Alternatives to Procreate Dreams
iPad app for 2D animation, combining frame-by-frame flipbook drawing with keyframes and video editing. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Procreate Dreams
iPad app for 2D animation, combining frame-by-frame flipbook drawing with keyframes and video editing.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Procreate Dreams.
Pencil2D
A small, approachable program for traditional hand-drawn 2D animation, mixing bitmap and vector layers.
Pencil2D is free and open source for Windows, macOS and Linux with frame-by-frame drawing and onion skinning, but it lacks keyframe tweening and has basic export options.
OpenToonz
Professional 2D animation software, based on the Toonz version used by Studio Ghibli.
OpenToonz is free, BSD-licensed studio animation software for Windows, macOS and Linux with an exposure sheet and onion skinning, though it is hard to learn.
Synfig Studio
Vector 2D animation software that tweens between keyframes instead of making you draw every frame.
Synfig Studio is free, GPL-3.0 vector animation software for desktop that tweens between keyframes and supports bones, but it is not built for frame-by-frame drawing.
Clip Studio Paint
A commercial drawing and painting app for illustration, comics and animation across desktop and mobile.
Clip Studio Paint covers animation alongside illustration and comics on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, but it is paid after the trial and not dedicated to animation.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Procreate
A digital painting and illustration app for iPad, sold as a one-time purchase.
Adobe Fresco
Adobe's free drawing and painting app for iPad and iPhone, built for stylus and touch.
ibisPaint
A mobile drawing and painting app for illustration, manga and animation, with an online gallery.
Pixelorama
A pixel art editor for sprites, tiles and animation, built in Godot and running on desktop, Android and the web.
Aseprite
An animated sprite editor and pixel art tool with layers, frames, onion skin and sprite sheet export.
