Animation Desk

Animation Desk is software for creating animations, cartoons, and animatics on iOS, Android, and Windows. Its tools include paint brushes, sketch layers, onion skinning, sound effects, and frame-rate settings. Users can build animations from video clips, photos, or pre-built templates, then apply stock collections, batch frame pasting, and effects to video or images; some features vary by app version. KDAN describes it for beginners, students, learners, and professional animators working on rough animation, storyboard sketches, or animatics. Projects can be exported as video, GIF, PDF, PSD, or image sequences, and editable projects can be exchanged among the Android, iOS, and Windows apps. The iOS listing also says animations can be sent to Photoshop for further editing. A free plan is available, with a Basic iOS plan listing five brushes, three sketch layers, three sequences, and one animatic storyboard. Animation Desk Pro for iOS is $2.49 a month, billed annually at $29.99. Creativity 365 for Individuals is $4.99 a month, billed annually at $59.99. KDAN says the app will remain available under existing paid plans but will not receive proactive new feature development or routine version maintenance updates.

Animation Desk offers a free starting plan and a range of animation and export tools across three platforms. KDAN says the app remains available under existing paid plans, but will not receive proactive feature development or routine version updates.

Animation Desk suits beginners, students, and professional animators making rough animation, animatics, or storyboards. It is also relevant to people who want to exchange editable projects across iOS, Android, and Windows.

Overview

Animation Desk is a drawing and animation app for making cartoons, rough sequences and storyboards. It is best suited to learners and animators developing ideas from drawings, photos or video clips. Its broad export options and cross-platform project exchange are useful, but basic controls and KDAN’s decision to stop proactive feature development narrow its appeal for long-term production work.

Key features

Paint tools, onion skinning, layers, sound effects and frame-rate settings cover the essentials for building animated sequences. Onion skinning helps artists compare neighboring frames, while layers and frame-rate controls provide some control over construction and pacing. The controls are basic, so Animation Desk is a better fit for rough animation and animatic sketches than for work requiring extensive animation control.

Projects can begin with video clips, photos or pre-built animation templates. Stock collections, batch frame pasting and effects for video and photos give users additional ways to assemble material, although some features are limited to particular app versions. Custom characters, scene templates and voiceover tools also support storyboard and animatic work.

Exports include video, GIF, PDF, PSD and image sequences, with a maximum resolution of 1080p. Editable projects can be exchanged across the Android, iOS and Windows apps, and iOS users can export animations to Photoshop for further editing. That range is practical for moving work between devices or handing files off, but the 1080p ceiling may not suit projects that require higher-resolution output.

Pricing

Animation Desk uses a freemium model and is free to download. The iOS Basic Plan includes 5 brushes, 3 sketch layers, 3 sequences and 1 animatic storyboard. Those caps give newcomers room to explore the workflow, but constrain users building larger projects or needing more drawing tools; no price is stated for this plan.

Animation Desk Pro iOS costs $2.49 a month, billed annually at $29.99. It expands the toolset to 46+ brushes and 8 sketch layers, removes sequence and storyboard limits, and adds watermark-free video and GIF exports, PDF and Photoshop exports, and 500 GB of KDAN Cloud storage. This is the clearest upgrade for iOS users who need fewer project limits and clean exports.

Creativity 365 for Individuals costs $4.99 a month, billed annually at $59.99. It includes Animation Desk Pro features on Android, iOS, Mac and Windows, plus advanced features in NoteLedge, Write-on Video and Markup and 1TB of KDAN Cloud storage. It makes more sense for someone who will use the broader app bundle and storage; an Animation Desk-only iOS user can pay less for Pro.

KDAN says Animation Desk will remain available under existing paid plans, but will no longer proactively develop features or provide routine version-maintenance updates. That policy is a meaningful concern for anyone committing to a subscription for ongoing work.

Platforms

Animation Desk is available on iOS, Android and Windows. The product supports editable-project exchange across those three versions, which helps users continue work on different devices. KDAN lists support for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows, with [email protected] as a contact address.

Who it's for

Animation Desk suits beginners, students and learners who want to practice animation, and professionals looking for a tool for rough animation, animatic sketches or storyboards. Its templates, media inputs and voiceover tools support early-stage ideas. It is less compelling for users who need advanced animation controls, exports above 1080p or an actively developed product.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Video, GIF, PDF, PSD and image-sequence exports cover several ways to share or continue editing work.
• Pro: Editable projects move across Android, iOS and Windows, and iOS exports can go to Photoshop.
• Con: Basic animation controls limit its fit for workflows that need detailed control.
• Con: KDAN has ended proactive feature development and routine version updates, a drawback for long-term reliance.
• Con: The maximum export resolution is 1080p, which may be insufficient for higher-resolution delivery.

Alternatives

For a different animation workflow, compare 2D Character Animation Software, Cartoon Maker Software and Animation Software.

Animaker is worth considering for a freemium option with a free trial and watermarked exports on its free plan. Animaze is another freemium choice; its Plus plan removes the watermark and adds access to Animaze Original content. Choose VTube Studio when Live2D model support, webcam or smartphone tracking, or voice-based lip-sync is the priority. Stick Nodes is a free option for stickfigure animation with automatic frame tweening and GIF export.

Live2D Cubism is another freemium option, with a monthly indie PRO plan at $13.26 a month. Plotagon offers an Academic plan at $3 a month for faculty, staff and students. RoughAnimator is a paid hand-drawn animation app with a one-time payment of $7.99 for its iPad and Android plans. Callipeg is paid software with one-time-purchase options, including a $5 a month Callipeg mini iPhone edition.

Verdict

Animation Desk is a sensible starting point for learners and a useful sketching tool for animators who value project exchange across mobile and Windows devices. Its free entry point and broad export formats are the strongest reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if advanced controls, higher-resolution exports or ongoing product development are essential.