Motion graphics software animates text, logos, shapes and interface elements rather than characters or live footage. It comes in three forms: browser editors that export video or GIFs, desktop animation apps for detailed work, and lightweight animation formats that a website or app plays in real time. Ten tools follow, in no particular order, with the job each one does.
Motion graphics is the moving type in a product video, the logo that builds itself at the end of an ad and the little bounce when you tap a button in an app. It's design that moves, and the software behind it has split in ways the search results don't explain.
The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Each description comes from the vendor's own website, read on 1 Nov 2026. The focus here is motion design, meaning titles, logos, social clips and interface animation, rather than cartoon characters or visual effects compositing. If you're replacing the industry's best-known desktop app, my list of After Effects alternatives goes further on that.
Motion design tools at a glance
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Blender | Free, open-source 3D suite | 3D motion and animation from one open-source app |
| Cavalry | Desktop 2D motion software | Real-time 2D motion design on Mac and Windows |
| DaVinci Resolve | Editing and post-production suite | Motion graphics inside a full video editor |
| Jitter | Browser motion design tool | Animating static designs in the browser |
| LottieFiles | Lottie animation platform | Lightweight animations for websites and apps |
| Motionity | Web motion graphics editor | Simple animated videos in a desktop browser |
| Pikimov | Web motion design and video editor | Browser editing with files kept on your machine |
| Rive | Interactive graphics engine | Interactive animation for apps, sites and games |
| Synfig | Open-source 2D animation | Free 2D animation without drawing every frame |
| Vyond | Business video creation platform | Animated business videos from text or slides |
Ten motion graphics apps and formats
Blender
Best for: Artists who want 3D creation from free and open-source software, licensed under the GNU GPL and owned by its contributors.
Cavalry
Best for: Motion designers wanting professional real-time 2D animation on Mac and Windows, including animation driven by data from a spreadsheet.
DaVinci Resolve
Best for: Video editors who'd like editing, colour correction, visual effects, motion graphics and audio post production in one piece of software.
Jitter
Best for: Product and brand teams turning static designs into animated assets online, with Figma import and export to 4K, GIF or Lottie.
LottieFiles
Best for: Designers and developers creating lightweight, interactive animations for websites, apps and social, with plugins for Figma and After Effects.
Motionity
Best for: Beginners making animated videos in a browser on a computer, then downloading a WEBM video or an animated GIF.
Pikimov
Best for: Creators who want a browser-based motion design and video editor that edits locally in Chrome or Edge and supports up to 4K.
Rive
Best for: Product teams building interactive UI, website heroes and game graphics with state machines and data binding in one small file.
Synfig
Best for: Animators on Windows, Linux or macOS who want open-source 2D animation that avoids drawing each frame by hand.
Vyond
Best for: Business teams in training, HR and marketing turning text, PowerPoint or PDF files into animated videos.
Browser editor, desktop app or animation file?
The vendors' own titles show the split clearly. Jitter calls itself 'A fast and simple motion design tool on the web', Motionity is 'The web-based motion graphics editor for everyone' and Pikimov is a 'web-based motion design and video editor'. On the desktop, Cavalry's title reads 'Free 2D animation & motion graphics software for Mac and Windows', Synfig is 'Free and open-source animation software', and DaVinci Resolve lists 'visual effects, motion graphics, audio post production' among the jobs it handles in one tool.
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Then there are the formats that never become a video at all. LottieFiles offers 'lightweight animations for website & apps', and Rive describes an 'engine for games, apps, and UI'. These animations play live inside a site or app, so they can react to a tap or a scroll.
That's the part most people miss: motion graphics gets made in a browser editor that exports video, in desktop animation software, or as a lightweight animation file that a website or app plays. Which one you need depends on where the motion ends up.
Where your animation will play decides the tool
- Social video and ads. A browser editor or desktop app that exports MP4, GIF or WEBM. Look for text animation presets and the aspect ratios you post in.
- Logo and title animation. Keyframes, easing curves and shape morphing matter most here. Desktop apps give you finer control, while browser editors are quicker for a one-off sting.
- Websites and apps. Video files are heavy and can't respond to the person using them. A lightweight animation format plays inside the page or app, can react to taps and scrolls, and stays sharp at any screen size.
- Explainer and training videos. Template-led platforms are faster than building every scene by hand, especially when the people making the video aren't designers. My guide to animated explainer video makers covers that end in more depth.
Five motion design terms to learn first
- Keyframe. A point in time where you set a property, such as position, size or colour. The software fills in the movement between keyframes.
- Easing. How motion speeds up or slows down between keyframes. Good easing is most of what makes animation feel smooth rather than mechanical.
- Lottie. A small animation file format that websites and apps can play directly, often exported from a design or animation tool.
- State machine. A way of wiring an interactive animation so it changes in response to input, such as a hover, a tap or new data.
- Rendering. Turning your project into a finished video file. Long or detailed scenes can take a while, so check whether a tool renders in the browser, on your computer or in the cloud.
Do you make motion graphics or animation software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on motion graphics software
Start with where the animation will live. If it's a social clip or an ad, a browser editor gets you moving quickly, and a desktop app is worth the learning curve once you're animating every week. If it's going on a website or inside an app, look at a lightweight animation format before you export a video, because it'll load faster and can respond to the user. And if your team needs training or explainer videos without a designer, a template-led platform is the shorter route. For cutting the finished clips for short-form platforms, my comparison of video editing apps for Reels and TikTok picks up from there.
Whichever you try, animate one real asset, such as your logo, from start to export before you decide. That's the quickest way to see whether the controls suit the way you think.
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Frequently asked questions
What is motion graphics software?
It's software for animating graphic elements such as text, logos, shapes and interface parts. It's different from character animation, which brings people and creatures to life, and from visual effects, which blend graphics into live footage.
Can I make motion graphics in a browser?
Yes. Several web-based editors let you animate and export a video or GIF without installing anything, though most need a computer rather than a phone.
Is there free motion graphics software?
Yes. Some tools are free, some are free and open source, and others offer a free trial or a free starting tier. Check each vendor's own site for what's included today.
What's the difference between motion graphics and animation?
Motion graphics is a kind of animation focused on design elements: type, logos, icons and interface. Animation more broadly includes characters and storytelling.
What format should I use for website animation?
For simple motion on a website or app, a lightweight vector animation format usually beats video, because it's smaller and stays sharp at any size. For longer scenes with footage, a video file still makes sense.
Do I need a powerful computer for motion graphics?
Not for simple 2D work in a browser. Desktop 3D and long video projects lean much harder on your processor and graphics card, so check each tool's own system requirements.
