What's the best 2D animation software for a beginner animator to create explainer videos?

If your goal is explainer videos rather than traditional hand-drawn cartoons, I’d choose Adobe Animate as the best all-around starting point—especially if you want to learn real 2D animation skills while making professional-looking videos.

My picks

🏆 Best overall: Adobe Animate

For an explainer-video beginner, the sweet spot is vector artwork + keyframes + reusable symbols + camera movement. You can create characters, icons, charts, text animations, transitions, and simple motion without having to draw every frame.

I'd particularly recommend it if you're envisioning videos like:

Narrator explains a concept → character moves → icons appear → camera zooms → text/graphics animate → next scene. That's much closer to motion-design animation than traditional cartoon animation.

🥇 If you want the easiest route: Vyond

If your priority is "I want to make good-looking explainer videos quickly", rather than becoming an animator, I'd actually pick Vyond.

It gives you prebuilt characters, poses, props, backgrounds, and animations, so you can concentrate on the script, voiceover, and storytelling.

The tradeoff is that your videos can have a recognizable "Vyond" look and you have less control than with a dedicated animation program.

🎬 If you want professional character animation: Moho

Moho is a particularly interesting choice if you want recurring characters.

You can build a character once, rig it, and then reuse that character across many scenes. That's extremely useful for an explainer channel or business where the same characters appear repeatedly.

🏢 What about Toon Boom Harmony?

Toon Boom Harmony is arguably the more serious long-term animation platform. It supports both traditional frame-by-frame animation and cut-out/rigged animation. Toon Boom describes Essentials as its edition aimed at enthusiasts/hobbyists, while Advanced and Premium add progressively more sophisticated capabilities.

But I wouldn't start there unless you specifically want to pursue professional animation. Harmony Essentials currently starts around $30/month for an individual license, and the higher tiers get substantially more expensive.

My recommendation for you

If you're starting from zero:

Vyond → easiest path to making explainers

Adobe Animate → best balance of ease, control, and learning real animation

Moho → best if your explainers revolve around recurring characters

Toon Boom Harmony → best if you eventually want professional/studio-level 2D animation

If you tell me what kind of explainer videos you want to make (e.g. Kurzgesagt-style, whiteboard, SaaS/business, cartoon characters, educational YouTube), I can narrow it down to one specific program and a beginner workflow.

For a beginner animator focusing specifically on explainer videos , the "best" software depends entirely on whether you want to draw everything from scratch or use a drag-and-drop template/asset library to get results fast.

Category 1: Drag-and-Drop & Template-Based (Fastest for Business/Marketing)

If your goal is to explain a concept, product, or service without needing to learn how to draw or rig characters.

- **Why it’s great for beginners:** It is the industry gold standard for corporate and marketing 2D explainer videos. It features a massive, built-in library of characters, props, backgrounds, and actions. You just drag, drop, and customize.
- **The Learning Curve:** Extremely low. You can build a polished, professional video on day one.[[1]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESZAHrOzAVGvE0MCV2-uU1Epm7VEQ--6vQYyGn8e_u-ynNa39lMorZCmW9QAUy3VMsIAtdFF4x49sftm5YXuKVdvsrINSzurVuDQ3NipU5nive6RssT3BjOAPkG36Ys8TCNWNDGxo)[[2]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESYAHrOzAV_7HNQfJe58HVVa9HWL562qwB04LzI_GSligOgI2G769PaXqXEjY7M-B4ngl-kF8xhhGNpRi9Q6oF7LNlh3GuOoEclAU8Sqri1HqNAaqR30S-OfGOwFQdx_0_EA)[[3]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESWQHrOzAVa5eo3lhzZM33HAwBzhYxYJ4tCkVAoQWA2z6jwxcQ4d6sI9qvfFa4ii8MLHOj6Ulj45qx41TOw-QoEXqB0dbEvxoWyR5nLEH3p02VatIykfDgaaLR)[[4]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESfgHrOzAVh8LgpxhF2oHPGd7To5cmRdHQUXewMZkIpR0u2yRbuvS6FQOctkRy-r6CCN_euO2pfmpLlcAawmesjylcyQ80Zk1umkmKjLEEg0DPwiXFttXly78gwEO4KLUuFFaJUVQSEt6fvgiloHlwQJw6nCDP1-WG-7v2hRVffQ)[[5]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESXQHrOzAV94-c5OH82TIkXuhXWaknEjmIXiFFvT-AJfDpRTNAv737PBAHvR5XhKp480HehQblmKgSEV-xF2VaDgkZrYVv6MBvzxQjmvodak6kElsJh6n9KLhnlOqesg)

- **Why it’s great for beginners:** Highly focused on presentation-style and cartoon explainer formats. It works like a slideshow builder (think PowerPoint), but every element animates automatically.
- **The Learning Curve:** Minimal; great for absolute novices, educators, and marketers.[[1]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESTgHrOzAVC7GWtUpDrdvAtnSAtOR-ga1VIhs0JGMkR02ehSQj1u7hX6ARFYftGeBUVH4-shvVA3S4zVwvPAY7irQ6nL3jJTJvqYefc9iEGA)[[2]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESYwHrOzAVFbdQjxaV-YIZyz1R1eJkAvJqSHMqJHzn6EEYVy6sAnSp4xnrLPNw8DKkIhnSi_rJN1kFWsfTctmGglzrA8WD8dIVn27FBgbAZ_OjaL96XpOdZvaURpTeKC4Wdr1IaA)[[3]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVPJdVEEEGCGW_rLOPROZeXL7uCVjJ9_JUUyi-dkx3lUz_Ln3MS6l2jObqcDF3IH-bmVU76eaVff7cSEHI9BGFZbrd9fWi6y1zBmU9fdeSgw)[[4]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAEScgHrOzAVExry8Wb7LjIfw8fNLcDV7cuTl2dMPSBziuNUyLSYyzMHfmU_-7w7qpZnoW81Cxvj2fCRHDI0T5ZO53pPeSI-Q-KEjZougHdiQ4nMlg-Mdlcd2CCu-w2w9HOI2j0Z6OqtB1QCQBRD6lxKozTU1A)[[5]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESigEB6zswFUy7GIMZDsvhWC_wgoSyTcGu3LQS7s7RpWJaZFy0ygGK3Bs4F15FbkJW_75c3t6rRYHs_B3rt7_G_f4MFJpHbIlMc7ZHM5l3dPBhvk_zol4dBR_DbDHNwkfYZUIzAbxM_eyjHKri3POneSyr3DMhjUhdqTrPXbQuuIMk6ahskt4AbSDzuuo)

- **Why it’s great for beginners:** If you already use Canva for design, its animation timeline, graphic elements, and "Magic Animate" features make putting together a quick motion-graphics explainer surprisingly seamless.
- **The Learning Curve:** Practically zero if you have basic computer literacy.[](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVUUhMqvM-1dgx_zsxBtBGLYQNJEBVmb5EyRKv5MdRanp_9VLoGxbTSb80jf3j0br3dxr7EDwXH5BE9n63bBXeJxTdX2NjGBhV35cop4vM_g) [[1]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVUUhMqvM-1dgx_zsxBtBGLYQNJEBVmb5EyRKv5MdRanp_9VLoGxbTSb80jf3j0br3dxr7EDwXH5BE9n63bBXeJxTdX2NjGBhV35cop4vM_g)[[2]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESgQEB6zswFaekhPlrIzpmFFk5XdeJIEPlWYSeScKtkrVNftYiLJSdrCyB29knO1dSTv5A4q5INInz8aZ_smaoDywMU5npqgxgEMxn8j7OvCOL-GJ9LFalXIFrbStP5Dwu06TSB15YSHtupNvRotxbqfUb7dGKj9wmYH_Pn7C7H6f4WU8)[[3]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESsgEB6zswFVKVgX1VOSth7vRNhKiRQDV0iEGbpLRLU5MqrtGbwmosw3JijBjFH6zxCxwKrX2I57aiFVuHeQtijtDz0FPlesx_AM925G7AgRTsF5hj8v0SrBNBmlR3QYQ9aWGDhMuEnmLfqBsfebtedRBGZPLMUh8Bb6sZJoGEB6X_aVY2QFSYbRGrblAi9IJ4NQU80jaUBUgRzLwAKceZMzsc1CC6lEM9meG45HMAlY35DVdd)[[4]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESTgHrOzAVqXcRvEmFsycGIthShlc8fPPqei3eOWqi72dAN0q9cU9wj0xNmU19eE007U9QpTjx3Ha-87hugpWhHcuoYILL63mvezebLp6xHQ)[[5]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESiQEB6zswFeHqMBrEsrZ8Hj5gdE7FOjwQb-FfuHJ7GULGSf5UvyzcAA8u9bam5-T-0xpPzIwPISC4ati5diBhtdzqaC_0FwP6WMLpTlUfgSmMjiybeN35FAcD8ZIEJ0u23k2OcVSUN3CTSAtFpcvTMb2iF76SP-QKMPmFpafXjsVHq4N6NjmwpIALYg)

Watch this overview of top explainer video creation tools to see how drag-and-drop platforms compare in practice:

1m 10 Insane Explainer Videos Software - Free and Paid 2.9K views  · 7 months ago YouTube · TopDigitalTools

Category 2: True 2D Animation & Custom Software (Best for Creative Control)

If you want to draw your own custom characters, create unique assets, and learn actual animation skills.

- **Why it’s great for beginners:** It balances traditional frame-by-frame animation with digital tweening (letting the computer handle movement between points). The vector tools are clean and it's built for web-ready cartoon and explainer styles.
- **The Learning Curve:** Moderate. It's user-friendly for vector art, and Adobe offers extensive starter tutorials.[[1]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESagHrOzAVVULT1A9gEGL0aFLRq8d4cBtqbXt9P3PwKa2tIgMnRVd24B9wNLl6MRPySZDDuPgRzXrD91vROub2jyGF57PGCnq7QOHtpZEWJ7GD59CGsN1vuKhTl-LL0uqSeizR1aRpwWZ5mfw)[[2]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESiwEB6zswFckTGt4EvQ4Vk35WGT21vVX-SzzY5cdgBmTLvXzs0GSyL_OJryZaxhAyzp2P0wJmzSyWm7x7aEPZg7ZIp43cn-96bq1Bm9l24Lr03cw8QbHBe66ihFnpEAUdmBTfqFlM53iAW53Vwk1Bv--zxtJnbdgo0Cb4OCjeyRHpvBE5kUimi3_mPAZK)[[3]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESXwHrOzAVpSeJRG5K1SRADbIhDV9PlpoirhM1ngNZv1a08Ud0vCYwcwJWqUAtozS0wDB0RKcI5OYVTV0tRAYzFKsJR-zU6qBuRctaInfsKtAiIYOWbjR-GVGLVg6nMuQx)[[4]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVH73pg2pjVYFZ8mCdKJ4wtjZNIB2rGJr2JglUmLz7BG1SaQDbNV0P7Eic_WsIGdzfCYHodjggyQ5fgU2BGVj1rr_t8KH8dnXgz1FAbQx2bw)[[5]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESewHrOzAVpgSQ06Jqux8aqwKPZKQX324-hT_sfm3dh9_MkEVSOrkGqKIqYFmILdpXgCDk1Mq6t_DXVFdJvSrGRMenw7PhK-DZPNQz9UxiCV7hRQI6C03d5uGsvYgkdcYhcHoiQOEKyV-pi9ZBR6BF7y3kZk6A6Pd6E4omSg)

- **Why it’s great for beginners:** It's completely free, open-source, and lightweight. It strips away complex features to focus purely on traditional hand-drawn, frame-by-frame 2D animation.
- **The Learning Curve:** Very approachable, though drawing everything by hand takes time and patience.[[1]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESUAHrOzAVsj0nShNzVbqDkf7wzztge4NXr53M7wX4fVjfe_j9z9Nu9EMq22q6awIfF0sPzQTFCTIbBHyrdSRDdKq2p07PBO1oOs8GQNxJeEJl)[[2]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESagHrOzAVIfzdDzWCg5oVAcTRbxy1dzb35tuI80kxjgpIvZoRUWxZU9bjHgvQ9epYWKvxDKmagg5jiywaSo6SOkW6Jb8uk6CM-eYyva3r4KQzsT7LYexrrxb-DWcgemF_V15pCGw0dgPQCr4)[[3]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESgAEB6zswFSWrslCNzQQTE7exHGtC1JXDS2BTTQ5bbe7226yi502MGNLFv6gZgEx4wchL2_QXCKub1_Gzez-80ey0s-k56G_TJ1-enMvUvhvQSTB2o8TR0zWy76KKqV5uyViF71Bwb3eUjcZj8ByKqOQlQrWDgyAQ7yg4WQrNDQwtSQ)[[4]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESbAHrOzAV7zxDen-RnFWnwbNyT1gdd-SrjVcxswt6uzJAXzpf6Ii7UgWuwhSUot1KtqRf4sCgJWGQwmzjULfS1N9N_cg9rdi6ZHRRw1zSUHcsTUS5J8KPa2H_GaRJKC82BYIU0TxaLAmu5Tsihg)[[5]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVab9fx4UAdR_Ydhe84Cq8C3F0UYZLTPMhzsFXRdXN9SsMCBc44D_rTTKqPzMLyApcvWHcH-OJFUkeoLjMopQ78_ZzUp32ra83GG9N629BXg)

- **Why it’s great for beginners:** Tahoma2D is a more user-friendly, streamlined version of OpenToonz (the software used by Studio Ghibli). It handles both vector and raster drawing, onion skinning, and cutout bone rigging.
- **The Learning Curve:** Steeper than a template maker, but immensely rewarding if you want professional-grade tools for free.[](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVfP52u19QNHflyAOjxeuiZGBEzOWqpqp4Tnjrrs3adZijHjU7pIBEyZtUI8jXRRiNfqkr-VAaEeMMDAee1ZswJyc14NH4y1-UOFikDtacRQ) [[1]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESVAHrOzAVfP52u19QNHflyAOjxeuiZGBEzOWqpqp4Tnjrrs3adZijHjU7pIBEyZtUI8jXRRiNfqkr-VAaEeMMDAee1ZswJyc14NH4y1-UOFikDtacRQ)[[2]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESqQEB6zswFXyE6WdZ09FN6opNcec9BJPRUUoSnQ6B3jgF9TASIi2Yk88B6HaYQde3pYjRGuCLGKi9iyCcY_LPUjtPZJdosNB976D28M1q0vNUrFeAvcY-Au52j2FhX6wOJZ74BiqYhzibusG0j6LUK3FesRnKAJsQSra5WSmY07Juc7a4zWFYB7MDC2aqhNH5x48PYqq5WeT8GQ_wHOSB3DpogT2dPwSNPN4h)[[3]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAEStQEB6zswFa8NumcxNger1Er7i4FINhhpGTYpYe1Q5KMdzybyGtsuINb9APhR2Nf94SiFHvgp8_84-Mn8jXMMhA62hIizS5S_pQpopuVAHLb7ANEVZPbhCVMCNN_4c8sYvLAEbE4rWvPOndVOXn37yNXnF7kuFwIY6sjt9A6KU6UOm8GVw5dEeUwJ9NU8oFkxD3rXObBs6XBKrA00bWuq8h84uM2hUBCWi6pTF12sXvNxOOzKxG7P)[[4]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAESoQEB6zswFb4notjGMeT5CxdvPw_Lxofo37ZACopBQ9lQ6z5J-tXC3AB0t-bkD0L208QHhpTtRGWwMhY38XcT8bihcrZBFip-BCrLbA21qZp1SYUelX0dToHE_Qe7QELSU1pX2GbXVy0-_AYz6hws_M9W2qafAbtgxqGLdsk_oakrGF5KawC-wxSeVqY8rnGigywtkLcKY5sRIw1nT4OBDt8xZg)[[5]](https://google.com/goto?url=CAEScwHrOzAVjYOInH6Lu7oz71X5gYAlcEEK__kzobk34gbChxVEbmQB8O06lGys9oa6fb7aomSL0kyslIPYLrfQbieWBbVccxsicIv9-C8cGoAPsrwowi5-qP596RVGOLiCWpdMiMK_776SXneeNwcOyQMUtyU)

Recommendation Summary

• Choose Vyond if you need to make a business explainer video this week without learning art fundamentals.
• Choose Adobe Animate if you want to learn real digital animation skills and design custom cartoon assets from scratch.

To help narrow this down, tell me:

• Do you already have drawing experience (or a drawing tablet), or do you prefer using pre-made graphics and templates?
• Is this video for a business/marketing pitch or a creative/storytelling project?

For a beginner creating explainer videos, the “best” 2D animation software is usually not the same as the best software for a professional cartoon animator. Explainer videos often need characters, icons, text, transitions, voiceover syncing, and fast production rather than frame-by-frame drawing.

Here are the strongest choices:

Knowlify Wondershare Filmora## My recommendations by goal

If you want to make explainer videos for a business quickly

Choose Vyond.

• Drag-and-drop workflow
• Ready-made characters, props, and scenes
• Built-in animation behaviors
• Good for training, onboarding, sales, and educational videos

It is closer to “video creation software” than traditional animation software, which is why beginners often succeed with it faster.

If you want to become an actual animator

Choose Moho.

• Uses character rigs (“puppet” animation), so you can animate without redrawing every frame
• Good for recurring characters
• More room to grow than template-based tools

Moho is often recommended as a bridge between beginner tools and professional workflows.

If you want free software

Start with Pencil2D or OpenToonz.

• Pencil2D: easier learning curve, great for fundamentals
• OpenToonz: much more powerful, but requires more patience

A simple beginner path

1. Start with Vyond or Animaker if your priority is publishing explainers.
2. Learn animation principles (timing, easing, staging, storytelling).
3. Move to Moho if you want custom characters and more control.
4. Explore professional tools later.

For most first-time explainer creators, I’d pick:

• Fastest results: Vyond
• Best long-term animation skill: Moho
• Best free learning option: Pencil2D
• Best professional path: Moho → Toon Boom Harmony

A key question is whether you want to learn animation as a craft or simply produce polished explainer videos efficiently—the best choice changes quite a bit depending on that.

For a beginner looking specifically to create explainer videos , traditional complex software like Adobe Animate, Toon Boom, or Blender can involve a steep, frustrating learning curve. Instead, cloud-based drag-and-drop animation platforms provide pre-built characters, props, and templates that make professional-looking explainers achievable in hours rather than months.

The top recommendations for a beginner depend on your exact needs and budget:

1. Vyond (Best Overall for Professional Quality)
   • Why it's great: It is the industry gold standard for corporate and marketing explainer videos. It features an extensive library of customizable characters, props, and background settings across multiple styles (contemporary, whiteboard, and video-infographic).
   • Beginner friendliness: Highly intuitive drag-and-drop timeline with automated lip-syncing for voiceovers.
   • Check it out: Explore plans and test features on the Vyond Official Website.
2. Animaker (Best Budget & AI Integration)
   • Why it's great: Extremely popular and more affordable than Vyond, Animaker relies on a clean, vibrant interface with massive template selections. It also includes robust built-in AI voice narration and text-to-speech tools to rapidly assemble an explainer video.
   • Beginner friendliness: Geared toward absolute novices who want quick results with minimal technical skills.
   • Check it out: Try out templates via the Animaker Platform.
3. Powtoon (Best for Presentations & Marketing)
   • Why it's great: If your explainer video leans heavily toward a dynamic presentation or a pitch deck style, Powtoon shines. It bridges the gap between slide decks and animated video.
   • Beginner friendliness: Very low learning curve, though its single-track timeline can feel a bit crowded if you try to do very complex multi-layered custom animations.
   • Check it out: See layout styles on the Powtoon Homepage.
4. Krita or Tahoma2D (Best if you want to learn True Hand-Drawn Animation for Free)
   • Why it's great: If you want to draw every frame yourself rather than use corporate digital puppets, these open-source, free programs are incredible.
   • Beginner friendliness: Steeper learning curve than cloud software, but they feature great community tutorials for frame-by-frame and vector/raster hybrid workflows.

Watch this detailed comparison of leading animation makers to see how their interfaces and character styles look in action:

39:58 Online Animation Makers: 7 Tools You Must Know (in 2024)157K views  · 2 years ago YouTube · Rued Riis

To help narrow this down, could you tell me:

• What is your budget (free vs. paid subscription)?
• Do you want cartoon character-driven stories or a whiteboard/infographic style?

For a beginner making explainer videos, I’d pick Moho Debut as the best starting point—especially if your videos will use recurring characters, icons, props, and simple motion.

My ranking

Why Moho Debut? It is specifically positioned by its developer as being for first-time animators, and it gives you character rigging, reusable assets, a content library, vector drawing, audio, and a timeline. That makes it particularly well suited to the typical explainer workflow: build a character once → rig it → reuse it throughout the video.

When I'd choose Adobe Animate instead

If you want to draw your own illustrations and animate them frame-by-frame, Adobe Animate is probably the better choice. It has vector drawing, frame-by-frame animation, bone-based deformation, and straightforward publishing options. Adobe currently lists it at $22.99/month on an annual billed-monthly plan.

The important distinction

For explainer videos, there are really two different styles:

• “Characters talking and moving around” → Moho
• “Icons, diagrams, text, charts and objects flying around” → Cavalry / After Effects-style motion graphics
• “Hand-drawn/cartoon animation” → Adobe Animate
• “Professional animated TV/cartoon production” → Toon Boom Harmony

If you're starting from zero and your goal is YouTube/business explainer videos rather than becoming a traditional animator, I'd lean Moho Debut. You can get good-looking results without having to draw every frame.

If you tell me what your explainer videos will look like (e.g. Kurzgesagt-style, whiteboard, animated characters, SaaS/product demos, infographic-heavy), I can recommend the best specific software + workflow for that style.

For a beginner animator wanting to create explainer videos without a steep drawing or technical learning curve, the best choices are drag-and-drop template platforms like Vyond or Animaker . If you prefer a traditional hands-on 2D software where you draw the assets yourself, free programs like Krita or Pencil2D are the most accessible starting points.

To see a breakdown of the top tools suited for explainer content and motion graphics, watch this overview:

9:59 10 Insane Explainer Videos Software - Free and Paid 2.8K views  · 7 months ago YouTube · TopDigitalTools

Top Template-Based Explainer Video Makers

These tools require zero drawing skills and use pre-built characters, props, and actions.

• Vyond : Widely considered the gold standard for business and marketing explainers, offering cloud-based asset libraries, character building, and lip-syncing.
• Animaker : A budget-friendly, beginner-oriented web app featuring a massive library of drag-and-drop characters and a vertical or horizontal timeline.
• Canva : Great for quick graphic-driven motion explainers utilizing simple built-in transitions, text presets, and automated AI voiceovers.

Top Free Hand-Drawn & Frame-by-Frame Software

If you want to personally draw and control every movement frame by frame:

• Krita : A powerful, free, open-source painting program with a dedicated and intuitive timeline animation workspace.
• Pencil2D : A minimalist open-source tool designed explicitly for raw beginners trying to understand traditional 2D workflows.
• OpenToonz : A robust, professional open-source software used in major studios, though it carries a slightly higher learning curve than Krita.

If you tell me whether you want to draw your own characters or prefer using pre-made drag-and-drop templates , I can narrow down the ideal platform and pricing tier for your specific project.

If your goal is explainer videos rather than traditional cartoon animation, I’d pick Adobe Animate as the best all-around beginner choice.

My ranking

🥇 Adobe Animate — my recommendation

Adobe Animate is particularly well suited to explainers because you can combine vector illustrations, text, characters, motion, camera movement, and audio without having to draw every frame. It also has bones/deformation tools and straightforward publishing/export options. Adobe currently lists Animate at $22.99/month on its annual-billed-monthly plan.

For example, you could make an explainer with:

voiceover → illustrated scene → character enters → objects animate → camera pans → text appears → transition → next scene

That's a much better fit for Animate than trying to learn traditional frame-by-frame animation first.

🥈 Moho Pro — potentially even better for characters

If your explainers will feature recurring characters, I'd seriously consider Moho. Its puppet/rigging approach lets you build a character once and reuse it across many scenes, rather than redrawing everything.

This is especially attractive if you're thinking about making lots of YouTube explainers with a consistent visual style.

🥉 Toon Boom Harmony — excellent, but overkill initially

Toon Boom Harmony is a professional-grade choice. It supports traditional, paperless, and cut-out animation, plus rigging, deformers, effects, camera movement and more.

But for a beginner making explainers, you'll probably spend more time learning the software than producing videos. Harmony Essentials currently starts at $30/month, with more advanced tiers substantially higher.

One important alternative: Vyond

If by "explainer video" you mean business/product/educational videos rather than "I want to learn animation," I'd actually put Vyond ahead of all of these.

It's much more template/asset driven: you assemble characters, scenes, props, transitions, etc. This lets you concentrate on storytelling and voiceover instead of learning animation mechanics.

What I'd choose

If you're learning animation: → Adobe Animate

If you're making character-driven YouTube explainers: → Moho Pro

If you're making corporate/business explainers as quickly as possible: → Vyond

If you eventually want professional studio-level animation: → Toon Boom Harmony

If you want free: → OpenToonz or Pencil2D

One other thing: for a beginner, I wouldn't start with frame-by-frame animation. For explainers, learn cut-out/rigged animation + keyframes + easing + camera moves + basic compositing first. You'll get dramatically better results with much less work.

If you tell me what kind of explainer videos you want to make (e.g. Kurzgesagt-style, whiteboard, cartoon characters, SaaS/product demos, YouTube educational), I can recommend the exact software + workflow I'd use.

For a beginner animator specifically looking to create explainer videos , traditional frame-by-frame software (like Adobe Animate or Toon Boom) can have a massive, frustrating learning curve. Instead, the "best" software utilizes drag-and-drop elements, pre-rigged characters, and template building.

The top options tailored for beginner-friendly explainer video creation are organized below by category:

Watch this comparison overview to see how various beginner-friendly animation tools stack up in actual performance:

9:09 Vyond Alternatives Unleashed: 5 Powerful Animation Makers ...9.3K views  · 2 years ago YouTube · Smart Webpreneur

• Animaker (Best Overall for Quick Templates & Budget)
  • Why it's great for beginners: It is a cloud-based, drag-and-drop tool with an immense library of pre-built character actions, props, and background templates. Actions are "coupled" (e.g., selecting a typing action automatically places the character at a desk), meaning you don't have to manually animate individual limbs. It also includes built-in AI voiceover and auto-subtitle features.
  • Learning curve: Very low; you can output a clean 2D explainer in an afternoon.
• Vyond (Best for Professional/Corporate Explainer Videos)
  • Why it's great for beginners: Vyond is the industry standard for business and educational explainers. It features clean, modern vector characters with massive customization options for outfits, skin tones, and emotional triggers. It functions like an intuitive presentation builder rather than a complex animation suite.
  • Learning curve: Low-to-moderate, though it carries a higher price tag than consumer-tier tools.
• CreateStudio (Best Desktop Software with More Creative Control)
  • Why it's great for beginners: Unlike browser-based tools, this is a lightweight desktop app (Mac/PC) that gives you a more traditional timeline while keeping things simple via drag-and-drop 2D and 3D characters, doodle sketches, and ease-of-motion presets.
  • Learning curve: Easy to start, with plenty of room to grow as you learn basic keyframing.
• Canva (Best Free / Ultra-Simple Option)
  • Why it's great for beginners: If you just need a short, graphic-driven social media explainer and don't want to learn a complex timeline, Canva's video editor lets you snap together animated assets, stock GIFs, and text with automated beat syncing and AI voice generators.
  • Learning curve: Practically zero if you have ever made a digital slide deck.

If you can tell me your budget (free vs. paid) and the style of explainer video you want (cartoon characters vs. whiteboard vs. corporate/modern), I can recommend the exact platform to match your project.

For a beginner wanting to create explainer videos , the "best" software depends entirely on whether you want to build videos using drag-and-drop templates or if you want to draw and rig your own custom characters and motion graphics.

Category 1: The Easiest & Fastest (Template & Drag-and-Drop)

Best if you have zero drawing skills, a tight deadline, and need to explain a business concept, product, or educational topic quickly.

• Vyond:
  • Best For : Professional corporate and marketing explainer videos.
  • Why it’s great for beginners : It is a cloud-based platform with a massive library of pre-built characters, props, and background templates. You can swap actions, add lip-syncing effortlessly, and build clean 2D vector scenes with almost zero learning curve.
  • Drawback : Paid subscription required; can look "cookie-cutter" if you don't customize.
• Animaker:
  • Best For : Budget-friendly DIY marketing and social media explainers.
  • Why it’s great for beginners : Features a simple drag-and-drop interface packed with pre-made assets, AI voiceovers, and auto-subtitles. It has a generous free tier (with watermarks/limits) and cheaper entry plans than Vyond.
  • Drawback : The timeline logic can occasionally feel a bit clunky or restrictive for truly unique custom choreography.
• Canva:
  • Best For : Simple kinetic typography and motion-graphic style explainers.
  • Why it’s great for beginners : Canva has evolved into a powerhouse for quick animation via Magic Animate and drag-and-drop graphic elements or GIFs. If you just need a fast video combining text, stock animation, and an AI voiceover, it's remarkably frictionless.
  • Drawback : Not meant for character-driven storytelling.

Category 2: The True Animation Sweet Spot (Custom 2D Vector & Rigging)

Best if you want to draw or control your own unique characters and want a skill that transfers to real animation.

• Adobe Animate:
  • Best For : Classic vector cartoon animation, web explainers, and character rigging.
  • Why it’s great for beginners : Formerly known as Flash, it bridges the gap between easy-to-use vector drawing tools and powerful timeline/tweening features. There are endless step-by-step YouTube tutorials, making it one of the most accessible traditional programs to learn.
  • Drawback : Requires an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.

Category 3: The Best Free & Open-Source Options

Best if you want full control and zero financial investment while you learn the ropes.

• Pencil2D:
  • Best For : Absolute beginner, traditional hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animation.
  • Why it’s great for beginners : It has a stripped-down, minimalist interface that won't overwhelm you with advanced options. It's completely free and open-source.
  • Drawback : Very manual—you have to draw every single frame yourself, which makes long explainer videos tedious.
• Wick Editor:
  • Best For : Browser-based lightweight vector animation and interactivities.
  • Why it’s great for beginners : Runs right inside your web browser (no installation required) with a feel similar to a simplified Adobe Animate. It supports tweens and basic code-free animations.

Watch this video to get a visual comparison of how different beginner-friendly 2D animation platforms stack up against each other:

9:59 10 Insane Explainer Videos Software - Free and Paid 2.6K views  · 7 months ago YouTube · TopDigitalTools

To help narrow down the best choice for you, tell me:

• Do you plan to draw your own original characters/artwork , or would you rather use pre-made templates and assets?
• What is your budget (free vs. paid subscription)?

For a beginner making explainer videos, my top recommendation in 2026 is Moho Debut.

🥇 Best overall: Moho Debut

Moho specifically positions Debut as an option for first-time animators and hobbyists. Its big advantage for explainers is rig-based animation: you can create a character once, rig it, and then reuse poses and movements instead of redrawing everything frame by frame.

Great for:

• Character-based explainers
• YouTube educational videos
• Talking characters and presenters
• Reusable assets
• Camera moves, backgrounds and simple motion graphics

🥈 Best if you want very simple motion graphics: Adobe After Effects

After Effects is arguably more useful than a traditional 2D animation program for the typical explainer-video style—text, icons, diagrams, charts, illustrations, camera moves and transitions.

The downside is that it's considerably more complicated for a complete beginner.

🥉 Best free option: OpenToonz / Tahoma2D

If you don't want to spend money, these are worth considering. They're powerful, but the learning curve and interfaces aren't as beginner-friendly as Moho. Recent animation-community discussions also tend to describe them as more powerful but harder to learn.

What about Adobe Animate?

I wouldn't start a new project with Animate in 2026. Adobe has put Animate into maintenance mode, meaning it will receive support/security fixes but no new features.

That's unfortunate because Animate itself is quite beginner-friendly and has useful tweening and rigging tools.

My ranking for your use case

If you're starting from zero, I'd choose Moho Debut. Learn basic keyframes → rigging → camera movement → reusable characters/props. You can produce polished explainers without having to master traditional frame-by-frame animation.

If you tell me what kind of explainer videos you want to make (e.g. Kurzgesagt-style, whiteboard, talking characters, animated infographics, SaaS/product explainers), I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 tools and a beginner workflow.