Pencil2D

Free#15 of 106 in Animation Software2D Character Animation SoftwareFree Drawing SoftwareCartoon Maker Software

Pencil2D: A focused free desktop tool for traditional frame-by-frame 2D animation. Ranked #15 of 106 in Animation Software by our editors (7.9/10); pricing: Free plan; best for simple free hand-drawn animation.

7.9/10★★★★☆Editor score

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At a glance

• Editor score
  7.9 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Simple free hand-drawn animation
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Facts checked
  21 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Supports bitmap, vector, timeline, onion skinning, and camera layers
  • Exports video, GIF, APNG, and image sequences

• Where it doesn't

  • Focused on frame-by-frame animation rather than broader animation workflows
  • Desktop-only platform coverage
  • No verified rigging or integration features

Our verdict on Pencil2D

Pencil2D is free, open-source desktop software for traditional hand-drawn 2D animation. It is intended for users creating cartoons and other frame-by-frame projects, with bitmap and vector drawing workflows supported in the same application. The core workspace combines a frame-based timeline with onion skinning, keyframe copy and paste, perspective grids, and autosave. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it suitable for artists who want a no-cost desktop tool rather than a subscription product.

Its strongest area is the frame-by-frame workflow. Onion skinning shows previous and next frames, while the timeline organizes animation by frames and supports keyframe editing. A camera layer adds animated camera positions, and a sound layer can import audio and synchronize it with the timeline. These features give Pencil2D useful structure for hand-drawn sequences without shifting the product away from its narrow 2D focus. Users who want direct drawing and traditional animation controls should find the feature set well aligned with that use case.

Pencil2D also keeps the cost model straightforward: it is free and open source, with no paid tiers to compare. Finished work can be exported as movies, GIFs, APNG files, or image sequences, including PNG image sequences. The trade-off is scope. Pencil2D is better suited to artists who want a focused frame-based desktop application than to teams seeking broader animation systems, verified rigging capabilities, or integrations. Choose it for simple hand-drawn 2D projects; consider another tool if those wider production features are central to the workflow.

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Pencil2D pricing

Pencil2D fact sheet

Alternatives to Pencil2D

• Toon Boom HarmonyA focused 2D suite for hand-drawn, rigged, composited, and effects-driven animation.9.3
• BlenderA broad 3D suite for professional animation without software licensing costs.9.2
• Cinema 4DA broad desktop toolkit for motion design, 3D production, simulation, and rendering.9.1

See all Pencil2D alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

Pencil2D is listed in our Animation Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update