Tahoma2D review

Tahoma2D takes the OpenToonz engine and makes it friendlier for people who have never used production animation software. Its own comparison lists a simplified workspace, easier project management, implicit holds so a drawing stays on screen until the next one, timeline and xsheet folders, and a status bar with hints for new users. It also adds drawing aids such as a perspective grid and a symmetry tool, live clipping masks, and referenced fills that use other layers as boundaries. Beyond hand-drawn work, Tahoma2D supports cut-out animation, stop motion with DSLR cameras on Windows, macOS and Linux, and automated lip syncing through Rhubarb Lip Sync. A practical detail for students is that it exports mp4 and gif without installing extra libraries, which OpenToonz users often trip over. It runs portably, so you can keep older versions installed. The trade-off is that it remains a deep tool, so expect a learning curve beyond Pencil2D.

Who it is for

Students who want OpenToonz-level 2D and stop motion tools with an easier start.

Price

Free; no paid plan.

Free and powerful software for 2D and stop motion animators.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Simplified workspace and a status bar with hints for new users
• Cut-out animation and stop motion with DSLR camera support
• Automated lip syncing with Rhubarb Lip Sync
• Perspective grid and symmetry tools for drawing
• Exports to mp4 and gif with no extra libraries

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Keeps the OpenToonz feature set while removing setup friction
• Strength: Portable install, so several versions can sit side by side
• Strength: States that it collects no data on users
• Weakness: Still a production-style tool with more panels than Pencil2D or FlipaClip
• Weakness: Windows build needs a 64-bit Windows 8.1, 10 or 11
• Weakness: Recent macOS builds require macOS 15 Sequoia or later

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Animation types: 2D frame-by-frame, cut-out, stop motion
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
• Based on: OpenToonz

Where it ranks

Tahoma2D is No. 3 in our Best Free Animation Software verdict.