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SPECIFICTION
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Boats Animator

charlielee.uk

Free plan WindowsmacOSLinux
Visit charlielee.uk
Spec score 8.0 #12 of 29 in Stop Motion Software

What it is

Boats Animator is a free stop motion animation program for Windows, macOS and Linux. It captures high-resolution webcam images, including 1080p and beyond, and provides live frame capture with immediate frame preview. Onion skinning, gridlines and aspect ratio masks help position and compare animation frames. Finished work can be exported as video files or as conforming image files for video-editing software. The program is open source under the GNU General Public License, and contributions are welcomed. A USB webcam is required. Listed hardware requirements are an Intel Pentium 4 or later with SSE2, 1 GB RAM and 1 GB available storage. Documentation lists Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later, and Ubuntu 20.04 tested for Linux builds. Version 0.13.0 is identified as the last release supporting Windows 7 and 8.1. User documentation, a Discord community and author contact are linked.

Spec sheet

What it does
Boats Animator is a free stop motion animation program.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Platforms
The maker lists Windows, macOS and Linux downloads.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Security
The 0.11.0 release notes say web links use HTTPS and the app integrates better with macOS and Windows camera access settings.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support
The project links to user documentation, a Discord community and a way to contact the author.Read 7 Oct 2026 · help.boatsanimator.com
Animation guides
Its tools include onion skinning, gridlines and aspect ratio masks.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Camera requirement
The system requirements list a USB webcam.Read 7 Oct 2026 · help.boatsanimator.com
Capture
It captures high resolution images from webcams, including 1080p and beyond.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Export
Users can export animations to video files or conform image files for use in video editing software.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Hardware requirements
The listed hardware requirements are an Intel Pentium 4 or later with SSE2, 1 GB RAM and 1 GB available storage.Read 7 Oct 2026 · help.boatsanimator.com
Open source
The program is open source under the GNU General Public License, and contributions are welcomed.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Playback
It lets users instantly preview captured frames without waiting for them to process.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
Release limitation
Version 0.13.0 is described as the last release to support Windows 7 and 8.1.Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk
System requirements
The documentation lists Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later, and Ubuntu 20.04 tested for Linux builds.Read 7 Oct 2026 · help.boatsanimator.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Free stop motion animation program · Windows, macOS, Linux Read 7 Oct 2026 · charlielee.uk

Every Boats Animator plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plan with no listed charge
  • Captures 1080p-and-beyond webcam images
  • Live preview of captured frames
  • Onion skinning, gridlines and aspect masks
  • Exports video or conforming image files

Limits

  • Requires a USB webcam
  • No exposure controls
  • No audio support
  • Windows 7/8.1 support ends at version 0.13.0

Who it suits

It suits animators who need webcam-based stop motion tools on Windows, macOS or Linux. It also fits users wanting an open-source program with video and image export.

Verdict

Boats Animator covers webcam capture, frame guidance, preview and export across three desktop platforms. Its lack of exposure and audio support, plus the USB webcam requirement, defines the limits listed here.

Where Specifiction places it

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