E-commerce Tips & Tricks

4 min read

22 Nov 2020

15 Free Animation Tools You Can Use To Make E-Commerce Marketing Videos

15 Free Animation Tools You Can Use To Make E-Commerce Marketing Videos

Did you know that 85% of internet users watch videos at least once a month?

Research also reveals that more than 54% of internet users think that online businesses should include more e-commerce marketing videos on their platforms.

Although we have plenty of free animation tools for videos, putting out a well-crafted video isn't always an easy task. 

Luckily, present-day technology now enables anyone to create a professional animated video without needing technical skills. 

If you have been wondering how to make animation videos for your online store, you've come to the right place 

In this article, we'll be highlighting some proven animation tools for videos that will help skyrocket your e-commerce sales in no time. 

What Is Video Animation? 

Video animation is a technique in which still images are manipulated to appear as animated/moving figures. 

This approach has been used by digital marketers for quite some time to increase engagement and click-through-rates. 

Free Animation Tools You Can Use To Make E-Commerce Marketing Videos

1.GoAnimate

GoAnimate is a free yet powerful animation tool that has gained massive popularity because of its ability to create superior-quality videos. 

The best thing about this tool is that you don't need any technical knowledge to create professional-looking HD videos. 

You can choose from three themes - ‘Whiteboard Animation’, Business Friendly’, and ‘Video Infographics’.

With GoAnimate, you can easily download and export videos. This tool is incredibly easy to use, and it is an ideal choice for small-scale and mid-sized businesses that are looking to invest in a simple and effective tool. 

2. Animaker

Animaker is another free-to-use animation tool that comes with a range of user-friendly features. 

This software comes with easy drag-and-drop functionality, full HD support, a wide range of pre-built graphics, and both horizontal and vertical layouts. 

Animaker enables e-commerce store owners to create 6 different types of animated videos, including:

1.    2D
2.    2.5D
3.    Typography
4.    Whiteboard
5.    Handcraft
6.    & infographics

This software also comes with a range of useful audio features, such as text-to-speech, background music, and different sound effects. You can either use the software's default library of sounds or can also upload your own tunes. 

You can also get advanced features if you choose a pro version of this tool. These features include multimove, transition effects, in-app camera, and more.  

3. Powtoon

If you’re looking to create intuitive how-tos, official presentations, and slideshows, then Powtoon can be your safest bid. 

The software comes with 11 pre-loaded templates, making it one of the best options for educators and students. 

You can even upload your custom video on YouTube or Wistia using the free version of this program.

The best thing about this free animation tool is that it enables you to customize many options, including text, special effects, and more. 

The downloading feature is, however, only available on the premium plan. 

4. Blender

If you're looking to invest in professional video animation and editing tools, then you may want to give Blender a try. 

Blender is a powerful free-to-use open-source 3D animation tool that offers a wide range of video animation functions to sellers. There are many things you can seamlessly perform with Blender, including rendering, simulation, modeling, editing, and more. 

Since Blender is a public platform, professionals from all around the globe contribute to its maintenance. 

Some of the prominent features of Blender include:

Video Editing

The blender comes with a built-in video editor that allows you to edit videos, perform splicing, and do video masking and color grading in a minimal amount of time. 

VFX

With the VFX feature, you can perform a plethora of complex tasks, such as composting and motion tracking. 

Simulation

Blender enables you to create unique and eye-catching simulations for rain, fog, and more.

Rigging

The exclusive animation and rigging features in Blender enable you to synchronize sound and benefit from other useful features, such as forward/inverse kinematics, character animation pose editor, and more. 

Grease Pencil

With a Grease Pencil, you can draw directly in 3D. Also, it enables you to combine both 2D/3D in a single application. 

5. Wideo

Wideo is a popular free animation tool for videos that offers a huge variety of templates to the users. With this tool, you can create professional-quality video e-cards, business presentations, and e-commerce marketing videos

The software enables users to customize their videos by integrating logos and branding. You can save videos in your account and embed them using the ready embed code. 

The only disadvantage is that it is capped at 45-seconds, meaning you have to subscribe to the paid plan if you want to create longer videos. Apart from that, you cannot download the videos on the free plan, and you have to upgrade it to the paid version if you want to download HD-quality videos. 

6. Moovly

Moovly is a free animation tool that includes a wide range of features for e-commerce store owners. 

The software comes with a wide range of free-to-use features that empower online store owners to create unique and interactive e-commerce marketing videos. 

Also, you would be entitled to receive many rewards for performing easy tasks. You can also create an infinite number of short 10-minutes 480p quality videos. 

The only downside is you can only download videos in SD if you're on a Free plan. 

7. K-3D

K-3D is another popular free-to-use 3D animation tool that facilitates Polygonal Modeling. This tool is built to cater to the needs of designers and artists. But you can definitely use this to create eye-catching e-commerce marketing videos. 

K-3D comes with a plethora of useful features, including texturing, shadows,  and more. Easy undo/redo functionality is one of the best features that come in handy with this software. 

As its name suggests, you can easily fix mistakes with this option while on the go. 

The availability of both procedural and parametric workflows enables you to make changes. In addition to that, you can also create strong connections and tasteful combinations for multiple video elements. 

All in all, if you're looking for an advanced-level video animation tool without spending a dime, then K-3D is probably the safest choice. 

8. Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark allows you to transform your ideas into breathtaking visual stories within minutes. The best bit? This tool is absolutely free to use.

This is a powerful video editing tool that offers a wide range of options for e-commerce store owners. 

With Adobe Spark, you can edit videos, add animations, and insert images and soundtracks to your videos. 

Some of the best Adobe Spark features include:

A wide range of typography, images, icone, and theme options
Seamless social sharing
Metrics tracking 

The free version includes almost everything you need to create stunning videos. Also, you can grab a premium version for only $9.99/month. 

9. OpenToonz

OpenToonz is one of the best free video animation tools designed specifically for 2D videos. This software is 100% free for both commercial and non-commercial users. 

The software lands with a wide range of user-friendly features, including digital drawing tools, scripting, composting, motion tweeting, particle systems, indexed color palettes, etc. 

All of these features enable you to create an interactive e-commerce marketing video that can increase conversions in no time. 

10. Plastic Animation Paper

Plastic Animation Paper, also known as PAP, is another free video animation software that is specifically designed for PC, Mac, and Linux. 

While this software comes with an outdated interface, it still offers a wide range of features to the e-commerce community. 

For instance, you can create hand-drawn animations, zoom, rotate, cut down, and more. 

PAP also enables you to create 2D graphics from hand-drawn illustrations in the blink of an eye. Apart from that, there are small and large format frames, lines & stabilization, rotation and zoom, and other features that make your video animation journey truly flexible and worthwhile.

11. Stykz

Stykz is an easy-to-use free video animation tool that helps you create 2D stick-figure animated videos.  

We know this feature is pretty simple, but it's free.

This software is frame-based, meaning you have to work on one frame at a time. Stykz uses onion skins that enable you to review the previous frame and make changes accordingly.

12. Pencil2D Animation

Pencil 2D Animation is another basic video animation tool just like Skytz that enables users to create 2D hand-drawn videos without any difficulty. 

This software is free for both commercial and non-commercial users. The interface is quite basic, making it a good choice for beginners and new online sellers. 

Some of the key features of Pencil2D Animation include:

Image/audio import
Frame rate adjustment
Onion skinning
Pressure sensitivity
Different export formats

13. Synfig Studio

Synfig Studio is an open-source platform that helps online store owners create 2D animated videos. 

With Synfig, you can also create timeline-based animations using vector graphics. For animation control, there's a bone system that helps you create natural movements with a professional touch. 

Use bitmap images or organize your vector artwork, Synfig gives you a vast range of options to take charge of your video marketing.

Besides basic features, this software also offers a wide range of advanced-level features. For instance, you can link parameters for smooth layering. This enables you to create puppets and other high-end moving structures and cartoons. 

As you can clearly see, the advanced features aren't suitable for newbies. So if you have just started out, we suggest you stick to basic features.

You can even take help from the tutorials available online to learn how this platform actually works. 

14. Toontastic 3D

Toontastic is Google's own free-to-use animation tool. This software is meant for kids and budding artists who want to build a career in 3D animation. But brands and online businesses can also use it to create e-commerce marketing videos. 

With Toontastic, you can either create your animation videos from scratch or can also animate an uploaded photo. The idea is to breathe a new life into the characters of your story.

With Toontastic, you can easily create your storyline, add music and animation, and share it with others in a single click. 

There are multiple templates and prebuilt scenes to choose from. 

15. Explee

With Explee, you can quickly create whiteboard animation videos for your e-commerce store for free. 

But this is certainly not the only advantage of using this wonderful tool. With Explee, you can create advanced marketing video animations within seconds. 

Final Words

There you have it. All of these free animation tools for videos are feature-rich and user-friendly. Yes, they do come with cons, but they're still very helpful for product marketers who want to create attractive product videos without spending a dime. 

Have you used any of these platforms for your e-commerce store yet? Please share your experience and feedback below. We'd love to hear back!

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Ricky Hayes

Ricky Hayes is the CEO at Debutify. He is a passionate entrepreneur running multiple businesses, marketing agencies, and mentoring programs.

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