Live2D Cubism vs Pencil2D
Live2D Cubism
live2d.com
Pencil2D
pencil2d.orgSide by side
| Figure | Live2D Cubism | Pencil2D |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5.65/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 20 | 2 |
| Spec score · Animation Software | 9.0 (#11) | 8.8 (#16) |
| Spec score · 2D Character Animation Software | 8.8 (#6) | 8.4 (#10) |
| Spec score · Cartoon Maker Software | 8.8 (#8) | 8.4 (#12) |
| Export formats | PNG,JPEG,GIF,MP4,WebM,MOV,MOC3,model3.json,motion3.json | MP4,WEBM,AVI,GIF,APNG,PNG image sequence |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Editor files are supported by nizima LIVE and various third-party applications, and Live2D provides an After Effects plug-in and Photoshop scripts. | GetApp reports that no integrations were found for Pencil2D. |
| Supported platforms | Windows,macOS | Windows,macOS,Linux |
| Purpose | Cubism Editor models and animates drawn illustrations to create dynamic 2D expressions. | Pencil2D is an intuitive tool for making 2D hand-drawn animations. |
| Support and learning | Live2D provides manuals, tutorials, free sample data, and Live2D Help for users. | The maker points users to its forum, Discord, tutorials, FAQ and user manual for help and learning. |
Plans
Live2D Cubism
- Cubism PRO for indie — Monthly$13.26 a month
- Cubism PRO for indie — Annual, year one$91.02 a year
- Cubism PRO for indie — Annual, year two$74.96 a year
- Cubism PRO for indie — Annual, year three and later$68.07 a year
- Cubism PRO for indie — 3-year plan$234.05 a month
- Cubism PRO for business — Monthly$61.32 a month
- Cubism PRO for business — Annual, year one$420.68 a year
- Cubism PRO for business — Annual, year two$380.91 a year
- Cubism PRO for business — Annual, year three and later$350.32 a year
- Cubism PRO for indie Monthly Plan$13.21 a month
In their own words
Live2D Cubism
Live2D Cubism Editor turns drawn illustrations into animated 2D models, with tools for shaping expressions through mesh deformation, physics, and lip sync. Live2D says its technology is used in mobile apps, console games, VTuber streaming, and animation. The editor runs on Windows and macOS, including Apple Silicon and Intel Mac versions, and exports PNG, JPEG, GIF, MP4, WebM, MOV, MOC3, model3.json, and motion3.json files. Editor files are supported by nizima LIVE and other third-party applications; Live2D also provides an After Effects plug-in and Photoshop scripts. The PRO trial lasts 42 days, after which the Editor continues as the FREE version. FREE is limited to one 2048 px texture file, 100 ArtMesh, 30 motion parameters, 50 deformers, and 30 parts; exceeding those limits prevents saving. FREE commercial use is restricted to General Users and Small-Scale Enterprises with annual sales under 10 million yen. Cubism PRO for indie is listed at $13.26 a month.
Pencil2D
Pencil2D is free, open-source software for creating hand-drawn 2D animations. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and, according to the homepage, FreeBSD. The project provides stable builds for Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.14 or later on Intel, and both 32-bit and 64-bit Linux. Artists can switch between raster and vector workflows for sketching, inking and painting. A timeline manages keyframes, while dockable tool and color windows accompany an unlimited canvas with a camera field. Onion skin displays drawings before and after the current keyframe, with controls for drawing count and transparency. Sound can be imported through a sound layer, although waveform display is still pending. Exports include MP4, WEBM, AVI, GIF, APNG and PNG image sequences. Video importing, text tools and shape tools are not implemented. Pencil2D is free for commercial use. Help is available through its forum, Discord, tutorials, FAQ and user manual.