Show HN: SVG Animation Software (expressive.app)

Expressive Animator is an SVG vector animation software that helps users create and export animated icons, logos, and illustrations. Users can import SVG, PDF, Adobe Illustrator files, and Figma designs, and animate them using easing controls, motion paths, masking, and other techniques. Expressive Animator also allow users to export their animations in other formats as Lottie, GIF, PNG, and video.

Comments (24)

marcodiego · 42m ago

Proprietary and not available for Linux. It is a shame we're still not the target demographic for this niche. I hope free software like synfig keeps improving:https://www.synfig.org/

Edit: the site has a GitHub icon link. When you click it, it falls in a GitHub page that says "no public repositories". Smells like an ugly bait and harms trust.

Edit 2: The site also says: "Create memorable social media content". I read it like attention stealing intrusive animations.

One more thing: the displayed animation https://expressive.app/assets/animator/landing/motion.svg looks a lot like the "graphics design is my passion" meme: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQbRASL...

kaonwarb · 5m ago

I find it interesting when folks criticize software for not being free / open source. There's nothing stopping you from creating the FOSS you are disappointed someone else didn't create - or from investing your own time into improving an existing project. I don't think we need to criticize someone else's choice to go a different path.

hdsese · 31m ago

It’s a shame but you also have to be realistic. People have to make a living.

marcodiego · 26m ago

You know, a "made with" blender film just won an Oscar. I bet Blender devs also have to make a living and I doubt they work for free.

codetrotter · 22m ago

Blender is amazing and I love it. That doesn’t mean that replicating their success is an easy feat or for everyone.

If it was easy to get the required funding, wouldn’t Synfig be in a position to rake in funds and hire people to improve Synfig?

dksisudh · 22m ago

Got to be realistic. That was one piece of software and it took decades and a team and plenty of free labor to get to where it is. People have to eat daily.

marcodiego · 13m ago

FLOSS devs do eat daily. It's not developed by fasting people.

astro1138 · 7m ago

There's a Github link but there are no repos. How do I package this for my favourite Linux distro?

msarca · 4m ago

You can't, we don't support Linux, but someone here suggested Synfig as an alternative.

lovegrenoble · 1h ago

Expressive Animator gives you the right to use the current version of the software (v1) in perpetuity and entitles you to receive free updates until version 2 becomes available (no planned release date currently).

So... is it the real lifetime license? What about the next versions?

msarca · 52m ago

When version 2 is out, you will have the option to upgrade for a fee or to continue to use version 1 for free for as long as you like.

robofanatic · 55m ago

So apparently it’s not your lifetime, it’s the lifetime of the software version. If you never upgrade then it could be your lifetime.

GlacierFox · 1h ago

Is this one of those lifetime purchases where I have to pay again in 5 years when the developers realise they regretted offering a lifetime licence?

ttd · 49m ago

I have no affiliation with this product or company. I'm curious about the options here from a business perspective.

A business has continual costs, which at the minimum may just be the ability to support a single developer's adult life. This app is selling itself once per major version, which judging by some comments here is somewhat unappealing. Many people are justifiably sick of subscription payments. I am also assuming many people would not appreciate e.g. an ad-supported version of something like this app.

So, what does that leave in terms of realistic business options? Are there any examples out there of a software business that succeeds in supporting its own development while helping its customers feel like they are getting their money's worth?

shreddit · 1h ago

Their faq states that the license is valid for the current version (v1) and not for any future versions. So all they have to do is increase the version number when money is tight.

No comments yet

jdiff · 1h ago

Probably. Isn't Expressive also the people that touted being Open Source til that didn't live up to their unrealistic expectations?

msarca · 1h ago

We have exactly the same business model as Affinity.

storus · 30m ago

Cool! How does it differ from Animatron that had SVG animations for ~10 years already?

lukan · 1h ago

Is it a bit flash like in the sense, that I can script the whole thing easily?

mulitet4 · 1h ago

Hey, didn't know where else to say this, but your logo breaks on dark mode. Pretty sick software!

msarca · 1h ago

Thanks for the heads up! I'll fix it

alejoar · 1h ago

Looks really cool. I appreciate all the videos on youtube too!

iddan · 1h ago

So awesomeeee I always wanted something like this

msarca · 1h ago

Thanks! I'm glad you like it