Motion2D2D character animation, minus the rigging
2D character animation is the craft of making a flat, drawn character move and act. In Adobe Animate, Moho or Rive that means drawing parts, building a rig and keyframing every move. Motion2D skips straight to a character who walks, gestures and talks in your story.
What the software does for you
Each character is designed for the story, built from parts that can move, and animated with poses chosen to match the narration: pointing at the thing being explained, turning to another character, reacting.
You don't get a rig file to edit by hand. If you need frame-level control for a game or a film, a traditional 2D character animation tool is still the right choice. If you need a finished video, you don't have to build one.
- Characters designed per story
- Walks, gestures, reactions and lip movement
- Up to several characters in a scene
From animation software to animation service
Traditional 2D character animation software gives you control. Motion2D gives you the result. Many creators use both: Motion2D for weekly content, a traditional tool for the one flagship piece.
Example: one character, three scenes
Say you type a beekeeper explains why bees dance and choose 60 seconds. Motion2D designs the beekeeper once: straw hat, green overalls, a smoker in one hand. In scene one she stands by the hive and points at it as the narrator introduces the waggle dance. In scene two she kneels and traces the dance path in the air. In scene three she turns to a curious child and laughs.
Same face, same overalls, same hat in all three. That is the hard part of 2D character animation, and it is the part people notice first when it goes wrong. The 60-second video uses 2 credits on either plan; see pricing.
Traditional 2D animation tools and where each fits
Different tools solve different problems. If you are building a game, you need sprite sheets and a rig, so Spine, Rive or Moho are the right tools. If you are learning to animate, frame-by-frame in Krita, OpenToonz or Pencil2D teaches you timing and acting. If you need a finished narrated video every week, an AI tool that handles the characters for you saves the hours.
Many studios mix them: a hand-animated logo sting at the start, AI-made scenes for the explanation in the middle. Our guide on how to animate a character covers the hand-made route step by step.
- Games and apps: Spine, Rive, Moho
- Learning and frame-by-frame: Krita, OpenToonz, Pencil2D
- Finished narrated videos: Motion2D
Questions and answers
What is the best free 2D character animation software?
For hand animation, OpenToonz, Krita and Blender's Grease Pencil are free. For AI-made character animation without drawing, Motion2D plans start at $20 a month, with no watermark. See free animation software.
Can I export a character rig?
No. Motion2D exports finished videos, not rigs or sprite sheets.
Can I use my own character?
Describe the character in your notes and it will be drawn to match. Uploading your own character art is on our roadmap.
What is 2D character animation?
Animating a flat, drawn character so it moves and acts on screen, either frame by frame, with a rig of moving parts, or, more recently, with AI that poses and moves the character for you.
How many characters can be in one video?
Several. Each story gets its own cast, usually one to four main characters, and each keeps the same design throughout.
Is AI character animation good enough for YouTube?
For explainers, stories and kids content, yes, as many animated channels show. For character acting at feature-film quality, hand animation is still ahead.
Keep exploring
How to animate a character
How to animate a character: design for movement, key poses, timing and spacing, walk cycles, acting and lip sync. The basics, plus the AI shortcut.
An AI cartoon video maker that keeps its characters
Make cartoon videos with AI: characters that keep the same face in every scene, drawn backgrounds, voice and captions. Online, no editing skills needed.
Make animation without drawing a thing
You can make animation without drawing: no tablet, no art skills, no rigging. Describe the scene and Motion2D draws and animates it for you.
Your next video starts with one sentence.
Type a topic. Motion2D researches it, writes it, draws it and voices it.
Get started