Adobe Character Animator vs iClone
Adobe Character Animator
adobe.comiClone
reallusion.comSide by side
| Figure | Adobe Character Animator | iClone |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 8 |
| Spec score · Animation Software | 9.1 (#8) | 9.2 (#5) |
| Spec score · Cartoon Maker Software | 9.1 (#3) | 9.0 (#6) |
| Character rigging | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud collaboration | No | No |
| Export formats | Exports include H.264 video, Adobe Media Encoder output, PNG sequences and WAV audio. | FBX,OBJ,ABC,USD |
| Founded | 1982 | 1993 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California, USA | Hsintien, New Taipei City, Taiwan |
| Licence | Adobe lists Character Animator under Creative Cloud software governed by Adobe's general terms; it is proprietary commercial software rather than open source. | The software and iContent are proprietary; the EULA prohibits copying, sublicensing, reverse engineering and redistribution. |
| Limit: setup complexity | G2 reviewers report that preparing correctly structured artwork, naming layers and organizing files can be tedious and confusing. | G2 reviewers report that initial setup and connecting the software to other tools can be complex. |
| Supported platforms | Windows,macOS | windows |
| Rating on G2 | 4.2 out of 5 from 33 reviews | 4.8 out of 5 from 13 reviews |
| 2D animation tools | Yes | No |
| What it does | Adobe Character Animator is a performance-based 2D animation application that brings layered characters to life in real time. | iClone is Reallusion's real-time 3D animation environment for character performance, scene design and cinematic storytelling. |
Plans
Adobe Character Animator
- Character Animator StarterPrice not published
- Character Animator StarterPriced on request
- Creative Cloud Pro for students and teachersPriced on request
- Creative Cloud Pro for students and teachersPrice not published
- Creative Cloud Pro for teamsPrice not published
- Creative Cloud Pro for teamsPriced on request
- StarterFree
- Creative Cloud Pro annual billed monthly$34.99 a month
- Creative Cloud Pro$69.99 a month
iClone
- PersonalFree
- iClone 365Priced on request
- iClone 8Priced on request
- iClone 8Price not published
- iClone Personal EditionFree
- iClone 365$16.58 a month
- iClone 365 Pro$23.28 a month
- iClone 8 Perpetual License$359, paid once
In their own words
Adobe Character Animator
Adobe Character Animator has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
iClone
iClone is a Windows application for character rigging and real-time capture, including facial tracking. It supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 and exports FBX, OBJ, ABC, and USD files. The listed capabilities do not include 2D animation, 3D modeling, motion graphics, or cloud collaboration. iClone uses a freemium model with a Free Personal Edition priced at free, with no time limit and 30 3D exports. The iClone 365 and iClone 8 plans each list 2,000+ free assets, but their prices are not provided. Capture sources are both, and the product is intended for users working with rigged characters and captured motion on Windows. The maker is headquartered in Hsintien, New Taipei City, Taiwan, and was founded in 1993.