TOP 55+ BEST ANIMATION SOFTWARE: THE ULTIMATE LIST

2019
31 January 2019

The Ultimate Animation Software List

Animated videos are gaining more and more popularity nowadays. We use
animations for different purposes starting from running effective marketing
campaigns to congratulating a friend with a creative animated video message.
The question is where to find a software or an online tool that can perfectly
meet our needs.

Depending on your skills, you can choose from different types of software
available both offline and online, for professionals and amateur users, 2D and
3D animation creators, etc.

Don't forget there are some great WordPress premium plugins available for
editing and customization videos in WordPress website

Some animation software can seem to be too complicated for a basic user
and some online video makers can be unaffordable. We'll introduce 55 top
animation software and leave it to your own consideration to choose the best
one.

You can find the ultimate list below.

 2D Animation
 3D Animation
 Online Animation
 Other Animation Software

2D Animation
1. Moho (Anime Studio)

Operating system: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X

Description: Moho is a proprietary vector-based 2D animation software for

animators. The Moho software has two different versions: Anime Studio Debut
and Anime Studio Pro. The first one doesn't have all the functions that the Pro
version has, plus the Debut version is a bit more restricted in terms of possible
length and image size. Anime Studio Pro no longer supports the Linux
platform. Anime Studio is available in English, German and Japanese
language (and Spanish since version 9.2).
2. Synfig Studio

Operating system: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows

Description: Synfig Studio is an open source, free timeline-based, and 2D

vector graphics computer animation program. Synfig is a real back-end and
front-end application, that allows you to design your animation in front-end
and render it in backend at a later time even on another computer, without
having to connect the graphical display.

3. Adobe Animate

Operating system: Windows, OS X

Description: Adobe Animate is a computer animation and multimedia
authoring program developed by Adobe Systems. If you need to create vector
graphics and animation, Animate is the right tool for you. You can, later on,
use your creation for websites, online videos, rich internet apps, video games,
and television programs. Adobe Animate offers support for video and audio
embedding, ActionScript scripting, rich text, and raster graphics.

4. Pencil 2D

Operating system: Linux, OS X, Microsoft Windows

Description: Pencil2D is an open-source and free 2D animation software.

You can easily produce simple 2D drawings, graphics, and animation by using
the bitmap/vector drawing interface of the application. It started as a simple
"pencil test" at first and developed into an animation software.
5. OpenToonz

Operating system: Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows

Description: OpenToonz is an open-source 2D animation software. Toonz

Premium is the professional product of the same family. This software has
been used to create many different films and games, such as Futurama,
Anastasia, Asterix in America (in this movie the part of the sea storm was
created by Toonz completely), and much more.

6. TupiTube

Operating system: Unix-like, Windows, Mac OS X

Description: TupiTube is an open-source application to create and share 2D

animation content focused on children, teenagers, and amateurs. The main
feature of this tool is the easy animation creation process, which includes only
5 simple steps.
7. TVPaint Animation

Operating system: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, AmigaOS

(from v1.0 to 3.59)

Description: TVPaint Animation is a 2D digital animation and paint software

package, that has been developed by TVPaint Developpement SARL. The
software supports most of the operating systems existing today. It has been
used to create many animated and otherwise movies.

8. DigiCel FlipBook

Operating system: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X

Description: DigiCel FlipBook is a 2D animation software. It was created with

the intention of duplicating the animation process in its traditional form, much
like Toon Boom Harmony and TVPaint. As FlipBook wants to keep the
traditional aspect and the traditional toolkit of the animation, it does not
support skeletal animation. Thus each frame has to be created and drown
separately and inbetweening is performed via onion skinning. The toolkit is
raster-based and supports direct digital input of a drawing using
graphics tablet and scanning the physical drawing via either webcam or
TWAIN-compliant scanner.

9. DrawPlus

Operating system: Microsoft Windows

Description: DrawPlus is an animation and 2D vector graphics editing

software developed by the UK-based software company Serif. DrawPlus
provides very realistic brushes, which can give the user the opportunity to
create drawing with watercolors, oils and other media and you can retain the
vector editing capability. DrawPlus is also able to produce Stop frame and
Keyframe animations, including output to Adobe Flash SWF file format and
support for ActionScript.
10. Retas Studio

Operating system: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS

Description: RETAS (Revolutionary Engineering Total Animation System) is

a 2D animation software bundle developed and sold by Celsys that is
available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It handles the entire
animation production from digitally drawing or tracing to exporting in Flash and
QuickTime, and is considered to be a leader in Japan's anime industry.

11. Antics 2-D Animation

Operating system: Windows XP and later Description:The Antics 2-D
Animation software is a proprietary vector-based 2-D application for animators
and graphic designers, running under Microsoft Windows. It was created in
1972 by Alan Kitching, the British animator, graphic designer, and software
developer. From 1977 to 1998 the Antics software was continuously
developed and was widely used by many studios around the world. The
software of that time ran under Unix and Fortran, which by the late 1990s had
been superseded by newer multimedia-oriented systems based on C++, and
support for the older Antics was discontinued in 1998. In 2006, a project to
build a completely new Antics software for C++ and Windows was begun, and
the first published version made available in 2010.

70+ Places to Find Background Music for Your Videos

3D Animation

12. Autodesk 3ds Max

Operating system: Windows 7 or later

Description: Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio, then 3D Studio Max is a

professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations,
models, games, and images. It’s developed and produced by Autodesk Media
and Entertainment. It has modeling capabilities and a flexible plugin
architecture and can be used on the Microsoft Windows platform. It is
frequently used by video game developers, many TV commercial studios, and
architectural visualization studios. It is also used for movie effects and movie
pre-visualization. For its modeling and animation tools, the latest version of
3ds Max also features shaders (such as ambient occlusion and subsurface
scattering), dynamic simulation, particle systems, radiosity, normal map
creation and rendering, global illumination, a customizable user interface, new
icons, and its own scripting language.
 13. Cinema 4D

Operating system: AmigaOS, MacOS, Microsoft Windows

Description: CINEMA 4D is a 3D modeling, animation, motion graphic and

rendering application developed by MAXON Computer GmbH in Germany. It
is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd modeling, animating, lighting,
texturing, rendering, and common features found in 3D modeling applications.
Four variants are currently available from MAXON: a core CINEMA 4D 'Prime'
application, a 'Broadcast' version with additional motion-graphics features,
'Visualize' which adds functions for architectural design and 'Studio', which
includes all modules.

Initially, CINEMA 4D was developed for Amiga computers in the early 1990s,
and the first three versions of the program were available exclusively for that
platform. With v4, however, MAXON began to develop the program for
Windows and Macintosh computers as well, citing the wish to reach a wider
audience and the growing instability of the Amiga market following
Commodore's bankruptcy.
 14. Houdini

Operating system: Windows, MacOS, Linux

Description: Houdini is a 3D animation applicationsoftware developed by

Side Effects Software based in Toronto. Side Effects adapted Houdini from
the PRISMS suite of procedural generation software tools. Its exclusive
attention to procedural generation distinguishes it from other 3D computer
graphics software.

Houdini has been used in various feature animation productions, including

Disney's feature films Frozen and Zootopia; the Blue Sky Studios film Rio, and
DNA Productions' Ant Bully.

Side Effects also publishes a partially limited version called Houdini

Apprentice, which is free of charge for non-commercial use.

15. Poser

Operating system: Windows, OS X

Description: Poser is a 3D computer graphics programoptimized for 3D

modeling of human figures. The program has gained popularity due to
allowing beginners to produce basic animations and digital images, and the
extensive availability of third-party digital models. Poser is a 3D rendering
software package for the posing, animating and rendering of 3D polymesh
human and animal figures. Akin to a virtual photography studio, Poser allows
the user to load figures, props, lighting, and cameras for still and animated
renderings.

Natively using a subset of the Alias object (OBJ) file format and a text-based
markup for content files, Poser comes with a large library of pre-rigged
human, animal, robotic, and cartoon figures. The package also includes
poses, hair pieces, props, textures, hand gestures, and facial expressions. As
Poser itself does not allow for original modeling of objects, a large community
market of artists emerged, creating and selling Poser content, made using
third-party software like Modo, ZBrush, Blender or Autodesk 3ds Max.

16. iClone

Operating system: Windows

Description: iClone is a real-time 3D animation and rendering software

program that enables users to make 3D animated films. Real-time playback is
enabled by using a 3D video game engine for instant on-screen rendering.

Other functionality includes: full facial and skeletal animation of human and
animal figures; lip-syncing; import of standard 3D file types including FBX; a
timeline for editing and merging motions; a scripting language (Lua) for
character interaction; application of standard motion-capture files; the ability to
control an animated scene in the same manner as playing a video game; and
the import of models from Google 3D Warehouse, among many other
features. iClone is also notable for offering users royalty-free usage of all
content that they create with the software, even when using Reallusion's own
assets library.

17. Aladdin 4D

Operating system: AmigaOS, Mac OS X, iPad, Linux, AROS, MorphOS,

Windows

Description: Aladdin4D is a computer program for modeling and rendering

three-dimensional graphics and animations, currently running on AmigaOS
and Mac OS X platforms. A-Eon Technology Ltd owns the rights and develops
current and future versions of Aladdin4D for AmigaOS, MorphOS & AROS. All
other platforms including OS X, iOS, Windows & Linux are developed by
DiscreetFX. Nova Design added many modern features and made it easier to
use. It was one of the first 3D animation programs on any platform to employ
volumetrics, which were primarily used to create volumetric gas. However,
unlike the majority of Amiga 3D programs, it used scanline rendering instead
of the more photo-realistic ray tracing technique. Scanline rendering is similar
to the rendering technique used in most Pixar movies.

18. Autodesk Maya

Operating system: Windows 7 or later OS X 10.8 or later RHEL/CentOS 6.2

or later

Description: Maya is an application used to generate 3D assets for use in

film, television, game development and architecture. The software was initially
released for the IRIX operating system. However, this support was
discontinued in August 2006.

Users define a virtual workspace (scene) to implement and edit media for a
particular project. Scenes can be saved in a variety of formats, the default
being .mb (Maya D). Maya exposes a node graph architecture. Scene
elements are node-based, each node having its own attributes and
customization. As a result, the visual representation of a scene is based
entirely on a network of interconnecting nodes, depending on each other's
information. For the convenience of viewing these networks, there is a
dependency and a directed acyclic graph.

Users who are students, teachers (or veterans or unemployed in USA

markets) can download a full educational version from the Autodesk
Education community. The versions available at the community are only
licensed for non-commercial use (once activated with the product license) and
some products create watermarks on output renders. The software comes
with a full 36-month license. Once it expires, users can log into the community
to request a new 36 months license and download the latest Autodesk
product.

19. Blender

Operating system: Windows, Mac OS, Linux

Description: Blender is a professional, free and open-source 3D computer

graphics software toolset used for creating animated films, visual effects, art,
3D printed models, interactive 3D applications and video games. Blender's
features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, raster graphics
editing, rigging and skinning, fluid and smoke simulation, particle simulation,
soft body simulation, sculpting, animating, match moving, camera tracking,
rendering, video editing, and compositing. It further features an integrated
game engine.

20. LightWave 3D

Operating system: AmigaOS, Windows, MacOS

Description: LightWave is a software package used for rendering 3D

images, both animated and static. It includes a fast rendering engine that
supports such advanced features as realistic reflection, radiosity, caustics,
and 999 render nodes. The 3D modeling component supports both polygon
modeling and subdivision surfaces. The animation component has features
such as reverse and forward kinematics for character animation, particle
systems, and dynamics. Programmers can expand LightWave's capabilities
using an included SDK which offers Python, LScript (a proprietary scripting
language) scripting and C language interfaces.

21. Autodesk MotionBuilder

Operating system: Windows, Linux

Description: MotionBuilder is a professional 3D character animation

software produced by Autodesk. It is used for virtual production, motion
capture, and traditional keyframe animation. It was originally named Filmbox
when it was first created by Canadian company Kaydara, later acquired by
Alias and renamed to MotionBuilder. Alias, in turn, was acquired by Autodesk.

It is primarily used in film, games, television production, as well as other

multimedia projects. Mainstream examples include Assassin's Creed, Killzone
2, and Avatar.

At SIGGRAPH 2012, Autodesk announced a partnership with Weta Digital

and Lightstorm Entertainment to develop the next generation of the
technology.
 22. Daz 3D

Operating system: Windows

Description: Daz Productions, Inc ., commonly known as Daz 3D, is a 3D

content and software company specializing in providing rigged 3D human
models, associated accessory content, and software to the prosumer market.
It was originally part of Zygote Media Group, a general purpose, application-
agnostic 3D content broker, and split off as "Digital Art Zone" in 2000 to focus
on supplying content for the Poser market.

After acquiring other modeling tools, DAZ 3D created their own 3D

posing/animation package, DAZ Studio, while still continuing to make content
compatible with Poser for several years. DAZ 3D also sells third-party
applications usable with their products.

23. Bryce

Operating system: Windows, Mac OS

Description: Bryce is a 3D modeling, rendering and animation

program specializing in fractal landscapes. The name is taken from Bryce
Canyon — a rugged region with many of the same landscapes that were first
simulated with the software. The original Bryce software arose from working
with fractal geometry to create realistic computer images of mountain ranges
and coastlines. An initial set of fractal-based programs were developed by
Ken Musgrave (who later created MojoWorld) a student of Benoît Mandelbrot,
and extended by Eric Wenger. Wenger later met and worked with software
artist Kai Krause to design a basic user interface. The first commercial
version, Bryce 1.0, appeared in 1994 for the Macintosh.

24. Modo

Operating system: Windows, Linux, macOS

Description: Modo (stylized as MODO, originally modo) is a polygon and

subdivision surface modeling, sculpting, 3D painting, animation, and rendering
package developed by Luxology, LLC, which is now merged with and known
as Foundry. The program incorporates features such as n-gons and edge
weighting and runs on Microsoft Windows, Linux and macOS platforms. Modo
was created by the same core group of software engineers that previously
created the pioneering 3D application LightWave 3D, originally developed on
the Amiga platform and bundled with the Amiga-based Video Toaster
workstations that were popular in television studios in the late 1980s and early
1990s. They are based in Mountain View, California. Modo's workflow differs
substantially from many other mainstream 3D applications. While Maya and
3ds Max stress using the right tool for the job, Modo artists typically use a
much smaller number of basic tools and combine them to create new tools
using the Tool Pipe and customizable action centers and falloffs. Modo was
used in the production of feature films such as Stealth, Ant Bully, Iron Man,
and Wall*E.
 25. K-3D

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux, Free BSD

Description: K-3D is a free 3D modelling and animation software. It features

a plug-in-oriented procedural engine for all of its content. K-3D supports
polygonal modeling, and it includes basic tools for NURBS, patches, curves,
and animation. Despite its name, it is not a KDE application; it uses the GTK+
toolkit via gtkmm. K-3D's interface uses platform's look-and-feel, and it is
therefore consistent with other applications that already exist.

K-3D features procedural and parametric workflows. Properties can be

adjusted interactively and results appear immediately. The node-based
visualization pipeline allows more possibilities than traditional modifier stacks
or histories. Selection flows from one modifier to the next. Standards form the
foundation on which K-3D builds - including native RenderMan support that
integrates tightly with the K-3D user interface. K-3D supports a node-based
visualization pipeline, thus allowing the connection of multiple bodies. Work on
one side of a model, show the other side mirrored, and see the end result
welded together as a subdivision surface in real-time. Go back, modify the
beginning of a workflow, and watch as changes propagate automatically to the
end.
 26. Anim8or

Operating system: Windows

Description: Anim8or is a freeware OpenGL based 3D modeling and

animation program by R. Steven Glanville, a software engineer at NVidia.
Currently, at stable version 0.98 (version 1.0 beta 3 is available as of 22 Mar
2017), it is a compact program with several tools which would normally be
expected in high-end, paid software. To date, every version released has
been under 3 MB, despite the fact that it does not make full use of the
windows native interface, carrying some graphical elements of its own.
Although few official tutorials have been posted by the author, many other
users have posted their own on sites such as YouTube and the Anim8or
home page. While Anim8or was once comparable to other freeware 3D
animation software such as Blender, it has seen less progression in recent
years.

27. MovieStorm
Operating system: Windows, macOS

Description: Moviestorm is a real-time 3D animation app published by

Moviestorm Ltd. The software is available to and used by people of all age
groups and appeals to those with a diverse range of backgrounds and
interests, from amateur and professional filmmakers, through to businesses
and education, as well as people just looking to simply tell stories or create
messages to share using video. Moviestorm enables the user to create
animated movies, using machinima technology. It takes the user from initial
concept to finished, distributed movies. Sets and characters can be created
and customized, and scenes can be filmed using multiple cameras.

Moviestorm is being used predominantly in education by students of film and

media studies as a means to develop their skills and expand their portfolio, as
well as a collaborative cross-curricular creative tool in education sectors from
elementary to high school.

The software's website features a Web 2.0 social media service, which
includes a video hosting service, and an online community where movie-
makers can talk about their movies, find collaborators, and organize online
events. Moviestorm also makes use of Twitter, YouTube and Facebook to
release the latest news on the software and to interact with both current and
potential users.
 28. Messiah Studio

Operating system: Windows 2000 and later

Description: Messiah Studio is a 3D animation and rendering application

developed by pmG Worldwide. It runs on the Win32 and Win64 platforms. It is
marketed to run on Mac OS X and Linux via Wine. Messiah's fourth version,
Messiah Studio was released April 2009 and version 5.5b as Messiah
Animate was released November 2006. Messiah Studio6 was released in
April 2013.

29. Hash Animation: Master

Operating system: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X

Description: Hash Animation: Master is a 3D character animation application
offered by Hash, Inc. that includes tools for modeling, rigging, animation,
texturing, lighting and rendering. Although Animation: Master was developed
for and is targeted towards independent artists, with a workflow optimized to
enable one artist to create a rendered animated piece from start to finish, the
workflow also presents economic advantages for larger workgroups.

The software uses a proprietary spline mesh technology to perform modeling

and animation, and it is different in this sense from polygon mesh or NURBS-
based programs. The system used is called patch-based modeling. It uses
multiple intersecting splines to create surfaces, called patches. Patches
present an efficiency in that one patch can describe a complex curved surface
that would require many facets to approximate in flat polygons.

Aside from the typical 4-sided patches common in many spline modeling
environments, Animation: Master can also create 3 and 5-sided patches which
enable mesh topologies not possible in other applications.
30. Crazy Talk

Operating system: Windows XP and later OS X 10.6 and later

Description: CrazyTalk is Reallusion's brand name for its 2D animation
software. The product series includes CrazyTalk, a 3D facial animation
software tool, and CrazyTalk Animator, a face, and body 3D animation suite.

CrazyTalk, the 3D facial animation software, is a real-time, 3D animation and

rendering software that enables users to make 3D animated cartoons. It is a
facial animation tool that uses voice and text to vividly animate facial images.
It has an auto motion engine which allows animators to use the intensity of
their voice to drive their animations in real-time. As of January 2016, the
CrazyTalk software is in version 8.

CrazyTalk is developed and marketed by Reallusion, a company that has

software and digital content development base in Taiwan with offices and
training centers in the U.S. and Germany.

Animated Explainer Video Templates

Online Animation

31. Renderforest

Operating system: Website

Description: Renderforest is a cloud-based video maker for creating intro

videos for YouTube, explainer animations, kinetic typography, product or
service promotional videos, music visualizations, wedding or travel
slideshows, mobile app promotions, event invitations, corporate presentations,
infographics and a lot more. Renderforest provides most of its services for
free. All of the templates and tools are available for free. You can render and
export your video in minutes in SD 360 quality with watermarks. If you want it
to be without watermarks and in HD quality, then you need to subscribe to one
of the plans or pay for a one-time export. It’s a great solution for individuals or
businesses that want their product to have a professional result and broadcast
quality but don't have any tech knowledge to build a professional product from
scratch.

Try Renderforest Logo Maker

32. Toufee

Operating system: Website

Description: Toufee is flash movie creating/editing software that is distributed

online. It is an online software which runs inside the browser, so it is
compatible with Windows, Linux and Macintosh operating systems. It contains
features such as text effects, image transitions, audio/video support, and
timeline editing.
33. Animatron
Operating system: Website

Description: Animatron is a web-based animation software that enables

users to make and edit animations and interactive content. The company was
formed as a corporate spin-off from JetBrains in 2011. It provides an HTML5
animation tool that allows displaying created animation on any mobile or
desktop webpage.

34. Moovly

Operating system: Website

Description: Moovly is a company that provides a cloud-based platform

(SaaS) that enables users to create and generate multimedia content:
animated videos, video presentations, animated infographics and any other
video content that includes a mix of animation and motion graphics.

35. Animaker

Operating system: Website

Description: Animaker is an easy to use animated video creation tool. Create

an account to begin your video and choose a template to customize. Be sure
to watch the tutorials before starting to learn all of the features included with
Animaker. When complete, download a video to your computer or directly to
YouTube or Facebook. Free accounts allow videos up to 2 minutes in length
and five exports per month. The tutorials reside on YouTube. If your district
blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view
them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share.

36. Powtoon

Operating system: Website

Description: PowToon is a web-based animation software that allows users

to create animated presentations by manipulating pre-created objects,
imported images, provided music and user-created voice-overs. Powtoon
uses an Apache Flex engine to generate an XML file that can be played in the
Powtoon online viewer, exported to YouTube or downloaded as an MP4 file.

PowToon is also available in the Google Chrome Store and has an application
on Edmodo.com.

37. Toonator

Operating system: Website

Description: Toonator is an online cartoon editing tool. With Toonator you

can easily make funny animations.
 38. Mixamo

Operating system: Website

Description: With this web-based tool you can create 3D animations without
any prior 3D animation knowledge. You can see animated characters moving
instantly. Get high-quality animations that are automatically retargeted to your
3D character and ready to bring into your project. No need to reanimate a
walk cycle for each character. Search the Store for the right animation and get
instant feedback on timing.
 39. Wideo

Operating system: Website

Description: With this online tool you can create, edit, and share videos very
easily. Just drag and drop elements or upload your own images and start
animating in a few clicks. Or edit one of the ready-made templates in minutes
to create an animation.

40. Visme

Operating system: Website

Description: This is an online tool to create visual aids for your story. It can
be used to create infographics, presentations and other visual content in a
time-saving manner.
 41. MakeWebVideo

Operating system: Website

Description: If you need a business video advertisement or a product video

to promote your company, website or an upcoming event - you’ve come to the
right spot! This website has developed an online video animation maker, that
lets you make a professional video for your website and will help increase
your business sales.

42. Vyond
Operating system: Website

Description: Vyond is an online tool that lets you create your own animated
videos. Create your own characters, choose the one that fits your needs with
the specific description. Audio is automatically lip-synced to the characters, so
it looks professional. This platform has a free trial available for 14 days.

43. Prezi

Operating system: Website

Description: Prezi is web-based presentation software, created in Hungary.

This freedom of movement enables “conversational presenting”. It’s a

presentation style following the flow of dialogue.

The company that develops Prezi, also called Prezi, was founded in
Budapest, Hungary in 2009, and has additional offices in San Francisco and
Mexico City. As of March 2017, Prezi had reportedly over 75 million users,
who had created more than 260 million prezis.

The company launched Prezi Business in 2016, with a suite of creation,

collaboration, and analytics tools for teams. Prezi Business is an HTML5
application that runs on JavaScript.

The word Prezi is the short form of “presentation” in Hungarian.

 44. Toon Boom

Operating system: Website

Description: Toon Boom Animation Inc. is a Canadian software company that

specializes in animation production and storyboarding software. Founded in
1994 and based in Montreal, Quebec, Toon Boom develops animation and
storyboarding software for film, television, web animation, games, mobile
devices, training applications, and education. It was acquired by Corus
Entertainment in 2012.

Toon Boom software is used in over 130 countries and was awarded the
Primetime Emmy Award in 2005 and 2012, among other awards.

Notable users include Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Television
Animation, Pixar, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. Animation, Fox, Rough
Draft Studios, Nelvana, Xilam, Mercury Filmworks, China Central Television,
Toonz India Ltd, Digital eMation and Gaumont Animation.

Promo Video Templates

Other Animation Software

45. Adobe After Effects

Operating system: Microsoft Windows, macOS

Description: Adobe After Effects is a digital visual effect, motion graphics,

and compositing application developed by Adobe Systems and used in the
post-production process of filmmaking and television production. Among other
things, After Effects can be used for keying, tracking, compositing, and
animation. It also functions as a very basic non-linear editor, audio editor, and
media transcoder.

46. Pivot Animator

Operating system: Windows

Description: Pivot Animator (formerly Pivot Stickfigure Animator and usually

shortened to Pivot) is a freeware application that allows users to create stick-
figure and sprite animations, and save them in the animated GIF format for
the use on web pages and the AVI format (in Pivot Animator 3 and later).

Pivot provides a simple, easy to use interface with a few features. It uses fixed
length 'sticks' to ensure size consistency during the animation.
 47. Microsoft PowerPoint

Operating system: Microsoft Windows

Description: Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation program currently

developed by Microsoft, for use on both Microsoft Windows and Apple
Macintosh operating systems. PowerPoint, initially named "Presenter", was
created by Forethought Inc. Microsoft's version of PowerPoint was officially
launched on May 22, 1990, as a part of the Microsoft Office suite. PowerPoint
is useful for helping develop the slide-based presentation format and is
currently one of the most commonly used slide-based presentation programs
available. Microsoft has also released the PowerPoint mobile application for
use on Apple and Android mobile operating systems.

48. Autodesk Sketchbook

Operating system: Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS

Description: SketchBook Pro, also referred to as SketchBook, is a pixel
graphics software application that features a radial/pie-menu user interface,
intended for expressive drawing and concept sketching. It was originally
developed by Alias Systems Corporation, but is now owned by Autodesk.

SketchBook Pro has painting and drawing tools such as pencils, markers, and
brushes. It uses pressure-sensitive features of graphics tablets, tablet
computers, and smartphones to create effects similar to traditional materials.

Autodesk SketchBook Pro software also features a screenshot tool for

annotation, allowing one to show content during a meeting and add notes as
the content is reviewed. The previous/next buttons make it possible to create
flipbooks or animations. The program supports layers with import and export
of Photoshop (.psd) format. Other features include rulers, symmetry, the
ability to customize brushes, create texture brushes, and rotate the canvas.

SketchBook Pro communities exist on Twitter, Facebook Tumblr, YouTube,

DeviantArt, Google+, and Autodesk's AREA online community.

49. Unity

Operating system: Linux, macOS, WIndows

Description: Unity is a cross-platform game enginedeveloped by Unity

Technologies, which is primarily used to develop video games and simulations
for computers, consoles, and mobile devices.
Unity is marketed to be an all-purpose engine, and as a result supports both
2D and 3D graphics, drag and drop functionality and scripting through its 3
custom languages. The engine targets the following APIs: Direct3D and
Vulkan on Windows and Xbox 360; OpenGL on Mac, Linux, and Windows;
OpenGL ES on Android and iOS; and proprietary APIs on video game
consoles.

Unity is the default software development kit (SDK) for Nintendo's Wii U video
game console platform, with a free copy included by Nintendo with each Wii U
developer license. Unity Technologies calls this bundling of a third-party SDK
an "industry first".

50. Krita

Operating system: Unix-like system, Windows, OS X

Description: Krita is a professional FREE and open source painting program.

It is made by artists that want to see affordable art tools for everyone. With
Krita, you can create concept art, texture and matte paintings, and illustrations
and comics.
 51. Stykz

Operating system: Linux, Windows, OS X

Description: Stykz is freeware, meaning it's completely free to download and

use to create animations that you can show off to others or import into other
applications. No hidden costs, license or permission are required to use Stykz
to its fullest. If you've ever used Pivot StickFigure Animator, you'll feel right at
home working with Stykz. Stykz is the first multi-platform stick figure animation
program in the world (as far as we know), so you'll be able to use Mac OS X,
Windows, and Linux* to create, edit and preview your animations. (*Linux is in
internal beta but will be available soon.)

52. Adobe Character Animator

Operating system: Linux, Windows, OS X

Description: Adobe Character Animator is a desktop application software
product that combines live motion-capture with a multi-track recording system
to control layered 2D puppets drawn in Photoshop or Illustrator. It is
automatically installed with Adobe After Effects since CC 2015 and is also
available as a standalone application, which you can download separately. It
is used to produce both live and non-live animation. Character Animator
imports layered Photoshop & Illustrator documents into puppets which have
behaviors applied to them. The puppets are then placed into a scene, which
can be viewed in the Scene panel and Timeline panel. Rigging is set up in the
Puppet panel, though basic rigging is fully automatic based on specific layer
names like Right Eyebrow and Smile. The final output of a scene can be
exported to a sequence of PNG files and a WAV file, or any video format
supported by Adobe Media Encoder. Live output can be sent to other
applications running on the same machine via the Syphon protocol (Mac only)
or Adobe Mercury Transmit on both Mac and Windows. Scenes can also be
dropped directly into After Effects and Premiere Pro, using Dynamic Link to
avoid rendering.

53. Clip Studio Paint

Operating system: Windows, macOS

Description: Clip Studio Paint is an illustration/manga/animation production
software. Its high performing rendering engine makes it possible to draw with
natural and realistic brush strokes and multi-core CPU support handles high
resolution and multiple layers. Since its launch in 2012, more than 3 million
people worldwide have used this software. The software is widely used in the
professional field as well, including many manga artists and animation studios.
Not only the software itself, but Celsys also provide various services for its
users, including CLIP STUDIO ASSETS for downloading materials, and CLIP
STUDIO TIPS for tutorials and drawing techniques. Currently, the software is
supported in 7 different languages (Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese,
Korean, French, Spanish, German). A free trial version is available on PC and
iPad.