Free Animation Software
Which animation and motion design tools a startup can animate its product, logo and social posts with for free today, what free exports carry (a watermark, a lower resolution, fewer formats), whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . Animation tools change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it.
Animation tools a startup can use for free today include Cavalry (Free for individuals, no payment), Blender (Free and open source, forever), Jitter (Free plan, no time limit), Krita (Free and open source, forever), and LottieFiles (Free: unlimited previews and sharing). Each of the 13 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, its export limits, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
Motion sells a product faster than a still image: an animated product shot, a moving logo, a short explainer or a Lottie animation in your app. Online motion design tools have free plans, and open-source animation software is free to download with no plan at all.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Free plans add a watermark or splash screen, cap files, and keep HD video or Lottie export for paid plans. Each tool below shows what is free, its main limit, what you can export, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which tools we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which tools are listed or where.
Online motion design tools with a free plan
Animate product shots, logos and social posts in the browser, free to start.
- 1
Cavalry
Free 2D rigging and motion, no payment for individuals
Cavalry is free for individuals, with no restrictions or payment needed, and it includes Lottie export. Using it needs a Canva account.
- Payment card
- No payment needed (source: cavalry.studio)
- 2
Jitter
Motion from Figma designs, on a free plan
The Free plan has no time limit and includes 3 workspace files. Exports carry the Jitter watermark, and HD export is in the paid plans.
- Main limit
- 3 workspace files (source: jitter.video)
Start free at JitterReferral linkTerms read on jitter.video on Jitter: the free allowance and how to start - 3
LottieFiles
Lottie files for product UI, to try for free
The free version gives unlimited preview, testing and sharing, with basic edits to library animations. The Individual plan is $19.99 a user a month, billed annually.
Start free at LottieFilesTerms read on lottiefiles.com on LottieFiles: the free allowance and how to start - 4
SVGator
Animated SVG logos and icons in the browser
The Free plan lets you explore the full editor and export unlimited static SVG files. Animated exports need a paid plan, from Starter at $20 a month billed yearly.
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: svgator.com)
- First paid plan
- Starter: $20 a month, billed yearly (source: svgator.com)
- 5
Rive
Interactive animation with state machines
The free plan includes the Rive Editor and 3 collaborative files. Free exports play a Rive splash screen, and the Cadet plan starts at $9 a seat a month.
- First paid plan
- Cadet: $9 a seat a month, 3 seats max (source: rive.app)
- 6
Lottielab
Lottie and SVG files on a free plan
Free includes unlimited files and upload of Lottie and SVG files, with GIF and MP4 export. Lottie export and HD video are in the Pro plan.
Start free at LottielabTerms read on lottielab.com on Lottielab: the free allowance and how to start - 7
Animaker
Explainer videos with animated characters
The free plan lets you create and download animated videos with a limited selection of premium assets. Its exports carry a watermark, and the Starter plan is $19 a month.
- First paid plan
- Starter: $19 a month (source: animaker.com)
- 8
Linearity Move
Keyframe animation with a one-week welcome credit
New users get 2,400 welcome credits valid for 7 days, with no credit card required. The free plan includes Curve and Move with usage limits.
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: linearity.io)
Start free at LinearityTerms read on linearity.io on Linearity Move: the free allowance and how to start
Free open-source animation software
Download and animate with no plan and no limits, free.
- 1
Blender
3D modelling and animation with no software budget
Blender's about page says it is Free and Open Source software, forever, with no price, card or usage limit set out on the page.
- 2
Krita
Frame-by-frame 2D animation from painting
Krita's site calls it a free and open source painting program. Its animation workspace exports finished work to a video.
- 3
Synfig Studio
Vector 2D animation with tweening and bones
Synfig Studio is free and open-source 2D animation software. Its site sets out no price, card or usage limit.
- 4
Pencil2D
Hand-drawn 2D animation, lightweight and simple
Pencil2D's site says it is completely open source and free to use, even commercially. It sets out no price, card or usage limit.
- 5
OpenToonz
Full-featured 2D animation, studio-style production
OpenToonz's GitHub license says the software may be used or changed freely for business or personal use. The pages set out no price, card or usage limit.
Also useful for design and creative work
Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.
Compare the top options
How this comparison is built
The list covers animation and motion design tools a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each tool's terms. Every term comes from the tool's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A watermark or lower resolution on exports, a cap on files or projects, export formats such as video or Lottie kept for paid plans can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these tools pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a tool appears, and no tool pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free animation software?
By the terms each provider states, Cavalry is free for individuals, Jitter has a free plan with no time limit, Lottielab gives unlimited files with GIF and MP4 export, and Blender, Krita, Synfig Studio, Pencil2D and OpenToonz are free and open source.
Is Jitter free?
Jitter's free plan has no time limit and includes 3 workspace files. Free exports carry a watermark and HD export needs Pro, which is $15 per editor a month billed annually.
Can I export Lottie animations for free?
Cavalry includes Lottie export for free. Lottielab's free plan leaves out Lottie and HD video export, and SVGator keeps animated exports for paid plans.
Is there free 2D animation software?
Yes. Synfig Studio is free and open source under GPL v3, Pencil2D is free and open source including for commercial use, OpenToonz is free for business or personal use, and Krita exports animations to video or image files.
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