Best Animation Software in 2026
From drawn sequences to modeled scenes and motion graphics, animation software serves a range of creative workflows. Compare 2D animation tools, 3D modeling, and character rigging, then check export formats and supported platforms for fit with your workflow. Cloud collaboration may matter if you work with others; free-plan availability and paid-from pricing offer additional points of comparison. Blender, Houdini, and Rive lead the ranking, with Live2D Cubism and Bforartists among the next entries. Consider the kind of animation you want to create and weigh the listed capabilities that are relevant to that work.
98 animation software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | App | Score | From | Free plan | Paid from | 2D animation tools | 3D modeling | Character rigging | Motion graphics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blender | 9.5 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | View |
| 2 | Houdini | 8.2 | $7.92/mo | Yes | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | View |
| 3 | Rive | 8.2 | $9/mo | Yes | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | View |
| 4 | Live2D Cubism | 7.9 | $5.65/mo | Yes | $13.26/mo | — | — | — | — | View |
| 5 |  Bforartists | 7.8 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 6 |  Tahoma2D | 7.8 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 7 |  OpenToonz | 7.8 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | No | Yes | — | View |
| 8 |  iClone | 7.7 | Free | Yes | — | No | No | Yes | No | View |
| 9 | Adobe Character Animator | 7.6 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — | Yes | — | View |
| 10 |  Daz Studio | 7.6 | $18.98/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 11 | Rokoko Studio | 7.6 | $0.83/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 12 | Powtoon | 7.6 | $8/mo | Yes | $15/mo | Yes | — | — | Yes | View |
| 13 | Cavalry | 7.5 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | View |
| 14 |  Animaker | 7.5 | $15/mo | Yes | $15/mo | Yes | — | — | — | View |
| 15 |  SVGator | 7.4 | $20/mo | Yes | $20/mo | Yes | — | — | Yes | View |
| 16 |  TouchDesigner | 7.4 | $300/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 17 | Notch | 7.4 | $21/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 18 | Fusion | 7.3 | $295/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 19 |  Lottie Creator | 7.3 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | Yes | View |
| 20 | Jitter | 7.3 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | Yes | View |
| 21 |  Ventuz | 7.3 | €50/mo | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | View |
| 22 | Stop Motion Studio | 7.3 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 23 |  Glaxnimate | 7.1 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | Yes | View |
| 24 |  Lottielab | 7.0 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | Yes | View |
| 25 | DeepMotion Animate 3D | 7.0 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which animation software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Blender is ranked #1 of 98 with a score of 9.5. Houdini is second and Rive third.
How many of these have a free plan?
25 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Rokoko Studio has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.83/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.