What is Cavalry and what kind of software is it?

Updated

Cavalry is a 2D animation and motion graphics application for macOS and Windows, positioned as professional, real-time animation software that is free for individuals. It is aimed at animators and motion designers who want to build motion work with procedural rigs, live rendering, and data-driven workflows rather than frame-by-frame manual work. If you work on a Mac or Windows machine and want a professional-grade 2D motion tool without paying for an individual license, Cavalry is built for that case. It is not a mobile app, and it is not a general-purpose video editor.

What kind of software is it?

Cavalry sits in the motion design and 2D animation category. Its own framing is "Motion design reinvented" and "Professional, real-time animation software." The emphasis is on speed and scale rather than on being a broad creative suite.

Three capability directions define the product:

  • Real-time rendering. The viewport renders at full speed with no preview lag, so you design and evaluate motion as you work instead of waiting on renders.
  • Procedural, system-based animation. Change one value and connected systems respond — the site describes this as "Change it once, watch it ripple."
  • Data-driven workflows. You can connect a spreadsheet and animate at scale, which suits repetitive or high-volume motion output.

The feature list on the site includes rig control, Rubber Hose, connect shapes, color palettes, Magic Easing, text animation, duplicator, data import, Lottie export, Forge, dynamics, falloffs, and Quad Tree. These are the building blocks you would use to construct and animate scenes.

Who is it for?

Cavalry targets animators and motion designers, including studio and brand work — the site notes it is "Trusted by some of the world's biggest brands" and shows work from named designers and studios. Two practical audiences stand out:

  • Individual motion designers and animators who want professional 2D tooling at no cost.
  • Teams and organizations that need shared access, which is handled through an Enterprise route rather than the free individual download.

If your work is 3D modeling, video editing, or vector illustration as an end in itself, Cavalry is not that. It is specifically a 2D animation and motion graphics tool.

Platform and access requirements

Item Detail
Operating systems macOS and Windows only
Mobile Not available; the site notes Cavalry is only available for Mac or Windows
Hardware optimization Runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel
Individual cost Free to download and use, with no restrictions stated for individuals
Account requirement A Canva account is required, since Cavalry is now brought to you by Canva
Team access SSO via a Canva Enterprise or Canva Education account

Two access points are worth separating. The free individual download is the default path. The Enterprise path is for organizations that need their whole team on Cavalry with SSO, and it goes through a sales contact rather than the standard download.

What "free" means here

The site addresses this directly: Cavalry is free for individuals "and not in a watered-down way," with professional features such as procedural rigs, a real-time viewport, and data-driven sequences usable without restrictions or payment. That is a meaningful distinction from freemium tools that gate core capabilities.

The one condition attached is the account: you need a Canva account to use Cavalry. If you already have a legacy Cavalry license from Scene Group, the site states you keep access to that legacy version, while the latest features come through the current Canva-backed product.

How to get started

  1. Confirm you are on a Mac or Windows machine — the download will not run on mobile.
  2. Create or sign in to a Canva account, since it is required for access.
  3. Download the macOS or Windows build from the Cavalry site.
  4. Use the learning resources to get oriented: a Getting Started series for basics, feature deep dives, Tips and Tricks, One Minute Wonders for quick techniques, community tutorials and reviews, and full documentation.
  5. Download the example files if you prefer learning by taking apart working projects.

The expected result after step 3 is a working install you can open and animate in immediately, with no license purchase for individual use.

Common points of confusion

  • "Free" does not mean no account. The software is free for individuals, but a Canva account is required.
  • It is desktop-only. Mobile visitors are told to download on a Mac or Windows device instead.
  • Enterprise is a separate track. Team-wide SSO access is not part of the free individual download; it runs through Canva Enterprise or Canva Education and a sales contact.
  • Existing licenses still work. Legacy Scene Group versions remain accessible, but ongoing feature development is on the current product.