The Best Animation Software for beginners and pros

Formerly known as Flash, this software is a favorite among many You-tubers, Independent Filmmakers, and Beginners.  

With a  $20 /monthly payment plan and a free trial, Animate CC has made getting started with premium software - much easier

A very flexible program that can go anywhere you want to go in any kind of style - from stick figures to high quality Ghibli / Disney. 

TV shows like the Simpsons, and Rick & Morty use this.

It's a tad more expensive than Animate CC but still has a free trial with a fairly low month cost after. 

This is the digital hand drawn animators professional software of choice.

If your seeking to create the highest level 2D animation like golden age Disney - TV Paint is the way to go.

But there is also a Free Trial version available to help you decide. 

Maya is the industry standard for most jobs in movies and game studios. If you want to get comfortable with what you'll be using as a professional, start here.

And don't let the cost scare you, there are FREE student versions and a Free Trial (Other 3d programs exist that are similar to Maya, though they aren't worth mentioning for animation).

Blender is a FREE open source 3D program.  Due to this, it's gained a lot of popularity. However, very few, if any, animation studios actually use Blender on the job. 

So it's great for testing out what 3D programs are capable of. But if you want to become a 3D professional animator, you should probably plan to learn Maya eventually. 

Dragonframe is the #1 software for Stop Motion Animators. Hands down theres no comparison. Feature Films like The Little Prince, Loving Vincent, and Isle of Dogs where created using it, so that pretty much says it all. 

There are special student prices and helpful add on's like Bluetooth controllers. So check out the options. 

If you're a beginner or you just want to keep animating super casual - you may not want to pay for Adobe Animate or Toon Boom yet. 

Krita is your pick then. And it's a great example of why it's so easy to start learning animation today. It's open source, just click the link and download.
  

Again - FREE software.  Flipbook is basic and very traditionally focused.

It's probably as close as you can get to traditional 2D animation without actually using paper.