Spine AlternativesTop Animation Makers and other similar apps like Spine

Spine is described as 'Is 2D animation software designed specifically for software and game development. Animators, artists and programmers unite to bring your games alive' and is a Animation Maker in the development category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Spine for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Web-based and Flathub apps. The best Spine alternative is Synfig Studio, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Spine are enve, Inochi Creator, Expressive Animator and AnimeEffects.

filter to find the best alternatives

Spine alternatives are mainly Animation Makers, but if you're looking for Game Development Tools or Color Picker Tools you can filter on that. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Spine.
Spine iconSpine
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Spine is 2D animation software designed specifically for software and game development. Animators, artists and programmers unite to bring your games alive.

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Spine alternatives page was last updated Mar 12, 2024
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  1. Synfig Studio icon

    Synfig Studio

     127 likes
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    Synfig is a free and open-source, industrial-strength, vector-based 2D animation app designed for producing feature-film animations.

    58 Synfig Studio alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Synfig Studio screenshot 1

    Synfig Studio Features

    1.  Automated Tweening
    2.  Timeline-based
    3.  Bones and Layers
    4.  Live Preview
    5.  Keyframe Animation
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  HDR Support

    Synfig Studio VS Spine

     
    Comments about Synfig Studio as an Alternative to Spine
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Negative •Jan 10, 2019
    5

    You can't make game animations in Synfig Studio, only animation clips and animation movies

    Guest
    Negative •Nov 10, 2019
    4

    you can't get it into games and it isn't a runtime

    Guest
    Negative •Oct 22, 2019
    -2

    Synfig isn't bone-based 2D animation

    Spine Icon
    Synfig Studio icon

    • Some users think Synfig Studio is a great Spine alternative, some don't.

    • Synfig Studio is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Spine.

    • Synfig Studio is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Spine.

    • Synfig Studio is Free and Open SourceSpine is Paid and Proprietary
  2. enve icon

    enve

     35 likes
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    Enve is a free and open-source 2D animation app. It can create both vector and raster animations and even use sound and video files. It has been created with flexibility and expandability in mind.

    55 enve alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Official Enve Screenshot
    Discontinued

    The GitHub repo hasn't had updates since September 2022. There's already been 2 threads discussing the discontinued state of the program without any comment from the original dev:https://github.com/MaurycyLiebner/enve/issues/315https://github.com/MaurycyLiebner/enve/issues/336

    Top enve Features

    1.  Support for Layers
    2.  Keyframe Animation
    3.  Works Offline
    4.  Cloud Sync
    5.  Pressure Sensitivity
    6.  Custom Brushes
    7.  Automated Tweening
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  No Coding Required
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Hardware Accelerated

    enve VS Spine

     
  4. Inochi Creator icon

    Inochi Creator

     14 likes
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    Inochi creator is a framework for realtime 2D puppet animation. On this site you can find the reference implementation as well as the official tooling for creating and using Inochi2D puppets for VTubing.

    9 Inochi Creator alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • DK flagDenmark
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • itch.io
    Inochi Creator screenshot 1

    Inochi Creator Features

    1.  Animation Rigging
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Support for Layers
    4.  Works Offline
    5.  Ad-free

    Inochi Creator VS Spine

     
  5. Expressive Animator icon

    Expressive Animator

     15 likes
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    The premier editor for SVG animations. Create interactive SVG animations that run anywhere without plugins, players, or JavaScript code embedded.

    74 Expressive Animator alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RO flagRomania
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Expressive Animator - Walking character animation

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  No Coding Required
    3.  Keyframe Animation
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Support for Layers
    6.  Live Preview
    7.  Automated Tweening
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  WYSIWYG Support
    10.  Support for 4K
    11.  Hardware Accelerated

    Expressive Animator VS Spine

     

    • Expressive Animator is the most popular commercial alternative to Spine.

    • Expressive Animator is Paid and ProprietarySpine is also Paid and Proprietary
    • Expressive Animator is LightweightSpine is not according to our users
  6. AnimeEffects icon

    AnimeEffects

     16 likes
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    AnimeEffects is a 2D keyframe animation tool based on deformation of polygon meshes. You can easily operate, quickly shape your idea, and remake at any time if you have changed your mind.

    10 AnimeEffects alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • JP flagJapan

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    AnimeEffects screenshot 1

    AnimeEffects Features

    1.  Animation Rigging
    2.  Support for Layers
    3.  Automated Tweening
    4.  Keyframe Animation
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Bones

    AnimeEffects VS Spine

     
  7. Live2D Cubism icon

    Live2D Cubism

     7 likes
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    Live2D is the world's first drawing technology to enable 3D rendering of 2D images. This technology supports a variety of portable consoles and smartphones, and Live2D is already being utilized for games that take advantage of the unique characteristics of hand drawn artwork.

    11 Live2D Cubism alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Country of Origin

    • JP flagJapan

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Unity
    Live2D Cubism screenshot 1

    Live2D Cubism Features

    1.  GNU/linux-libre
    2.  Image to 3D

    Live2D Cubism VS Spine

     
  9. E-mote Free Movie Maker icon

    E-mote Free Movie Maker

     7 likes
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    E-mote is an engine which can create smooth and stereoscopic animation in a few steps from the character's 2D illustration. You can easily and dynamically move the expressions, orientations, limbs of standing pictures characters and make it look 3D.

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    E-mote Free Movie Maker screenshot 1

    E-mote Free Movie Maker Features

    1.  Animation Rigging
    2.  Image to 3D

    E-mote Free Movie Maker VS Spine

     
  10. Trangram icon

    Trangram

     3 likes
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    Trangram is a free one-stop platform to create, animate and share motion graphics.

    51 Trangram alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    Trangram screenshot 1

    Trangram Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Ad-free

    Trangram VS Spine

     

    • Trangram is the most popular Web-based alternative to Spine.

    • Trangram is Free and ProprietarySpine is Paid and Proprietary
  11. Spriter icon

    Spriter

     9 likes
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    Spriter : an intuitive 2D animation tool for video game makers.

    Spriter enables the “modular” method of animating where, instead of each frame being a single complete image, it is constructed from many small, re- useable images (such as body parts). Each of these images that ar.

    18 Spriter alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Spriter screenshot 1

    Spriter VS Spine

     
    Comments about Spriter as an Alternative to Spine
    Guest
    Positive •Jan 1, 2017
    1

    Far more affordable, however lacking in mesh functions.

    Spine Icon
    Spriter icon
    • Spriter is Paid and ProprietarySpine is also Paid and Proprietary
  12. Creature icon

    Creature

     3 likes
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    This software is used to create fluid and natural animation to 2D graphics, easily allowing the user to use secondary animation to make it look more natural.

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Intuitive interface

    Creature VS Spine

     
  13. Marionette Studio icon

    Marionette Studio

     3 likes
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    Marionette Studio is a great software, powerful, easy and very intuitive to create 2D animations, characters for video games and more.

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RO flagRomania
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    Marionette Studio screenshot 1

    Marionette Studio VS Spine

     
  14. Jpixel icon

    Jpixel

     6 likes
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    JPixel is an editor for making pixel art animations and tilesets.

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Jpixel screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Official product page unavailable.

    Jpixel Features

    1.  Pixel Art

    Jpixel VS Spine

     
12 of 16 Spine alternatives