Spriter is a 2D game animation software that enables everyone (regardless of experience) to create 2D game animations easily.
Compared to traditional animations drawn by hand, Spriter animations are composed of individual sprites. The animation timeline allows them to be tweaked, transformed, and curled.
As a result, animations look great in less time and require significantly less art.
Spriter can also allow users to create skeletal animation. You can create your skeleton by using the bone tool.
Attach images to each bone, animate the bone to your desired keyframes, and the attached photos will move with the bones. The result is a fully-animated sprite.
Spriter has many features like pixel art mode to create pixel-perfect retro-style animation. There are also collision boxes to separate characters into specific collusion areas. You can add sounds and lip-sync to your Animes with Spriter’s Papagayo integration.
However, this program is lacking in some areas. For instance, some users have complained that there is no 2D Mesh, meaning you can’t rig multiple bones into one layer.
Other drawbacks are that it is a program that lacks versatility and its functionality is limited.
In this article, I explore various Spriter alternatives that allow you to create 2D animations, so you can determine which program is suitable for your needs.
Best Spriter Alternatives
1. Spine
First up is Spine. Spine is the most similar application to Spriter on this list. There have been debates on several forums and in the 2D community about these two software programs.
This is not a surprise because they have several similar features. For example, like Spriter, Spine only stores bone data, so you can pack your game with many exciting animations.
Spine also focuses on 2D animation for games. As a result, this software animation program requires fewer art assets so that the developer can spend more time and money on the game itself. In addition, animation keyframes can be reused across a variety of sprites.
Most times, the consensus is that Spine is the better program. Several factors influence this opinion, including the fact that it has meshes.
With mesh deformations, animations are fluid, less constrained, and more efficient without compromising the quality of traditional animations.
Other features of Spine include Texture Packer for Spritesheets and so much more!
Another advanced feature of Spine is Runtime. Just as Spine loads and renders animations, Spine Runtimes allows your game toolkit to do the same.
There are currently 19 game toolkits and seven programming languages supported by the Spine Runtimes. A total of 40 third-party runtimes are available.
Spine is also compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
You can export your Spine project to its own documented JSON and binary formats and file formats such as GIFs, PNGs, JPEGs, AVIs, etc.
You can try out Spine with a free version that includes all Spine Professional features, except the ability to save projects. After, you must choose between Spine Essential at $99, Professional at $329, and Enterprise at a base price of $2,299.
2. JPixel
Getting into pixel art animation is easy with JPixel. It’s as straightforward as they come.
It is not a compact tool like Spriter, but if you still find your bearings as a game designer, you will love its simplicity.
JPixel features all the tools you will find in a graphic editor like brushes, lasso, magic wand, etc. The layout and GUI (graphical user interface) is very intuitive, so you will find it easy to get the hang of it.
With JPixel, you can mockup your tileset (background), characters, and enemies. There are built-in layers so that you can organize your assets better.
And like Spriter, you can export your animations as Spritesheets and animated GIFS.
JPixel is free, but the developer accepts (and encourages) donations, so consider giving a little something if you decide to use JPixel.
On the whole, JPixel is an excellent starting point for a newbie pixel art animation. A tutorial would have been nice, but since it’s okay for just the basics, you’ll find help online reasonably quickly.
3. Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio is an open-source, free-to-use, and powerful 2D animation application for creating professional animation with vector or bitmap artwork.
Like Sprite, you can create a 2D animation of higher quality without having to develop it frame-by-frame, which saves time and resources.
Full-featured bones are another feature similar to Sprite, allowing you to create cutout animations using bitmap images or vector graphics. Apply complex deformations to bitmap artwork using the Skeleton Distortion layer.
But Synfig Studio isn’t just focused on creating 2D animation for games. It’s ideal for creating storyboards, animations, and movies. You can also use it as a digital painting tool.
The learning curve can be steep; however, you will appreciate what this program offers once you get up to speed.
It also has a Vector Tweening feature that allows you to switch from one vector shape to another!
With Synfig, you can control every aspect of your vector artwork. You only need to set the key positions, and the in-between frames will compute automatically.
This program is compatible with Linux, OS X, and Linux. But there are two download options: a stable version that has been tested and is suitable for daily use and a development version to try the latest experimental versions and bug fixes.
4. Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate is a powerful tool that helps you design high-quality interactive animations for games, the web, and TV shows. Adobe is an industry leader in Animator tools, so you can expect its animation software to be powerful.
Unlike other animation software on this list, you can create 3D animations with this tool. Also, you have to develop your animation frame-by-frame (you can’t have it all, right?).
Besides that minor caveat, Adobe Animate is a robust program with many features that enthrall you. You can use different effects to create great-looking animations.
You can create animated doodles and avatars and even make eLearning more digestible with graphs and charts.
It’s easy to publish to multiple platforms and reach viewers on any screen when you use Animate.
You can embed your animations into HTML5, Flash, or desktop clients with Adobe Animate. You can also export your animations in GIF, MP4, or SVG formats.
A new feature that has been introduced to this application is Modern Rigging. Modern Rigging lets you create animated characters easily by snapping key poses, then adjusting them individually. Thus, it makes it easy to create expressive animations.
Adobe Animate is free for seven days. After, you can purchase one of several Creative Cloud memberships starting from $24.14.
The Adobe Animate software is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
5. Pencil2D
Another Spriter alternative is Pencil2D. This free and open-source platform is a lightweight and easy-to-use program that allows you to create Sprite animations, just like Spriter.
Its minimalist design helps you to stay focused so you can focus on creating amazing animations. Pencil2D features everything you’d expect from an animation program, including bones, Spritesheet generation, keyframing, etc.
With Pencil2D, you can switch between raster and vector workflows seamlessly, allowing you to sketch, ink, and paint on the go.
This cross-platform tool can also work on Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD.
One other feature I admired about Pencil2D is that it provides plenty of learning resources for beginners. On the homepage, you can navigate to tutorials, where you will find several curated videos to guide you.
In addition, Pencil2D has a community in-app on Facebook, Discord, YouTube, and Tumblr. These are ample ways to learn, connect, and share ideas. It enriches the experience.
6. Autodesk Sketchbook
Do you love flipbook animations? If your answer is yes, you’ll love Sketchbook.
Like Spriter, Sketchbook can also help you create amazing 2D animations. However, Sketchbook animation is not only focused on games.
You can expand your creativity and use this tool for other things like storyboarding, character design, and other visual communications.
Secondly, you can only create animation on the desktop version of Sketchbook Pro for Windows and Mac.
You can sketch and paint in Sketchbook. But if you want Spritesheet creation, you’ll need to import the image to the Sketchbook Pro desktop version or Sketchbook Motion.
SketchBook Pro Desktop offers keyframes and timelines for flipbook animation to bring your images to life.
SketchBook Motion lets you create dynamic logos, ecards, and classroom projects, turn an image into a moving story, and enhance your presentations.
On Sketchbook, you can find different brushes, pencils, inking tools, and more to enhance your drawings. The program has all the relevant tools you can expect from a professional-grade app.
Sketchbook’s interface is simple and unobtrusive. According to the developers, working in Sketchbook is like drawing a piece of paper. When sketching, you can conveniently tuck away tools and palettes until you need them.
This application is available on Windows, Mac Os, and Android. The desktop versions cost $19.99, while the mobile versions are free.
You’ll like this app if you don’t mind importing your sketches to SketchbookPro or Sketchbook Motions to access the animation tool.
7. Moho Debut 13.5
In general, beginner-friendly software is rare. Several applications have tutorials to help novice users get up to speed, but as the number of features and tools increases, so does the learning curve. Moho Debut 13.5 is an exception.
This program has a simple interface and provides a complete learning path. It’s designed for first-timers but offers enough features to make it worthwhile for intermediate users.
You’ll learn how to use every Moho tool and feature to its full potential through automatic roll-over tips, sample files, built-in tutorials, and video demos.
Additionally, there is an asset library with pre-created characters, stock audio, props, scenes, videos, scatter brushes, and more.
Moho Debut 13.5 aims to help people learn how professionals build their characters, riggings, and scenes. Use the pre-built content or create your own.
Moho’s powerful vector drawing tools let you design your own characters and objects. Get started by drawing directly in Moho or importing your favorite digital images and artwork.
Audio recording and sound effects are also impressive features of Moho Debut 13.5. This feature lets you create custom audio clips or import existing ones into your project.
Whether it’s pitch, timing, or length, you can adjust everything of your sounds directly in Moho Debut’s timeline. The best part is that Moho supports several media files, including WAV, mp3, m4a, AIFF, WMA, and many more.
Moho also supports lip-syncing like Spriter. Unlike Spriter, Moho comes with an in-built tool that doesn’t require a third-party app.
Windows and Mac are the two supported platforms. You can buy Moho Debut 13.5 for $59.99.
8. Pro Motion
Pro Motion is another game-focused 2D animation program like Spriter.
It is a pixel drawing and animation software designed for creating detailed graphics for mobile games and portable game consoles. A lightweight graphics engine like this is also perfect for creating web games.
In Pro Motion, the image and animation layer features allow you to tween your elements. It is possible to animate individual components as well as groups of elements. Grouped elements support multiple layers.
Other advanced features are Tile and pattern drawing, Onion skinning/light table, and Tiler map engine. This program also contains special game development tools, including Sprite sheet support, RGB channel depth, a Color constraints engine for checking graphics against legitimate hardware limitations, and more.
The application supports more than 13 file types including .spr, .avi, JPEG, .ico, . gif, and many others. Pro Motion supports both Windows and Mac.
Pro Motion has a freemium plan with limited features and a paid version for $39.
9. Harmony 21
Next on the list is an Emmy-winning 2D animation software – Harmony 21.
Harmony 21 is an industry-leading 2D animation program developed like Spriter to create animation for games. But Harmony 21 can also be used to create animations for TV shows, feature films, and other projects.
With Harmony, you can give more life to your features and series. This program comes with all the Spriter features. It also includes more advanced features, including the Shine effect, Rigid point deformers, and more.
Harmony 21 delivers a stunning 4K resolution output. You can use Harmony’s storyboarding tools to create better-looking storyboards.
The program contains audio editing tools and music composition. You can import audio and MIDI files.
Harmony supports more than 10 file types, such as PSD, obj, and many others. You can also import EPS files, giving you more drawing possibilities.
You get a sense that Harmony 21 is a pretty high-end program from just scrolling through the interface. Here’s the thing: the developers don’t shy from it. They say they do not have the lowest price but offer high-quality tools.
This software is available in three versions: Essential comes with the fundamental tools you require to draw, paint, and animate. Advanced is for freelancers, studios, or anyone that needs more, and Premium is optimized for schools, freelancers, and small businesses.
Harmony 21 is only available on Windows and Mac OS.
Also Read: Best SketchFab Alternatives
10. Powtoon
Powtoon is a sophisticated presentation tool that lets you create animated videos. It differs from Spriter in that it focuses more on presentations than 2D animations for games, whereas Spriter is more oriented toward games.
HR departments, marketing, and sales teams use Powtoon as a visual aid.
Powtoon allows you to create animated videos that combine text, images, and music. For narration, you can also record your voice.
Powtoon allows you to add text, shapes, icons, and images. There are more than 40 ready-made templates to choose from for your project. You can edit these templates to suit your needs.
Powtoon supports up to 12 file types, including SlideShare, MP4, PDF, PowerPoint, and others.
Powtoon has three pricing plans: Pro, Pro+, and Agency, with the lowest tier starting at $89/month or $240/year.
Here’s something to note: Your subscription determines the length of a Powtoon slide. For instance, the maximum duration of a Powtoon animation with a free subscription is three minutes.
To start creating with Powtoon, sign up for a free plan (requires email) and start creating.
The user interface is clean and the animation tools let you create professional-looking animations in minutes (no coding required).
Powtoon is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and the web.
11. TupiTube
Among the best 2D animation apps for introducing little kids, teenagers, or even novices to animation is TupiTube.
TupiTube is an open-source application for creating and sharing 2D animation. This app is available on mobile, Windows, Mac OS, and Unix-like operating systems.
The two major advantages that TupiTube has over Spriter are; first, it is free to use, meaning little kids and teens can doodle, draw, and create animations without sapping their savings.
Second, it has a robust online community, where youngsters can develop animations, upload them, and learn from other users.
Users can find templates or create their own.
TupiTube supports vector drawings, image layers, text, filters, and more.
You can also import PNG, JPG, GIF, OGG, and more.
To start creating animations with TupiTube, you’ll need to download the application from the website.
Upon downloading, you can install the application and start creating animations.
TupiTube supports three languages: English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
TupiTube will not stack up against Spriter in terms of professional 2D animation. But if you are starting your animation journey or have a little one (or teen) who wants to dabble in animation, TupiTube is an excellent choice.
Also Read: Best Piskel Alternatives
12. Stop Motion Studio
Stop Motion Studio is different from Spriter and any other software on this list because, despite being a 2D animation program, it animates physical objects rather than hand-drawn characters.
Stop Motion Studio is an app that allows you to make stop motion videos. An animated film using stop motion is created by physically manipulating objects between each frame of an individual photograph to create the illusion of independent movement.
Stop Motion Studio is excellent for making lego-based videos, but you can use it to create almost anything.
Unlike Spriter, which deploys modular animation, Stop Motion Studio uses frame-by-frame rendering. A frame-by-frame view lets you see all your photos chronologically, much like a movie.
Stop Motion Studio allows you to create In and Out points for playback and looping effortlessly. After that, animate the sequence using loop playback.
Hundreds of sound effects and music clips are included in Stop Motion Studio for you to use in your film.
The voice-over track in your movie can bring your characters to life. Add funny audio effects such as how an alien, radio station, or robot sounds. You can trim the audio clip, fade in and out, or change the volume.
Stop Motion Studio has an intuitive user interface. With the app, you can paint as you would on a canvas with different painting tools.
You can adjust brush size and strength and create multiple layers to define background and foreground objects.
Various devices, including Windows, iOS, Mac OS, Android, and Amazon Fire HD, are compatible with Stop Motion Studio.
Stop Motion Studio costs $4.99 across all mobile platforms and $9.99 for Windows and Mac.
Wrap Up
Many of the 2D animation programs on the above list are similar, so deciding which software is the best Spriter alternative was tricky. However, Moho Debut 13.5 edges it for me.
Here’s why: First, Moho Debut is a beginner-friendly application with the capability to cater to even more experienced users.
There are enough tutorials and other learning resources to ensure novice (and even advanced) users get quality results.
Second, Moho debut has an in-built lip-syncing tool that eliminates the need for using a third-party tool. Moho Debut’s timeline allows you to adjust everything from pitch to duration.
In addition, the sounds can be easily synced to a character’s mouth movements.
And finally, the one-time fee of $59.99 is a good deal.
