Compared
A free, open-source Live2D alternative
Ayatsuri2D is a rigging editor for Live2D-style models that costs nothing, has no limits and runs natively on Linux. It opens your PSD, Krita and Clip Studio art and your Cubism projects, and exports moc3, so the model works in VTube Studio and every other app built for Cubism models.
Ayatsuri2D, Cubism Editor and Inochi2D side by side
| Ayatsuri2D | Cubism Editor FREE | Cubism Editor PRO | Inochi2D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | Paid subscription, 42-day trial | Free |
| Limits | None | 100 ArtMeshes, one texture up to 2048 px, 3 ArtPaths, extended interpolation on 30 parameters; a file over the limits cannot be saved | None | None |
| Commercial use | Yes, by anyone | Individuals and businesses under 10 million yen in yearly sales | Yes | Yes |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Source code | Open, GPL-3.0 | Closed | Closed | Open, BSD-2-Clause |
| Opens | PSD, Krita, Clip Studio, .cmo3 projects, moc3 bundles | PSD, its own projects | PSD, its own projects | PSD, its own projects |
| Works with Live2D models | Yes: opens and exports moc3 and .cmo3 | Yes | Yes | No; its own format, models are re-rigged |
| Exports moc3 for VTube Studio | Yes, moc3 3.0 to 5.3 with model3, physics3, motion3 and exp3 | Yes | Yes | No; INP, for Inochi Session |
Cubism Editor details are from Live2D's FREE vs PRO comparison, Inochi2D's from its FAQ and releases, checked in October 2026. Live2D and Cubism are trademarks of Live2D Inc.; Ayatsuri2D is not affiliated with them.
What carries over
The model a rigger makes is the same kind of thing in both: art cut into meshes, warp and rotation deformers, parameters with keyforms, parts, clipping masks, physics, motions and expressions. Ayatsuri2D reads and writes the same files, so you can:
- open a
.cmo3project and keep rigging it, with every name, folder and keyform; - open a
.moc3bundle you or someone else exported; - export
moc3and drop it into VTube Studio, PrprLive or a game built on the Cubism SDK.
Where Cubism is still ahead
Cubism Editor has twenty years behind it. Ayatsuri2D is in beta, does not have model templates or folder blend modes yet, and has a much smaller library of tutorials. If you need one of those today, Cubism is the better pick; the GitHub page shows what is coming.
Ayatsuri2D and Umamo
Umamo is the other open-source editor that works with Cubism files. Both are free and GPL-3.0; where they differ is how far along they are and what they are built on.
| Ayatsuri2D | Umamo | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Free, GPL-3.0 | Free, GPL-3.0 |
| Built with | Rust, runs natively | Kotlin, runs on the Java runtime |
| Memory | 486 MB with a 356-mesh model on integrated graphics | When Java would give it under 3 GB, it restarts itself with up to half of the computer's memory |
| Status | Beta, used for real rigging | “Early development”, “alpha level software” |
| Animation | Timeline with keys and a graph editor, compositions, sound, expressions; motion3 and exp3 in and out; Render to GIF, PNG frames and video | “Not yet. This is a long term stretch goal.” |
| Cubism files | Opens .cmo3 and moc3, exports moc3 3.0 to 5.3 and .cmo3 | Imports and exports .cmo3 and moc3 |
| For game and app developers | A C library with one header (Apache-2.0) that loads .aom and moc3 models | None in its releases |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux; Android tablets in progress |
| Pen and touch | Pen and mouse | First-class pen and touch |
Umamo's details are quoted from its README and releases, checked in October 2026. The memory figure for Ayatsuri2D is our own measurement.
If you draw on a tablet and mostly model, Umamo's pen and touch support is worth a look. If you want to rig, animate and export today, on a native app that stays light on memory, Ayatsuri2D is further along.
Inochi2D
Inochi2D is a free, open-source rigger too, under BSD-2-Clause. It is its own format rather than a Live2D replacement: a Live2D model has to be rigged again for it, and its models are streamed with its own app, Inochi Session, not VTube Studio. Pick it if you are building for that format; pick Ayatsuri2D if you want moc3 models that work in the apps people already stream with, or to keep working on projects you started in Cubism.
Questions
Is Ayatsuri2D a free alternative to Live2D Cubism Editor?
Yes. Ayatsuri2D is a free, open-source rigging editor for Live2D-style models. It has no FREE and PRO split, no mesh, texture or parameter limits, no subscription and no account.
Does a model made in Ayatsuri2D work in VTube Studio?
Yes. Ayatsuri2D exports moc3 with its model3, physics3, motion3 and exp3 files, the same bundle Cubism Editor exports. It writes moc3 3.0 to 5.3; 5.0 is the default because that is what VTube Studio opens today.
Can I open my Cubism Editor projects?
Yes. Ayatsuri2D opens .cmo3 projects as whole models: art, meshes, parts, the deformer tree, parameters, keyforms, clipping, blend modes and physics, with the names you gave them. It also opens exported .moc3 bundles.
Does Ayatsuri2D run on Linux?
Yes, natively, as an AppImage, .deb, .rpm or tarball. It also runs on Windows 10 and later and on macOS 11 and later.
Can I sell models or use them commercially?
Yes. The editor is GPL-3.0, which covers the editor's own code, not what you make with it. Your models are yours to sell, stream with or ship.
How is Ayatsuri2D different from Umamo?
Both are free, GPL-3.0 editors that work with Cubism files. Ayatsuri2D is a native Rust app in beta with a full animation timeline, expressions, sound and video export, and a C library for game and app developers. Umamo runs on the Java runtime, describes itself as early development and alpha, and does not have animation yet; its strength is pen and touch input.
How is Ayatsuri2D different from Inochi2D?
Inochi2D uses its own model format and its own streaming app, Inochi Session, so Live2D models have to be rigged again for it. Ayatsuri2D works with Live2D's files directly: it opens .cmo3 and moc3 and exports moc3 for VTube Studio.
Is it finished?
It is in beta. It is used for real rigging today, but save often and keep backups, and report what breaks on GitHub.