OpenToonz
Focus: frame-by-frame. Shares 2d animation and open source with Synfig. Rated 4.3 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.3Visit
Desktop App
Synfig
Free, open-source 2D animation software for vector and bitmap artwork.
Rating
4.2 / 5
Pricing
Free
Difficulty
Intermediate
Works on
Windows, macOS, Linux
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What is Synfig?
Synfig Studio is free and open-source 2D animation software under the GNU GPL v3. It animates vector and bitmap artwork with tweening, bones and layers, so you do not have to draw every frame. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux; the latest version is Synfig Studio 1.5.5 (March 2026).
Pros: what Synfig does well
- Free and open source (GPL v3)
- Tweening and bones save drawing every frame
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
Cons: where it falls short
- Interface takes time to learn
- Smaller community than commercial tools
Who Synfig is for
Animators who want free vector and cut-out style 2D animation.
Who can skip it
People who only make quick animated social graphics.
Synfig alternatives
Not sold on Synfig? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
Pencil2D
Focus: hand-drawn. Shares 2d animation and open source with Synfig. Same 4.2 rating.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.2Visit
Ghostty
Focus: terminal, emulator and gpu. Shares open source with Synfig. Rated 4.9 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.9Visit
Blender
Focus: 3d, animation and vfx. Shares open source with Synfig. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.8Visit
fzf
Focus: fuzzy finder, command line and shell. Shares open source with Synfig. Adds Offline. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.8Visit
lazygit
Focus: git client, terminal ui and developer tool. Shares open source with Synfig. Adds Offline. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.8Visit
Free alternatives to Synfig
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
navi
Focus: terminal, cli and cheatsheet. Shares open source with Synfig. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.8Visit
ripgrep
Focus: search tool, command line and developer tool. Shares open source with Synfig. Adds Offline. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.8Visit
Upscayl
Focus: image upscaling, ai and electron. Shares open source with Synfig. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreeLinux, macOS
4.8Visit
VLC media player
Focus: media player, video player and codecs. Shares open source with Synfig. Adds iOS and Android. Rated 4.8 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.8Visit
Atuin
Focus: shell history, terminal and command line. Shares open source with Synfig. Rated 4.7 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.7Visit
AutoHotkey
Focus: hotkeys, macros and scripting. Shares open source with Synfig. Adds Offline. Rated 4.7 (Synfig: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, Offline
4.7Visit
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