The Best Animation Software For Mac
Video is a powerful marketing tool.
85 percent of internet users watch video content at least once a month. And people want more.
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. 6 great animation apps for the Mac The Mac has long been a premier platform for many artists, and these six apps from the Mac App Store are powerful tools for creating all kinds of animated content.
In fact, 54 percent of folks think brands should be putting more video content out there.
Putting out video content isn’t always easy. Maybe you’re running low on ideas. Or maybe you’re camera shy. Or you don’t have the necessary equipment — not to mention the budget to acquire it.
Luckily, there are some handy free tools you can use.
Yep, you can make animated videos for free (minus your time investment, of course).
Check out some of the best free animation software for beginners and experts, and everyone in between.
Discover thousands of products you can start selling online. No commitment, no credit card required.
Get Oberlo Now. It’s Free.
Post Contents
Animaker
Platforms: web browser-based
Animaker is a free animation software for beginners, with easy drag-and-drop functionality and an intuitive interface to match. There are six core types of videos you can make with Animaker:
- 2D
- Infographics
- Handcraft
- Whiteboard
- 2.5D
- Typography
Including full HD support, both horizontal and vertical video layouts, and pre-made graphics to choose from, you can create fun, animated videos in no time.
Install logitech unifying software mac. Logitech Unifying Software. Check our Logitech Warranty here. Make the Most of your warranty. Product Specific Phone Numbers. Main Phone Numbers. Was this article helpful? 0 out of 0 found this helpful. Return to top. STILL NEED HELP? Want to ask other users with the same product a question? Join the conversation. Mac users will need OS X 10.11.0 or later. On Windows, it works with XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10. Is there a better alternative? No, but Logitech offers plenty of tools for customization, including Gaming Software, Options, and SetPoint. Solaar is a great alternative for Linux. May 17, 2019 Logitech Unifying Software Vs 5.1 appeared in my MacUpdate list today. After installing it on a 2017 Retina iMac running High Sierra, I got the msg that the app was not compatible with my iMac system.However, It appears that I can configure a Logitech device via via SteerMouse payware with separate profiles for a Logitech G5 laser gaming mouse. And an ergonomic mouse from JTech. Download Logitech Unifying Software 1.3.375 for Mac from our website for free. Unifying1.10.421.dmg and unifying1.1.301mac.zip are the most frequent filenames for this program's installer. The program is categorized as System Tools. This Mac download was scanned by our antivirus and was rated as safe.
Audio features include text-to-speech, the option to add background music and sound effects, and voiceover. You can choose from Animaker’s library of sounds or upload your own tunes.
If you want to pay for the pro version, you can also get advanced features: in-app camera, multimove, curves, transition effects, and enter/exit effects. It’s like all those PowerPoint animations except cool and not so cheesy.
Blender
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Use Blender if you’re looking for the best video animation software for pro editors and creators. The free open-source 3D animation tool supports the “modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing, and 2D animation pipeline.” The platform is a public project, and creatives from all over the world contribute to its ongoing maintenance.
Let’s talk features.
- Rendering: Cycles is Blender’s ray-trace based production render engine, FreeStyle is an edge- and line-based non-photorealistic (NPR) rendering engine, and real-time feedback speeds up the editing process.
- Modeling: Blender’s modeling tools include sculpting, retopology, modeling, curves, and more to help with editing models.
- Sculpting: Digital sculpting tools flexible for each stage of the digital production pipeline.
- Animation and rigging: These tools include a character animation pose editor, Non Linear Animation (NLA) for independent movements, IK forward/inverse kinematics for fast poses, and sound synchronization.
- Grease pencil: Draw directly in 3D and combine 2D/3D art.
- VFX: From camera and object motion tracking to masking and compositing, there are lots of fixes you can make in post-prod.
- Simulation: Create simulations for fog, smoke, rain, fire, liquid, and more.
- Pipeline:Choose from a long list of import/export options.
- Video editing: A built-in video editor allows for basic actions like video cuts and splicing and more complex tasks like video masking or color grading.
Yeah, that’s a lot. Blender is a comprehensive tool. And it’s all free.
Editor’s note:We also review Blender, along with 21 other video-editing tools, in this review.
K-3D
Platforms: Windows, Linux
K-3D is a free 3D animation software specializing in polygonal modeling, an approach to digital graphics that represents and approximates object surfaces using polygons. Designed for artists, the software combines plugins with a visualization pipeline architecture — it adapts to the look and feel of the tools you integrate it with.
Get started with their Wiki tutorials, showing you how to master features like texturing, shadows, and symmetric modeling.
One of its best features? Easy undo/redo functionality, so you can quickly fix a mistake. Most programs only offer the option to undo an action.
With both procedural and parametric workflows, you can make adjustments and see the change immediately. A node-based visualization pipeline means editors can create connections and combinations for different elements within the video. You can work on one side of a model and mirror the other side to see what it looks like welded together.
K-3D is an advanced tool for true creatives.
OpenToonz
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
OpenToonz is one of the top free animation software for 2D videos. The open-source software is free for both commercial and non-commercial use, so you can use it to create marketing videos for your brand.
It’s also packed with features, such as:
2d Animation Software Mac
- Digital drawing tools: vector and bitmap drawing tools
- Indexed color palettes: quick paint and color changing
- Effects and compositing: animated special effects and composite scenes — choose from blurs, lighting, keys, masks, warps, and more than 100 other effects
- Scripting: automations via ECMA-compatible scripting engine
- Motion tracking: combine your animation with video footage
- Scan and cleanup: create vectors from paper drawings
- Frame-by-frame animation: with configurable onionskin
- Motion tweening: link objects or use motion paths to execute complex movements
- Bones character animation: with IK support and mesh deformations
- Particle systems: for rain, dust, and similar effects
You can make some pretty advanced animations with this tool.
COULD MAYBE EMBED AN EXAMPLE HERE https://twitter.com/hashtag/opentoonz some ideas:
If you run into issues using the free animation software, you can always turn to the user community or developer forum.
Pencil2D Animation
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Pencil2D is a simple animation software you can use to create hand-drawn 2D videos. The open-source software is free for both personal and commercial use, so you can use it just for fun or to create videos to promote your products.
The interface is simple and easy to use. That, along with tons of tutorials on the website and forums you can join, makes it a great option to start with.
Other features:
- Image and audio import
- Switch between raster and vector workflows so you can sketch, ink, and paint
- Adjust frame rate
- Add distortion and lighting effects
- Onion skinning
- Toolbar customizations
- Pressure sensitivity
- Multiple export formats
Plastic Animation Paper
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Plastic Animation Paper (PAP) is a free animation software for PC, Mac, and Linux. Though its interface is outdated, the software is completely free to download and use. Beggars can’t be choosers, right?
With PAP, you can create hand-drawn 2D animations, while seeing your edits in real time. The editing experience itself can be clunky, but it’s easy for beginners to learn and become familiar with. It’s a sufficient tool for basic animated videos.
Feature highlights include basic drawing tools, zoom, rotation, cutouts, layers, and more.
Soon, PAP’s creator will release a new, more advanced program for $79, Animation Paper.
Best suited for skilled animators, Animation Paper will help animators create 2D graphics from hand-drawn illustrations, along with a long list of features:
- Small and large format frames
- Real-time, smooth rotation and zoom, along with multiple options for flipping
- Advanced and customizable onion skinning
- Layers and lasso
- High-quality lines and stabilization
- Coloring and paint
- Real-time full frame reference on a second monitor for quick editing
When you’re done creating your animated video, export options include .mp4, .mov, and .png or .svg frame stacks.
Powtoon
Platforms: web browser-based
The next video animation software that’s free is Powtoon, meant for dynamic video presentations. While there are paid options with advanced features, Powtoon also has a stripped-down free tool for videos up to three minutes long.
In addition to what’s listed above, Powtoon’s free software also has:
- Custom styles
- Change aspect ratios and sizes
- YouTube, Facebook, Wistia, Vimeo, PowerPoint, and PDF export
- Full video, animation, GIF, and image file implementation
It’s a great tool for beginners, with several professional-looking templates to choose from, including animated explainer and infographic-style videos, as well as templates built specifically for product promotion. You can also start from scratch or import a theme from PowerPoint.
Stykz
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Stykz is one of the easiest animation software to use. With it, you can make basic 2D stick figure animated videos, like this one:
And this one:
Pretty basic, but totally free.
Stykz is frame-based, meaning you work on one individual frame at a time. It uses onionskins so you can see the previous frame and how to two flow together.
All edits are done within the “Stage” — in other words, you make your edits and view your changes within the same window. No toggling between views needed.
Edit one or multiple stick objects, fill shapes, and import your own stick figures. Everything will auto-save as you go, so you don’t need to worry about losing all your hard work.
Synfig Studio
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
The next free video animation online is Synfig Studio, an open-source platform for creating 2D animated videos. With it, you use vector graphics to create timeline-based animations.
Like OpenToonz, it offers a bone system for animation controls so you can create natural movements. Create cutout animation using bitmap images or control your vector artwork, and use the additional Skeleton Distortion layer for complex deformations to bitmap artwork.
Advanced features include linking parameters for layers, allowing you to build character puppets and other advanced dynamic structures. It’s certainly not made for beginners, so turn to an easier option to get started before upgrading to Synfig’s advanced feature set. There are plenty of video tutorials to help you get used to the program.
Here’s an example of a fun animated short created with Synfig Studio:
Toontastic 3D
Platforms: Android, iOS
Google’s own free animation software for Android, Toontastic 3D is meant for kids, but brands can also use it to make animated 3D videos. Ideal for storytelling, you get started with Toontastic by creating your own characters, either from scratch or based off an uploaded photo. Then it’s time to insert your characters into a story.
Toontastic is meant to encourage budding storytellers to get create with their narratives, and brands can do the same. Plan your storyline, animate, add narration and music, and then export it to share it with the world.
Your storyline is based on Toontastic templates, each with a different number of scenes. Toontastic also has premade scenes to choose from, so the only “drawing” you need to do is when it comes to the characters.
If it sounds like a lot of steps, Google says you can create a one-minute video with up to six scenes in just a minute — though that doesn’t include the time it takes to create your characters upfront. It also works offline so you can create videos on your daily commute or when the WiFi’s out.
If you’re looking for more control and creative flexibility, Toontastic isn’t the best option. It’s best-suited for those who are very new to the world of animated videos. Soon you’ll graduate to one of the others on this list!
Honorable Mentions
- DigiCel FlipBook (note that the free version includes watermark)
Summary
The best free animation software really depends on your skill level, your hardware, and the types of videos you want to make. In sum:
- Animaker: simple, browser-based animation software for beginners, with paid upgrades available
- Blender: advanced open-source 3D animation software for people with video experience
- K-3D: 3D animation software with polygonal modeling
- OpenToonz: 2D animation software with a long list of features for proficient or expert video folks
- Pencil2D: hand-drawn, 2D animated videos with a simple interface that’s beginner-friendly but loaded with features
- Plastic Animation Paper: helpful for incorporating hand-drawn characters into 2D animated videos
- Powtoon: great for creating simple, three-minute explainer or infographic videos in presentation-style format
- Stykz: beginner-friendly, stick-figured based 2D animation software
- Synfig Studio: robust software for creating vector-based animated videos with advanced character control
- Toontastic 3D: for people who are very new to creating animated videos; meant for kids but can create simple, storytelling- and character-based videos for brands as well
Discover thousands of products you can start selling online. No commitment, no credit card required.
Get Oberlo Now. It’s Free.
Want to Learn More?
If you are a beginner in animation, you should select right animation software to practice. There are several 3D and 2D free animation software available. Here is easy animation software for beginners to use that comes with great features. The best animation software is very helpful in modern film, education, marketing, cartoon and video game industry.
2D animation software is still popular and mostly used by designers, educators, trainers, and marketers. They are creating animated videos as one of the key tools for increasing audience engagement.
Here are 20 best free animation software for Mac, Linux, and Windows Computer with 64 bit and 32-bit versions.
Top Best 2D Free Animation Software for Mac, Windows, Linux Computer
Pencil2D
Pencil2D is a free 2d animation program for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. With this drawing software, you can create traditional hand-drawn animation. Pencil2D is very easy to use and best animation software for beginners.
This pencil animation software helps you make cartoon animation effortlessly. Mysql2 github. Pencil2D program allows you to export your graphics many file format such as FLV, Flash Video (SWF), Movie and to many other formats.
OpenToonz
OpenToonz is another open source 2D animation software for Mac and Windows. This program supports Microsoft Windows 7/8.1/10 and Mac OS X 10.9 or a later version.
CreaToon
CreaToon is a free animation software for Windows PC to create 2D animation in cut-out style. Its main advantage is very user-friendly.
Animation Paper
Animation Paper is a software designed to animate hand-drawn pictures in 2 dimensions. This Windows animation software allows the user to draw pictures with a pen tool. After you draw the pictures, Animation Paper collects and synchronize them to create an animation. You can free download Plastic Animation Paper from CNET.
Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio is another free open source 2d animation software for Windows 10/7/8, Linux, and Mac OSX. You can download Synfig Studio here.
Stykz
Stykz is totally free best animation software to create compelling 2D animations. It’s another multi-platform supports operating systems like Mac, Linux, and Windows. You can free download Stykz here.
Tupi
Tupi is another free open-source 2D animation software comes with easy animation creation process. This free animation program supports operating system such as Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. You can download Tupi here
DrawPlus
DrawPlus is another free animation software for beginners. This program was developed for Microsoft Windows and is fully compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista (32 bit and 64bit), Windows 7 (32bit and 64bit) and Windows 8 (32 bit and 64bit).
Toon Boom Free Animation Software
Antics 2-D Animation
Top 3D Free Animation Software for Windows PC, Linux, Mac
Blender
Blender is the most popular industry standard free animation 3D software. This program used by animators, video game specialists, architects, interior designers, scientists, students, VFX professionals, 3D Printing, studio artists and more professionals. It available for major operating systems like Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows 64 bit computer. You can free download Blender here.
Houdini
Houdini is a 3D animation application software which is free of charge for non-commercial use. It is available for operating systems like Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
Clara.io
Clara.io is a free cloud-based online animation software that makes complex 3D models and beautiful photorealistic renderings. It is a cross-platform tool that works with a majority of the browsers and OS that includes, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, and Windows.
Bryce
Bryce is an award-winning 3D modeling and animation package designed to allow new users to quickly create and render stunning 3D environments. You can free download from cnet.
Aurora 3D Animation Maker
Aurora 3D Animation Maker is a freeware 3D animation program for Windows 10/8/7/vista/XP, and Mac. You can quickly and easily create 3D animations for movie introductions presentations or websites. Free Download
DAZ Studio
DAZ Studio is the perfect tool to design unique digital art and animations using virtual people, animals, props, vehicles, accessories, environments and more. Free Download
K-3D
K-3D is a free 3D animation software for Windows, macOS, and Linux.