Are you looking for an Animation software for yourself? We have accumulated a selection of best animation software for beginners with great features. So, if you are starting out in animation or just looking to change your daily software for something new and more useful, we have got you covered. The list contains both premium and free animation software to meet everybody's needs.
- 3d Animation software, free download
- 3d Animation software, free download
- Good 3d Animation Software For Beginners
Table of Content:
Best Free 3D Software 2020: Criteria. Here are some of the criteria we used to evaluate the best free 3D modeling software tools for 2020: Ease of use: free software tools are often used by beginners so this is important. Depth of 3D software: being easy to use because there isn't much you can do with the software doesn't count as a plus.
Best Paid Animation Software for Beginners
Oct 15, 2020 Building the best Computer for Animation requires some specific Hardware Components and just a tiny bit of insight into the inner workings of 2D & 3D Animation Software and how they use the hardware. Browsing for new Computer Parts is always a lot of fun and in this article, you might find a few things that will make that process easier. Houdini is the next software on the list of best animation softwares for PC. It specialises in 3D imaging, modelling, texturing, rigging and animated 3D models. The software also offers the creation of complete 3D worlds for gaming and also a fusion of the real world with animation for projects like movies.
1. Adobe Character Animator: (Premium Real Time Animation)
Adobe Character Animator is one of the premium animation makers for beginners. It holds a wide array of features and functionalities. The Software is available for both Windows and MacOS.
It features advanced painting tools to provide the required texture and color to the character. Free software synths for mac. One of the most highlighted features of Adobe Character Animator is automatic lip-syncing and facial expression animation in real-time with the help of just a webcam. Users can import a puppet made for Adobe Character Animator and can continue to control its facial expression in real-time like mouth, eyebrows, etc.
Adobe Character Animator features predefined basic rules such as walking, holding things, making various hand gestures, breathing, etc. Adobe also offers live chat support for its customers.
Because it is said to be a premium animation maker, it comes at a price. Though, it has a 7-day free trial, it has three different plans for individuals, business, and students. However, users can't buy Adobe Character Animator alone, they must opt for the whole pool of apps consisting of 20 different creative desktop applications.
Features in Brief:
- Real-Time Animation
- Pre-loaded Puppets
- Pre-loaded behavioral movements, walking, breathing, blinking, etc.
- Live-Streaming
Pricing:
- For Individuals: $52.99/month Billed Annually
- 7-Day Free Trial
- For Business: $79.99/month Billed Annually
- Students and Teachers: $19.99/month Billed Annually
Visit for more info: Adobe Character Animator
Also Read: How To Install Adobe Flash Player on Android Phone or Tablet
2. Autodesk 3Ds Max (For to be Professional Creators)
Another premium software for animation Autodesk 3Ds Max. Autodesk 3Ds Max is known for cell-shaded 3D animations. These animations have changed the trend for making hundreds of sketches for every single movement in all angles.
This animation software is for people who are not complete beginners and pretty much have the idea of what they are doing. For people trying to refine their skills, Autodesk 3Ds Max can be a great option.
3D Animation tools simplify this process because once the character is ready for use, you can use it in pretty much real time. Autodesk 3Ds Max animation maker is being used by video game creators, 3D films, etc. Like Adobe Character Animator, Autodesk 3Ds Max excels in color palettes and textures for hair and fur.
Pricing:
- Monthly Plan: $205/month for 1 user.
- Yearly Plan: $1620/month for 1 user.
- 3 Year Plan: $4,375/month for 1 user.
Features in Brief:
- 3D Rendering for Real Time Animation
- VR Support
- Refined Shape modeling
- Excels in color palettes and textures for hair.
Visit for more info: Autodesk 3Ds Max
3. Moho (Anime Studio) (2D Animation made easy)
Moho (Anime Studio) is another premium animation software available for both Windows and MacOS. It is a powerful animation maker packed with features and perks. It's easy to use interface is aimed for kids and beginners. There are two different versions available for Moho, Moho Debut and Moho Pro.
It offers advanced bone rigging for seamless skeletal animation and smooth character movement. Pen pressure support for tablets comes in handy while designing the anime characters for use. If you are looking to create 2D animation to bring your brand anime and logos to life, Moho is the Animation Software for you.
Features in Brief:
- Different Keyframe options: Addictive cycle, stagger, bounce, etc.
- Premium Freehand tools
- 4K Video Capability
- Tablet and Pen pressure support
- Advanced masking options
Visit for more info: Moho Anime Studio
Best Free Animation Software for Beginners:
1. Blender Open-Source 3D Creation
Blender, though a free animation maker, has a pool of very powerful and useful tools to help you in bringing your favorite anime to life. With Blender you can create lively animations for video games, anime films, etc.
Blender features auto and manual tracking, real time preview, and more. To turn your imagination into a 3D model, it offers advanced modeling, sculpting, and UV tools. If you are looking for a free open-source anime creation tool, Blender is one the best animation software available in the market.
Features in Brief
- Available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux
- Intuitive UI
- Onion Skinning and layer support
- Premium modeling and sculpting tools
- Path-tracer built-in
Visit for more info: Blender
2. Pencil2D (Quick hack for amazing YouTube Video and Tutorials)
If you have been to YouTube for Tutorial or informational videos, you must have seen those 2D pencil drawn graphics to better explain the concept. If you are looking forward to creating such animations, Pencil2D can be your go to tool. Pencil2D is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Pencil2D comes pre-equipped with various lighting effects. Various handy animation tools make using Pencil2D a charm.
Features in Brief:
- Supports Windows, MacOS, Linux
- Various Lightning effects
- GIF export
- Multiple useful animation tools
Visit for more info: Pencil2D
Visit for more info: Adobe Character Animator
Also Read: How To Install Adobe Flash Player on Android Phone or Tablet
2. Autodesk 3Ds Max (For to be Professional Creators)
Another premium software for animation Autodesk 3Ds Max. Autodesk 3Ds Max is known for cell-shaded 3D animations. These animations have changed the trend for making hundreds of sketches for every single movement in all angles.
This animation software is for people who are not complete beginners and pretty much have the idea of what they are doing. For people trying to refine their skills, Autodesk 3Ds Max can be a great option.
3D Animation tools simplify this process because once the character is ready for use, you can use it in pretty much real time. Autodesk 3Ds Max animation maker is being used by video game creators, 3D films, etc. Like Adobe Character Animator, Autodesk 3Ds Max excels in color palettes and textures for hair and fur.
Pricing:
- Monthly Plan: $205/month for 1 user.
- Yearly Plan: $1620/month for 1 user.
- 3 Year Plan: $4,375/month for 1 user.
Features in Brief:
- 3D Rendering for Real Time Animation
- VR Support
- Refined Shape modeling
- Excels in color palettes and textures for hair.
Visit for more info: Autodesk 3Ds Max
3. Moho (Anime Studio) (2D Animation made easy)
Moho (Anime Studio) is another premium animation software available for both Windows and MacOS. It is a powerful animation maker packed with features and perks. It's easy to use interface is aimed for kids and beginners. There are two different versions available for Moho, Moho Debut and Moho Pro.
It offers advanced bone rigging for seamless skeletal animation and smooth character movement. Pen pressure support for tablets comes in handy while designing the anime characters for use. If you are looking to create 2D animation to bring your brand anime and logos to life, Moho is the Animation Software for you.
Features in Brief:
- Different Keyframe options: Addictive cycle, stagger, bounce, etc.
- Premium Freehand tools
- 4K Video Capability
- Tablet and Pen pressure support
- Advanced masking options
Visit for more info: Moho Anime Studio
Best Free Animation Software for Beginners:
1. Blender Open-Source 3D Creation
Blender, though a free animation maker, has a pool of very powerful and useful tools to help you in bringing your favorite anime to life. With Blender you can create lively animations for video games, anime films, etc.
Blender features auto and manual tracking, real time preview, and more. To turn your imagination into a 3D model, it offers advanced modeling, sculpting, and UV tools. If you are looking for a free open-source anime creation tool, Blender is one the best animation software available in the market.
Features in Brief
- Available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux
- Intuitive UI
- Onion Skinning and layer support
- Premium modeling and sculpting tools
- Path-tracer built-in
Visit for more info: Blender
2. Pencil2D (Quick hack for amazing YouTube Video and Tutorials)
If you have been to YouTube for Tutorial or informational videos, you must have seen those 2D pencil drawn graphics to better explain the concept. If you are looking forward to creating such animations, Pencil2D can be your go to tool. Pencil2D is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Pencil2D comes pre-equipped with various lighting effects. Various handy animation tools make using Pencil2D a charm.
Features in Brief:
- Supports Windows, MacOS, Linux
- Various Lightning effects
- GIF export
- Multiple useful animation tools
Visit for more info: Pencil2D
3. Synfig Studio (Breeze to work with)
Synfig Studio is a 2D animation software to help you bring your imaginations to life. The most highlighted feature of Synfig is it's easy to use controls. Instead of creating frame by frame animation, you can create almost real time animations with Synfig Studio.
It offers extraordinary control on different animations and artwork and hence, a great tool to create 2D animations.
Features in Brief:
- Exclusive control over Vector Editing
- Variety of filters and effects
- Intuitive control to create puppets.
Database management software for mac. For more info: Synfig Studio
So, these were 6 most popular paid and free animation software available in the market. Premium/paid animation software excel in tools and editing options they offer. However, free animation software aren't bad either, especially if you are a beginner in animations. Do let us know how you liked our list of best paid and free animation software in the market.
Recommended Readings:
Imagine this scenario. What if you have a story to share with the world and you want to keep the visuals of it a novelty. Well, in that case, there is a good chance one will want to create either 2D or 3D animation. It is after all the best way to engage a broader sector of audience as viewers. But again, the issue with this medium is the lack of natural talent. There are very few storytellers or for that matter visualizers, who have the skill to create character models and backgrounds that go with the story. With the advent of technology, there are now many software available in the market with which they can create and express their story.
Best Animation software for PC
Listed below are the best animation software for Windows PC that are easily downloadable.
1. Pencil 2D:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: Free
- Output: 2D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and Linux
- Download: Here
This software is perfect for newbie animators. With an easy to use interface, one only needs to focus on the art they are creating and not the technicalities of the software. With this software, one can easily switch from simple Bitmap images to high end Vector images. One can sketch, ink and paint and even create rendered background images with it. Due to its ease of use, it is quite popular for creating anime style animation. The timeline helps one create easy keyframe manipulation and placement of layers and onion skins is easily done too.
2. Synfig Studio:
Specifications: Chromebook software for pc.
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: Free
- Output: 2D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and Linux
- Download: Here
This software in particular helps the animator to explore and create ‘bones' in the model of the character that they are creating. This additional feature is useful as it makes the character have a professional touch. The interface of this software is split in 4 different windows with which one can easily access the multiple nodes such as tools window, an editing window, a navigator window, and a set parameters window. All these contribute to a seamless creation of animation. This software even has an amazing range of features and tools through which one can give personalized touches to their art and animation. The animation keyframes , get automatically attached to the timeline as they're created. This leads to steadier motion in the character's movements.
3. Bryce 7 Pro:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: $19.95 (free version with limited features also available)
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X
- Download: Here
To give your art realistic backgrounds and to create whole islands with a few clicks of buttons, Bryce 7 Pro is the tool for you. One can also add features like people, sceneries, wildlife characters, with just a few clicks. In fact, features such as landscape, clouds, rocks, water, sky, vegetation, fog and composition of all with the pre created background occurs seamlessly. It has an interactive user interface and is easy to use. This software is a must use for those that want to give their animation a realistic touch.
4. Clara.IO:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: $1000 /year (free version with limited features also available)
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Linux
- Download: Here
How does one further describe a software that proudly claims to be professional and made by professionals? Well, one call just simply calls it by its name. Clara. What an amazing software this turned out to be? Polygonal modeling and skeletal animation becomes easy as pie, simply because the professionals behind Clara know what their end customer requires. Sub object editing, while keeping tabs on subdivision surfaces including the extensive range of mesh instruments and operators is not something that is offered by just anyone. What makes this software even more awesome is the fact it allows importing files from almost 30 other 3D formats such as Blender, Collada, STL, etc.
5. Blender:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: Free
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and Linux
- Download: Here
Halfway through our list of the best animation software for Windows PC comes the one software that shook the entire industry with its many innovative features clubbed along with the fact that is an open source 3D animation suite. Its features include cloth texturing, blending of lights and VFX along with a horde of multiple animation options makes it a favorite of many. In fact, its online community is filled to the gills with professional animators, VFX experts, game developers, students, artists and hobbyist. It has a little something to offer everyone. Used in mainstream Hollywood movies, this software is especially famous for the multiple lighting options that it has to offer.
6. Aurora 3D:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: $69.99 /year (Free Trial Available)
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X
- Download: Here
For those who are interested in pursuing a field of SEO, this software is especially famous for web designing purposes and for creating titles or logos. To further enhance the animation one has created, this software has a key feature which is a must use and that is embedding a watermark. In the world where everyone is out to steal content and take credit of one's creation such a feature shall definitely come in handy. Aurora 3D gives the user the choice to export its video on to Flash (Windows), GIF or Video formats. Effects like fireworks, snowfall, flames and more give the end product a realistic feel.
7. MODO:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: $599 /year ( 30 day free trial available)
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and Linux
- Download : Here
Simulation tools are not easy to use. One needs to be hyper aware of each and every facet that is being animated at the same time. Hence, with the launch of MODO, one can be assured of getting the best visual effects with the least amount of worry. It specially excels as a texturing and rendering toolset. Many industry professionals prefer using MODO for its seamless rendering qualities.
8. Houdini FX:
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: $ 269 /year (free learning edition available)
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10 and Linux
- Download: Here
A VFX special software that delivers industry standard of special effects with a simple home PC. This software offers its users the basic features such as texturing, modeling, animation and adds on extra features that aren't available with other 3D enabled software. Creation of Wire frame, cloth, fur, crowds and liquids including the waves are easily done with Houdini VX. just like its namesake, it surprises a user with the ease and speed at which the final render is undertaken.
9. Stykz:
3d Animation software, free download
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: Free
- Output: 2D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and Linux
- Download : Here
Before we wind up this list of best animation software for PC, let's take a step back to the basics. With Stykz, one gets exactly what has been promised in the product's name. Stick figure animations along with Onion skin features allows for seamless animation tweaking from the first frame to the last. It's timeline too is easy to tweak. One can edit, preview and develop all creations before getting the final output. A must-have for novices in the field.
10. Autodesk Maya:
3d Animation software, free download
Specifications:
- Online Tutorials: Available
- Cost: $1,505.00 /year
- Output: 3D
- Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and Linux
- Download: Here
How can a list on the best animation software for Windows PC be complete without the mention of Maya? It is after all the mother of dragons. We mean, this software is the big daddy in the field of animation. Used in creating effects, characters on many renowned shows and movies on the small screen and large (cough* Game of Thrones cough*) this software is where the real magic (Maya) happens. This software is a must for all those who want to create the most professional 3D animation right on their home PC. A word of caution. Like all magic, there is no end to the many ways it can surprise you. With new features and developments that are actively updated, one can get quite addicted to this software. But with it, they can create the most noble and novel animation of all time.
Good 3d Animation Software For Beginners
There you have it folks. Do drop us a line in the comment section below. Share your views on the products reviews and suggest those you want to see featured.
