Some of the info here was taken directly from the old sites thread on software. It has been recompiled and edited by me. There are other notable programs not listed here though for the most part your best choices will probably be here. Admittedly this is mainly for animation software though there will be illustration software here too. Make sure too do your own research too.
Check out the #resources channel on the discord for guides and other useful resources.
Listed from:
1. Free Software
2. Abandonware
3. Paid Programs
4. What I Recommend
5. Hardware
---Free Software---
You don’t need to pay money for tools and equipment to be a competent artist…
To prove the point I’m including really strong examples made in each respective software.
Blender ( 3D + 2D Animation)
– Windows + Mac + Linux
Has 2D and 3D animation support where you can even use both at the same time for the same scenes. You don’t have to use any of the 3D parts of Blender to be able to create a complete 2D animation. Because of the amount of tutorials you’ll find online like Youtube and thousands of other website forums, You shouldnt have any issues finding the resources to learn it. However, it does have quite a learning curve and might be too hard on beginners. Easily the most recommended software for those looking to get into 3D, so if you have the time and patience to learn this, it will certainly pay off even if you choose to only import the 3D work into another 2D program instead of using Grease Pencil.
Krita (Illustration + 2D Animation)
– Windows + Mac + Linux
Was mainly developed as an illustration program, though has built in animation capabilities as well that should serve you well enough. ou can most definitely make a fully fledged 2D animation in this but you would have to have the “know how” to do this and over come some limitations, but it is possible. Regardless, this is definitely an optimal choice if you want to do 2D animations, especially shorter ones.
Illustration by Tyson Tan
Flipaclip (2D Animation)
– IOS + Android
This is probably one of the better free animation programs available for mobile phones. You can definitely make some really good stuff here once you get use to it even without a tablet.
Example by Haryi was made using their fingers on their phone
Opentoonz (2D Animation)
– Windows + Max + Linux
With probably exception to Blender, this is arguably the most in depth and robust free program you could use for 2D animation. It was a core program used in house at Studio Ghibli for projects like Howl’s Moving Castle, the Tale of Princess Kaguya, Spirited Away etc. Its open source though there is a very steep learning curve to it, I wouldn’t recommend this software for complete beginners. Though its proven itself to be a very powerful tool for anyone who takes the time to learn it.
--- Abandonware ---
These programs have been discounted by their official creators.
Leading to many discussions on the ethicalness of using these programs through archival efforts.
Macromedia & Adobe Flash (2D Animation)
– Windows + Mac
Probably the most popular line of software used in the community even years after its original release, only behind its successor. The most popular being Macromedia Flash 8 and Adobe Flash CS6, they would later be rebranded to Animate cc. Definitely an easy recommendation to beginners and veteran animators. For the most part, Flash 8 to CS6 remains quite similar even compared to Animate cc today, with CS3 introducing Actionscript 3. It wasn’t made with illustration in mind but like hey, I thought this example was pretty cool.
Examples by Xenophoss/Weilin Zhang, Waat/Hero and HeartOfTheStorm
Flipnote Studio (DS) + Flipnote Studio 3D (3DS)
– Flipnote: DSi + 3DS
– Flipnote 3D: 3DS
Originally released for the Nintendo DS and 3DS line of systems, it was a relatively simple program that has spawned its own sub community in animation. The 3D version being slightly more advance overall though still relatively the same. You are not able to download it officially anymore though if you have a copy of it lying stagnant on your old DS then great. Definitely would recommend using this for beginners if you have a copy.
Example by 軽戸
RETAS Studio (2D Animation)
– Windows
The predecessor to Clip Studio Paint, Its obscure though considering how CSP is really good perhaps you will find some value with this. Its a collection of software made to complete different parts of the animation process. From what I can tell it was made mostly for the Anime Production pipeline, which would make sense considering its successor.
Example by Opticalcore
--- Paid Programs---
Check their respective websites to see what their prices are.
They all have free trials too so check them out.
Animate cc (2D Animation)
– Windows + Mac
– Monthly billing standalone 1 Year license
One of the most popular programs used in the community and for good reason. Its has some quality of life features over its Flash counterparts and is generally a good pick for both beginner and more veteran animators. Make sure to save frequently though as it does have a tendency to crash sometimes, plus it is more intensive to run then its predecessors. I would consider purchasing the entire Adobe Creative Suite if you are going to use this as your main program. Lot better value and you’ll get some other useful programs like Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro etc. Also if possible try to get a discount if you are a student at some school.
Example by Hyun/FlyingPanda1990
Clip Studio Paint CSP (2D Animation + Illustration)
– Windows + Mac + IOS + Android
– Subscription Fee or 1 time Payment
Has a robust number of brushes unlike programs such as Flash; you can also import custom brushes and other assets which can be found in the CSP asset store. Has really good illustration capabilities + is also dedicated to making manga, though it also has a built in animation timeline. Its also very popular with animators working in the Eastern animation industry (Anime). One of the best choices for those who want brushes that mimic irl brushes more closely. Make sure you get the EX version though if you wish to do animating, the pro version has a limit on how long your animations can be.
Animation by Vercreek
Illustration by Mika Pikazo
Toon Boom Harmony (2D Animation)
– Windows + Mac
– Subscription Fee or 1 time Payment
Definitely one of the most popular and powerful programs used in the western animation industry. Its more advance then most other 2D programs so its got a pretty steep learning curve. Also very expensive so unless you really need it for a specific job or a school is paying for your license. I wouldn’t really recommend it to most people otherwise, though its still one of the most powerful 2D tools out there.
Example by Danimate/Dan Mark Lazaga
Photoshop (Illustration + 2D Animation)
– Windows + Mac
– Monthly billing standalone 1 Year license
This one is mainly useful for Illustration work as it has lot of powerful capabilities in that area. Its very good in that department and does have an animation timeline. Though its unfortunately not the best for animation work, I believe there are plugins to help with animating here. Though It doesn’t have the same animation capabilities as something like CSP which is both an illustration and animation software. I do believe Photoshop is also quite common for storyboard work.
Illustration by IAreHated/IVorare
Toonsquid (2D Animation)
– IOS (iPad Only)
– One Time Payment
This program is like a turned down version of Flash in a way. it’s missing some of the features in Flash though it does incorporate symbols which is a very useful inclusion. Its surprisingly not very well known and overshadowed by other programs, though I think this is really good for what its worth.
Example by Toniko Pantoja
--- What I Recommend ---
Its ultimately going to depend on your needs and preferences as this is a very subjective topic regarding what software is technically more viable for you. It really doesn’t matter at the end of the day as long as it works well enough, unless there is a specific program requirement for a job. Do your own research so you can find out what might work best for you, so please don’t just take my word for it.
Regardless of whether or not you main Blender as your main 2D program. I would 100% look into learning it purely for its 3D capabilities, you can very easily import 3D animations into other 2D programs using image sequences then animate over the top of it. very good for background guides and has other uses, that being said…
--- Animation ---
DONT want to spend money?
Desktop
If you have a copy of any Flash versions I would definitely recommend this as your main choice. A lot of free programs are not as robust as paid software, though Flash is very similar to Animate cc albeit with some differences. To this day many animators continue using it just fine, so easy recommendation to anyone who has access to it for both beginners and to more advance animators.
Mobile
If all you have is your phone, Flipaclip will work just fine. unfortunately a lot of the better mobile programs are locked to iPads though you can definitely make do with Flipaclip if all you have is a phone. If you do have an iPad though I would recommend forking out the small one time payment for Toonsquid.
WILLING to fork out money?
Desktop
If you are planning on subscribing to Adobe’s Creative Suite or a school is paying for it, Animate cc is a very good pick. I personally wouldn’t go with this program if you are not subscribing to Adobe’s entire creative plan as the value just isn’t there otherwise when you could be using Flash. Instead I would pick Clip Studio Paint as its only a one time purchase and has the added bonus of being a very good illustration program.
Mobile
CSP is supported on mobile devices and to my understanding is basically the same as its desktop counterpart, given some UI differences etc. Unfortunately though I’m pretty sure if you want to have CSP on both your desktop and mobile device you’ll need to purchase them both separately. Plus there is no perpetual license for mobile users unlike on desktop. Although not as feature rich I would recommend Toonsquid more overall especially if you are just starting out, as its also very cheap.
--- Hardware ---
I’m not going to get too specific with the exact hardware you should be getting for the most ideal performance. As long as your device has the recommended specs for your chosen program then you should be fine with whatever laptop, phone, PC you have. Regardless of what device you are using I do strongly recommend getting a drawing tablet, it doesn’t have to be a crazy expensive one as long as it is compatible with your device. There are some pretty cheap tablets out there though you can fork out some more money for a more high quality tablet with a screen. Don’t think you’ll magically become a better artist because you have a good tablet.
Wacom Intous CLT 490
This was my first tablet that I used for quite a while, Its very affordable too.
A very cool piece of equipment I would like to draw attention too is having a secondary shortcut keyboard. I use a Razor Tartarus with customizable button inputs for each key, definitely helps speed up the process. You can map multiple key to a single button for things like ctrl + z etc. You can definitely get away with just using your keyboard for shortcuts though I personally love this thing.
Razor Tartarus V2
You can even set multiple button layouts for use in different software too. It was made originally for gamers but like, real animators are gamers right?
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