Pencil2D
Pencil2D is free, open-source desktop software for making hand-drawn 2D animations, including commercial work.
What Pencil2D is
Pencil2D is free, open-source desktop software for making hand-drawn 2D animations, including commercial work. It supports raster and vector workflows for sketching, inking and painting. The timeline handles keyframes, while dockable tool and color windows accompany an unlimited canvas with a camera field. Onion skin can display drawings from before and after the current keyframe, with controls for their number and transparency. Sound can be imported through a sound layer, though waveform display is pending implementation. Listed export formats are MP4, WEBM, AVI, GIF, APNG and PNG image sequences. Pencil2D runs on Windows, macOS and Linux; its homepage also names FreeBSD. Stable downloads are listed for Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.14 or later on Intel, and 32-bit and 64-bit Linux. Video importing, text and shape tools have not been implemented. For help and learning, the project points users to its forum, Discord, tutorials, FAQ and user manual. The download page warns that legacy builds lack the latest security fixes and may receive less support.
Good
- Free and open source, including for commercial use
- Switches between raster and vector workflows
- Onion skin controls drawing count and transparency
- Exports MP4, WEBM, AVI, GIF, APNG and PNG sequences
Watch out
- Video importing is not implemented
- Text and shape tools are not implemented
- Waveform display is still pending
Who it suits
Pencil2D suits people looking for a free desktop tool for hand-drawn 2D animation, with raster and vector options. It can also suit commercial projects, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Verdict
Pencil2D provides core hand-drawn animation tools and several export formats at no cost. Its unimplemented video, text and shape tools may matter for some workflows.
Plans and prices
From Pencil2D's own pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Open source · Free for commercial use · Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD |
| Pencil2D | Free | Free to use, even commercially · Open source |
The facts
Each one read from Pencil2D's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- 2D animation tools
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
- Animation tools
- The manual describes a timeline for keyframes, dockable tool and color windows, and an unlimited canvas with a camera field.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Audio import
- The FAQ documents importing sound through a sound layer and says a waveform display is pending implementation.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Canvas
- The manual describes an unlimited canvas with a configurable camera field that defaults to 800x600 pixels.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Command-line export
- GetApp describes movie export through a command line as an automation capability.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Current release
- The download page lists version 0.7.2 as the current stable release, updated 13 March 2026.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Custom shortcuts
- Keyboard shortcuts for tools and commands can be edited in Preferences.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Developer documentation
- Developer documentation targets contributors using C++ and Qt and includes build instructions for macOS, Linux and Windows.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Official documentation includes a user guide, tutorials, FAQ, user manual and a reference manual described as an initial work in progress.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Export
- The FAQ gives instructions for exporting animated GIFs.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Export formats
- MP4,WEBM,AVI,GIF,APNG,PNG image sequencechecked 21 Sep 2026
- Feature limits
- The FAQ says video importing, a text tool and a shape tool have not been implemented.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- GetApp reports that no integrations were found for Pencil2D.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Known vector limitation
- The 0.7.2 release notes call the vector engine a work in progress and advise against using it for serious projects.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Legacy-build warning
- The site warns that legacy builds may lack the latest security fixes and may receive less support.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Licence
- The GitHub repository identifies the project licence as GPL-2.0.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: advanced timing
- Creative Bloq reports that Pencil2D lacks advanced tools for retiming and adjusting keyframe speeds.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: feature depth
- Reviewers say Pencil2D has fewer features than competing animation software and needs better beginner UX.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: frame-by-frame workflow
- GetApp reviewers say frame-by-frame animation requires substantial time and patience.checked 14 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Additional platforms
- The homepage says Pencil2D runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Cross-platform support
- The official site lists Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD support.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Desktop platforms
- The stable download page provides builds for Windows 7+, macOS 10.14+ (Intel), and 32-bit and 64-bit Linux.checked 2 Oct 2026
Money
- Free and open source
- The software is open source and free to use, including for commercial use.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
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