Cavalry vs Fusion
Cavalry
cavalry.studioFusion
blackmagicdesign.comSide by side
| Figure | Cavalry | Fusion |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Visual Effects Software | 8.5 (#4) | 8.3 (#8) |
| Spec score · Motion graphics software | 8.4 (#5) | 8.1 (#7) |
| Spec score · Animation Software | 8.3 (#35) | 8.4 (#27) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Fusion
- DaVinci ResolvePrice not published
- DaVinci ResolvePriced on request
- Fusion Studio$295 a month
- Fusion Studio$295, paid once
- DaVinci Resolve (includes Fusion page)Free
In their own words
Cavalry
Cavalry is 2D animation software for macOS and Windows, with tools for motion graphics and character rigging. Its listed capabilities include procedural rigs, data-driven sequences, node-based compositing, keying, and simulation tools, alongside a hybrid render engine and real-time viewport. Users can connect a spreadsheet to animate data at scale. Export formats include APNG, GIF, JPEG, Lottie, MP4, PNG, QuickTime, SVG, sprite sheets, WebM, and WebP. Individuals can download and use Cavalry for free without stated usage restrictions or payment; no paid individual price is given. Organizations can arrange team access with SSO through Canva Enterprise or Canva Education. A Canva account is required to use the software, which is brought to users by Canva. Cavalry is not available on mobile devices. Learning materials include getting-started guidance, feature and tips content, tutorials, and community resources, with documentation and a support link also available. Refunding a legacy subscription removes Pro feature access in Cavalry 2.6.1 and earlier.
Fusion
Fusion is node-based compositing software for visual effects artists, broadcast and motion graphic designers, and 3D animators. Users connect image-processing tools as nodes and adjust individual parts of a composition. Its tools cover compositing, keying, painting, animation, virtual reality, and stereoscopic 3D. Fusion can import and render 3D models and scenes within a composite without pre-rendering assets or transferring between applications. Fusion Connect sends clips from DaVinci Resolve and Avid Media Composer timelines to Fusion and updates those timelines after a composition is rendered. Lua and Python scripting can create custom tools, exchange data with other applications, and automate tasks. Blackmagic says rendering can use an unlimited number of networked computers without additional cost or per-node render license fees. Fusion Studio includes a bin server for shared assets, and the product page describes team review and approval through DaVinci Resolve. A free DaVinci Resolve download includes the Fusion page. Fusion Studio is listed at $295 a month. Studio version 21.1 requires a Fusion Studio or DaVinci Resolve Studio license dongle, or an activation key. Fusion Studio downloads are listed for Mac OS, Linux, Windows x86, and Windows ARM.