Top 10 Free Animation Software for Mac in 2025

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. 

As you look for the best animation software, remember that not every choice fits your budget or needs. It’s not best to invest too much in one animation software. Still, don’t let the price keep you from making great animation videos. 

The good news is that many free animation software options are available. They come with great tools you usually find in paid packages. 

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. 

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Synfig Studio offers two downloadable versions – Stable & Development version. The Stable version has all the essential features for basic projects. The Development version offers advanced experimental tools for more innovative users. 

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

• Link parameters for layers to create character puppets. You can also add advanced dynamic animations.

• A complete audio editor lets you easily sync your project with any soundtrack you choose.

• 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’s a free, open-source platform that is perfect for beginners. Its simple and easy-to-use interface makes it a great choice. You can easily create hand-drawn 2D animations both for fun or marketing purposes.  

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Pencil2D is great for any video project. You can make simple videos or more complex ones with layers for YouTube. 

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 tool. It’s great for making advanced animations and video games. It has excellent tools for rigging, modeling, simulation, animation, rendering, motion tracking, compositing, and video editing. 

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It is a public platform. Creators from around the world share their ideas to help keep it running. The software has a Python API. This helps users customize the interface for easier and faster navigation. They can do this while working on multiple 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 a top free animation software for Mac. It has all the essential tools for 2D animation. It is an open-source platform. This lets developers and professional animators customize the software to fit their needs. 

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The software works well for commercial and non-commercial use. You can use it to create marketing materials 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 tool. It’s popular with kids and amateur animators. They use it to make videos for YouTube. It is an open-source platform which means that users can improve it by adding their inputs or ideas to it.  

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TupiTube is a popular free animation software for Mac. Many schools use it to teach animation to kids. It also offers features like technical support and academic licenses. 

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 the perfect choice for professionals, game developers, and filmmakers. It offers them both ease and speed. Animation Paper is one of the best free animation tools for Mac users. It lets creators design eye-catching hand-drawn 2D animations. Plus, they can view their work in real-time. 

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The software has all the tools you need for basic animation. It features a simple, very responsive, and easy-to-use 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 

Powtoon is one of the best animation software options for Mac. It’s a cloud-based platform. You can use it for animations, presentations, videos, ads, tutorials, and manuals. 

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The easy-to-use interface lets users create, save, and share their animated videos with Google Drive. It’s great for beginners. It offers many templates, including ones made 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 a top 3D animation software for Mac. It helps animators make 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. 

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The software has strong animation tools. You can use them for 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 a strong 3D animation tool for Mac. It’s great for beginners too. The software is a package full of high-end tools needed for drawing to the final product. You can use it to create storyboards, short animations and art pieces. 

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The interface might feel overwhelming at first, but it gets easier once you learn 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 and animation software made for polygonal modeling. This technique uses polygons to represent the surfaces of different objects. 

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It combines built-in plugins with a visualization pipeline. This gives animators a strong and flexible platform. 

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

1. What is the best animation software for Mac?

All the animation tools listed above make great animated videos. You can choose one based on your budget and needs.

If you are a professional animator, consider these tools:

• Synfig Studio

• Blender

• Autodesk Maya

• Powtoon

• 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 often choose software that is simple to learn and use. Intermediate and advanced animators, on the other hand, usually prefer software with powerful features. Here are some top options:

1. Blender: A powerful, open-source 3D animation software for both 2D and 3D animation.

2. Pencil2D: A free, open-source 2D animation software suitable for beginners.

3. Synfig Studio: Another free, open-source 2D animation software with advanced features.

4. Doratoon: A free animation tool you can use online. It has a drag-and-drop interface and many animation choices.

5. Powtoon: A free online animation tool. It has a complex interface, making it great for intermediate and advanced animators.

6. Crello: A free online tool for making animations. It’s great for social media content.

7. OpenToonz: A free, open-source 2D animation software from Telecom Italia. It has advanced features for rigging, animation, and rendering.

8. Krita: Free and open-source digital painting software. It supports animation, like onion skinning and frame-by-frame work.

9. TVPaint Animation: A free, open-source 2D animation software. It focuses on traditional animation techniques like onion skinning and cel painting.

10.  FlipaClip: A free app for mobile animation. It’s perfect for making 2D animations on phones or tablets. Plus, it has an easy-to-use interface.

Which free animation software is best for 2D animation?

For 2D animation, consider the following top free animation software options:

1. – Blender: A powerful 3D animation software that also supports 2D animation.

2. – Pencil2D: A beginner-friendly, open-source 2D animation software.

3. – Synfig Studio: A powerful open-source 2D animation tool that offers more features than Pencil2D.

4. – OpenToonz: A free, open-source 2D animation software. It is well-known for its rigging, animation, and rendering features.

5. – Krita: This is a free and open-source digital painting software. It has features like onion skinning and frame-by-frame animation.

6. – TVPaint Animation: A free, open-source 2D animation software. It specializes in traditional techniques like 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:

1. – Blender: A powerful, open-source 3D animation software that can also be used for 2D animation.
2. – Daz Studio: A free 3D animation software specifically designed for creating 3D models and characters.
3. – Meshmixer: A free 3D animation software for creating and editing 3D models.
4. – Wings3D: A free 3D animation software suitable for creating and editing 3D models.
5. – MakeHuman: A free 3D animation software focused on creating 3D human models.
6. – FreeCAD: A free 3D animation software for creating and editing 3D models.

How do I choose the right free animation software?

To pick the best free animation software for you, think about these factors:

• Skill level: If you’re just starting, choose software that’s easy to use and learn. Intermediate and advanced animators may prefer software with more advanced features.

• Animation type: Decide if you want to make 2D or 3D animations. Then, pick software that focuses on your chosen style.

• Budget: Figure out your budget. Some software is free, but others cost money for extra features.