Brush Ninja

Brush Ninja is a 2D animation tool for making animated drawings, with exports ranging from GIF and WebM to still images and PDFs. It suits people who want an approachable starting point for frame-based animation without signing up. Its strength is a focused, low-cost toolkit; it is not a substitute for software built around 3D, rigging, motion graphics or collaboration.

Overview

Brush Ninja is made by a UK-based maker founded in 2013. The free plan includes core animation tools and requires no account, making it easy to try the basic workflow before paying. That focus keeps the product relevant to simple 2D animation, but users working on more elaborate production pipelines will run into its boundaries: it has no 3D modeling, character rigging, motion graphics or cloud collaboration.

Compare it with other options in our Animation Software and GIF Maker Software lists.

Key features

Animation and exports

Brush Ninja’s 2D animation tools can export GIF and WebM, as well as PNG, JPG, PDF, ZIP image sequences and its native .brushninja format. That mix is useful when an animation needs to become a shareable clip, a set of image frames or a still-image/document output. The export range does not change the product’s core scope: it remains an animation tool rather than a 3D or motion-graphics package.

Premium additions

Premium adds uploading and animating your own images, premium stickers and sound effects. It also removes adverts and includes priority email communication. These additions make the paid tier the better fit for users who need those assets or want a cleaner workspace; the free plan is limited to core animation tools.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing and includes core animation tools with no account required. It is the sensible starting point for basic animation, but does not include the premium additions. There are no published seat or usage quotas to factor into the plan choice.

• Premium monthly: $7 a month, cancel any time. Includes image upload and animation, premium stickers, sound effects, advert removal and priority email communication. It suits users who want premium features without committing to an annual term.
• Premium annual: $48 a year, cancel any time. It includes the same features as the monthly plan at a lower overall price for readers willing to pay annually.

Platforms

Brush Ninja is supported on the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. That spread makes it usable across desktop and mobile systems, though the product does not offer cloud collaboration for shared work.

Who it's for

Choose Brush Ninja for accessible 2D animation, particularly if you want to start on a free plan or need several export formats. Premium makes sense when animating personal images, using premium stickers or sound effects, removing adverts, or prioritizing email support matters. Look elsewhere if your work depends on 3D modeling, rigged characters, motion graphics or collaborative editing.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The free plan includes core animation tools and needs no account, so there is little friction in getting started.
• Pro: GIF, WebM, still-image, PDF, image-sequence and native exports cover several useful output types.
• Pro: Annual Premium costs less than paying monthly for a full year while retaining the same listed additions.
• Con: No 3D modeling, rigging or motion graphics makes it a poor fit for broader animation production.
• Con: No cloud collaboration means teams should not choose it for shared editing workflows.

Alternatives

FlexClip is worth considering when video projects matter more: its free plan includes 12 online projects, a 10-minute limit per video, and one stock video and one stock audio per project. MakeAGIF is a web-based alternative with a free account limited to 10 seconds of video time; its Premium Membership raises that to 20 seconds.

Piskel is a free option available on web and desktop platforms. GIF Editor is another free choice for Windows, macOS and Linux. Gifox is a macOS alternative, with a free basic plan and a Pro option priced at $14.99 a month as a one-time purchase. GIPHY Create is a free web and mobile option. ImgPlay is a freemium choice for iOS and Android, while LICEcap is free on macOS and Windows.

Verdict

Brush Ninja is a good choice for individuals who want to make 2D animations without paying up front or creating an account. Its broad export selection and inexpensive annual Premium plan are compelling for that focused job. Choose another tool if your project needs 3D, rigging, motion graphics or collaboration.