Today I’m going to go over the best free animation software for Youtube. Youtube is the second largest search engine. Many people use it to watch cat videos or Gary Vaynerchuck yelling at the camera. However, you can also use Youtube as an SEO ranking factor.
If you are looking for free animation software, you’re at the right place. There are tons of different video animation software out there that can help you convert your videos into highly entertaining, engaging and gorgeous eye-catching clips.
CelAction2D
CelAction2D allows you to create truly unique animation projects. Its ease of use is a dream and the controls are pretty easy to pick up, even for newer animators. Not only that, but it’s heavily used making TV and movie spots, so you know it’s quality.
You’ll look—and probably wince—at the price, but there are so many features that I got to say, it could very well be worth your time and energy.
Price:
Studio Edition: $1350
Professional Edition: $949
PlusOne Module: $1599
FlipBook
FlipBook is a great animation program that beginners can easily pick up. It teaches you the fundamentals of simple animation through the process of your creation. Watching the video about it was somewhat soothing with the simplicity and familiarity it exuded.
Just pick up your stylus and you’ll be moving on from MS Paint to the big times. Senior Disney Animator Andreas Deja had this to say about FlipBook,
Need I say more?
Price:
Lite: $19.99
Studio: $59.99
Pro: $149.99
ProHD: $199.99
DP Animation Maker
Now compared to the others on this list, this program is a little simpler in its aims. You can take any 2D image and animate it, bringing it to life. It has an easy user face and no complicated jargon or code to wrestle with.
It reminds me of a lot of photo editing programs, as it has a multitude of brushes and different effects that you can add to your image.
Prices:
Free Trial
DP Animation Maker $37.77
DP Screensaver Maker $34.77
DP Wallpaper Maker $34.77
RETAS!
Now here’s a unique one to us Westerners. RENAS is a special suite of programs that have to do with the creation and animation of anime. It’s highly regarded in Japan as the gold standard in animation programs.
Its sheer number of possibilities is too numerous to list, but the endorsements it garnered are a testament to its greatness.
Price:
Contact the company
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
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.
Best 2D Animation Software for Mac: Toon Boom Harmony
This is a program that actually deserves some surprising recognition. The company has partnered with major film companies like Warner brothers, Disney, and Nickelodeon and it’s currently one of the best and most powerful 2-D animation suites for commercial use.
With the use of this program you can build anything from traditional animation all the way to amazing drawing tools that can produce the future of 3-D animation. The 3-D cameras and integration available in this platform can provide fundamental solutions for drawing, rendering and building beautiful projects.
There are tools and tasks available here that can suit small hobby animators all the way up to professional uses. The premium version delivers the top tool professional solutions that you might expect at of any major animation suite. The essentials level of the harmony program is designed more for hobbyists and it delivers a scaled down version of some of their more high and customization techniques.
Toon Boom not only remains one of the best 2-D animation programs for mac but it is a regular fixture in the animation world today.
Conclusion
Viewers like eye candy. They relate to original and creative videos and share them with their friends and family. Animation is a great way to do that. It’s also a very popular technique these days. You should thus take advantages of this trend and add an animation to your videos, whatever their content might be about.