The best 2D animation examples all do the same job: they make a complex idea feel simple in under two minutes. 2D animation creates movement on a flat, two-dimensional plane, using illustrated characters, shapes, and text instead of 3D models or live footage.
Below are six 2D animation examples worth studying, from SaaS explainers to brand films. Each one includes a link to watch it and the specific creative choice that makes it work. At Vidico, we produce 2D animation and explainer videos for B2B and tech brands, including work that held an 82% average viewer retention rate for the data platform EverString.
Key Takeaways
- The strongest 2D animation examples explain, they do not decorate. Each one uses simple visuals to make an abstract product or idea click fast.
- Style follows the message. Hand-drawn warmth, flat-design clarity, and clean UI motion each fit a different job.
- 2D is the workhorse of B2B video. It turns SaaS features, security, and data into something a viewer can follow in one watch.
- One 2D system can power a whole campaign. Our work for Linode and Sail Internet reused a single illustrated style across brand films, explainers, and web assets.
- Results back it up. Our 2D explainer for EverString held an 82% average viewer retention rate and helped lift customer signups by 27%.
Content
Top 6 2D Animation Examples Worth Watching
These six examples cover the range of 2D animation a brand actually uses: product explainers, brand films, and educational content. The table gives you the quick view, and each breakdown below explains the creative lesson you can borrow.
| # | Example | Brand / type | Style and technique | The creative lesson | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vidico x EverString | B2B SaaS (data platform) | Animated character explainer | Humanise complex data | Watch |
| 2 | Dropbox: For All Things Worth Saving | Consumer and SaaS brand film | Hand-drawn 2D | Warmth makes a utility feel human | Watch |
| 3 | Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell | Educational channel | Flat-design infographic 2D | Tight script plus flat design equals clarity | Watch |
| 4 | Vidico x Linode | Cloud and developer SaaS | Illustrated brand animation | One system, many assets | Watch |
| 5 | Slack: What is Slack? | B2B SaaS (product) | 2D motion graphics and UI | A consistent style keeps an explainer on-brand | Watch |
| 6 | Vidico x Sail Internet | Telecom and ISP | Flat-design character 2D | Bright, simple 2D builds brand warmth | Watch |
1. Vidico x EverString: A 2D Explainer for a Data Platform
Our 2D animated explainer for EverString turned a complex account-based marketing platform into a story a buyer could follow in a single, focused watch. You can watch it on Vimeo. We used animated characters and simple motion to show how EverString’s data works for a marketing team, instead of listing features on screen.
The creative lesson is to lead with the customer’s problem, not the product’s spec sheet. The explainer held an 82% average viewer retention rate, lifted customer signups by 27%, and grew average time on site from 35 seconds to 2 minutes 11 seconds (EverString case study). Clear 2D storytelling is what kept viewers watching to the end.
2. Dropbox: For All Things Worth Saving
Dropbox’s “For All Things Worth Saving” is a hand-drawn 2D brand film for a file-storage product. You can watch it on YouTube. As a brand film, it is carried by illustration and mood rather than a product demo.
The creative lesson is that hand-drawn style can sell an everyday utility better than a product walkthrough. Loose, illustrated line-work signals care and craft, which is the exact feeling a brand wants attached to the files people trust it to keep.
3. Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell
Kurzgesagt is one of the best-known names in flat-design educational 2D animation, and its YouTube channel is a running masterclass. You can watch it on YouTube. Its bright, flat-design style is built to make dense science and philosophy topics easy to follow.
The creative lesson is that a tight script paired with flat design beats visual complexity. When every shape earns its place and the narration stays focused, viewers absorb a complicated idea without noticing the effort.
4. Vidico x Linode: One System, Many Assets
Our illustrated 2D brand animation for Linode expressed a single idea, empowering developers everywhere, and then stretched it across a whole marketing system. You can watch it on the Linode case study. We built the illustrated animation and animated HTML5 elements around the people using the platform rather than the product itself.
The creative lesson is to design a 2D style you can reuse. Linode ran the same animation as a standalone brand film, as HTML animations for their interactive server speed-test, and as individual web illustrations. One production became many assets.
5. Slack: What is Slack?
Slack’s “What is Slack?” is an official 2D product explainer that introduces the app to new users. You can watch it on YouTube. It is a clear example of an explainer that matches a product’s own visual style.
The creative lesson is that a consistent visual system keeps a product explainer feeling like the brand. When the palette, type, and motion match the app itself, the video reinforces the product instead of sitting beside it.
6. Vidico x Sail Internet: The Connectivity Cup
Our 2D work for Sail Internet uses flat design and bright colour to make an internet provider feel warm and human. You can watch The Connectivity Cup on Vimeo. The style keeps shapes simple and the tone upbeat, then carries across a brand animation plus a set of explainer cutdowns.
The creative lesson is that simple, character-led 2D builds brand warmth in a category that usually feels technical. A single illustrated style let Sail Internet raise brand awareness and explain their service across formats without starting each video from scratch.
What Makes 2D Animation Effective for Brands
2D animation works for brands because it strips an idea down to its clearest form. Instead of filming a scene or rendering a 3D model, you show only the parts of the story that matter.
- It simplifies complex ideas. Abstract products like data platforms, security tools, and cloud services become something a viewer can picture.
- It costs less than live-action or 3D. There is no shoot, cast, or location, so the budget goes into the story and the design.
- It flexes across channels. The same 2D assets work on a website, in ads, on social, and in a sales deck.
- It stays on-brand. Colours, type, and characters can match your brand system exactly, video after video.
- It is fast to update. Once a style exists, new scenes and versions come together quicker than reshooting live footage.
2D animation covers several styles: traditional hand-drawn, vector-based, motion graphics, cut-out, and rigged character animation. Each fits a different budget and look. Our guide to the types of animation breaks down how they compare. The same medium also powers feature films like The Lion King and Spirited Away, TV and anime like Tom and Jerry and Gravity Falls, and games like Cuphead and Stardew Valley. For brands, the marketing and explainer use case is where 2D earns its keep.
2D animation is not just for explainers: the same medium powers feature films, TV, anime and games.
Why Choose Vidico for 2D Animation
Vidico is a B2B explainer video company that builds 2D animation as a reusable system, not a one-off video. We design a style once, then reuse it across brand films, product explainers, ads, and web assets, so every video after the first ships faster and costs less to produce.
Designing a 2D style once and reusing it means every video after the first ships faster and costs less to produce.
“It’s all about taking these complex products and showing them in a way that feels simple and intuitive to the audience. Animation helps us visualise those concepts in a way that live-action can’t always achieve.” Manas Ojha, Video Strategist, Vidico
Our production team includes animators, directors, and writers who work across strategy, script, and design, so each project is planned rather than assembled. You can see the range of styles and formats in our portfolio of work.
Getting noticed keeps getting harder — Vidico’s 2026 State of Creative Marketing in Tech report found 42% of B2B tech marketers say attention is tougher to earn now, with more competition and more sameness.
FAQ
What is 2D animation?
2D animation is the technique of creating movement on a flat, two-dimensional plane. It uses illustrated characters, shapes, and text that move across height and width, with no depth, unlike 3D animation, which builds and lights digital models in a simulated space.
2D animation moves across height and width with no depth, while 3D builds and lights digital models in a simulated space.
Is 2D animation still used in 2026?
Yes, 2D animation is still widely used in 2026, especially in marketing, SaaS, and education. Brands rely on it to explain products and ideas quickly, and it remains one of the most flexible and cost-effective ways to produce branded video at volume.
What is a 2D animation style?
A 2D animation style is the visual approach used to create the animation. Common styles include traditional hand-drawn, vector-based, motion graphics, cut-out, and rigged character animation. Each one produces a different look and suits a different budget and message.
How much does a 2D animation video cost?
A 2D animation video typically costs $5,000 to $15,000, with most B2B explainer videos landing in the $5,000 to $12,000 range as of 2026. Cost depends on length, complexity, and how much custom illustration the project needs. Our full breakdown of animation costs shows the ranges by complexity.
How long does it take to make a 2D animation video?
The timeline for a 2D animation video depends on its length and complexity. A short product explainer moves faster than a multi-scene brand film, and reusing an established style speeds up every video after the first, since the design and assets already exist.
What makes 2D animation effective for marketing?
2D animation is effective for marketing because it combines visual appeal with a clear message. Simplified visuals hold attention and make a complex idea easy to follow, which usually means higher viewer retention and stronger recall than text or static images.
Conclusion
The best 2D animation examples prove that clear beats complex. Whether the goal is explaining a SaaS platform, warming up a brand, or teaching a hard idea, 2D animation turns it into something a viewer can follow and remember. The six examples above each show a different way to do that, from hand-drawn warmth to flat-design clarity to reusable brand systems.
Teams at Spotify, Square, and Linode have trusted Vidico with 2D animation and explainer work that gets watched and drives results. If you are planning your own 2D animation, book a free strategy session and we will help you shape the idea and the style.
