What is 2D Animation?
What does '2D Animation' mean?
2D animation is a form of animation where characters, environments, and objects are created in a two-dimensional space using height and width, but no depth. This type of animation involves sequencing flat images, each slightly different from the last, to create the illusion of movement. Traditionally, 2D animation was hand-drawn frame by frame, but today it is mostly done using digital tools like Adobe Animate, Toon Boom, or After Effects. It’s widely used in cartoons, explainer videos, educational content, and mobile games due to its simplicity, stylistic flexibility, and lower production cost compared to 3D animation. The result is a visually engaging style that can be both playful and professional, depending on the context.
List of software with 2D Animation functionality
About the reviewer
Rajat Gupta is the founder of Spotsaas. Over the past two years, he has reviewed 2,000+ tools across CRM, HR, AI, and finance — applying hands-on product research and a background in commerce and the CFA program to evaluate software through a business and ROI lens. His goal: help teams make software decisions they won't regret.
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].