Videos are rapidly taking over the digital marketing space. As video content emerges as a powerful marketing tool, we also know that showcasing the best content isn’t always easy. Sometimes, a marketer may run low on ideas or even a budget. Not to mention, the right equipment is always required.
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This is where animation comes in. In this article, we have curated a list of 10 best free animation software for Mac that you can opt for if you use MacOS.
While you search for top-quality animation software, you will realize that not every option will suit your budget or requirements. And while it is not ideal to put a lot of money in a single animation software, at the same time the price shouldn’t stop you from creating enticing animation videos.
However, the good news is that there are a lot of free animation software available, which are equipped with the best tools that you would otherwise get in a paid package.
So, whether you are a beginner or a professional, the following list of animation software for Mac will help you create the best animated videos.
Top 10 Free Animation Software for Mac in 2024
1. Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio is a highly recommended free animation software for Mac operating systems. It is a 2D animation tool which suits both experts as well as beginners. The software is packed with a vast selection of high-end tools & features required to create a stunning animation.
Synfig Studio offers two downloadable versions – Stable & Development version. The Stable version is equipped with all the necessary features for finishing basic projects whereas the Development version has some top-notch experimental tools for users who wish to be more innovative.
Features:
- Supports multiple layers for creating animations
- Offers a Bone System for creating cutout animation using Bitmap images or Vector artwork
- The Skeleton Distortion Layer can be used for complex deformations and bitmap artwork
- You can link parameters for layers for creating character puppets along with a variety of advanced dynamic animations
- A full-fledged audio editor allows easy synchronization of your project with whatever soundtrack you want
- It also offers a wide range of filters, distortions, geometrics, transformations, etc
Pros
- Offers over 50 layers to create simple or high-end animations without having to worry about its limitations
- There are a whole lot of video tutorials to guide you on how to use the software
Cons
- A little complicated for beginners
2. Pencil2D
Pencil 2D is another superb choice for best animation software for Mac. It is a free & open-source platform which works great for beginners due to its minimalistic & intuitive interface. You can easily create hand-drawn 2D animations both for fun or marketing purposes.
Whether you wish to create a simple video, or a more advanced one with different layers for a video on YouTube, Pencil2D is the perfect choice for you.
Features:
- Add & duplicate a variety of frames on different tracks
- It offers a variety of features such as keyframe, layers, onion skinning, colours, workplace toolbars as well as panels
- Offers raster & vector workflows and you can easily switch between them
- Supports audio & video import
- You can adjust frame rate while adding distortion and lighting effects to your project
- You can export your file in different formats
- Offers a clean & organized timeline layout to create new frames on different layers
- You can easily review work with the help of rolling or flipping techniques
- Offers other features such as pressure sensitivity and toolbar customization
Pros
- Offers informative video tutorials and manuals in multiple languages
- User-friendly and simple interface for beginners
Cons
- It doesn’t offer a shape tool for drawing various various shapes
3. Blender
Blender is a powerful & open-source 3D animation suite which is great for creating highly advanced animation and video games. It is packed with a collection of top-notch tools for rigging, modeling, simulation, animation, rendering, motion tracking, compositing as well as video editing.
It is a public platform and creators from across the globe provide their inputs for its maintenance. The software features Python API which aids the user to customize its interface for faster & easy navigation while they work on several projects.
Features:
- Allows realistic rendering with advanced production path tracer
- Offers a variety of modeling tools like sculpting, curves & retopology as well as digital sculpting tools for different stages of the digital production pipeline
- You can easily draw in 3D and combine 2D & 3D art using Grease Pencil
- Lets you easily create keyboard shortcuts
- Allows you to easily turn static characters into stunning animations
- Offers a real-time preview of a 3D scene as well as tracked footage
- You can select from a wide range of import/export options
- Offers a built-in video editor to perform basic editing tasks such as splicing, masking and colour grading
Pros
- The software can be customizable
- There are video tutorials to help you use the software
- An online community of users who continuously give their input for improvements
Cons
- Can be a little intimidating for new users
4. OpenToonz
OpenToonz is one of the best free animation software for Mac that offers all the important tools for 2D animation. It is an open-source platform, therefore it allows developers and professional animators to customize the software as per their requirements.
The software is apt for both commercial and non-commercial purposes, and you can use it to create marketing bits for brand promotion.
Features:
- The software offers a vast selection of special effects and composite scenes such as lighting, masks, keys, blurs, warps
- It lets you scan different images within the product
- Important tools & features like motion tracking, frame-by-frame animation, vector & bitmap drawing tools, scripting, etc
- With Motion Tweening, you can link objects to perform complex movements
- Make your animations more attractive & colourful by adding provisional colours
- It allows smooth correction without losing the frame
- Allows synthesization of effects using the GIF through the node free
- You can manage images with the real scale resolution
- It also offers bones character animation as well as particle systems to showcase effects for rain, dust, etc
Pros
- Offers all the required tools for 2D animation
- Open-source software
- Allows you to easily change the styles of images
Cons
- Limited plug-in effects
5. TupiTube
TupiTube is a 2D animation software mainly used by children and amateur animators for creating videos for YouTube. It is an open-source platform which means that users can improve it by adding their inputs or ideas to it.
TupiTube is one such free animation software for Mac that is highly used in schools for teaching animation to children as well as it also provides other features such as technical support, academic license, etc.
Features:
- Offers support for vector illustrations which allows you to add rectangles, polygons, lines, shapes, etc. Whereas, you can create paths with a pen/pencil tool.
- You can easily import raster images & use them either as animated assets or still backgrounds
- Allows exporting of final animations to in different file formats
- You can organize and repurpose imported media files using the Library Panel
- Offers support for tweening positions, rotation, colour, sheer, scale as well as opacity
Pros
- You can export files in various formats
- Supports vector illustration
Cons
- Only supports 2D animation
6. Animation Paper
Animation Paper is an ideal choice for professionals, game developers as well as filmmakers as it provides both the ease and speed to them. One of the best free animation software for Mac users, Animation Paper allows creators to design eye-catchy hand-drawn 2D animations while allowing them to view their work in real-time.
The software provides enough tools for basic animation with a simple, super-responsive and intuitive interface.
Features:
- Basic tools & features include rotation, zoom, cutouts, layers, paint, lasso, etc
- Also offers few high-end features such as customizable onion skinning, stabilization, top-quality lines, along with various options for flipping
- Offers small to big format frames
- You can import video as well as frame-stacks for rotoscoping
- Supports full-frame reference on a second monitor for faster editing
- You can export your finished animations in various export formats like .mov, .mp4, .png, etc
- Offers a customizable Tool Bar & Speed Dial to access your favourite functions in the quickest way possible
Pros
- Offers multiple export options
- Simple & intuitive interface
Cons
- Not apt for creating 3D animations
7. Powtoon
One of the best animation software for Mac, Powtoon is a cloud-based platform used for a variety of purposes such as animations, presentations, informative videos, ads, tutorials, manuals, etc.
The user-friendly interface allows the user to easily create, save and share the finished animated videos using Google Drive. It works excellent for beginners and offers a variety of templates including the ones specifically created for product promotions. Additionally, the user can also start from scratch or import a theme from PowerPoint.
Features:
- Offers a variety of presets & tools like images, clips, voice-overs, sound-effects, soundtracks to create an attractive animation
- You can download completed videos in an MP4 format
- You can easily modify aspect ratios & sizes
- Allows you to export finished videos to different platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, etc
- Access royalty-free libraries
- Lets you upload custom-made fonts
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface
- Excellent for creating explainer & educational videos
Cons
- The free version includes a watermark on the finished videos
8. Autodesk Maya
Maya is one of the leading 3D animation software for Mac which helps animators create high-quality animated videos. It is widely used in the film & gaming industry for adding special effects and animation. It requires the user to get enrolled in a course in order to learn this software for commercial purposes.
The software is loaded with powerful animation tools to perform functions like rigging, rendering and simulation. Besides the paid versions, it also offers a 30-day free trial.
Features:
- Create eye-catching effects with pre-made graphs
- Offers a vast selection of 3D animation tools like Graph Editor, Time Editor, Ghosting Editor, Deformation Effects, etc
- It also offers different tools for 3D modeling, 3D rendering as well as rigging
- The Motion Graphics feature offers tools such as MASH procedural effects, 3D Type, etc
- Using Pipeline Integration, you can customize the look of the software as per your requirements
- The Paint Effect allows you to create 3D shapes using free-hand drawing
Pros
- You can easily apply modeling layers
- Fast & seamless rendering of videos
Cons
- Learning curve is too steep
9. Toon Boom Harmony
Toon Boom Harmony is another powerful 3D animation software for Mac which suits beginners as well. The software is a package consisting of a plethora of high-end tools required for drawing to the finished product. You can use it to create storyboards, short animations and art pieces.
You may find its interface a little overwhelming in the beginning, but you will find it a lot easier once you get the hang of it.
Features:
- It offers bitmap and vector tools for different projects
- High-end colour palettes & paint option
- Offers 2D and 3D integration for advanced animation
- Offers a variety of cut-out animation tools
- You can draw smoother lines using a Stabilizer
- Offers 3, 4 & 5-point curved perspective guides
- It also offers tools to create traditional paperless animation
- Allows importing of PSD & PSB files, PDF, bitmaps, Illustrator and other media files
Pros
- It offers a variety of animation options
- It allows integration with the software available in the production pipeline
Cons
- It may take some time to learn the software
10. K-3D
K-3D cannot miss a place among the top 10 free animation software for Mac operating systems. It is a 3D modeling & animation software specially designed for polygonal modeling – a digital graphics approach that represents various object surfaces with polygons.
It uses the technique of combining built-in plugins with a visualization pipeline architecture to offer a robust yet flexible platform for animators.
Features:
- It allows you to easily rectify a mistake with its undo/redo feature
- The procedural and parametric workflows allows the user to make adjustments while viewing them simultaneously
- Animators can combine and connect various elements of a video using the node-based visualization pipeline
- It allows the creator to work on one side of the model while mirroring the other side in order to view how it looks being welded together
Pros
- Offers a wide selection of animations tools
- The tutorials guide animators in mastering features like texturing, etc
Cons
- The interface needs improvement
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best animation software for Mac?
Although all of the above mentioned animation tools work extremely well for creating attractive & engaging animated videos, you can pick one according to your budget and requirements. If you are a professional animator, we would recommend Synfig Studio, Blender, Autodesk Maya, Powtoon and Pencil2D. However, as a beginner you can go for other options.
What is the best free animation software for Mac?
The best free animation software for Mac depends on your needs and experience level. Beginners may prefer software that is easy to learn and use, while intermediate or advanced animators may prioritize software with a powerful feature set. Here are some top options:
- – Blender: A powerful, open-source 3D animation software for both 2D and 3D animation.
- – Pencil2D: A free, open-source 2D animation software suitable for beginners.
- – Synfig Studio: Another free, open-source 2D animation software with advanced features.
- – Doratoon: A free online animation software with a drag-and-drop interface and various animation options.
- – Powtoon: A free online animation software with a more complex interface for intermediate and advanced animators.
- – Crello: A free online animation software designed for creating animated content for social media.
- – OpenToonz: A free, open-source 2D animation software developed by Telecom Italia, offering advanced features for rigging, animation, and rendering.
- – Krita: A free, open-source digital painting software that can be used for animation, including onion skinning and frame-by-frame animation.
- – TVPaint Animation: A free, open-source 2D animation software specializing in traditional animation techniques, including onion skinning and cel painting.
- – FlipaClip: A free mobile animation software ideal for creating 2D animations on phones or tablets, featuring a simple interface.
Which free animation software is best for 2D animation?
For 2D animation, consider the following top free animation software options:
- – Blender: A powerful 3D animation software that also supports 2D animation.
- – Pencil2D: A beginner-friendly, open-source 2D animation software.
- – Synfig Studio: An advanced open-source 2D animation software with more features than Pencil2D.
- – OpenToonz: A free, open-source 2D animation software known for rigging, animation, and rendering capabilities.
- – Krita: A free, open-source digital painting software that includes features like onion skinning and frame-by-frame animation.
- – TVPaint Animation: A free, open-source 2D animation software specialized in traditional animation techniques, including onion skinning and cel painting.
Which free animation software is best for 3D animation?
If you’re looking for free animation software for 3D animation, consider these top options:
- – Blender: A powerful, open-source 3D animation software that can also be used for 2D animation.
- – Daz Studio: A free 3D animation software specifically designed for creating 3D models and characters.
- – Meshmixer: A free 3D animation software for creating and editing 3D models.
- – Wings3D: A free 3D animation software suitable for creating and editing 3D models.
- – MakeHuman: A free 3D animation software focused on creating 3D human models.
- – FreeCAD: A free 3D animation software for creating and editing 3D models.
How do I choose the right free animation software?
To choose the right free animation software for your needs, consider the following factors:
- – Skill level: If you’re a beginner, prioritize user-friendly software with easier learning curves. Intermediate and advanced animators may prefer software with more advanced features.
- – Animation type: Determine whether you’ll be creating 2D or 3D animations and choose software that specializes in the desired animation style.
- – Budget: Determine your budget as some software is free, while others may require payment for additional features.
