Why we picked it
If you made stick figure fights in Pivot Animator as a kid, StykAnimate is the app you wish it had become. It keeps Pivot's simple drag-the-joints way of animating, then adds what was missing: layers, easing, a camera, motion paths, effects like explosions and smoke, and export to MP4, GIF and transparent video. It even opens your old Pivot and Stick Nodes files. It's completely free, runs on Windows, Linux or in your browser, and everything stays on your device. It's new, launched in September 2026, and updated almost every week. It's GPL licensed: free for anyone to use, and your animations are yours, but changed versions of the app must stay open source.
About StykAnimate
StykAnimate is a free, open source app for animating stick figures. You pose a figure by dragging its joints, move to the next frame, pose it again, and play it back. That's the same simple way of working that made Pivot Animator a favourite for a whole generation of animators in the 2000s, with the tools of a modern animation app added on top. It runs on Windows and Linux, or in your web browser with nothing to install, and it was released on GitHub in September 2026 by an independent developer (filippocalippo on GitHub).
What it can do
- Pose figures by dragging. Joints keep their length, and arms and legs bend naturally when you move a hand or foot (inverse kinematics). Figures can stretch and even turn in 3D.
- Build your own figures. Make characters from lines, circles, shapes, text and images, then reuse them across projects.
- Two timelines. A simple Pivot-style strip of frames for quick work, and an advanced timeline with layers, folders, keyframes and easing for smoother motion.
- Camera, motion paths and onion skins. Move and zoom the camera, follow a character, draw the path something moves along, and see the frames before and after the one you're on.
- Effects and drawing. Explosions, auras, beams and smoke, plus brushes for drawing backgrounds and extras.
- Opens your old projects. Pivot Animator (.piv, .stk) and Stick Nodes (.stknds, .nodes, .nodemc) files open right in, keeping their timing and camera.
- Export for anywhere. MP4, WebM with a transparent background, GIF, APNG, image frames, and editable Pivot files.
- A community library. Insert figures and movie clips shared by other animators.
- Works on your device. Editing, saving and exporting all happen on your own computer, in 27 languages, with a touch mode for tablets.
StykAnimate, Pivot Animator or Stick Nodes?
All three animate stick figures frame by frame. They differ in where they run, how far they go and what they cost.
StykAnimateThis pageBest forModern stick figure animation for free
Pivot's simple posing plus layers, easing, camera moves, effects and video export. Opens Pivot and Stick Nodes files. Brand new and changing quickly.
- How you use it
- Windows and Linux apps, or in your browser
- Open source
- Yes (GPL 3.0)
- Cost
- Free
PPivot Animator
Best forThe classic, quick and simple
The original stick figure animator from the mid-2000s, loved for how easy it is. Windows only, with fewer tools for smooth motion, camera moves or effects.
- How you use it
- A Windows app
- Open source
- No
- Cost
- Free
SStick Nodes
Best forAnimating on your phone
A popular mobile app for stick figure animation with a big community library. Some features need the paid Pro version.
- How you use it
- Phone and tablet apps
- Open source
- No
- Cost
- Free; paid Pro version
A quick way to choose: animating on your phone? Stick Nodes. Want the old-school Pivot feel on Windows? Pivot Animator still works. Want smoother motion, camera moves, effects and video export, for free and on any computer? Try StykAnimate.
How to get it
- In your browser: open app.stykanimate.com. Nothing to install, and it works offline once loaded.
- Windows: download the Setup or Portable version from the official releases page on GitHub (linked from stykanimate.com). The installed app updates itself.
- Linux: download the AppImage from the same releases page.
- Mac: there's no Mac app yet, so use the browser version, ideally with a mouse or pen on a bigger screen.
Good to know
- It's only a few weeks old and gets new updates almost every week, so expect the occasional rough edge.
- Only download it from stykanimate.com or its official GitHub releases, which publish checksums so you can confirm the file is genuine.
- It's an independent project, not made by the makers of Pivot Animator or Stick Nodes.
- Diagnostics are optional and only sent if you agree.
- Licence: GPL 3.0. Free for anyone to use, including for paid work: your animations belong to you. If you share a changed version of the app itself, you must share its code under the same licence, and the project asks that changed versions use a different name and icon.
What you can build with it
- Making stick figure fights, parkour and comedy animations
- Opening and finishing old Pivot Animator and Stick Nodes projects
- Animating simple explainers and memes for social media
- Exporting animations as MP4, GIF or transparent video for edits and reels
- Learning the basics of animation: timing, easing and keyframes
Works well with
A free file converter you use by dragging: drop files on a format at your cursor. 244+ formats, works offline, no Office or uploads needed.