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Motion Graphics & Animation

Cavalry

Real-time 2D motion design app, free with a Canva account. Version 2.8 adds an MCP server for Claude and an AI Studio window.

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Best for
Pro: editors and motion designers
Free plan
Yes
Agent-ready (MCP / API)
Yes
Platforms
macOS, Windows
Last verified
Oct 15, 2026

Overview

Cavalry is a 2D motion-design app built around procedural rigs, duplicators and imported data, so one change ripples through a whole system. Its site now says it is free for individuals with a Canva account.

Who it fits

Cavalry is a 2D motion design app built around procedural rigs, duplicators and falloffs, so a single change can ripple through a whole system. It also lets you connect a spreadsheet and animate data at scale, and it exports Lottie. That suits motion designers who would rather build a flexible system than hand-keyframe every variant. It is better suited to people who build their own motion systems than to anyone wanting ready-made templates and a one-click result.

AI features in version 2.8

Cavalry 2.8, released on 30 September 2026, adds two AI-related features. An official MCP server runs locally on your device and lets Claude carry out tasks in Cavalry from natural-language instructions: you switch on Enable MCP Server in Preferences, install the Cavalry connector in Claude and keep both apps running. Cavalry says it is continuing to expand MCP support and that not every task will work yet. The AI Studio window offers video background removal, vector generation and splitting an image into layers. It needs a Canva premium plan and an internet connection. Cavalry says AI features cannot be removed but are optional, and that your content is not used to train them.

What it costs

Cavalry’s FAQ says it is free for individuals with no restrictions, and the site does not mention a feature paywall. A Canva account is required to use the current version. Larger organisations are routed to Canva Enterprise or Education access with SSO, and legacy Scene Group licences keep working until their subscription period ends. Canva’s help page covers the free access.

Limits and alternatives

It runs on macOS and Windows only, the Canva account requirement may matter to some studios, and the individual-use rule means companies should confirm the licence route. It is aimed at motion designers rather than first-time marketers. Jitter is a browser-based option for social posts and UI motion, Rive targets interactive animation in apps, LottieFiles hosts and edits Lottie files, and After Effects has the broadest plugin ecosystem.

Who it's for

A good fit if you are…

  • Motion designers who want a fast, procedural alternative to keyframing everything by hand
  • Designers who need data-driven or Lottie output

Another tool may suit you better if you are…

  • Anyone who wants ready-made templates and a one-click result
  • People who need a clear company licence (Enterprise goes through Canva)

Pricing

Free to download and use for individuals, per Cavalry's site. Needs a Canva account. Enterprise access is via Canva Enterprise or Education (SSO). As of Oct 2026, verify.

  • Cavalry's FAQ says it is free for individuals with no restrictions.
  • A Canva account is required to use the current version.
  • Legacy Scene Group licences keep working until the subscription period ends.

Prices as of Oct 2026 (checked Oct 15, 2026), verify before buying. Source: vendor pricing page.

Key features

  • Real-time rendering with procedural rigs
  • Connect a spreadsheet (including Canva Sheets) to animate data at scale
  • MCP server (2.8): a local server that lets Claude carry out tasks in Cavalry
  • AI Studio window (2.8): video background removal, vector generation, image-to-layer splitting; needs a Canva premium plan
  • Lottie export, text animation, duplicators and falloffs

Integrations: Canva account and Canva Enterprise SSO; Lottie export.

Agent-ready? Yes. Cavalry 2.8 (30 Sep 2026) has an official MCP server that runs locally and connects to Claude; you switch it on in Preferences and install the Cavalry connector in Claude. Claude is the only supported assistant at this time, per Cavalry's docs.

Pros and good to know

Drawn from the vendor's own documentation and public sources.

Pros

  • Free for individuals, with no feature paywall stated on the site
  • Procedural and data-driven workflow that scales to many variants
  • Real-time, full-speed playback
  • Lottie export for web and app use
  • Local MCP server for Claude (2.8) for repetitive tasks
  • Optional AI Studio tools; Cavalry says your content is not used to train AI features

Good to know

  • A Canva account is required
  • The AI Studio tools need a Canva premium plan and an internet connection
  • Mac and Windows only
  • Individual free use is the stated rule; larger organisations are routed to Canva Enterprise
  • Aimed at motion designers rather than first-time marketers

Alternatives

  • Jitter: Browser-based motion design tool for animating social posts, product shots and UI, with Figma import and video, GIF and Lottie export.
  • Rive: Design and animate interactive graphics in one editor and ship them to web, mobile and games.
  • LottieFiles: Platform and library for lightweight Lottie animations for web and apps, with editing, hosting and Figma plugins.
  • Adobe After Effects: Adobe's motion graphics and visual effects app, with an AI Assistant (public beta), AI-powered Object Matte and a large plugin ecosystem.

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Sources

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