What it does
Aseprite is a pixel-art and animated-sprite editor. It includes frame tags, onion skinning, palette controls, tiled drawing and sprite-sheet exports.
Keep editable work in an .aseprite file through File > Save. To deliver an animation, use File > Export > Export As for a GIF or a numbered PNG sequence. That dialog can export selected frames, change the scale and switch between forward, backward and ping-pong playback.
For game assets, File > Export Sprite Sheet can use a particular layer and frames chosen by tag. This lets an idle cycle and a walking cycle share one working file while producing separate sheets. Aseprite also exports PNG sheets with JSON data and supports command-line conversion.
The prebuilt application is a one-time purchase starting at USD 19.99 for the 1.x series. The downloadable trial cannot save files. You can instead compile the available source for your own use and create commercial artwork with it, but the licence prohibits redistributing the program. This is source-available software, not an open-source licence.
Strengths
- Frame tags organize several animations in one file.
- Sprite-sheet export includes PNG and JSON.
Watch out for
- The downloadable trial cannot save files.
- The software licence prohibits redistributing a self-compiled copy.
Best for
- Animated game sprites
- Pixel-art textures
Sources
- Aseprite: Animated sprite editor & pixel art tool (Oct 27, 2026)
- Aseprite: Frequently Asked Questions (Oct 27, 2026)
- Aseprite: Trial Version (Oct 27, 2026)
- Aseprite Docs: Exporting (Oct 27, 2026)
- Aseprite Docs: Sprite sheets (Oct 27, 2026)
- End-User License Agreement for Aseprite (Oct 27, 2026)