Frustrated by clunky creative workflows?
If you’re researching design and animation tools, it’s usually because juggling multiple apps and formats is slowing down your marketing content and campaign timelines.
But it’s more than just tool overwhelm. Daily delays in producing high-quality visuals can mean missed deadlines and, honestly, a lot of creative frustration for you and your team.
That’s exactly where Linearity steps in—I’ve taken a close look at how their unified suite, Curve and Move, lets you design, animate, and collaborate without switching platforms or losing design quality. The seamless import from Curve to Move, plus handy features like instant auto trace and auto animate, are serious time savers I rarely see elsewhere.
In this review, I’ll break down how Linearity actually makes visual project workflows easier, letting you spend less time fighting your software and more time creating.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this Linearity review: an end-to-end look at its design and animation capabilities, key features, real-world workflow benefits, pricing, drawbacks, and how it compares to alternatives—so you’ll know exactly where it stands for your needs.
You’ll come away knowing the features you need to actually speed up your creative process and make a confident platform decision.
Let’s dive in.
Quick Summary
- Linearity is an integrated design and animation platform that helps marketing teams create scalable vector graphics and motion content easily.
- Best for graphic designers and marketing teams working within the Apple ecosystem needing simple yet powerful design-to-animation workflows.
- You’ll appreciate its smooth integration between vector design and animation tools, enabling quick creation of motion graphics without complex software.
- Linearity offers a free Starter plan plus affordable Pro subscriptions with a 7-day trial and education discounts available.
Linearity Overview
Linearity is built on a clear mission to make professional-grade design and animation accessible to everyone. From their headquarters in Berlin, Germany, they have been refining their unique tools since 2017.
In my experience, their solution is perfectly tuned for marketing teams, creative agencies, and individual freelancers. What truly sets them apart is their focus on integrated design and animation, letting you go from a static concept to final motion all within a single, cohesive environment.
Their recent launch of Linearity Move to complement their core design tool was a pivotal and intelligent development. I’ll show you how this directly benefits your specific creative projects through this Linearity review.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: Speaking of visual stories, you might find my guide on best whiteboard animation software helpful.
Unlike the Adobe suite, which can feel overwhelmingly complex, Linearity prioritizes a fluid, intuitive workflow. I believe they succeed by offering powerful tools without the steep learning curve, a refreshing balance that’s genuinely hard to find in today’s software market.
You’ll find they work with a broad mix of marketers, illustrators, and agency designers who need to create polished digital assets efficiently, without having to become full-time motion graphics specialists.
From my analysis, their entire strategy emphasizes leveraging helpful AI to simplify difficult creative tasks and creating a connected experience across your Mac, iPad, and iPhone. This directly addresses the modern creative’s demand for both speed and flexibility.
Now, let’s dig into their features.
Linearity Features
Struggling to bring your designs to life?
Linearity features are all about transforming static visuals into captivating animations, especially for marketing teams. Here are the five main Linearity features that revolutionize your creative workflow.
1. Linearity Curve (Vector Graphics Design)
Need perfect, scalable graphics?
Dealing with blurry images or complex design software can be a real headache. This often wastes time and compromises your brand’s visual quality.
Linearity Curve helps you create crisp, scalable vector designs like logos and illustrations effortlessly. What I found particularly impressive is the Auto Trace feature that instantly converts sketches into editable vector paths, which is a huge time-saver. This feature streamlines the digitization of your hand-drawn ideas.
This means you can easily create high-quality marketing assets that look sharp on any screen or print size.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While discussing design workflow, understanding permit to work software is essential for operational safety.
2. Linearity Move (Motion Graphics & Animation)
Animation too complicated or expensive?
Traditional animation software often comes with a steep learning curve and high costs. This makes creating dynamic content seem out of reach.
Linearity Move simplifies motion graphics, making animation accessible even if you’re not an expert. The standout feature is Auto Animate, which seamlessly transitions static designs into dynamic scenes. From my testing, this allows you to bring designs to life with minimal effort.
So, you can produce engaging animated social media posts and digital ads without needing a specialized animator.
3. Seamless Integration
Tired of switching between design tools?
Disconnected tools can break your creative flow and slow down project delivery. This friction often leads to frustration and missed deadlines.
Linearity offers tight integration, letting you effortlessly move files between Curve and Move. This is where Linearity shines, as your Curve assets automatically sync and become animation-ready in Move. This feature ensures a fluid transition from static design to dynamic motion.
This means your team can easily evolve a single design into a full-fledged animation without wasting precious time on exports or conversions.
4. Collaboration Capabilities
Team projects bogged down by sharing issues?
Inefficient file sharing and lack of real-time collaboration can hinder your team’s productivity. This often leads to version control nightmares.
Linearity emphasizes collaboration, allowing you to invite unlimited teammates to shared workspaces. From my testing, this facilitates seamless teamwork on creative projects, ensuring everyone is aligned. This feature is crucial for agencies and marketing teams.
This means you can easily work together on design and animation projects, ensuring faster approvals and consistent brand messaging.
5. Template Library & Resources
Starting every design from scratch?
Having to build every design from the ground up consumes valuable time and effort. This can be especially challenging when you need to produce content quickly.
Linearity provides an extensive library of customizable templates and over 1 million royalty-free images. This feature significantly accelerates the design process, allowing you to hit the ground running. You can quickly adapt professional designs for your specific needs.
This means you can rapidly create high-quality content for social media or marketing campaigns, boosting your output and efficiency.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Intuitive interface makes complex design and animation accessible to all.
- ✅ Auto Animate feature significantly speeds up motion graphics creation for users.
- ✅ Tight integration between Curve and Move ensures a smooth design-to-animation workflow.
- ⚠️ Limited advanced image editing capabilities for raster graphics.
- ⚠️ Primarily designed for Apple devices, limiting cross-platform accessibility.
- ⚠️ Some users may find cloud-only storage for files restrictive.
You’ll actually appreciate how these Linearity features work together to create a complete creative ecosystem that streamlines your entire content creation process.
Linearity Pricing
Concerned about hidden costs in software subscriptions?
Linearity pricing is structured across transparent tiers, from a robust free plan to enterprise options, making it easy to understand the value you receive at each level.
Plan | Price & Features |
---|---|
Linearity Starter (Free) | Free • AI background removal & vector tracing (5 free uses) • 3,000+ customizable templates • Sync across devices • Limited to 10 artboards & 10 files |
Linearity Pro | $9.99/seat/year (billed annually) • Unlimited files & collaborators • Unlimited artboards & design space • Full export capabilities (SVG, PDF, MP4, 8K video) • Priority support & commercial license |
Linearity Org | Contact Us for pricing • All Pro features • Premium support & personalized onboarding • Custom motion design help • Dedicated account manager & invoicing |
1. Value Assessment
Value for your creative budget.
Linearity’s pricing model is designed to scale with your creative needs, from hobbyist to large enterprise. The Pro plan offers incredible value for professional designers, consolidating vector and motion tools at a competitive annual rate. From my cost analysis, you get extensive features that would typically require multiple, more expensive subscriptions.
This means your budget gets comprehensive design and animation tools without breaking the bank for essential capabilities.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: If you’re also looking into software solutions, my article on best hotel front desk software covers specific operational needs.
2. Trial/Demo Options
Evaluate before you commit.
Linearity offers a 7-day free trial of the Pro plan via the App Store, tied to a yearly subscription. What I found regarding pricing is that this trial allows you to test all Pro features, including advanced animation and exports, ensuring it fits your workflow. Remember to cancel 24 hours before the trial ends to avoid charges.
This lets you experience the full power of Linearity, helping you make an informed decision before a full year commitment.
3. Plan Comparison
Choosing the right plan.
The Starter plan is ideal for beginners, but the Pro plan is where you unlock true professional capabilities with unlimited resources and full export options. Budget-wise, the Org plan is tailored for larger teams needing dedicated support and custom services for complex projects.
This tiered approach helps you match Linearity pricing to your exact usage and team requirements, avoiding unnecessary costs.
My Take: Linearity’s pricing is competitive, offering robust tools for both static and motion design within integrated tiers, making it a strong contender for individuals and teams seeking an all-in-one creative solution.
The overall Linearity pricing provides clear value for your creative investment.
Linearity Reviews
What do actual customers truly think?
This section dives into Linearity reviews, analyzing real user feedback to provide balanced insights into what customers genuinely think about the software’s performance and experience.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
Users seem generally satisfied.
From my review analysis, Linearity products generally receive positive ratings, with Linearity Move holding 4.6/5 stars on G2. What I found in user feedback is how ease of use and intuitive design consistently lead to high satisfaction, especially for graphic designers entering animation.
This suggests you’ll find the learning curve relatively low, fostering quick adoption.
2. Common Praise Points
Users consistently love the intuitive animation.
Customers frequently praise Linearity Move for its “easy to learn and use” interface and how it “cuts work time in half.” From my analysis of Linearity reviews, the Auto Animate feature significantly simplifies creation, allowing users to animate quickly without extensive training, making it very accessible.
This means you can expect to create dynamic content efficiently, even as a beginner.
3. Frequent Complaints
Some limitations do emerge.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing understanding software limitations, exploring options like game development software can broaden your perspective.
While largely positive, some Linearity Curve users reported it could be “a bit laggy” on iPad. Review-wise, what stands out is how limited image editing capabilities and no Windows version are notable drawbacks for Curve users, alongside the cloud storage preference.
These issues are generally minor for core vector work but notable for broader use.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “Linearity Move is easy to learn and use. I am a forever supporter and user.” (G2 Reviewer)
- Constructive: “Vectornator [Linearity Curve] could be a bit laggy on the iPad sometimes.” (Reviewer)
- Bottom Line: “With Linearity Move, I was able to animate my first illustration in less than 40 minutes, without checking any learning materials!” (User)
The overall Linearity reviews reflect strong user satisfaction with clear benefits and some expected software limitations.
Best Linearity Alternatives
Looking for better design and animation tools?
The best Linearity alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations and priorities in vector graphics and motion design.
1. Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator & After Effects)
Need professional-grade tools for complex projects?
Adobe Creative Cloud products like Illustrator and After Effects are industry standards, offering unparalleled depth and feature richness for high-end professional work. From my competitive analysis, Adobe provides maximum depth for complex projects, though it comes with significantly higher recurring costs.
Choose Adobe when your team requires the absolute maximum in professional features and deep industry-standard workflows.
2. Affinity Designer
Prefer a one-time purchase over subscriptions?
Affinity Designer offers robust capabilities with a perpetual license, appealing strongly to users who prefer to own their software outright. What I found comparing options is that Affinity keeps costs lower long-term with a single purchase, but lacks Linearity’s dedicated animation tool.
Consider this alternative if you prioritize a one-time payment and powerful graphic design for desktop environments.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: Before diving deeper, you might find my analysis of food costing software helpful for managing diverse business expenses.
3. Canva
Seeking speed and simplicity for marketing visuals?
Canva excels in extreme ease of use and a vast template library, primarily targeting non-designers needing quick, template-driven graphic creation. Alternative-wise, Canva prioritizes speed for common marketing tasks, but lacks Linearity’s deep vector editing and sophisticated animation from scratch.
Choose Canva when simplicity and speed for social media visuals are paramount, not complex vector animation.
4. Figma
Primary need is collaborative UI/UX design?
Figma is a leading collaborative interface design tool, renowned for its real-time collaboration and cloud-native environment, ideal for UI/UX teams. From my analysis, Figma offers unparalleled real-time collaborative UI/UX, though Linearity provides a more integrated motion graphics workflow.
Choose Figma if your core need is collaborative UI/UX design, prototyping, and design system management.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose Linearity: Intuitive vector design and simplified motion graphics for Apple users
- Choose Adobe Creative Cloud: Unparalleled professional depth for high-end, complex projects
- Choose Affinity Designer: Robust design features with a budget-friendly one-time purchase
- Choose Canva: Quick, template-driven graphics for non-designers and social media
- Choose Figma: Collaborative UI/UX design and prototyping for web-first teams
The best Linearity alternatives depend on your specific business needs and animation requirements for content creation.
Linearity Setup
Navigating software deployment complexity?
The Linearity review reveals a refreshingly straightforward implementation, especially for Apple ecosystem users, setting realistic expectations for your deployment analysis.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
Getting started is surprisingly intuitive.
Linearity Curve and Move are native Apple apps, meaning installation is a simple App Store download. What I found about deployment is that users praise the minimal learning curve, often animating first illustrations quickly, suggesting initial setup takes hours rather than days.
You’ll need to plan for basic account setup and creative environment configuration, but extensive project management isn’t required.
2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Primarily an Apple-centric experience.
Your technical setup requires iOS 16.0+ or macOS 13.0+ devices, with seamless syncing across your Apple ecosystem. From my implementation analysis, the lack of Windows compatibility is a limitation for mixed environments, though core functions work offline.
Plan for Apple device availability and consider cloud storage implications, as Linearity mandates it for file saving.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: If you’re also looking into other business software, my article on HVAC estimating software covers specific bidding solutions.
3. Training & Change Management
Adoption is eased by comprehensive resources.
Linearity’s Academy Hub offers free video tutorials and courses, making the learning curve accessible for all skill levels. From my analysis, easy-to-follow tutorials expedite user proficiency, allowing designers to quickly cut work time in half for animation and design tasks.
You’ll want to leverage these built-in resources and consider personalized onboarding workshops for team-based adoption success.
4. Support & Success Factors
Vendor support bolsters implementation confidence.
Linearity offers priority support for Pro users and dedicated account management for Org plans, with email support for all. What I found about deployment is that their responsiveness minimizes potential roadblocks, ensuring users receive timely answers and help, fostering a smooth transition.
For your implementation to succeed, leverage their support channels and take advantage of integration with tools like Figma for streamlined workflows.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: Hours to days for basic setup and initial use
- Team Size: Individual users or small creative teams
- Budget: Primarily software subscription, minimal services
- Technical: Requires Apple devices; cloud storage for files
- Success Factor: Leveraging Linearity’s Academy Hub for training
Overall, Linearity setup and adoption are remarkably user-friendly, emphasizing intuitive design and strong learning resources for successful deployment.
Bottom Line
Is Linearity the right creative suite for you?
This Linearity review synthesizes my comprehensive analysis, offering a clear final recommendation and helping you understand who this software works best for.
1. Who This Works Best For
Apple users craving intuitive design and animation.
Linearity is ideally suited for graphic designers, content creators, and marketing teams within the Apple ecosystem seeking powerful yet accessible tools. From my user analysis, businesses focused on rapid visual content creation for digital ads or social media will thrive here.
You’ll succeed if you need to animate existing designs or streamline your visual storytelling without steep learning curves.
2. Overall Strengths
Unlocks motion graphics for a wider audience.
The software excels by simplifying complex animation with features like Auto Animate, offering a seamless workflow between vector design (Curve) and animation (Move). From my comprehensive analysis, its intuitive interface lowers the barrier to entry for creating professional-quality visuals and motion.
These strengths mean your team can produce engaging, dynamic content faster, boosting efficiency and expanding creative capabilities.
3. Key Limitations
Windows users are unfortunately left out.
Linearity’s primary drawback is its exclusive availability on Apple devices, completely excluding Windows users from its benefits. Based on this review, advanced animation features found in dedicated, high-end software might be more limited here compared to industry giants.
I find these limitations are deal-breakers only if you’re a Windows-based team or require hyper-specialized, complex animation capabilities.
4. Final Recommendation
Linearity is a strong recommendation for Apple users.
You should choose this software if your business relies on Apple devices and you need an intuitive, cost-effective suite for both vector design and motion graphics. From my analysis, this empowers teams to create professional visuals easily, especially those new to animation or on a tighter budget.
My confidence level is high for individuals and marketing teams prioritizing a streamlined, intuitive creative workflow.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended for Apple-based creative professionals
- Best For: Graphic designers, content creators, and marketing teams
- Business Size: Freelancers, small businesses, and mid-market teams
- Biggest Strength: Intuitive design-to-animation workflow and Auto Animate
- Main Concern: Exclusively available on Apple devices (no Windows support)
- Next Step: Explore the free Starter plan to test fit for your needs
This Linearity review demonstrates strong value for the right creative profile, while also highlighting crucial platform compatibility and feature depth considerations before you make a decision.