Best Cartoon Maker Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Animaker is ranked #1 of 30 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Powtoon and Live2D Cubism. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Powtoon. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Doratoon at £5/mo.
Cartoon-making tools can support very different workflows, from shaping character animation to assembling scenes and adding spoken audio. Compared on animation controls, custom characters and automatic lip sync, the entries also vary in voiceover tools, scene templates and maximum export resolution. Check supported platforms to see where a tool fits your setup, and weigh free-plan availability against the listed paid starting price. Powtoon, Animaker and Krikey AI are among the named options, alongside Animation Desk and Wick Editor. The comparison details can help you focus on the capabilities that matter for the cartoons you want to make and the output you need.
30 cartoon maker software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 Animaker iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.1Free
- 2 Powtoon iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.0$8/mo
- 3 Live2D Cubism iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.3$5.65/mo
- 4 Animation Desk iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.2Free Custom characters: YesScene templates: YesAnimation controls: basic
- 5 Vyond iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.0
- 6 Doratoon iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.0£5/mo
- 7 Wick Editor iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free
- 8 OpenToonz No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.7Free
- 9 Callipeg iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.7$5/mo
- 10 Tahoma2D No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.6Free
- 11 RoughAnimator iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.6$7.99/mo
- 12 Krikey AI iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.5$10/mo
- 13 Adobe Character Animator No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.3
- 14 Plotagon iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.3
- 15 FlipaClip iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.2
- 16 Toon Boom Harmony No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.1$6.75/mo
- 17 Moho No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.1$59.99/mo
- 18 Pencil2D No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.0Free
- 19 ToonSquid iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9
- 20 Cartoon Animator No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.8$149/mo
- 21 Synfig Studio No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.6
- 22 Adobe Animate No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4
- 23 Creature No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4
- 24 Procreate iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4
- 25 iClone No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Custom characters | Scene templates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Animaker | 9.1 | Free plan | — | Yes | 15 /mo | — | — |
| 2 | Powtoon | 9.0 | Free plan | $8/mo | Yes | 15 /mo | — | — |
| 3 | Live2D Cubism | 8.3 | No | $5.65/mo | Yes | 13.26 /mo | — | — |
| 4 | Animation Desk | 8.2 | Free plan | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Vyond | 8.0 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 6 | Doratoon | 8.0 | Free plan | £5/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | Wick Editor | 7.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | OpenToonz | 7.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 9 | Callipeg | 7.7 | No | $5/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 10 | Tahoma2D | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 11 | RoughAnimator | 7.6 | No | $7.99/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 12 | Krikey AI | 7.5 | Free plan | $10/mo | Yes | 15 /mo | — | — |
| 13 | Adobe Character Animator | 7.3 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | Plotagon | 7.3 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 15 | FlipaClip | 7.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 16 | Toon Boom Harmony | 7.1 | No | $6.75/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 17 | Moho | 7.1 | No | $59.99/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 18 | Pencil2D | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 19 | ToonSquid | 6.9 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 20 | Cartoon Animator | 6.8 | No | $149/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 21 | Synfig Studio | 6.6 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 22 | Adobe Animate | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | Creature | 6.4 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 24 | Procreate | 6.4 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 25 | iClone | 6.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which cartoon maker software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
Animaker is ranked #1 of 30 with a score of 9.1. Powtoon is second and Live2D Cubism third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Doratoon has the lowest first paid tier we found: £5/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.