How to make an animated cartoon with AI: a step-by-step guide

By the end of this guide you will have a short animated cartoon: a character, a bit of story, movement, voice and an exported video or GIF. AI animation tools do the heavy lifting in one of three ways. They turn a text prompt or script into an animated scene, they bring a drawing to life, or they copy the movement from a video of a real person onto a 3D character.

To make an animated cartoon with AI you first choose which of those routes fits the look and effort you want. This guide compares six tools from our Video category, explains how to set up a story that the tools can handle, and covers the checks that keep the result usable.

Key takeaways

• Write a short script and storyboard first, then pick a route: text-to-animation, an animated drawing, or motion captured from your own video.
• The main decision is how much control you want. Text-driven tools are quickest, while motion capture tools give you real performances for 3D characters.
• Free plans are small. Krikey AI's Free plan has 20 one-time credits, Plask Motion's free capture is 15 seconds per day, and Atlabs AI's free sign-up gives only a short preview.
• Keep cartoons short, check rights to any characters, and get consent before using anyone's face or voice.

What you need before you start

• A story in a few lines. One character, one setting and a clear beginning, middle and end. Keep it short.
• A script or dialogue, if your cartoon talks.
• An account with the tool you pick. Krikey AI, Atlabs AI, Plask Motion and DeepMotion list a free tier or preview.
• Reference material, depending on your route: a photo of a drawing, a video of yourself performing, or just a prompt.
• Time. A first short clip takes a few hours with revisions. Longer cartoons take much longer.
• Difficulty. Easy for text-to-animation, moderate for motion capture because you need to film the performance and handle model files.
• Rights and consent. Use original characters or ones you own. Do not use real people's faces or voices without permission.

Which kind of AI tool fits this job

Text to animated character videos. Krikey AI makes 3D animated videos and talking avatars from a text prompt. You can create custom characters, choose animations, add lip-synced dialogue in more than 20 languages, and export to MP4, GIF, PNG and FBX, including transparent GIFs. It is available as a Canva app. Atlabs AI turns a script, a song or a product idea into finished video with consistent characters, voices and subtitles, and lists animated explainer videos as a use.

Animate a drawing. Hasho by Yusha turns a photo of a drawing or a character image into a character that moves. You choose a motion, adjust it and share the result, including animated GIF export in the creator workflow. It suits illustrations, stickers, webtoon characters and classroom activities.

Motion capture from your own video. Plask Motion extracts body and hand movement from ordinary video and applies it to a 3D character, exporting FBX, GLB or BVH. DeepMotion turns video into 3D character animation in the browser, tracks up to 8 people, and exports FBX, BVH, GLB or MP4. Choose these if you want your own acting to drive the character.

Restyle footage as a cartoon. Reface is a consumer app that restyles videos and photos into looks such as anime, claymation, low poly or Inkpunk. It is for playful clips, not for building a story from scratch.

Step 1: Write the story and a storyboard

A short, clear plan saves wasted generations.

1. Write the story in five to ten lines: who the character is, what they want, and what happens.
2. Split it into scenes of a few seconds each.
3. Sketch each scene in a simple box on paper or in a document, noting the action and any dialogue.
4. Decide the style: 3D character, hand-drawn look, or restyled live footage.

Check it worked by reading the storyboard aloud and confirming it tells the story in order.

Step 2: Choose a route and a tool

You end this step with one route and one tool picked.

1. If you want to type a prompt and get a scene, choose a text-to-animation tool such as Krikey AI or Atlabs AI.
2. If you have a drawing, choose Hasho by Yusha.
3. If you want a 3D character to move like you, choose a motion capture tool such as Plask Motion or DeepMotion.
4. Check the free tier against your plan. Krikey AI's Free plan has 20 one-time credits, and each AI feature uses credits. Plask Motion's free capture is limited to 15 seconds per day, and Atlabs AI's free sign-up gives a preview video, with full videos and downloads needing a paid plan.

Check it worked by confirming that the free tier or paid plan covers the length of your cartoon.

Step 3: Create your character

The goal is a character that stays recognisable across scenes.

1. In Krikey AI, create a custom character or pick one. In Atlabs AI, set up characters, locations and products that stay consistent from scene to scene.
2. For a drawing, photograph it clearly in even light and upload it to Hasho by Yusha, which builds the character for movement. If you use children's artwork, upload it without names or photos.
3. For motion capture, choose a default character or import your own model. Plask Motion accepts GLB, FBX, VRM or PMX, and DeepMotion accepts FBX, GLB or VRM, so check the format before you export from your modelling tool.
4. Name the character and note its look, so you can describe it the same way in each prompt.

Check it worked by viewing the character from the front and side and confirming nothing looks broken.

Step 4: Generate or capture the movement

Now give the character something to do.

1. For text-driven tools, enter a prompt or script for the first scene and generate it. In Krikey AI you choose animations for the character.
2. For motion capture, film yourself performing the scene against a plain background, with your whole body in frame. Upload the clip, and choose options such as multi-person tracking or hand animation in Plask Motion.
3. For a drawing, choose a motion in Hasho by Yusha and adjust it.
4. Review the result and regenerate only the scenes that miss. Remember that each regeneration may use credits.

Check it worked by playing each scene alone and noting where the movement looks stiff, jittery or wrong.

Step 5: Add voice, lip sync and sound

Dialogue and sound bring a cartoon to life.

1. Add dialogue. Krikey AI lists lip-synced dialogue in more than 20 languages with AI voice tools, and Atlabs AI lists 300+ voices in 40+ languages.
2. Add background music. If you want the music to drive the cartoon, Atlabs AI's music-to-video workflow builds beat-synced scenes from an uploaded track.
3. Keep voices distinct for different characters, and keep music below the dialogue.
4. Do not clone a real person's voice without their consent.

Check it worked by listening to the whole cartoon without looking and confirming you can follow the story.

Step 6: Assemble and polish the scenes

Put the scenes together and fix the rough edges.

1. Join your scenes in order in the tool's editor, or in a video editor.
2. Trim dead time at the start and end of each scene.
3. Add subtitles if your tool offers them. Atlabs AI lists auto animated subtitles.
4. If you motion-captured a 3D character, render it with a camera angle and lighting that suit the scene. Plask Motion lists auto camera and lighting and DeepMotion lists a Rotoscope Pose Editor for correcting poses frame by frame.

Check it worked by watching from start to finish and noting the three weakest moments to fix.

Step 7: Export and share

Finish with the right file for where the cartoon will live.

1. Export in the format you need. Krikey AI exports MP4, GIF, PNG and FBX, Plask Motion exports FBX, GLB and BVH or a rendered video, and DeepMotion exports FBX, BVH, GLB or MP4.
2. Check the licence. DeepMotion says commercial licensing depends on your plan type, so confirm before you publish for money.
3. Add credits or a note about the tools used, if the tool or platform requires it.
4. Keep project files so you can edit the cartoon later.

Check it worked by playing the exported file on the device where people will watch it.

Tools for this job compared

Tool	Good fit for	Pricing	Stated limits
Krikey AI	Text prompts to 3D animated videos and talking avatars, on the web	Freemium, paid from $15/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Free plan: 20 one-time credits; each AI feature uses credits; Teams price not shown clearly
Atlabs AI	Script or music to video with consistent characters, on the web	Freemium, paid from $15/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Free sign-up gives a 20 to 25 second preview; video length tied to plan; annual plans paid upfront
Hasho by Yusha	Animating a drawing or mascot, on the web, with a desktop app on Premium	Paid, from $30/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Building a new character needs an internet connection; export formats depend on the edition
Plask Motion	Motion capture from video onto 3D characters	Freemium, paid from $18/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Free capture 15 seconds per day; videos up to 100 MB; imported models up to 50 MB in a T-pose
DeepMotion	Video to 3D animation, with an API and SDK	Freemium	Free credits earned by labeling animations reset monthly; commercial licensing depends on plan
Reface	Restyling clips as anime or claymation on phone and desktop	Paid, from $7.58/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Face swap videos up to 15 seconds, restyles up to 60 seconds; one restyle queued at a time

Prices and plan limits change, so confirm the current terms on each vendor's site before you subscribe.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting without a storyboard. Prompting scene by scene without a plan leads to scenes that don't connect. Fix it by writing the story and sketching scenes first.
• Changing the character's look between scenes. Each prompt can produce a different face or outfit. Fix it by using a tool's consistent-character feature and describing the character the same way every time.
• Burning credits on retries. Credits are spent per feature or generation. Fix it by testing one short scene before you generate the rest.
• Filming poor motion capture footage. Occlusion, baggy clothes and a cluttered background hurt tracking. Fix it by filming the whole body in clear light against a plain background, within the tool's file limits.
• Ignoring rights and consent. Face swaps, cloned voices and well-known characters can raise legal and ethical problems. Fix it by using original characters and getting permission for any real person's likeness.

How we put this together

This is an evidence-based guide built from each tool's listing in our directory, which is compiled from the vendor's own site and pricing page. It is not a review based on using the tools. We don't rank tools, and nobody paid to be included. Some outbound links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make an animated cartoon with AI for free?

You can try. Krikey AI's Free plan has 20 one-time credits, Plask Motion gives 15 seconds of capture per day, DeepMotion accounts are free, with paid plans for high-volume creation, and Atlabs AI gives a preview video on sign-up. A full cartoon with exports and no limits usually needs a paid plan.

Do I need animation skills?

Not for the text-driven tools. Krikey AI describes making 3D animated videos from a text prompt without animation experience, and Hasho by Yusha describes animating a drawing without animation skills. Motion capture tools need some familiarity with 3D models and file formats.

Can I animate my own drawing?

Yes. Hasho by Yusha takes a photo of a drawing, builds the character for movement, and lets you pick a motion and share or export it. If the artwork is by children, upload it without their names or photos.

Can I use my own acting to move a cartoon character?

Yes, with motion capture. Plask Motion and DeepMotion both extract body movement from ordinary video and apply it to a 3D character, with no suit needed. You need clear footage and a compatible character model.

How long does it take to make an animated cartoon with AI?

The tools don't publish a standard time. A short clip can take a few hours including storyboarding, generation and fixes. Longer cartoons take much longer, mostly because scenes need review and regeneration.

Compare more options in our Video category.