Brush Ninja

Overview

Made by a UK-based maker founded in 2013, Brush Ninja keeps its scope focused on 2D animation. That focus is useful for straightforward animated artwork, but the absence of 3D modeling, character rigging, motion graphics, and cloud collaboration makes it a poor fit for broader production or team workflows. The free plan includes core animation tools and does not require an account, so there is no paid commitment just to get started.

For category comparisons, see our Animation Software and GIF Maker Software lists.

Key features

Animation and export formats

Brush Ninja supports 2D animation and exports GIF and WebM alongside PNG, JPG, PDF, ZIP image sequences, and its native .brushninja format. That variety makes it practical to create an animation, save individual frames, or produce still-image and document outputs from the same tool. It does not, however, add the production features that would make it suitable for 3D, rigged characters, or motion graphics.

Premium additions

Paid plans let users upload and animate their own images, use premium stickers and sound effects, remove adverts, and get priority email communication. These additions matter most to people who want to bring existing images into their animations or want a less ad-supported experience. The free plan is limited to core animation tools, so those extras require a subscription.

Pricing

Brush Ninja is freemium, with one free plan and two paid plans. Both paid options include the same listed features; the choice is between monthly billing and a lower annual cost.

• Free: 0.00 USD per free. Includes core animation tools and requires no account. It is the right place to begin if those tools are enough, but it does not include the listed premium additions.
• Premium monthly: 7.00 USD per month, billed monthly, with the option to cancel any time. It adds image uploads and animation, premium stickers, sound effects, advert removal, and priority email communication. Choose it if you need those extras without committing to annual billing.
• Premium annual: 48.00 USD per year, with the option to cancel any time. It includes the same premium features as the monthly plan at a lower cost over a year for users who expect to keep using them.

There are no listed account seats or usage quotas on these plans. The main trade-off is straightforward: stay free with the core tools, or pay for the image, sticker, sound, and advert-related additions.

Platforms

Brush Ninja supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. That range gives it broad device coverage, although cloud collaboration is not a feature for coordinating work across users.

Who it's for

Brush Ninja suits individuals who want to make 2D animations without creating an account or paying upfront, especially if GIF or WebM export is useful. Premium is a better fit for users who need to animate their own uploaded images or want its additional stickers and sound effects. It is not the right choice for users who need 3D modeling, character rigging, motion graphics, or cloud collaboration.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The free plan includes core animation tools with no account required, lowering the barrier to trying 2D animation.
• Pro: Exports include GIF, WebM, still images, PDF, ZIP image sequences, and a native format, providing several ways to use or keep the output.
• Pro: Premium has a monthly option and an annual option, and both can be cancelled any time.
• Con: Features such as uploading and animating personal images, premium stickers, and sound effects require a paid plan.
• Con: The lack of 3D modeling, rigging, motion graphics, and cloud collaboration rules it out for more complex or team-based workflows.

Alternatives

Choose FlexClip instead if you want a freemium option that supports online video projects, with a free plan capped at 12 projects, 10 minutes per video, and one stock video per project.

SSuite Gif Animator is a free alternative for Windows users who want freeware available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

MakeAGIF offers a free account with 10 seconds of video time, while its Premium Membership provides 20 seconds.

Terminalizer is a free, open-source option for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with its GitHub repository under the MIT license.

Gifox is a macOS alternative with a free Basic plan limited to 10-second screen recordings and a Pro option priced at 14.99 USD per month as a one-time purchase.

GIPHY Create is a free alternative for web, iOS, and Android.

LICEcap is a free alternative for macOS and Windows.

Piskel is a free alternative for Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.

Verdict

Brush Ninja is a good fit for individuals who want accessible 2D animation, broad export options, and a no-account free starting point. Its main reason to choose it is the combination of core tools at no cost and premium image-animation extras when needed. Look elsewhere if you need 3D, rigging, motion graphics, or shared cloud work.