Animation Desk review

Animation Desk works like a digital flipbook. You start from the first frame or a keyframe, draw with the brushes, and use onion skinning to trace the motion from one frame to the next. A frame viewer, duplicate and repeat commands, and an FPS setting cover the basics of timing a stick figure's movement, and in-app video tutorials walk beginners through their first project. You can also import videos and photos and draw animation effects on top, then export as video, GIF, a PDF sheet or individual frames, or send the file to Photoshop. Kdan lists recommendations from education sites such as EdTech Impact. The free basic version includes ads and is limited to 3 sketch layers and 1 background layer, which is enough for simple stickman scenes. Animation Desk Pro is a subscription, listed on the US App Store from $4.49 a month, so families who animate often may pay more over time than with Stick Nodes Pro.

Who it is for

Classroom beginners on iPad who want a flipbook-style drawing app

Price

Free with ads; Animation Desk Pro from $4.49 a month on the US App Store.

Animation Desk Pro (Month) $4.49
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Flipbook-style frame-by-frame drawing from the first frame or a keyframe
• Onion skinning and a frame viewer for managing frames
• Adjustable FPS and frame duplicate or repeat
• Video and photo import with animation effects added on top
• Export as video, GIF or PDF sheet, or send to Photoshop

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free to download and use, with in-app video tutorials
• Strength: Exports to video, GIF, PDF sheets and individual frame images
• Strength: Recommended by education review sites such as EdTech Impact, per Kdan
• Weakness: The basic version is limited to 3 sketch layers and 1 background layer
• Weakness: The basic version includes ads
• Weakness: Pro is a subscription rather than a one-time purchase

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, 3 sketch layers and 1 background layer, with ads
• Paid upgrade: Animation Desk Pro from $4.49 a month (US App Store)
• Platforms: iPhone, iPad
• App Store age rating: 4+

Where it ranks

Animation Desk is No. 8 in our Best Stick Figure Animation Software verdict.