Learning to use various animation software can be beneficial if you are creating some content to share over social media or a YouTube channel because you can create much more entertaining content. Also, this skill will provide you with the ability to create more engaging marketing commercials, business charts, and more. Hiring a professional studio to create animations could cost you thousands of dollars for only a short video. Also, some of the most popular software for creating animated content are very expensive. Therefore, if you are not interested in spending a lot of money on your project, you should look for some cheap alternatives that are still excellent in creating 2D and 3D animations. Here are the top 10 animation makers that you can download for free.
1. Mango Animation Maker
Developed by Mango Animate, Mango Animation Maker is the best animation maker that is available for free download. This software is especially beneficial for digital marketers and influencers because you can easily create engaging content to attract more customers. Also, you can use its great library of items that you can include in your video. Moreover, there are some excellent features, such as live recording, adding subtitles, multi-track editing timeline, numerous plugins and templates that you can find online, and much more.
2. Pencil
This program is great for people interested in creating 2D animation and content similar to cartoons and comic books. The main benefit is a simple engine that allows you to learn the basis of animations quickly and with less effort. On the other hand, even if it has a basic interface, you can also use some advanced functions, such as a set of tools for illustrations, multiple pieces, the ability to edit some photos, or create some animation on while using a picture as a base. This software uses FLV and SWF formats for export, while the only downside is that you can use it only on Apple devices.
3. Synfig Studio
Another excellent animation tool that you can use on different operating systems. While it is similar to Pencil, the advantage is that you can use several separated windows that allow you to manage your project in a much more convenient way. Also, Synfig Studio is using vectors and bitmap images for animations. Another advantage is that you can implement the shading effect without the need to draw the same animation on multiple frames.
4. Blender
Blender represents one of the best 3D animations software used by many students, experts, studio artists, video game developers, and more. This program is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. However, you should know that you will need some time to build skills that are good enough to create some quality content. Being an open-source program is its main advantage over similar software since users can improve some of its features over time.
5. Aurora 3D
Aurora 3D is not as complex as Blender, but you can create amazing animations that you can implement in your videos, commercials, or any other projects. The main advantage is its simple interface that allows even a total beginner to create some interesting animation. Also, there is a feature that many digital marketers find attractive, and that is a simple method of conversion of text into 3D animation.
6. Clara.io
This software can help you to create and render animation projects that you can later export to some other program like Blender, where you can create a fully animated video. Also, there is a community of around 80,000 people that you can contact and share various presets. Moreover, it provides you with the ability to transform 2D objects into 3D objects that you can later implement in some animation. This tool can work on every popular type of operating system today.
7. DAZ Studio
A lot of people today are interested in the development of video games. However, it requires a lot of skills and patience, along with high-quality software, to become more efficient in making various video game characters and items. While you will need to pay a lot for some professional tools, DAZ Studio is completely free and still has some great features that allow you to create 3D objects. Also, you can use some advanced tools from NVidia, such as shader, drawer, material definition, and a wide selection of filters.
8. Bryce
While most of the programs in this list are great for creating animated objects for your video, you will also need something to create a proper landscape, which is especially important for 3D animations. Bryce is one of the best free programs that you can use to create an ambient in your 3D cartoon. You can easily import objects that you made in other programs and adjust them to the landscape. Also, there is a big selection of presets that you can use in your videos. Moreover, if you need some highly advanced functions, you can choose a Pro version of this software, but it is not free.
9. Stykz
This program is best for beginners and people with no experience in creating animations. It can serve as an excellent introduction to the basics of 2D animations. A lot of people are finding it amusing because you can easily draw objects like when you are using Paint and include them in the animation. Moreover, you can use it on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows operating systems, and it is completely free without any trial periods, licenses, or upgraded versions that you will need to pay.
10. Creatoon
Creatoon is another software that can serve as a great introduction to the world of 2D and 3D animation, and some basic features related to drawing, effects, physics, and more. Also, there are some advanced features as well, that will allow you to create engaging content. This program is especially popular for the creation of cartoons and funny videos that you can find on Youtube. Moreover, you can find a lot of tutorials online where you can learn more about some features available in Creatoon.
