10 Best Animation Software in the Philippines 2024 | Blender, Autodesk Maya, Cinema 4D, and More

Blender is a professional 3D animation software that can be used for 3D modeling, texturing, and raster graphics editing when creating animated feature films and architectural visualizations. The best thing about this software is that it's open-source and absolutely free.

It lets you create an armature for your 3D model wherein designing a skeleton allows you to determine the location and movement of its limbs and the harmony amongst other parts. You can specify how each part affects the other in a process called rigging. 

Combining live-action footage with CGI is possible with the software's seamless integration and camera tracking. You can even capture facial motions by using markers on the actor's face. This app is newbie-friendly and among the best free 3D animation software today.

A fan favorite for many years now, Autodesk Maya is a professional's choice when it comes to animation production. Many blockbuster films and TV series, such as the Transformer, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones, are proof that the software is on a different level. 

This animation software lets you do complex tweaks in the simplest user interface possible. Models done in Maya are represented by nodes that are easily manipulated with only a few keystrokes. It comes with an advanced computer-generated compositing program that allows the combination of rendered 3D elements with recorded film sequences. 

Processing winged models and quadrupeds are easier because of its auto-rig tool. Various automation tools for curves or paths are available which is a telling sign that the software is expertly done. And if you're a student, you might have a chance to use the software for free!

Ease of use is what Cinema 4D brings to the table. There are several ways this 3D animation software tackles the task with its array of intuitive tools for character creation. You can record your mouse action as position data, use forward and inverse kinematics, or set up cyclical movements with a parametric tool.

Cinema 4D allows you to export preview renders so you'll be able to submit them to clients for approval. The real-time viewport is constantly updated as you work on your model so you can see the results of the changes you made to your model. 

A feature called Scene Reconstruction creates a setup that marries several scene components in a precise way. New features are released by the software where presets for rendering cars, placement tools, and a scene manager are ready for use. This app is used by popular companies like Walt Disney, Facebook, and Apple, to name a few.

Another great animation software that is free and open-source for 2D animation is Pencil2D. Basically, you can choose between two types of animation styles: Bitmap and Vector graphics. Bitmaps can be created quicker and could appear more natural for artists. 

With vector graphics, any mistake can be rectified instantly by pulling the vector line into its correct shape. Both styles can be combined in a single scene since they can be assigned on separate layers. If you're into sketching, the app works fine with tablets and stylus pens, but there are instances that some tools won't work on both layers. 

Game makers can take advantage of this free software to create looped 2D scenes for classic 2D video games. This is probably the best 2D animation software for beginners on different operating systems.

One of the world's most popular 2D animation software is Animate, developed by Adobe Inc. It is a vector-based designing software that was first launched in 1996. Formerly known as Macromedia Flash, it is used to design vector graphics and animations for TV series, web applications, and game development.

Packed with various features, it is simple to use and perfect for kids who want to test their skills in the animation industry. The software automates the Inbetweening or tweening process, a simple way of transitioning from image to image which shows an illusion of movement. 

Adobe Animate offers 100GB of cloud storage and provides access to Portfolio, Fonts, and Spark. This software is not intended for professional animators and is more suitable for beginners or newbies who want to start harnessing their creative side.

If you're looking for an excellent whiteboard animation app without frills, you should download Doodly. With this app, create professional-looking doodle clips, not only on a whiteboard, but also on a blackboard, glass board, and green board backgrounds. You don't need to have extraordinary skills since this is a simple drag-and-drop solution.

Doodly's smart draw technology allows a user to upload their own photos and create customized drawing paths. Plus, it has a library of pre-made doodle sketches, music, and characters to make explainer videos in an instant. There are also 20 different background scenes and hundreds of assets that cover various topics and niches.

Easily save and share your videos on several social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or your own website. If you're having issues with the app, Doodly has a responsive customer care team to assist you.

Adobe After Effects is where you can create 2D animations, motion graphics, and 3D animation, to a certain extent. If you have experienced Premiere Pro and Character Animator before, then you will be able to have full integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. 

You can get files from Photoshop or Illustrator and import them to After Effects, so you can collaborate with others. The best thing about After Effects is its puppet tool that is both intuitive and convenient. Its Animation System is perfect for creating VR videos, intros, transitions, or movie titles all in a single place.

Unfortunately, this software is not recommended for beginners due to the steep learning curve. It might take time if you're not familiar with any of Adobe's image editing applications. It may not also be great for frame-by-frame animation, but still, the software has many tools and features to design a 2D or 3D production.

PixTeller is an online animation software and an image editor, too. It is a type of marketing tool used by social media and web app solution providers to service agencies and enterprises. The software allows users to create GIFs, posters, logos, banners, invitations, and thumbnails. The interface is easy to explore, and the features are pretty straightforward.

With access to over 100,000 templates, PixTeller has a repository of over 1.5 million photos and 5,000 animations. Its pixbot automatically creates templates if you want to produce animated videos and images. Every design produced on PixTeller starts and ends with the use of its animator maker tool and image editor.

The app helps its subscribers to bring ideas to life by using pre-made graphic templates that turn photos, words, and drawings into animated images and videos. This online animation software also allows its users to download and share the projects they did with other team members.

Beginners and media professionals will enjoy using Animaker to create live-action videos and animations. Whether you need an explainer, a presentation, a text, or a logo animation, you can easily create them through the software. Animaker is proud to say that they have over 20 million video creators and 9 million users worldwide.

This DIY animation creator is a drag-and-drop builder with over 100 million stock photos and videos, plus more than 1,000 templates available. You can also edit and share your content on social and multimedia platforms. On optimized browsers, the visual content creation has a seamless performance because of the HTML5 Engine. 

As beginner-friendly software, there is no coding needed, and it is available in several languages. You can also get high-quality videos since it allows editing of videos in 4K resolution. Experience a rich video editing suite that the Animaker has to offer.

If you've already seen the movies Coraline, The Boxtrolls, or the TV series Shaun the Sheep, you might have already witnessed the power of Dragonframe. It is an industrial-grade stop motion animation app that has a solid performance. The 3D software lets you take charge of the camera through comprehensive settings, such as aperture, ISO, and shutter speed.

You can begin your project with drawing tools that will outline the motion paths. You can control the lights on the environment while focusing on the hands-on animation. Onion-skinning is also possible, which allows you to move the objects and background in increments. 

The software also has support for various camera brands like Canon, Nikon, or Sony. To solve the complex animation of facial movements, you can import face sets as reference materials into Dragonframe. Recording and adjusting stereoscopic 3D movies is also possible.