I've been wanting to get into animation but I don't have a huge budget. I see all these expensive professional programs but I'm just a beginner looking to learn the basics. What are some good affordable animation tools that won't break the bank? I'm especially interested in 2D animation but open to anything that's beginner friendly and reasonably priced.
I've been using Krita for my 2D animation projects and it's completely free. It's actually a painting program but has decent animation features. The timeline works pretty well for frame by frame animation. The learning curve isn't too bad either, especially if you're already familiar with drawing software. It's definitely one of the best affordable animation tools out there since it costs nothing.
If you're looking for something specifically designed for animation, OpenToonz is another free option. It's actually the software Studio Ghibli used for some of their films, though the free version is open source. It can be a bit intimidating at first but there are good tutorials out there. For a more beginner friendly option, Pencil2D is super simple and great for learning the basics of 2D animation without getting overwhelmed.
Blender is free and has amazing animation capabilities, but it's definitely not beginner friendly. The 3D animation tools are professional level. If you want to dip your toes in, they have a 2D animation workspace called Grease Pencil that's actually pretty cool. The downside is the steep learning curve. For something simpler, I'd second the Pencil2D recommendation. It's perfect entry-level animation software for learning the fundamentals.
I've been teaching animation basics to some students and we've had good results with Wick Editor. It's browser based and completely free, which makes it super accessible. The interface is designed with beginners in mind and it has just enough features to create interesting animations without being overwhelming. It's especially good for vector based animation and has some interactive features too.
Don't overlook Synfig Studio if you're looking for free 2D animation software with bone based animation. It's vector based and has a pretty decent rigging system for a free tool. The interface is a bit dated but it's powerful once you get the hang of it. There's a good community around it too with tutorials and documentation. For frame by frame animation, Pencil2D is definitely the easiest to start with though.