Moho Debut 13.5 | Create your own cartoons and animations in minutes | Software for PC and Mac OS

This is a standalone entry-level software package that lets you do 2d character animations such as for cartoons or explainer videos. It like Photoshop Elements vs Photoshop - a scaled down pro-level package for those just wanting to test the waters before investing in the ($300+) full version. This package has a pretty steep learning curve for a novice, but I’m still working through it. There are some tutorials on YouTube that will get you started.

This animation software will get you up and running with animating perhaps faster than complex professional versions. It does have a learning curve but it isnt overwhelming. The instructions are very good and engaging enough to make it more fun and less tedious. The included samples and library are great and really assist in the learning process by providing key elements and examples. Great introductory software to creating little shorts. 4 solid stars.

There is a really steep learning curve with this software (even the basic version), but if you stick with it it is really good animation software. The pro version is more functional, but you actually get quite a lot in this basic version at a fraction of the cost. This is good software for a hobbyist or someone just dipping their toes into animation. My daughter has been doing stop-motion animation for years and wanted to try something new. She was initially frustrated that this software wasnt more intuitive, but shes getting it now. You can install it on up to 3 machines/devices (though you can only use it on one at a time) and I downloaded the install on 2 of my laptops. Works well on my windows computers.

Excited to master the debut so we can dig in to the pro. I did get both as I figured we would have one installed on 2 different machines and that the debut version would be good training ground. I will upload some creations once I get a little better. The large number of features makes this a valuable addition to my business.

Initial impressions- Initially, I opened the software in beginner mode and then needed to dive into tutorials. I thought that I would be able to pull up characters and get them to move quickly. However, I am now on my 15th video and have not yet created a character and can tell I will need to study and further educate myself on this software. I have learned about bones and manipulated an existing flytrap and was able to move its parts around but can tell that there is quite a bit I will need to learn and understand. A lot of patience will be needed. There is an incredible amount of potential and I look forward to further use. However, I would not expect to be able to create a character in five minutes unless you have existing experience. There are a lot controls to understand. I will continue to use this and update with time and use.

I am a complete noob at this type of stuff. I was worried that even the beginning would be over my head, but the Beginners Mode is very easy to use and I began learning right away. It is fun and fascinating to learn how the animation process works. Learning by doing is the best way. You can use characters found in the Content Library or download from the internet, or create your own , depending on your abilities. I am a beginner, but I can see that this software will take me far on my animation journey.

I got this for my son to start to mess around as he really enjoys using his phone to create stop motion and drawn animations. He has a low level gaming PC with a 4gb GPU and the PC can handle this program with zero issues at all. Luckily I set it up with an old CD/DVD drive, so I was able to use this. Not sure why people still sell stuff on discs. Installation was fast and easy. I was really excited about the stock imagery. There is plenty to choose from, we decided on some funny looking cats. However, thats where the ease ends. I am sure much of the interface is common industry language, but the UI may as well be written in hieroglyphs for all I know. It is pretty difficult to navigate and set up if you dont know what the thousands of windows and buttons are for, which we clearly dont. I was able to create some basic movements and such after a while and got a bit of an idea where things were headed. I was going to do the tutorial with my son, but it turns out the tutorial is a massive PDF document and not on-screen interactive. We are still working on getting the hang of things, and I think it is really a matter of playing around with i for a while, but I would not say this is for beginners. I would call this more suited for a hobbyist that has been animating for a while and wants a better platform. However, I do think with some time and practice getting to know the program, we will eventually be able to create some neat stuff, so the only reason I didnt give it 5 stars was the confusing UI and complexity for true beginners.

This is an amazing bit of software for this price. If you recognize 2d animation, this gets you there with minimal learning. Im family with general movie editing software as well as music software, so the concept of layering is not new to me. However, I have no animation experience - in no time, I found myself setting up mini vignettes and scenes (mostly using pre-made character samples). This gives me a good feel for the capabilities of this software. Theres amazing capabilities for an introductory software package and an array of educational videos available on YouTube for exploring the possibilities. Perfect for learning animation on a budget, but also capable of professional grade 2d animation. Recommended.

My daughter is in to art, and she wanted to do animations but the free software wasnt good enough. I got this for her and she is very happy with it. She says it didnt take long to learn and she was able to do everything she wanted with it. Much easier than Blender or other pro-level programs.

Moho Debut offers a great way to start working with vector-based skeletal animation, without requiring a large upfront investment. The learning curve can be steep, but even a novice can produce great-looking results with a little time and effort. Experienced animators, however, should skip this version in favor of the more expensive Pro edition, as some of Debut’s limitations make it suboptimal beyond casual use (especially when it comes to output quality). Moho’s bone animation system is intuitive to use, and an optional beginner mode makes things even easier by initially hiding some of the software’s more advanced features. A tutorial is provided in the form of a 329-page PDF document, which seems daunting at first, but the large size is the result of having many helpful pictures that guide you every step of the way. That said, the tutorial and user manual could be improved if Moho made use of PDF’s indexing/navigation features (e.g., a clickable table of contents), as the current documents require a ton of scrolling to find what you’re looking for. My only disappointment with Moho Debut is its severely limited output resolution. When creating your own projects, the software offers only a handful of SD/480p presets, and the custom dimensions are limited to just 900x900. That means even basic HD (720p or 1280x720) is out of reach, and your exported animation videos can look blurry/pixelated on modern devices or screens. Nowadays, even the cheapest of smartphones can record video in 1080p, which makes Moho Debut’s 480p resolution feel downright archaic. Overall, I’m enjoying Moho Debut’s easy-to-use animation tools and detailed tutorial, but its low-resolution output presets and short 3000-frame length limit can make the software feel somewhat more like a paid demo for the Pro edition, rather than a complete standalone product. Four stars.