# Best Free 2D Character Animation Software in 2026 > The best free 2D character animation software is Blender with Grease Pencil, which combines drawing with full armatures and IK. OpenToonz is the best free studio-style tool for cut-out and traditional animation, and Synfig is a free vector tool with a bone system. Krita is best for free frame-by-frame drawing. Duik is free if you already have After Effects, and Rive's free plan suits interactive characters for apps. *We make ExodeUI, which is on this list because its free plan includes bones and IK for characters in apps. All other tools are made by other people or companies.* Updated November 2026. Source: https://www.exodeui.com/best-free-2d-character-animation-software/ You can animate 2D characters professionally without paying for software. The free tools split into two groups: rigged (cut-out) animation, where you build a skeleton and pose it, and frame-by-frame animation, where you draw each pose. Pick the group first, then the tool. ## Quick picks - Best overall, with bones and IK: **Blender Grease Pencil** - Studio-style cut-out and traditional: **OpenToonz** - Vector animation with bones: **Synfig Studio** - Frame-by-frame drawing: **Krita** - Rigging inside After Effects: **Duik** - Interactive characters for apps: **Rive (free plan)** - Rigged UI mascots with open JSON files: **ExodeUI (free plan)** ## The 7 best free 2D character animation tools ### Blender (Grease Pencil) Best for: Animators who want drawing and rigging in one free tool Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux Price: Free and open source Output: Rendered video and image sequences Grease Pencil lets you draw in Blender and bind drawings to armatures, with Blender's IK constraint for limbs. You can mix rigged parts with hand-drawn frames and add 3D cameras. It is the most capable free option, with the steepest learning curve. Pros: Armatures, IK and drivers; Draw and rig in one place; Huge community and free courses Cons: Complex interface; Rigging concepts come from 3D; Needs a decent computer ### OpenToonz Best for: Studio-style cut-out and traditional animation Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux Price: Free and open source Output: Rendered video OpenToonz is based on software used in professional studios. Its Skeleton tool builds a hierarchy and animates it in FK or Inverse Kinematics mode, and it has strong tools for traditional drawn animation and effects. Pros: Skeleton tool with IK mode; Professional pipeline features; Good for traditional animation too Cons: Dated interface; Fewer beginner tutorials; Can feel unstable on some systems ### Synfig Studio Best for: Vector cut-out animation with bones Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux Price: Free and open source (GPL v3) Output: Rendered video and image sequences Synfig is a vector animation tool with automatic in-betweening and a full bone system, including a Skeleton Distortion layer for deforming bitmap artwork. It suits cut-out characters with clean vector art. Pros: Free under GPL v3; Bones for vector and bitmap art; Automatic tweening Cons: Interface feels technical; Slower rendering on complex scenes; Smaller community ### Krita Best for: Frame-by-frame character animation Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux Price: Free and open source Output: Rendered video and image sequences Krita is a painting app with an animation timeline and onion skinning. It has no bone system, so it is for drawn animation, not rigs. For artists who like to draw every pose, it is excellent and free. Pros: Excellent brushes; Simple timeline and onion skin; Free and open source Cons: No bones or IK; Not for long productions; Limited compositing ### Duik (for After Effects) Best for: After Effects users who need character rigs Platforms: Windows, macOS Price: Free and open source; needs a paid After Effects subscription Output: Rendered video Duik adds bones, IK and animation automations to After Effects. The plug-in is free, but After Effects is not, so it is only "free" if you already pay for Adobe. Pros: Free and open source; IK, walk cycles and automations; Industry standard for After Effects rigging Cons: Requires After Effects; Expression-heavy rigs can be slow; Video only ### Rive (free plan) Best for: Interactive characters for apps and websites Platforms: Browser, desktop Price: Free plan; exports show a Rive splash screen; paid from $9 per seat per month Output: .riv files for app and web runtimes Rive has bones and an IK constraint, plus state machines so characters react to input. The free plan is enough to learn; Rive's pricing page says free exports play a Rive splash screen, so client work usually needs a paid seat. Pros: Bones, IK and meshes; Characters react at runtime; Runs in the browser Cons: Splash screen on free exports; Not for long video; State machines take practice ### ExodeUI (free plan) Best for: Rigged mascots and characters inside app and web UI Platforms: Browser, desktop Price: Free Community plan; Professional $5/month billed yearly Output: Open .exode JSON file for app and web runtimes ExodeUI has bones, weight painting, mesh skinning and an IK constraint, plus walk, run and breathing presets. Rigs work with state machines and spring physics so characters react to app state. We make ExodeUI. Pros: Bones, weights and IK on the free plan; Characters react at runtime; Open JSON format Cons: Newer, with fewer rigging tutorials; Not for long video; Test bone playback on your target runtime ## Rigged or frame-by-frame? Rigged (cut-out) animation builds a character from parts on a skeleton. It is faster for long series and easy to reuse, and IK keeps feet planted. Frame-by-frame animation is drawn pose by pose; it is slower but more expressive. Blender, OpenToonz and Synfig do rigs; Krita does drawn animation; Blender and OpenToonz do both. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best free 2D character animation software? Blender with Grease Pencil, because it combines drawing with armatures and IK. OpenToonz and Synfig are strong free alternatives for cut-out animation. ### Is there free 2D animation software with bones? Yes: Blender, OpenToonz and Synfig have bone systems and are free and open source. Rive and ExodeUI include bones and IK on their free plans. ### Does Krita have bones? No. Krita is for frame-by-frame animation. Use Blender, OpenToonz or Synfig for bone rigs. ### Is Duik free? Duik is free and open source, but it runs inside Adobe After Effects, which needs a paid subscription. ### What free software do beginners use for 2D animation? Krita for drawing animation, and Synfig or Blender when they want to try rigging. ## Related - [What is FK and IK in animation?](https://www.exodeui.com/questions/what-is-fk-and-ik-in-animation) - [How to rig a 2D character with IK](https://www.exodeui.com/questions/how-to-rig-a-2d-character-with-ik) - [Best 2D rigging software with IK and FK](https://www.exodeui.com/best-2d-rigging-software-ik-fk) - [Character animation software](https://www.exodeui.com/character-animation-software)