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12 Best Crayon Alternatives in 2026, Free Options Included

Explore 12 alternatives to Crayon, vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Compare 12 top free Crayon alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Our top free animation software alternatives to Crayon are Raw Shorts, Mari and Vyond. Raw Shorts ranks first with a SpotScore of 8.5 and 2★ from real users. The table below compares all 12 on score, rating, and pricing.

Switching away from Crayon is easier when you know which tools actually deliver. These 12 animation software free alternatives earned their spots on SpotScore (verified user satisfaction plus market presence), star ratings, and pricing. Our editors vet each one. The table gives you the quick comparison; the sections below give you the why.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Raw ShortsUnleash your creativity with RAW SHORTS!8.5★★☆☆☆ 2(3)Freefrom $39/moteams of all sizes
MariBring your animation to life with Mari.8★★★★★ 4.5(20)Freefrom $54.91/moteams of all sizes
VyondUnleash your creativity with engaging animated videos.9.8★★★★★ 4.69(220)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
AnimakerUnleash your creativity with simplified animation.9.4★★★★★ 4.82(738)FreeFreemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Krikey AITransform your animations with cutting-edge AI technology.9.1Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
DeepMotionUnleash lifelike animations with cutting-edge Motion Intelligence.9.1★★★★☆ 4(3)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionmid-size companies
HarmonyUnleash your creativity with efficient animation software.8.9★★★★★ 4.7(22)FreeFree Trial · One-time license · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
Animatron StudioBring your ideas to life with animated magic.8.7★★★★☆ 4.37(19)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
Adobe Character AnimatorBring your 2D characters to life effortlessly.8.6★★★★☆ 4.44(37)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Loading.ioElevate your websites with seamless animation.8.6Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
Adobe After EffectsTransform your imagination into moving masterpieces.—★★★★★ 4.59(1055)Freefrom $20.99/moteams of all sizes
jitterUnleash your creativity with jitter animation software.—★★★★★ 5(4)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses

8.5

SpotScore

Raw Shorts - Animation Software

Raw Shorts

Unleash your creativity with RAW SHORTS!

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Raw Shorts?

RAW SHORTS is the definitive 3D character animation software for kids. RAW SHORTS makes it easy for kids to create their own characters, import them into an environment, add backgrounds and props and make amazing animated shorts with just a few clicks of the mouse. With more than 40 fun studio ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Raw Shorts offers custom pricing plan

8.0

SpotScore

Mari - Animation Software

Mari

Bring your animation to life with Mari.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Mari?

Mari is a 2D animation software that enables users to paint animation directly onto the storyboard. This provides a flexible method of concepting ideas, blocking out scenes and coloring in frames while animating. Mari also allows user to create new brushes or combine several brushes together. ...

Read more about Mari
Free TrialTry Free →

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9.8

SpotScore

Vyond - Animation Software

Vyond

Unleash your creativity with engaging animated videos.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Vyond?

Vyond is an AI-powered video creation platform designed to help businesses produce high-quality animated videos quickly and easily. Built for L&D professionals, HR teams, marketers, agencies, and enterprise teams, Vyond simplifies the video-making process with tools like Vyond Go, which turns ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $58/month when yearly

9.4

SpotScore

Animaker - Animation Software

Animaker

Unleash your creativity with simplified animation.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

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What is Animaker?

Animaker is powerful movie-making software that makes it possible for anyone to build professional-quality animation. Developed by a team of animators and video editors, Animaker has all the features of high-end, professional software, but with the intuitive drag-and-drop ease a beginner can ...

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Starts from $10/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.1

SpotScore

Krikey AI

Krikey AI

Transform your animations with cutting-edge AI technology.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

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What is Krikey AI?

Transform your animations with Krikey AI, the premier AI Animation Maker in the industry. Bridging the gap between creativity and technology, Krikey AI boasts a suite of cutting-edge tools tailored for professionals seeking to revolutionize the animation creation process. Our innovative ...

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Starts from $13.33/month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.1

SpotScore

DeepMotion

DeepMotion

Unleash lifelike animations with cutting-edge Motion Intelligence.

Best for: Mid-market

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is DeepMotion?

DeepMotion is a cloud-based motion capture and animation platform built by veterans from Pixar, Microsoft, and Ubisoft. It uses physical simulation and AI to generate realistic animations of digital characters performing movements like parkour, dancing, martial arts, and athletics, serving ...

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8.9

SpotScore

Harmony - Animation Software

Harmony

Unleash your creativity with efficient animation software.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Harmony?

Harmony was created specifically for independent animation studios and is ideally suited for the production of tv series, features, commercials and games. Harmony's state-of-the-art interface facilitates natural workflow with integrated artistic and technical tools that accelerate productivity. ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $20/Month

8.7

SpotScore

Animatron Studio - Animation Software

Animatron Studio

Bring your ideas to life with animated magic.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Animatron Studio?

Animatron Studio is a powerful animation suite used by professionals and amateurs. Best for simple to complex 2D animations utilizing cut scenes, character control, effects, titles, and transitions. User can incorporate rich media into the films like photos, pictures and audio to create ...

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Starts from $15/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

8.6

SpotScore

Adobe Character Animator - Animation Software

Adobe Character Animator

Bring your 2D characters to life effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

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What is Adobe Character Animator?

Adobe Character Animator is a new tool that allows user to create computer-animated 2D characters that look and move just like hand-drawn characters. With an intuitive interface and powerful animation tools, it lets user quickly create expressive hand-drawn animations in minutes. Create any ...

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Free Trial·

Adobe Character Animator offers custom pricing plan

8.6

SpotScore

Loading.io - Animation Software

Loading.io

Elevate your websites with seamless animation.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Loading.io?

Quickly and easily create an animated walk-through on the website. With no coding required, user can add Loading.io to the site in a few simple steps and start giving people a preview of what's inside. Add captions to images, and apply a variety of timing options to make animations run ...

Read more about Loading.io

Starts from $3.33/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

Adobe After Effects - New SaaS Software

Adobe After Effects

Transform your imagination into moving masterpieces.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Adobe After Effects?

Adobe After Effects is a leading digital visual effects, motion graphics, and compositing application used in the film, TV, video, and web industries. With its industry-standard tools, you can turn any idea into a dynamic multimedia masterpiece. Create visually-arresting content and make them ...

Read more about Adobe After Effects
Free TrialTry Free →
jitter - Animation Software

jitter

Unleash your creativity with jitter animation software.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is jitter?

jitter is animation software that gives user the freedom to create virtually any kind of animated production. jitter is perfect for everything from interactive art exhibitions to cartoon shorts, from stop-motion movies to experimental web pages, from digital signage displays to full-blown ...

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Crayon vs its closest competitors

Crayon competes with 12 other animation software tools tracked on Spotsaas. The closest by feature overlap are Raw Shorts, Mari and Vyond. Each is compared against Crayon on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Tools similar to Crayon

Searches for "sites like Crayon" and "apps like Crayon" land on the same set of options as "Crayon alternatives" — the 12 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

What each Crayon alternative is best known for

Raw Shorts8.5Best for teams of all sizes

Easy character creation

Watch for: Limited to children's content

Mari8Best for teams of all sizes

Industry standard texturing application for professional CG industry, user-friendly with essential features.

Watch for: Steep learning curve for newcomers without proper support due to the richness of features.

Vyond9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Vyond offers a wide variety of ready-to-use props, backgrounds, and animations, making it easy to create custom clips for various scenarios.

Watch for: Some users may find Vyond intimidating due to the richness of features and customizations available, especially without proper support for newcomers.

Animaker9.4Best for teams of all sizes

User-friendly interface with a variety of templates and features for easy and fun animation creation.

Watch for: Might require clicking around to explore options if not familiar with the interface.

Krikey AI9.1Best for teams of all sizes
DeepMotion9.1Best for mid-size companies
Harmony8.9Best for teams of all sizes

Enables creation of professional 2D animations with advanced tools and flexibility.

Watch for: Learning curve can be steep initially due to the complexity of features, requiring time and effort to master.

Animatron Studio8.7Best for teams of all sizes

Powerful 2D animation tools

Watch for: Complex features may overwhelm beginners

Adobe Character Animator8.6Best for teams of all sizes

Integrates a wide range of design applications suitable for various creative professionals, enhancing versatility.

Watch for: The vast array of features in Adobe Creative Cloud can be overwhelming for newcomers without adequate support.

Loading.io8.6Best for small & mid-size businesses

Easy integration

Watch for: Limited advanced features

Adobe After EffectsBest for teams of all sizes

Industry-standard tools

Watch for: Steep learning curve

jitterBest for small & mid-size businesses

Versatile animation capabilities

Watch for: May require technical knowledge

How to find the right Crayon replacement

The 12 animation software free alternatives compare like this on the specifics: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $20.99–$54.91, with Adobe After Effects the cheapest entry point; and jitter is the highest rated at 5★ across 4 reviews.

How each tool earns its spot.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Crayon are jitter (5.0★), Animaker (4.8★), Harmony (4.7★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Crayon, prioritize: Animation, Drag and Drop, Customizable Layout, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Crayon is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to choose the right Crayon alternative for you

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Raw Shorts, Mari and Vyond let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: jitter has the strongest star rating (5★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Raw Shorts has the highest Spotsaas Score (8.5) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Moving off Crayon

Before retiring Crayon, take the cautious route. Export your data, make sure the new tool accepts it, and confirm the workflows you rely on transfer. Pilot on a free tier or trial, then go all in, leaving Crayon active until migration finishes.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].