--- title: "Pencil2D Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Pencil2D Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Vector Graphics products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/210781/Pencil2D/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # Pencil2D Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Pencil2D ## What is Pencil2D? Pencil2D is an open-source 2D animation solution. This cross-platform program runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, allowing users to draw and create animations. Users can switch between vector and raster workflows while animating. ## What is Pencil2D used for? [Animation](https://www.capterra.com/animation-software/)[Vector Graphics](https://www.capterra.com/vector-graphics-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 13 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive \- Neutral \- Negative \- Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Includes Free Version Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Pencil2D?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/pencil2d/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Pencil2D 4.2 (13) VS. [4.6 (1,244)](https://www.capterra.com/p/174232/adobe-express/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.2 (13) Ease Of Use 4.5 (450) Value For Money 4.7 (11) Value For Money 4.4 (380) Customer Service 4.2 (10) Customer Service 4.4 (335) ## Pencil2D alternatives [Adobe After Effects](https://www.capterra.com/p/233259/Adobe-After-Effects/) [4.7 (450)](https://www.capterra.com/p/233259/Adobe-After-Effects/reviews/) Starting price $31.49 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/233259/Adobe-After-Effects/) Highest Rated [CreateStudio](https://www.capterra.com/p/203897/Create-Studio/) [4.8 (580)](https://www.capterra.com/p/203897/Create-Studio/reviews/) Starting price $27.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/203897/Create-Studio/) [Powtoon](https://www.capterra.com/p/140321/PowToon/) [4.5 (429)](https://www.capterra.com/p/140321/PowToon/reviews/) Starting price $99.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 91% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/140321/PowToon/) [Krita](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/) [4.4 (84)](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 85% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/210781/Pencil2D/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Pencil2D Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Pencil2D? Pencil2D is most used by graphic, motion, vector, and web designers, along with artists and freelancers creating hand-drawn 2D animations, storyboards, and visual concepts. Students in architecture and programming use it to learn animation fundamentals and prototype ideas. Business and operations professionals can create simple explanatory animations or presentation visuals. Answer based on 13 reviews Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Pencil2D built for? Pencil2D is designed for graphic designers and other creative professionals who need free, open-source software for two-dimensional animation. It is best suited to small studios, freelancers, and teams in design, media, and animation work that rely on bitmap and vector graphics. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Pencil2D? Pencil2D offers 2D drawing and animation tools, plus image editing, image tracing, and text overlay for frame-based artwork. It also includes media import and data import/export, along with rendering and video editing features. Third-party integrations and a configurable workflow support project management and content handling. Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Pencil2D offer? Pencil2D provides videos as its training option. These videos can support introductory learning and act as a visual reference for teams getting started with the software. Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Pencil2D offer? Pencil2D provides email/help desk, FAQ/forum, knowledge base, and phone support. Support details are presented through these channels, giving users several ways to look for help or contact the team directly when questions come up. ## Features AI summary Based on 1,025 Vector Graphics reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of Vector Graphics software rank the following features as their top priorities: - **2D Drawing** (**48%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Text Editing** (**40%**) - **Data Import/Export** (**42%**) Pencil2D supports **2D Drawing** and **Data Import/Export**, giving teams the tools to create frame-by-frame visuals and move files in and out of the system as needed. However, it does not include **Text Editing**. Instead, it offers other features that reviewers also value, such as **Drag & Drop** (**34%**) and **Image Editing** (**29%**), helping businesses work faster with visual assets and adjust graphics more easily during the design process. 2D Drawing 4.4 (5) 80.00% of 5 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Drawing and modeling designs within 2D flat dimensions Drag & Drop 4.0 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components Rendering 4.6 (5) 80.00% of 5 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Generation of non-photorealistic images from a 2D or 3D model Animations & Transitions 4.0 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Ability to insert animations/transitions Media Import 4.5 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Import various types of media (e.g., images, presentations, videos, music, etc.) to be used in eLearning courses Text Overlay 4.3 (3) 33.33% of 3 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create text to match video content Pencil2D 15 features ### All Features - 2D Drawing: Drawing and modeling designs within 2D flat dimensions - Animation: Ability to insert animations/transitions - Animations & Transitions: Ability to insert animations/transitions - Configurable Workflow: Configure existing workflows to meet your organization's needs - Data Extraction: Automatically retrieve and pull information from documents, websites, images, data sets, and other sources - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Drag & Drop: Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components - Image Editing: Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing - Media Import: Import various types of media (e.g., images, presentations, videos, music, etc.) to be used in eLearning courses - Project Management: Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs and time needed to execute assignments - Rendering: Generation of non-photorealistic images from a 2D or 3D model - Text Overlay: Create text to match video content - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes - Video Content: Supports video files - Video Editing: Create professional looking videos by manipulating video footage with filters, special effects, trimming, filters and transitions --- Features 3.9 (13) 3.9 Based on 13 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.7 (11) Value for money 4.7 (11) 4.7 Based on 11 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.2 (10) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.2 (10) 4.2 Based on 10 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.2 Based on 13 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(5) 4(6) 3(2) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful Pragya J. Website Developer and Designer Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Pencil2D - The Best Free 2D Animation Software" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 10, 2021 A very good beginner-friendly 2D animation application. Best for personal use and for learning and practicing 2D animation. Best for people looking for a free tool for creating hand drawn animations on a computer. Pros 1)Beginner-Friendly - The User Interface is very easy and simple. Even a new user can pick up this tool in a few hours. 2)Completely Open Source - Free 2D animation software. You don't need to pay anything to use this application. 3)Cross-Platform - Can be used on any operating system or device. 4)Supports both Raster and Vector graphics. You can animate both Raster and vector assets. 5)Free to use, even commercially! It's completely free! 6)Comparitively works smoothly even on budget-friendly systems. You don't need a high-end system for the smooth running of this application. Yes, it works nicely on standard systems as well. Cons 1) Need to animate frame by frame which takes a lot of time and patience. 2) No 3D support. Can only create 2D animations. 3) Limited options compared to other animation software. 4) Not much used by professional studios. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Graphic design Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "pencil2d analysis" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 5/10 May 1, 2023 Very good, although it has some drawbacks and lacks a motion curve, but it is good at drawing in 2D Pros Very good in terms of use, tools, and video editing to add visual effects to it and ease of use Cons It is bad in terms of its reliance on manual knocking in the tires and its lack of framerate curve, and it cannot be used in motion graphics Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Motion Designer Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Good free frame-by-frame animating Software" 3.0 February 17, 2023 Pros I like how creative i could get with pencil 2d, it helps, when one knows how to draw. Cons I feel that pencil 2d needs more features to stand out, and then better UX for beginners. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer general Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "2d convenience Pencil2D" 5.0 September 14, 2021 pencil is a very good software for starting with in animation and graphic designing Pros pencil is straight forward it is user friendly. its rendering speed even in slow computers. its frame rate works perfect mostly for starters who are starting with 2d animation. Cons pencil UI is not colorfull enough.so its not easy to make realistic blending color Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VR Verified Reviewer Architecture and programming student Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Animation and open source" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 November 9, 2021 In general, it seems like a great software for someone who wants to enter the world of animation. Pros I love that it is open source software. It is very easy to use and the interface is very intuitive, it is also a very light program, it is totally free and runs on any operating system. Cons It is a software for beginners in my opinion, the animations are frame by frame, which is tedious after a while, and it does not support 3d animations. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Artist/ Designer Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Want something really neat for free? Here you go" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 September 8, 2021 Awesome at beginner-friendly hand-drawn animations. It's a no-frills-easy-to-navigate-and-learn 2D animation tool that I find works great on any system. I experienced no lags, just a smooth running format that has you creating with ease Pros It's FREE, user interface is delightfully basic which is a blessing for the newbies, supportive of both Vector and Raster graphics, and no pesky stalling when putting an animation together. Cons The frame by frame technique is how it's done here. No fancy tech frills, though for many this isn't a con Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Management Trainee Officer Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "The best tool to make Incredible 2D animations" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 11, 2021 I have a very nice and professional experience with Pencil2D, because I have created and designed a number of 2D animations using this software. I have found it so incredibly professional for my business and individual requirements. Pros Pencil2D is an amazing and professional tool that allows you to design 2D hand-drawn animations. The software is so easy to use so anyone can learn it easily. It's lightweight and runs almost on every operating system. Cons The tools, features and options of Pencil2D are amazing and fabulous. I never faced any issues and cons. According to my point of view, it's best without cons and issues. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer CEO Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "PENCIL2D WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 July 21, 2021 MY OVERALL EXPERIENCE WAS GOOD. COULD BE A BETTER SOFTWARE, BUT THIS ONE IS A GOOD ONE TO USE. Pros THIS PROGRAM WAS EASY TO FIND, EASY TO USE AND IT GOT THE JOB DID FOR ME IN THE NICK OF TIME! I USE IT ON A NORMAL NOW FOR WEEKLY USES! IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO GET THINGS DONE QUICKLY! Cons I LITERALLY UNDERSTOOD IT WAS A 2D SOFTWARE, I WAS LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THAT I COULD TYPE IN BECAUSE MICROSOFT WOUDLN'T PULL UP! I DON'T HAVE A BAD THING TO SAY ABOUT IT. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CO Christopher O. Student Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "My experience with Pencil2D" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 December 26, 2022 Pros As a digital artist, I usually try several kinds of drawing/painting softwares to see the differences of these softwares. The tools for 2D drawing is great and easy to use, I really haven't tried animation yet but I will do that pretty soon Cons Well I haven't seen anything that I like least about the software based on the capacity which I have been using it Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VR Verified Reviewer Senior Process Executive Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Decent software to step into the world of animation." 3.0 September 22, 2021 Pros Simple interface. Easy to move around the key frames Basic yet powerful feature set. Cons Some of the actions are not intuitive like rotating your drawings, no option to multiply layers, changing bitmap layer to lighter, shading layers. May not be suitable for advanced animations. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/210781/Pencil2D/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Krita vs Pencil2D](https://www.capterra.com/compare/209859-210781/Krita-vs-Pencil2D)