers doesn’t let you choose the 8K resolution from its Export window. That is why you must adjust a project’s resolution from the Sequence Settings window before you actually start manipulating the footage.
So if you change the Editing mode to Custom and you set the resolution of a sequence to 7680 x 4320, Adobe Premiere Pro will allow you to export your video in the 8K resolution.
Keep in mind that you must also change the codec to from the Export Settings window in order to get the maximum video quality. Optionally, you can experiment with different export settings depending on the type of project you’re working on and the quality of the output file you would like to create.
Despite the fact that the process of creating 8K videos with Adobe Premiere Pro is a bit technical, this 8K video editing software is still one of the best options you can find on the market. Moreover, the video editing tools you’ll have at your disposal if you choose to edit your 8K videos with this video editing app are going to enable you to produce professional-looking videos.
\
3. Final Cut Pro X - for 8K video editing
Price: $299,99
Compatibility: macOS
The latest update of Final Cut Pro X that was released a little over a month ago has brought significant changes for different versions of the macOS. The 8K video editor’s improved capability to process ProRes files has enabled editors to play up to 16 streams of 4K ProRes files at the same time, while the Metal-based engine accelerates the rendering process and real-time effects.
Besides, you can now play up to three streams of 8K ProRes raw videos captured with RED and other professional cameras. These improvements enable you to import, process and export 8K videos much faster than ever before, which is the reason why Final Cut Pro X is currently one of the best, if not the best 8K video editing software for Mac computers.
You should keep in mind that you are going to need at least 8 GB and preferably more of RAM and lots of storage space if you are planning on editing 8K footage with Final Cut Pro X on a constant basis. Using proxies can make the process of editing 8K video files much faster, but you are still going to need a hard-drive where you can keep all of your high-resolution materials.
Looking for video editing software to edit 4K videos? Check our picks of the best 4K video editing software.
Conclusion
Even though most of non-linear video editing apps offer support for 8K video editing, only a few of them are powerful enough to grant you complete creative freedom over your 8K video projects. That’s why you must make sure that 8K video editing software you are considering offers all the tools you are going to need to process 8K footage effortlessly.
You can hardly go wrong if you choose to edit your videos with any of the 8K video editors we featured in this article. Which 8K video editing software are you going to use to edit your videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.
Max Wales
Max Wales is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Max Wales
Max Wales
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Red, Panavision Sony or Sharp are some of the leaders on the 8K camera market, but the footage these cameras capture isn’t compatible with all video editing apps for Macs and PCs. Currently, there are only a handful of 8K video editors you can use to process footage captured in 8K resolution professionally.
Even so, 8K video files can be edited with some powerful video editing software . In this article, we are going to take you through some of the best 8K video editing software products on the market and help you select the app that can cater to all of your video editing needs.
3 Best 4K/8K Video Editing Software Products
Editing the footage recorded in 8K resolution at the professional level requires much more than a versatile video editing app. A computer’s processing power, having sufficient storage space, and a monitor that can display 8K videos accurately are all factors that can simplify and facilitate the video editing process. So let’s that a look at some of the best 8K video editing apps film and TV industry professionals can use to process the footage captured in 8K resolution.
1. Wondershare Filmora - for 4K video editing
It doesn’t support 8k video yet, but mostly for 4K video editing, it’s your best choice. The latest version of Filmora video editor is the stripped back, simpler option for video editors who do not want the complexity, advanced features and extra cost of the professional video editing software. It features an interface that has been created for ease of use, but there is also the option to select between Expert or Quick editing modes, depending upon your skill level and needs.
Cool effects include the particularly interesting Hollywood style effects, sound effects and stunning templates. Other interesting and new features include the Green Screen and Scene Detection options. The software can also automatically fix the footage with lighting or color issues which can result in a much more polished end result.
The newly added Action Cam Tool allows you to merge, cut and edit 4k videos shot by your action cameras, smartphones or other 4k cameras in minutes. You can have a try it. It’s free trial.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
2. Adobe Premiere Pro - for 8K video editing
Price: $20,99 per month as a single app
Compatibility: macOS, Windows
Importing and editing 8K footage with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019 isn’t any different than editing videos captured in lower resolutions. However, this video editing software for Mac and PC computers doesn’t let you choose the 8K resolution from its Export window. That is why you must adjust a project’s resolution from the Sequence Settings window before you actually start manipulating the footage.
So if you change the Editing mode to Custom and you set the resolution of a sequence to 7680 x 4320, Adobe Premiere Pro will allow you to export your video in the 8K resolution.
Keep in mind that you must also change the codec to from the Export Settings window in order to get the maximum video quality. Optionally, you can experiment with different export settings depending on the type of project you’re working on and the quality of the output file you would like to create.
Despite the fact that the process of creating 8K videos with Adobe Premiere Pro is a bit technical, this 8K video editing software is still one of the best options you can find on the market. Moreover, the video editing tools you’ll have at your disposal if you choose to edit your 8K videos with this video editing app are going to enable you to produce professional-looking videos.
\
3. Final Cut Pro X - for 8K video editing
Price: $299,99
Compatibility: macOS
The latest update of Final Cut Pro X that was released a little over a month ago has brought significant changes for different versions of the macOS. The 8K video editor’s improved capability to process ProRes files has enabled editors to play up to 16 streams of 4K ProRes files at the same time, while the Metal-based engine accelerates the rendering process and real-time effects.
Besides, you can now play up to three streams of 8K ProRes raw videos captured with RED and other professional cameras. These improvements enable you to import, process and export 8K videos much faster than ever before, which is the reason why Final Cut Pro X is currently one of the best, if not the best 8K video editing software for Mac computers.
You should keep in mind that you are going to need at least 8 GB and preferably more of RAM and lots of storage space if you are planning on editing 8K footage with Final Cut Pro X on a constant basis. Using proxies can make the process of editing 8K video files much faster, but you are still going to need a hard-drive where you can keep all of your high-resolution materials.
Looking for video editing software to edit 4K videos? Check our picks of the best 4K video editing software.
Conclusion
Even though most of non-linear video editing apps offer support for 8K video editing, only a few of them are powerful enough to grant you complete creative freedom over your 8K video projects. That’s why you must make sure that 8K video editing software you are considering offers all the tools you are going to need to process 8K footage effortlessly.
You can hardly go wrong if you choose to edit your videos with any of the 8K video editors we featured in this article. Which 8K video editing software are you going to use to edit your videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.
Max Wales
Max Wales is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Max Wales
Max Wales
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Red, Panavision Sony or Sharp are some of the leaders on the 8K camera market, but the footage these cameras capture isn’t compatible with all video editing apps for Macs and PCs. Currently, there are only a handful of 8K video editors you can use to process footage captured in 8K resolution professionally.
Even so, 8K video files can be edited with some powerful video editing software . In this article, we are going to take you through some of the best 8K video editing software products on the market and help you select the app that can cater to all of your video editing needs.
3 Best 4K/8K Video Editing Software Products
Editing the footage recorded in 8K resolution at the professional level requires much more than a versatile video editing app. A computer’s processing power, having sufficient storage space, and a monitor that can display 8K videos accurately are all factors that can simplify and facilitate the video editing process. So let’s that a look at some of the best 8K video editing apps film and TV industry professionals can use to process the footage captured in 8K resolution.
1. Wondershare Filmora - for 4K video editing
It doesn’t support 8k video yet, but mostly for 4K video editing, it’s your best choice. The latest version of Filmora video editor is the stripped back, simpler option for video editors who do not want the complexity, advanced features and extra cost of the professional video editing software. It features an interface that has been created for ease of use, but there is also the option to select between Expert or Quick editing modes, depending upon your skill level and needs.
Cool effects include the particularly interesting Hollywood style effects, sound effects and stunning templates. Other interesting and new features include the Green Screen and Scene Detection options. The software can also automatically fix the footage with lighting or color issues which can result in a much more polished end result.
The newly added Action Cam Tool allows you to merge, cut and edit 4k videos shot by your action cameras, smartphones or other 4k cameras in minutes. You can have a try it. It’s free trial.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
2. Adobe Premiere Pro - for 8K video editing
Price: $20,99 per month as a single app
Compatibility: macOS, Windows
Importing and editing 8K footage with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019 isn’t any different than editing videos captured in lower resolutions. However, this video editing software for Mac and PC computers doesn’t let you choose the 8K resolution from its Export window. That is why you must adjust a project’s resolution from the Sequence Settings window before you actually start manipulating the footage.
So if you change the Editing mode to Custom and you set the resolution of a sequence to 7680 x 4320, Adobe Premiere Pro will allow you to export your video in the 8K resolution.
Keep in mind that you must also change the codec to from the Export Settings window in order to get the maximum video quality. Optionally, you can experiment with different export settings depending on the type of project you’re working on and the quality of the output file you would like to create.
Despite the fact that the process of creating 8K videos with Adobe Premiere Pro is a bit technical, this 8K video editing software is still one of the best options you can find on the market. Moreover, the video editing tools you’ll have at your disposal if you choose to edit your 8K videos with this video editing app are going to enable you to produce professional-looking videos.
\
3. Final Cut Pro X - for 8K video editing
Price: $299,99
Compatibility: macOS
The latest update of Final Cut Pro X that was released a little over a month ago has brought significant changes for different versions of the macOS. The 8K video editor’s improved capability to process ProRes files has enabled editors to play up to 16 streams of 4K ProRes files at the same time, while the Metal-based engine accelerates the rendering process and real-time effects.
Besides, you can now play up to three streams of 8K ProRes raw videos captured with RED and other professional cameras. These improvements enable you to import, process and export 8K videos much faster than ever before, which is the reason why Final Cut Pro X is currently one of the best, if not the best 8K video editing software for Mac computers.
You should keep in mind that you are going to need at least 8 GB and preferably more of RAM and lots of storage space if you are planning on editing 8K footage with Final Cut Pro X on a constant basis. Using proxies can make the process of editing 8K video files much faster, but you are still going to need a hard-drive where you can keep all of your high-resolution materials.
Looking for video editing software to edit 4K videos? Check our picks of the best 4K video editing software.
Conclusion
Even though most of non-linear video editing apps offer support for 8K video editing, only a few of them are powerful enough to grant you complete creative freedom over your 8K video projects. That’s why you must make sure that 8K video editing software you are considering offers all the tools you are going to need to process 8K footage effortlessly.
You can hardly go wrong if you choose to edit your videos with any of the 8K video editors we featured in this article. Which 8K video editing software are you going to use to edit your videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.
Max Wales
Max Wales is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Max Wales
Max Wales
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Red, Panavision Sony or Sharp are some of the leaders on the 8K camera market, but the footage these cameras capture isn’t compatible with all video editing apps for Macs and PCs. Currently, there are only a handful of 8K video editors you can use to process footage captured in 8K resolution professionally.
Even so, 8K video files can be edited with some powerful video editing software . In this article, we are going to take you through some of the best 8K video editing software products on the market and help you select the app that can cater to all of your video editing needs.
3 Best 4K/8K Video Editing Software Products
Editing the footage recorded in 8K resolution at the professional level requires much more than a versatile video editing app. A computer’s processing power, having sufficient storage space, and a monitor that can display 8K videos accurately are all factors that can simplify and facilitate the video editing process. So let’s that a look at some of the best 8K video editing apps film and TV industry professionals can use to process the footage captured in 8K resolution.
1. Wondershare Filmora - for 4K video editing
It doesn’t support 8k video yet, but mostly for 4K video editing, it’s your best choice. The latest version of Filmora video editor is the stripped back, simpler option for video editors who do not want the complexity, advanced features and extra cost of the professional video editing software. It features an interface that has been created for ease of use, but there is also the option to select between Expert or Quick editing modes, depending upon your skill level and needs.
Cool effects include the particularly interesting Hollywood style effects, sound effects and stunning templates. Other interesting and new features include the Green Screen and Scene Detection options. The software can also automatically fix the footage with lighting or color issues which can result in a much more polished end result.
The newly added Action Cam Tool allows you to merge, cut and edit 4k videos shot by your action cameras, smartphones or other 4k cameras in minutes. You can have a try it. It’s free trial.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
Secure Download
For macOS 10.14 or later
Secure Download
2. Adobe Premiere Pro - for 8K video editing
Price: $20,99 per month as a single app
Compatibility: macOS, Windows
Importing and editing 8K footage with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019 isn’t any different than editing videos captured in lower resolutions. However, this video editing software for Mac and PC computers doesn’t let you choose the 8K resolution from its Export window. That is why you must adjust a project’s resolution from the Sequence Settings window before you actually start manipulating the footage.
So if you change the Editing mode to Custom and you set the resolution of a sequence to 7680 x 4320, Adobe Premiere Pro will allow you to export your video in the 8K resolution.
Keep in mind that you must also change the codec to from the Export Settings window in order to get the maximum video quality. Optionally, you can experiment with different export settings depending on the type of project you’re working on and the quality of the output file you would like to create.
Despite the fact that the process of creating 8K videos with Adobe Premiere Pro is a bit technical, this 8K video editing software is still one of the best options you can find on the market. Moreover, the video editing tools you’ll have at your disposal if you choose to edit your 8K videos with this video editing app are going to enable you to produce professional-looking videos.
\
3. Final Cut Pro X - for 8K video editing
Price: $299,99
Compatibility: macOS
The latest update of Final Cut Pro X that was released a little over a month ago has brought significant changes for different versions of the macOS. The 8K video editor’s improved capability to process ProRes files has enabled editors to play up to 16 streams of 4K ProRes files at the same time, while the Metal-based engine accelerates the rendering process and real-time effects.
Besides, you can now play up to three streams of 8K ProRes raw videos captured with RED and other professional cameras. These improvements enable you to import, process and export 8K videos much faster than ever before, which is the reason why Final Cut Pro X is currently one of the best, if not the best 8K video editing software for Mac computers.
You should keep in mind that you are going to need at least 8 GB and preferably more of RAM and lots of storage space if you are planning on editing 8K footage with Final Cut Pro X on a constant basis. Using proxies can make the process of editing 8K video files much faster, but you are still going to need a hard-drive where you can keep all of your high-resolution materials.
Looking for video editing software to edit 4K videos? Check our picks of the best 4K video editing software.
Conclusion
Even though most of non-linear video editing apps offer support for 8K video editing, only a few of them are powerful enough to grant you complete creative freedom over your 8K video projects. That’s why you must make sure that 8K video editing software you are considering offers all the tools you are going to need to process 8K footage effortlessly.
You can hardly go wrong if you choose to edit your videos with any of the 8K video editors we featured in this article. Which 8K video editing software are you going to use to edit your videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.
Max Wales
Max Wales is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Max Wales
Unleash Your Creativity: Top 8 Movie Creation Software for Mac
Many video editors will agree that Apple’s Mac computers are perfect for video editing and other creative media arts such as animation. Unlike, Chrome OS, Windows, or Linux, macOS comes with much-noted preferences. This operating system emphasizes on creativity and design and gives the best producing results with top movie maker software.
8 Stunning Movie Creator for Mac
Browsing through the internet, you will find a myriad of movie maker video editors. However, not every tool is compatible with Mac. If you are getting started with video editing on your Mac, the first step is to choose movie maker software that gives high-quality results. Below, you will find some of the best video editing tools to put out short films and movies professionally.
1. Wondershare Filmora - Best Overall
Filmora by Wondershare is a popular video movie maker for Mac with a wide array of transition, trimming, and overlay options. Notable benefits of using Filmora are modern and advanced features. Also, developers in Filmora consistently introduce new updates and features. For instance, they recently introduced a motion tracking feature. Motion tracking maps objects in a frame and enables the video editor to create texts and graphics that follow that motion. Filmora has a straightforward interface, which makes this tool suitable for beginners as well as professional video editors.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:
- Layer multiple video clips
- Video stabilization
- Audio equalizer
- Advanced text editing
- Speed control
- Mosaic (blurring)
- Noise removal
- Screen recording
2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals
Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.
With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:
- Motion graphics templates
- Simultaneous projects
- Transitions
- Effects
- VR rotate sphere
- VR audio editing
- VR editing
- Multiple formats support
3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software
Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.
With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:
- Multiple audio features
- Video effects
- Hardware support
- Display and monitoring
- Codec independent
- Cross-platform
4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners
Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.
Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.
If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:
- Animated overlays
- Auto reframe
- New slideshow styles
- Compress video output
- Shadow and highlight guided edit
- Ample video effects
- Cross-platform support
5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline
Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.
The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:
- Supports 360° VR content
- Supports 4K XAVC-S format
- 3D editing
- Motion tracking
- Exports to video ()
6. Blender – Best for 3D
Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:
- Modeling
- Sculpting
- Rendering
- VFX
- Animation and rigging
- Scripting
7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source
OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:
- Desktop integration
- Keyframe animation
- Trim and slice
- Slow-motion and time effect
- Audio waveform
8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering
You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:
- Unlimited sources
- Live cut
- Unique sync group feature.
- Sync with edits.
- Sync to time code or lock frame
Closing Word
Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
For macOS 10.12 or later
The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:
- Layer multiple video clips
- Video stabilization
- Audio equalizer
- Advanced text editing
- Speed control
- Mosaic (blurring)
- Noise removal
- Screen recording
2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals
Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.
With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:
- Motion graphics templates
- Simultaneous projects
- Transitions
- Effects
- VR rotate sphere
- VR audio editing
- VR editing
- Multiple formats support
3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software
Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.
With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:
- Multiple audio features
- Video effects
- Hardware support
- Display and monitoring
- Codec independent
- Cross-platform
4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners
Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.
Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.
If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:
- Animated overlays
- Auto reframe
- New slideshow styles
- Compress video output
- Shadow and highlight guided edit
- Ample video effects
- Cross-platform support
5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline
Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.
The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:
- Supports 360° VR content
- Supports 4K XAVC-S format
- 3D editing
- Motion tracking
- Exports to video ()
6. Blender – Best for 3D
Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:
- Modeling
- Sculpting
- Rendering
- VFX
- Animation and rigging
- Scripting
7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source
OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:
- Desktop integration
- Keyframe animation
- Trim and slice
- Slow-motion and time effect
- Audio waveform
8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering
You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:
- Unlimited sources
- Live cut
- Unique sync group feature.
- Sync with edits.
- Sync to time code or lock frame
Closing Word
Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
For macOS 10.12 or later
The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:
- Layer multiple video clips
- Video stabilization
- Audio equalizer
- Advanced text editing
- Speed control
- Mosaic (blurring)
- Noise removal
- Screen recording
2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals
Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.
With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:
- Motion graphics templates
- Simultaneous projects
- Transitions
- Effects
- VR rotate sphere
- VR audio editing
- VR editing
- Multiple formats support
3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software
Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.
With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:
- Multiple audio features
- Video effects
- Hardware support
- Display and monitoring
- Codec independent
- Cross-platform
4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners
Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.
Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.
If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:
- Animated overlays
- Auto reframe
- New slideshow styles
- Compress video output
- Shadow and highlight guided edit
- Ample video effects
- Cross-platform support
5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline
Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.
The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:
- Supports 360° VR content
- Supports 4K XAVC-S format
- 3D editing
- Motion tracking
- Exports to video ()
6. Blender – Best for 3D
Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:
- Modeling
- Sculpting
- Rendering
- VFX
- Animation and rigging
- Scripting
7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source
OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:
- Desktop integration
- Keyframe animation
- Trim and slice
- Slow-motion and time effect
- Audio waveform
8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering
You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:
- Unlimited sources
- Live cut
- Unique sync group feature.
- Sync with edits.
- Sync to time code or lock frame
Closing Word
Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
For macOS 10.12 or later
The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:
- Layer multiple video clips
- Video stabilization
- Audio equalizer
- Advanced text editing
- Speed control
- Mosaic (blurring)
- Noise removal
- Screen recording
2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals
Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.
With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:
- Motion graphics templates
- Simultaneous projects
- Transitions
- Effects
- VR rotate sphere
- VR audio editing
- VR editing
- Multiple formats support
3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software
Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.
With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:
- Multiple audio features
- Video effects
- Hardware support
- Display and monitoring
- Codec independent
- Cross-platform
4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners
Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.
Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.
If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:
- Animated overlays
- Auto reframe
- New slideshow styles
- Compress video output
- Shadow and highlight guided edit
- Ample video effects
- Cross-platform support
5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline
Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.
The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:
- Supports 360° VR content
- Supports 4K XAVC-S format
- 3D editing
- Motion tracking
- Exports to video ()
6. Blender – Best for 3D
Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:
- Modeling
- Sculpting
- Rendering
- VFX
- Animation and rigging
- Scripting
7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source
OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:
- Desktop integration
- Keyframe animation
- Trim and slice
- Slow-motion and time effect
- Audio waveform
8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering
You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:
- Unlimited sources
- Live cut
- Unique sync group feature.
- Sync with edits.
- Sync to time code or lock frame
Closing Word
Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.
Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora
An easy yet powerful editor
Numerous effects to choose from
Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel
Create Like a Pro: Top Animation Software for Mac and Windows Users
Professional Animation Software: 8 Best Creator for Mac and Windows
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.
Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.
While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.
Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.
Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac
1. Blender
The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.
It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender
Features:
- The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
- You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
- You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.
2. ZBrush
Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.
It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.
Features:
- Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
- Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
- Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.
3. Maya
Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.
Features:
- The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
- It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
- Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.
4. Harmony
Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.
Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.
Features:
- Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
- Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
- Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
- Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows
1. Adobe Animate CC
Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.
With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.
Features:
- Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
- Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
- The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
- HiDPI support.
2. Poser Pro
The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.
It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.
But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.
Features:
- SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
- The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
- The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.
3. DigiCel FlipBook
Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.
It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.
Features:
- Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
- The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
- Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
- Add music and sync it with your animations.
4. iClone
Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.
Features:
- Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
- Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
- Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
- On-demand community content and accessories.
Conclusion
With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.
And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.
Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.
Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.
While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.
Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.
Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac
1. Blender
The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.
It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender
Features:
- The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
- You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
- You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.
2. ZBrush
Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.
It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.
Features:
- Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
- Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
- Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.
3. Maya
Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.
Features:
- The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
- It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
- Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.
4. Harmony
Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.
Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.
Features:
- Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
- Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
- Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
- Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows
1. Adobe Animate CC
Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.
With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.
Features:
- Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
- Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
- The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
- HiDPI support.
2. Poser Pro
The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.
It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.
But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.
Features:
- SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
- The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
- The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.
3. DigiCel FlipBook
Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.
It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.
Features:
- Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
- The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
- Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
- Add music and sync it with your animations.
4. iClone
Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.
Features:
- Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
- Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
- Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
- On-demand community content and accessories.
Conclusion
With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.
And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.
Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.
Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.
While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.
Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.
Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac
1. Blender
The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.
It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender
Features:
- The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
- You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
- You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.
2. ZBrush
Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.
It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.
Features:
- Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
- Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
- Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.
3. Maya
Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.
Features:
- The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
- It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
- Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.
4. Harmony
Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.
Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.
Features:
- Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
- Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
- Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
- Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows
1. Adobe Animate CC
Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.
With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.
Features:
- Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
- Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
- The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
- HiDPI support.
2. Poser Pro
The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.
It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.
But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.
Features:
- SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
- The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
- The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.
3. DigiCel FlipBook
Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.
It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.
Features:
- Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
- The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
- Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
- Add music and sync it with your animations.
4. iClone
Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.
Features:
- Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
- Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
- Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
- On-demand community content and accessories.
Conclusion
With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.
And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.
Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.
Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.
While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.
Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.
Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac
1. Blender
The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.
It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender
Features:
- The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
- You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
- You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.
2. ZBrush
Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.
It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.
Features:
- Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
- Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
- Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.
3. Maya
Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.
Features:
- The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
- It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
- Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.
4. Harmony
Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.
Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.
Features:
- Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
- Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
- Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
- Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows
1. Adobe Animate CC
Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.
With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.
Features:
- Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
- Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
- The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
- HiDPI support.
2. Poser Pro
The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.
It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.
But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.
Features:
- SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
- The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
- The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.
3. DigiCel FlipBook
Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.
It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.
Features:
- Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
- The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
- Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
- Add music and sync it with your animations.
4. iClone
Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.
Features:
- Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
- Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
- Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
- On-demand community content and accessories.
Conclusion
With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.
And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.
Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.
Shanoon Cox
Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Shanoon Cox
Also read:
- Updated 2024 Approved Windows Movie Maker Tutorial Editing Videos Like a Pro
- New Say Goodbye to Sideways Videos 16 Free AVI Video Rotators for Every Situation for 2024
- In 2024, How to Edit GoPro Video on Mac
- Updated 2024 Approved Replace iMovie with These Top Windows 10 Video Editing Tools
- In 2024, Selecting the Best YouTube to MP4 Converter for Speed
- In 2024, What Is an XML File and How to Export XML in Final Cut Pro X?
- Transform Your Audio Into Visual Masterpieces Online
- Updated In 2024, Still Moments From Moving Pictures A Review of 10 Video to Image Converters
- New In 2024, Free and Fabulous The 5 Best Online Tone Generators Out There
- 2024 Approved Filmora 13 Free Download Professional Video Editing Software
- 2024 Approved Discover the Best Gaming Intro Software Top 10 Picks for Windows and Mac Users
- New Transform Your Videos Adding Effects in FCP X with Just 3 Clicks
- New The Comprehensive Guide to Wav Conversion Tips and Tricks
- 2024 Approved Lyric Video Makers The Ultimate List of Free and Paid Services
- New 2024 Approved Edit Like a Pro Best 1080P Video Editing Software of the Year
- In 2024, What to Look for in a YouTube to MP3 Conversion Tool
- 2024 Approved S Most Popular Free M4A Editor Programs
- New In 2024, Video Illumination Editing Software Reviews
- Updated Fast Forward to Success Creating Stunning Time Lapses in Final Cut Pro
- New Facebook Video Cover Best Practices Size, Format, and More for 2024
- The way to get back lost call history from Reno 10 5G
- Updated In 2024, In-Depth Study of Cartoon Painting Starts
- In 2024, How Do You Get Sun Stone Evolutions in Pokémon For Tecno Spark Go (2023)? | Dr.fone
- The way to convert MTS for Samsung Galaxy A24
- In 2024, How to Track Nokia 150 (2023) by Phone Number | Dr.fone
- In 2024, 10 Fake GPS Location Apps on Android Of your Realme Narzo 60 Pro 5G | Dr.fone
- Tutorial to Change Nokia C110 IMEI without Root A Comprehensive Guide
- 11 Ways to Fix it When My Tecno Spark 20C Wont Charge | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Pokemon Go Error 12 Failed to Detect Location On Realme 11 5G? | Dr.fone
- Downloading SamFw FRP Tool 3.0 for Infinix Note 30 VIP Racing Edition
- How To Change Your Apple ID Password On your iPhone XR
- Sign Excel Online - Add Signature to Excel for Free
- In 2024, How to Remove a Previously Synced Google Account from Your Vivo X100 Pro
- Complete Guide For iPhone 13 Pro Max Lock Screen
- Possible ways to recover deleted files from Vivo Y100 5G
- In 2024, How to Use Google Assistant on Your Lock Screen Of Itel P55 Phone
- In 2024, 10 Best Fake GPS Location Spoofers for Xiaomi Civi 3 Disney 100th Anniversary Edition | Dr.fone
- How to Fake GPS on Android without Mock Location For your Nokia 105 Classic | Dr.fone
- Title: Updated 2024 Approved 10 Best 2D Animation Software Free/Paid
- Author: Amelia
- Created at : 2024-04-29 19:37:18
- Updated at : 2024-04-30 19:37:18
- Link: https://ai-driven-video-production.techidaily.com/updated-2024-approved-10-best-2d-animation-software-freepaid/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
