Motion capture software is a tool used to capture the movement of an object or actor then turn it into a motion vector to create animations, simulations, and videos. These software programs contain key features to customize graphics and tools to utilize motion capturing.
There are many motion capture software products on the market. They each offer a unique twist within the software. Small businesses, hobbyists, and professionals have many different options with a wide range of prices that will fit their budget.
In this post, you will learn about the 11 best motion capture software programs on the market today with a detailed overview of each program and the price associated with each program.
Top 11 Best Motion Capture Softwares
| Brand | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Adobe After Effects | 19.99/month | Best overall |
| 2. Adobe Animate | 29.99/month | 2D Animation |
| 3. 3DS Max by Autodesk | $215/month | Professional use |
| 4. Motionbuilder by Autodesk | $1,950/year | 3D Animation |
| 5. Videostudio by Corel | 39.99/month | Video editing |
| 6. Blender | Free | Free |
| 7. Houdini | Free | Built-in library |
| 8. Daz3D | Free | Hobbyists |
| 9. MakeHuman | Free | Creating humanoids |
| 10. Synfig Studio | Free | Variety of features |
| 11. Cyberlink PowerDirector | 149.99/month | In-depth video creation |
1. Adobe After Effects- Best Motion Capture Software for Best Overall
Pricing: 19.99 a month
Adobe After Effects is mainly used for videos by designers to animate elements for videos and for creating the introduction and used for the transitions in video clips. This motion capture software helps create graphic 3D effects and enhance visual effects. The vector paint tool is a tool that can be used to create texts and drawings and turn them into an animation. To use this software, you will need a more advanced computer. Key features include having a built-in 3D camera tracking system. With its extensive library, creating videos without any recorded videos is possible. This Adobe product is a part of the Adobe Creative Suite, so it is compatible with any Adobe product. If you have a membership to the Adobe Creative Suite, you can already access this product.
| Pros | Cons |
| Ease of use for complex projects | Advanced computer needed |
| Free trial available | |
| Award-winning tool | |
| Adobe help tools available |
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2. Adobe Animate- Best Motion Capture Software for 2D Animation
Pricing: 29.99 per month
Adobe Animate is a motion capture software program mainly used to design animations from 2D to 3D by making them come to life. Frequently, the software program is used for videos in television and gaming. Designers use the software program to design vector graphics for commercials and websites. It allows these animations to walk and blink using frame-by-frame animations perfect for cartoons. There are some unique features like a script tool and an animation timeline to speed up the animation creation process.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to use | Limited features |
| The color swatch tool can adjust colors for entire duration of the project | |
| Advanced layering tool using Z-axis |
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3. 3DS Max by Autodesk- Best Motion Capture Software for Professional Use
Pricing: $215 per month
This motion capture software is considered one of the most popular software programs due to its advanced motion capture abilities. 3DS Max is a motion capture software that is for professional use. It was formerly known as 3D Studio or 3D Studio Max. It is used often by designers for gaming or video production. The software layout is easy to use with two-character animation utilities to design two-legged characters or non-humanoid characters/objects.
| Pros | Cons |
| Support and learning system tool | Must be used on Microsoft Windows |
| Professional use | More expensive than some other programs available |
| Mo-cap functionality |
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4. Motionbuilder by Autodesk- Best Motion Capture Software for 3D Animation
Pricing: $1,950 per year or $5265 per three-year subscription
Motionbuilder is considered an advanced software with a complex motion capture technology and single pixel editing capabilities. The motion caption software is equipped with advanced physics engines to simulate motion dynamically in the animations. There are multiple tools in the program to design realistic movements. The software includes animation layering to add to relation layering allowing the user to control the amount of the layer to increase visibility for the animator. Motionbuilder updates their software often with the newest version including an audio display and an undo button.
| Pros | Cons |
| Software development kit included | Annual subscription |
| Python 3 tool now available with Motionbuilder | More expensive than other software programs |
| Free trial available | |
| Mo-cap ability | |
| Keyframe animation |
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5. VideoStudio by Corel- Best Motion Capture Software for Video Editing
Pricing: 39.99 per month during promotions, 79.99 during regular pricing
VideoStudio is a simple motion capture software due to its automatic features like the instant project templates that are ready to use. It is considered the best software program for 360° virtual reality content. There are two versions: VideoStudio Pro and VideoStudio Ultimate. VideoStudio Ultimate has more features including add-ons and special effects. The video tracking element allows for tracking specific movements by keyframe. The software program is frequently used for video editing.
| Pros | Cons |
| Viewed as best-in-class video editing software | More basic compared to other professional software programs out on the market |
| Simple User Interface | |
| Received PCMag Editors Choice Award | |
| Free trial available |
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6. Blender- Best Motion Capture Software for Free
Pricing: Free
This motion-capture software turns your videos into 3D animations and follows the movements. Blender uses tracking markers on the face to track facial movement to create realistic movements. Any 2D video can be turned into a 3D animation. This software is best for virtual reality, filmmaking, and games. The software contains an extensive amount of tools and it has adjustable settings to allow for in-depth customization. There are extensive computer-generated models to choose from that can be integrated with real-life recordings. There is the ability to add external add-ons into the software program, which allows for more tools to use. Although there are many features, some may say that it is complex to use.
| Pros | Cons |
| Deepmotion tutorial | Complex user interface |
| Keyboard shortcuts | |
| It can be used with iPhones | |
| Free |
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7. Houdini- Best Motion Capture Software for Built-in Library
Pricing: Free
Houdini is a motion capture software that uses nodes to create custom animations. Users can adjust with individual values, which allows for easier customization making it more complex to use. The software has an automatic rig tool, so there’s no need to spend time doing it manually. The software includes a muscle simulation system that is realistic and can be used to create bipedal and quadrupedal animations.
| Pros | Cons |
| Automatic rig tool | Complex user interface |
| Free software | Updates are infrequent |
| Many features |
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8. Daz3D- Best Motion Capture Software for Hobbyists
Pricing: Free
This motion capture software is simple to use with extensive built-in functions. The rigged 3D human models are great for basic enthusiasts or professionals. The software contains the ability to choose from any of the preset models and the ability to purchase additional models in the marketplace to create customized models. It’s easy to create human models and clothing with the puppeteer tool.
| Pros | Cons |
| Ability to become a Daz3D published artist and sell your content there and access more exclusive materials | Basic software primarily used for hobbyists |
| Rigged models are realistic and detailed | |
| Free |
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9. MakeHuman- Best Motion Capture Software for Creating Humanoids
Pricing: Free
MakeHuman is a basic motion capture software that specializes in creating realistic humanoids. There are differing styles and scenes, perfect for comic animators or amatuer cartoonists. This program is a good choice for enthusiasts, students or to be used in an intro design class for college. There are tools available on the software that allows for the customization of characters. Some customization features include changing the skin tones, weight changes, gender, or clothes which makes it easy to create a unique character.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free | Features limited to humanoids |
| Interface is easy to use | |
| Great for beginners | |
| Many tools to create unique human animations |
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10. Synfig Studio- Best Motion Capture Software for Variety of Features
Pricing: Free
Synfig Studio is a basic motion capture software and is excellent for 2D animations. There are many features included in the software. The features include: gradients, distortions, and filters to create customized 2D animations. Synchronizing animations to audios is easy with the Sound Layer tool. Although a more advanced computer system is needed, Synfig Studio is considered a basic software program and a good choice for beginners. The software comes equipped with helpful training programs.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free version | Mainly used for 2D animations |
| Many customization features | Need a more advanced computer system |
| Detailed skeletal system |
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11. Cyberlink PowerDirector- Best Motion Capture Software for In-Depth Video Creation
Pricing: Free version to 149.99 a month, depending on which version
Cyberlink PowerDirector is a more advanced motion capture software for video creation. It includes ways to customize titles, varying transitions, and video effects. The editing tools are vast and include 360-degree editing. Editing can be done by keyframing to enhance effects between frames. After editing effects between different frames, the software will automatically scale the effects creating a blended transition. The software is also great for beginners as there are many automatic tools, including guides that show users how to import clips, add audio, and assemble videos with customizing elements.
| Pros | Cons |
| New designs monthly | Moderate costs |
| Multiple plans to choose from | |
| Free version available called PowerDirector Essential | |
| Professional use |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do you do with motion capture software?
Motion capture software changes images captured during movement into 3D animations that can be used in gaming, virtual reality, and simulations. Motion capture software is key for the future of filmmaking and other professions.
Who uses motion capture software?
Both amateurs and professionals use motion capture software. Businesses use motion capture software along with hobbyists for personal use. Different designers use the software for cartoons, video games, and filmmakers. The need for motion capture software is vast and ranges from physical therapists to robotics to more apparent uses like animators and filmmakers.
What is the price associated with motion capture software?
The prices for motion capture software vary depending on the different features each product offers. Some software is marketed towards professional/advanced users and will have a hefty price tag. There are some motion capture software programs on the market that are free. These software programs will have more basic features, and they may not be updated as frequently, so they will have subpar performance and they may crash more often.
What are the major differences in motion capture software programs on the market?
The major differences are the number of features in the software and what these features can do. Some software programs are better for 2D animations and some are better to add visual graphic effects. Some software programs offer more complex layering tools, other visual graphic design tools, video tools, graphic animations, and scenes/transitions. Some programs also have help tools or customer service provided to help use the software.
What device is needed to use motion capture software?
While some motion capture software programs need a more advanced computer, other software programs can use a smartphone, making motion capture softwares available for any user. With either software program, a video camera will be needed to capture motion while the software will be used to transfer it into digital data.
Why use motion capturing software?
Before motion capturing, keyframe animation was used. There was a need to manually enter to get subpar results compared to motion capturing. The software has it all built-in and makes it easy to use and quick to get professional results.
Are there different types of motion capture?
Yes, there are two main types of motion capture, including non-optical and optical. Optical motion capture turns real-life motion into digital animations by utilizing camera tracking in different angles/perspectives. Non-optical motion capture captures mechanical movement and detects inertia.