Want to bring your awesome ideas to life but don't have a fancy computer? No worries! There are tons of amazing animation apps right on your phone! These apps are perfect for making 2D cartoons, stop-motion videos, and even short films. You can draw, import images, and even use your phone's camera to create cool animations.
For beginners, FlipaClip is super easy to use and comes with loads of tools, while Draw Cartoons 2 lets you draw directly on the screen with a fun, cartoonish look. If you're feeling more adventurous, try Stop Motion Studio to make movies using real objects! No matter your skill level, you can find the perfect app to bring your creative vision to life.
| App | Logo | Available On | Reviews | Downloads | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. FlipaClip |  | Android, iOS | 4.5/5 | 60M+ | Frame-by-frame animation, Intuitive user interface |
| 2. Draw Cartoons 2 |  | Android | 4.6/5 | 18M+ | Character constructor, Keyframe animations, Voice over & music |
| 3. Stop Motion Studio |  | Android, iOS | 4.4/5 | 17M+ | Easy-to-use interface, Powerful movie editor, Unique titles and text cards |
| 4. Picsart Animator |  | Android, iOS | 3.4/5 | 11M+ | Animierte Sticker, Rahmenweise Zeichnung, Kostenlos nutzbar |
| 5. Clip Studio Paint |  | Android, iOS | 4.7/5 | 8M+ | 10,000 layers, 3D model posing, Multi-layer liquify |
| 6. Animation Desk |  | Android, iOS | 3/5 | 3M+ | Create frame-by-frame animation, Draw, storyboard, and animate ideas |
| 7. Animatic |  | Android, iOS | 4.6/5 | 669K+ | Frame-by-frame editing, Export to GIF and video, Fun and easy to use |
1. FlipaClip
Intuitive frame-by-frame animation, Multiple layers for complex scenes
Cost:
Free (Free), FlipaClip Pro ($19.99/year)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 60 million downloads |
| Features | FlipaClip offers a robust set of animation tools, including onion skinning, frame-by-frame drawing, customizable brushes, and sound effects, making it a powerful yet user-friendly platform for bringing your creative visions to life. |
| Who It’s For | FlipaClip is perfect for anyone looking to learn the basics of 2D animation or create fun and engaging animated videos. Its user-friendly interface and powerful features make it accessible to both beginners and experienced animators. |
| Keywords | n/a |
- Tags:
- Frame-by-frame animation
- Intuitive User Interface
- Powerful drawing tools
FlipaClip is a popular 2D animation app on mobile devices that allows users to bring their creative visions to life. While praised for its intuitive interface and powerful features, some users have reported frustrating bugs that can lead to lost progress and significant headaches. These issues, which include animations turning grey and disappearing, as well as unexpected pop-ups that erase progress, can be incredibly disheartening, especially for dedicated users who have spent hours on their projects. Despite these hiccups, many users still appreciate the app's core functionality and find it a valuable tool for learning and experimenting with 2D animation.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to use interface
- Great for beginners
- Supports various drawing tools
- Allows for frame-by-frame animation
- Buggy and prone to crashes
- Can lose progress unexpectedly
- Limited advanced animation features
Why we chose it?
FlipaClip is my go-to for 2D animation on mobile because it's packed with features that make creating awesome animations a breeze! I love the intuitive interface, which lets me focus on the fun part—bringing my ideas to life. And with the powerful tools for drawing, animating, and adding sound, I can create animations that look and feel amazing, all from my phone!
✨ Read more: app for animating photos
2. Draw Cartoons 2
Character constructor from scratch, Smooth animations by keyframes
Download:
Application information
| Category | 2d animation app |
| Downloads | Over 17 million |
| Features | Draw Cartoons 2 allows you to create and share cartoons with characters, backgrounds, and animations, complete with sound effects and music. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone interested in creating 2D animations, even if they have no prior experience. |
- Tags:
- Easy cartoon creation
- Character constructor
- Smooth animations
Draw Cartoons 2 is a powerful 2D animation app that empowers users to bring their creative visions to life on their mobile devices. While it offers a robust set of tools, including character creation, animation by keyframes, and even camera zooms, users have expressed concerns about some limitations. The app's hitboxes for resizing, rotating, and moving characters can be overly sensitive, leading to accidental changes that can ruin animations. Furthermore, the app's sound recording capabilities lack the flexibility of multi-take recording, and exporting to a phone can be challenging. Despite these issues, Draw Cartoons 2 remains a popular choice for beginners, thanks to its user-friendly interface, large community, and effective animation tools.
Pros & Cons
- Great 2d animation app
- Simple yet effective tools
- Large and active community
- Camera zooms and sound
- Crashes frequently, losing progress
- Paid features were free in v1
- Sound recording is limited
Why we chose it?
I absolutely love Draw Cartoons 2 for 2D animation! It's super easy to use, even for beginners, and lets you create awesome animations with its vast character library and intuitive tools. The ability to build smooth animations by keyframes and even add voiceovers or music makes it a complete package. Plus, you can easily share your creations, which is always a thrill!
✨ Read more: app for animated text
3. Stop Motion Studio
Overlay mode for frame comparison, Animation guides for easy positioning
Cost:
Free (Free), Pro ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Photography |
| Downloads | Over 17 million downloads |
| Features | Stop Motion Studio offers a simple interface, onion skinning, animation guides, frame manipulation, an interactive timeline, and various effects to create professional-looking 2D animations. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone interested in creating stop-motion animations, especially beginners looking for an easy-to-use and powerful 2D animation app. |
- Tags:
- Easy to use
- Full-featured
- Animation guides
Stop Motion Studio is a fantastic 2D animation app that lets you bring your creative visions to life frame by frame. Users praise its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced animators. While some features require an in-app purchase, the core functionality is free and robust enough to create engaging stop-motion animations. While some users have encountered occasional hiccups with exporting videos, the overall experience is positive, with many enjoying the collaborative potential of the app and the satisfaction of seeing their creations come to life.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to use for beginners
- Great for making stop motion
- Creates engaging animations
- Fun to use with friends
- Many features require payment
- Audio can be delayed sometimes
- Exporting videos is difficult
Why we chose it?
Stop Motion Studio is a fantastic choice for 2D animation because it's incredibly user-friendly, even for beginners. It has all the essential tools to bring your ideas to life, including frame-by-frame controls, onion skinning, and a timeline to keep your project organized. Plus, the app's intuitive interface and comprehensive tutorials make it a joy to use, allowing you to focus on your creativity and craft a truly engaging animation!
✨ Read more: app for 2d drawing
4. Picsart Animator
Frame-by-frame drawing tools, Animated stickers and effects, Easy-to-use animation controls
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 11 million |
| Features | Picsart Animator provides frame-by-frame drawing tools, animated stickers, layers, duplicate frames, Emoji Me features, and more for creating 2D animations. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone who wants to create 2D animations, from beginners to experienced animators. |
- Tags:
- Easy to use
- Free to use
- Full-featured
Picsart Animator is a powerful 2D animation app for mobile devices that lets you create cartoons and animated GIFs with ease. While it offers a user-friendly interface and a wealth of tools like animated stickers and frame-by-frame drawing, some users have expressed a desire for more customization options. They’ve noted the lack of a feature to create custom animated stickers, which could streamline the process of creating character animations. Despite this, the app is praised for its intuitive layout and ease of use, with many considering it one of the best finger-based animation studios available. However, some users have reported a persistent download glitch that prevents them from installing the app. While this bug is a major concern, the overall experience with Picsart Animator is positive, especially for those who appreciate its accessibility and fun features.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to use
- Good for finger animation
- Intuitive interface
- Free of ads (reported)
- No custom sticker creation
- Limited copy/paste functionality
- Download issues reported
- Clunky scene setup
Why we chose it?
Picsart Animator is a fantastic choice for 2D animation on mobile! I love how easy it is to use, even for beginners, with its intuitive tools and tons of animated stickers. Plus, you get a ton of power with features like frame-by-frame drawing, layers, and customizable movement. If you're looking to create fun, engaging animations, Picsart Animator has everything you need!
✨ Read more: app for making cartoons
5. Clip Studio Paint
Powerful animation tools, Intuitive timeline interface, Versatile drawing features
Cost:
Free Plan (Free), Monthly Plan ($4.99/month (USA))
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 8 million downloads |
| Features | Clip Studio Paint offers comprehensive 2D animation tools, including frame-by-frame animation, onion skinning, motion lines, and a robust timeline for creating professional-quality animations. |
| Who It’s For | 2D animators, artists, illustrators, and anyone who wants to create engaging animated content. |
- Tags:
- 3D model posing
- 10,000 layers
- Liquify tool
Clip Studio Paint, a popular 2D animation app among desktop users, takes a tumble on mobile. While lauded for its professional features and versatile brush library, the mobile version falls short of expectations. Users report a frustrating lack of pen pressure sensitivity, despite having the option to adjust it, making precise drawing a struggle. The layout also feels unoptimized, leaving users yearning for a dedicated tool change button. While the initial trial period offers a glimpse of the app's potential, the paid subscription doesn't seem to unlock the promised features, particularly the vital pen pressure sensitivity. This lack of consistency and optimization leaves many users questioning the value of the mobile app compared to its desktop counterpart.
Pros & Cons
- Professional-grade 2D animation tools
- Comprehensive brush and drawing features
- Powerful animation timeline and features
- Large community and resources available
- Pen pressure issues on some devices
- Unoptimized layout for mobile use
- Subscription model can be expensive
Why we chose it?
Clip Studio Paint is my go-to app for 2D animation on mobile because it's incredibly powerful and packed with professional features. I love that it has tons of brushes, customizable tools, and even a 3D model pose function that helps me get the perfect drawing every time. The animation timeline is super intuitive, letting me bring my characters to life with smooth, fluid movement.
✨ Read more: app for 3d animation
6. Animation Desk
Onion skin for smooth movements, Frame timeline for precise control
Cost:
Free (Free), Pro ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Entertainment |
| Downloads | Over 3 million downloads |
| Features | Animation Desk provides essential tools for 2D animation, including onion skinning, frame-by-frame editing, copy and paste, layers, brushes, erasers, color palettes, zoom, and more. |
| Who It’s For | Professional and amateur animators, storyboarding artists, and anyone interested in creating animated content. |
- Tags:
- Frame-by-frame animation
- Create Animated NFTs
- Versatile drawing tools
Animation Desk is a powerful 2D animation app for mobile devices that empowers users to bring their creative visions to life. While praised for its intuitive interface and useful tools like the cut tool for pasting animations across multiple frames, some users have encountered frustrating glitches. One user reported a bug that duplicated a single frame, wiping out their progress, highlighting the need for increased stability. Despite these drawbacks, the app has potential to be even more user-friendly with features like onion layering for smoother animation and more flexible background adjustments. With these improvements, Animation Desk could truly shine as a leading 2D animation app on mobile.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to use interface
- Multiple frame pasting
- Good for beginners
- Export GIF and video
- Frequent glitches occur
- No onion skinning feature
- Background sizing issues
Why we chose it?
Animation Desk is a powerhouse for 2D animation on mobile! It's packed with features you'd expect from a desktop program, like onion skinning and frame-by-frame control, but it's streamlined for easy use on your phone. I love the ability to create and export animated NFTs directly from the app – it's a game-changer for aspiring artists. Plus, the intuitive interface and powerful drawing tools make it a joy to use, no matter your skill level.
7. Animatic
Frame-by-frame animation editor, Export to GIF and video, Intuitive drawing tools
Cost:
Free (Free), Animatic Pro ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 669,000 downloads |
| Features | Animatic is a 2D animation app that lets you create flip book-like animations frame by frame, export them to animated GIFs and videos, and provides tools for drawing, importing images, and adding sound. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone who wants to create simple 2D animations, whether for fun or for professional use. |
- Tags:
- Frame-by-frame animation
- Export to GIF and video
- Intuitive Interface
Animatic is a delightful 2D animation app that empowers you to bring your creative visions to life on your mobile device. While users rave about its ease of use and intuitive drawing tools, there's a growing desire for more advanced features. Many users express the need for layers, improved zoom functionality, and a greater variety of drawing tools, such as rulers and paint options. The ability to rotate drawings and incorporate audio would further enhance the app's potential for creating sophisticated and expressive animations.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to create animations
- Good for simple drawings
- Intuitive drawing tools
- Great for beginner animators
- Lack of layer functionality
- Limited color options
- No rotation or zoom tools
Why we chose it?
Animatic is a fantastic choice for 2D animation on your phone because it's super intuitive and easy to use, making it perfect for beginners and seasoned animators alike. I love how it lets you create frame-by-frame animations with ease and then export them as GIFs or videos to share with the world. You can't go wrong with Animatic for creating awesome 2D animations!
8. Pix2D
Powerful sprite and pixel editor, Advanced layers functionality
Cost:
Free (Free), Pix2D Pro ($19.99/year)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 200,000 |
| Features | Pix2D offers a user-friendly interface for creating pixel art, sprites, and animations with tools like freehand drawing, brush settings, layers, and symmetrical drawing. |
| Who It’s For | Indie game developers, pixel artists, and anyone seeking a straightforward 2D animation app. |
- Tags:
- Modern UI
- Optimized for All Devices
- Powerful user interface
Pix2D is a powerful 2D animation app designed for mobile devices that allows users to create stunning pixel art and animated sprites. While its robust features like the pixel grid with coordinates and a comprehensive toolset make it ideal for game development, some users have noted performance issues like lag. However, the app's spirit and its ability to handle complex projects, along with the intuitive animation features, make it a worthwhile choice for those looking for a mobile-friendly 2D animation solution. Although a dedicated pan button would be a welcome addition, the ability to import projects from other art apps is a major advantage for users working across different platforms.
Pros & Cons
- Pixel grid with coordinates
- Powerful tools for 2D animation
- Intuitive interface for sprite creation
- Supports importing from other art apps
- Laggy performance on some devices
- No dedicated pan button for canvas
- Missing onion skinning for animation
Why we chose it?
I'm a big fan of Pix2D for 2D animation! It's super easy to use, even if you're a beginner. I love the intuitive controls and powerful tools, like the multiple brush types and advanced layering system. Plus, it's optimized for mobile which means I can create awesome animations anywhere I go!
9. VectorMotion
Free, Ad-Free Design Tool, Multi-Scene Animation Support, Advanced Timeline for Keyframes
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 93 thousand |
| Features | VectorMotion is a free 2D animation app that lets you create, edit, and animate vector shapes, layers, and scenes with a range of tools, effects, and advanced timeline controls. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone looking for a powerful and user-friendly 2D animation tool, from beginners to professionals. |
- Tags:
- Free Vector Design
- Advanced Timeline
- Extensive Layer Effects
VectorMotion is a promising 2D animation app for mobile that's brimming with potential. Users praise its intuitive vector drawing tools, describing them as "the best on Android," and appreciate the powerful animation features, which are sorely missed in other vector editors. While the app is still in development, with some rough edges regarding color selection and keyframing, the developer is responsive to feedback and actively working to improve the user experience. With features like SVG import and export on the horizon, VectorMotion is poised to become a go-to choice for mobile 2D animators.
Pros & Cons
- Powerful 2d animation tools
- Great vector drawing features
- Smooth animation experience
- Responsive and helpful developer
- Difficult to use keyframes
- No color picker/color wheel
- Lacks SVG/PDF export
Why we chose it?
VectorMotion is a fantastic choice for 2D animation on mobile! It's completely free with no ads, which is a huge bonus. The app packs a punch with its intuitive design tools, allowing you to create stunning vector animations with ease. I especially love the advanced timeline features and the ability to animate any editable property, making it a powerful tool for both beginners and experienced animators.
10. RoughAnimator
Onion skinning for smooth flow, Custom brushes for unique style
Download:
Application information
| Category | Art & Design |
| Downloads | Over 44,000 downloads |
| Features | RoughAnimator offers a comprehensive set of tools for traditional hand-drawn animation, including onion skinning, playback controls, custom brushes, audio import, video import for rotoscoping, and export options for various formats. |
| Who It’s For | Both professional animators and beginners looking for a powerful yet user-friendly 2D animation app |
- Tags:
- Unlimited layers
- Pressure Sensitive
- Audio import
RoughAnimator is a powerful 2d animation app for mobile devices that's praised by users for its intuitive timeline and smooth brush strokes. While some have experienced issues with audio syncing and a lack of transparent background export for videos, many find it superior to other flipbook animation apps. The app's responsiveness and overall usability make it a top contender for creating traditional frame-by-frame animation on the go.
Pros & Cons
- Smooth brush for drawing
- Intuitive timeline for animation
- Better than flipbook apps
- Great for 2d animation
- Audio issues during playback
- Cannot export transparent video
- Undo button deletes whole frame
Why we chose it?
RoughAnimator is my go-to app for 2D animation because it's packed with professional features that are surprisingly easy to use, even for beginners. I love how intuitive the interface is, making it a breeze to create smooth, expressive animation. Plus, the ability to import audio for lip-syncing and video for rotoscoping takes my projects to the next level!