Cavalry

What is Cavalry?

Cavalry is free 2D animation and motion graphics software for Mac and Windows, built for real-time animation, procedural rigs, and data-driven workflows. It’s designed to help animators and motion designers create and edit motion in real time, using data-driven workflows for repeatable animation systems.

The software emphasizes working with values and systems—adjusting inputs can ripple through connected setups—while rendering quickly in the viewport. Cavalry also supports features such as procedural rigs, importing data, and exporting formats mentioned on the site.

Key Features

• Real-time 2D animation and motion design workflow with a rendering viewport intended to avoid preview lag
• “Adjust a single value, watch entire systems respond” behavior for value-driven animation systems
• Procedural rig control (listed as “Rig control” and “procedural rigs”)
• Data-driven workflows, including spreadsheet-based data import to animate at scale
• Animation and rig/animation tooling called out on the page, including rubber-hose style workflows (“Rubber Hose”), magic easing, text animation, and a duplicator
• Import/export features listed on the page, including Lottie export and a “Data Import” capability
• Additional animation/behavior tooling listed on the page, including dynamics, falloffs, and quad tree

How to Use Cavalry

1. Download Cavalry for macOS or Windows from the Cavalry site.
2. Start with the provided Getting Started materials and follow the basics series.
3. Learn specific tools via the listed feature deep dives, and use Tips and Tricks and One Minute Wonders for shorter guidance.
4. If you need supporting materials, use the documentation and community tutorials/reviews linked on the site.

If you’re part of an organization, use the Enterprise option described on the site (SSO is mentioned via a Canva Enterprise or Canva Education account).

Use Cases

• Animate with procedural rigs: Build shape and character systems using rig control workflows, then iterate by changing values to update the system.
• Data-driven motion from spreadsheets: Connect a spreadsheet as input and generate animations that can scale across many elements or sequences.
• Text animation: Create animated typographic sequences using the text animation tools listed on the product page.
• Motion design workflows with easing: Apply “magic easing” to adjust motion behavior without manually keying every step.
• Exporting animation for downstream workflows: Use the Lottie export capability mentioned on the site to move animations to Lottie-compatible pipelines.

FAQ

Is Cavalry really free?

Yes. Cavalry is free to download and use for individuals, and the site states it is not a watered-down version. It includes professional features such as procedural rigs, a real-time viewport, and data-driven sequences.

What platforms does Cavalry support?

Cavalry is fully optimized for macOS and Windows, and it runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel.

Do I need a Canva account to use Cavalry?

Yes. The site states that Cavalry is now brought to you by Canva, and your Canva account provides access to Cavalry and other Canva products/features.

Is there an enterprise/SSO option?

Yes. For organizations, the site mentions SSO availability through a Canva Enterprise or Canva Education account.

What happens to an existing Cavalry license?

The site says you’ll still have access to the legacy version of Cavalry provided by Scene Group. To get the latest features and updates, you should use “Cavalry by Canva.” If you are converting from paid Cavalry Teams or Pro access, the site notes that refunding a subscription will remove access to Pro features in Cavalry 2.6.1 and earlier, and recommends saving files in 2.7 before making changes to your subscription.

Alternatives

• Generic 2D motion graphics and animation software: Look for tools that support keyframe animation plus rigging and/or expressions, since Cavalry’s focus includes procedural rig control and value-driven systems.
• Spreadsheet-to-animation workflows (data-driven motion tools): If your priority is importing tabular data and generating many animated variations, choose software that supports spreadsheet or data import and automation.
• Lottie-focused animation authoring tools: If your main output is Lottie, compare tools that center on Lottie export and a pipeline for producing lightweight JSON-based animations.
• General-purpose video or compositing tools with motion graphics capabilities: These can cover animation and compositing needs, though they may differ from Cavalry’s emphasis on real-time viewport performance and data-driven animation systems.