Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Pencil2D VS CSS Peeper

Compare Pencil2D VS CSS Peeper and see what are their differences

Pencil2D logo Pencil2D

Pencil2D is an opensource animation/drawing software for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux, based on old...

CSS Peeper logo CSS Peeper

Smart CSS viewer tailored for Designers.
  • Pencil2D Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-15
  • CSS Peeper Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-30

Pencil2D features and specs

  • Open Source
    Pencil2D is open-source software, meaning it's free to use and its code can be modified to fit specific needs.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software features a simple and intuitive interface, making it accessible for beginners as well as advanced users.
  • Cross-Platform
    Pencil2D runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility regardless of the user's operating system.
  • Lightweight
    Pencil2D is a lightweight application, requiring minimal system resources, which is ideal for users with older or less powerful computers.
  • Bitmap and Vector Drawing
    The software supports both bitmap and vector graphics, allowing for a versatile range of creative outputs.

Possible disadvantages of Pencil2D

  • Limited Features
    Pencil2D lacks some advanced features found in other more professional animation software, such as complex effect layers and robust 3D capabilities.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Being an open-source project, users may encounter bugs or stability issues. Development is ongoing, but updates can be sporadic.
  • Lack of Advanced Tools
    The software does not include many advanced animation tools or features that professionals might require for complex projects.
  • Learning Resources
    There are relatively fewer tutorials and learning resources available compared to more established software, which might make the learning curve steeper for some users.
  • Limited Export Options
    The range of export formats is somewhat limited compared to more comprehensive animation software, which could restrict usability for certain projects.

CSS Peeper features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    CSS Peeper features a clean and intuitive interface that makes it easy for designers and developers to quickly understand the CSS of any website without diving into the code.
  • Quick Inspection
    The tool allows for rapid inspection of CSS properties directly from the browser, enabling users to analyze styles more efficiently than traditional methods.
  • Extracts Colors and Assets
    CSS Peeper automatically extracts color palettes and assets from web pages, providing immediate access to crucial design elements.
  • Browser Extension
    Available as a Chrome extension, CSS Peeper is easy to install and use, integrating smoothly into the workflow of many web professionals.
  • Time-Saving
    By simplifying the process of inspecting and extracting CSS properties, CSS Peeper saves valuable time for developers and designers.
  • No Coding Required
    The tool eliminates the need for manual coding when examining CSS, making it accessible to non-developers.

Possible disadvantages of CSS Peeper

  • Limited Browser Support
    Currently, CSS Peeper is only available as a Chrome extension, limiting its use for those who prefer or require other browsers like Firefox or Safari.
  • Not Comprehensive
    While CSS Peeper is quick for basic analysis, it may not provide comprehensive details or control for advanced CSS inspection tasks that developers might need.
  • Dependency on Extension
    Reliance on a browser extension means that users must install and maintain the extension, which may not be preferred in all environments, especially restricted or managed systems.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any browser extension, there are potential privacy concerns, particularly in terms of what data the extension might access or share.
  • Performance Impact
    Installing too many extensions, including CSS Peeper, can potentially impact browser performance, causing slower load times and increased resource usage.

Analysis of Pencil2D

Overall verdict

  • Pencil2D is a good option for those seeking a free and simple animation tool without the steep learning curve associated with more complex software. It may not have the advanced features found in professional-grade programs, but it is well-suited for hobbyists and learners.

Why this product is good

  • Pencil2D is an open-source and user-friendly program designed for creating hand-drawn animations. It offers a straightforward interface, making it accessible for beginners. The software supports both bitmap and vector graphics, allowing for flexibility in animation styles. Additionally, it's lightweight, performs well on most computers, and is continually updated by a dedicated community.

Recommended for

  • Beginners in animation
  • Artists interested in traditional hand-drawn techniques
  • Hobbyists looking for free and open-source software
  • Educators and students focused on learning animation fundamentals

Analysis of CSS Peeper

Overall verdict

  • Overall, CSS Peeper is considered a good tool for designers who want a straightforward, user-friendly way to explore the CSS of websites. It simplifies the process of understanding the styling of web pages, offers a visually appealing interface, and is particularly praised for making design exploration accessible without requiring deep technical knowledge.

Why this product is good

  • CSS Peeper is a browser extension designed for designers, offering an intuitive way to inspect and analyze the styles of websites. It provides a clean and simple interface, making it easier to extract CSS styles without being overwhelmed by the complexity of developer tools. The tool also allows users to quickly access color palettes, font details, and other design assets, which is especially useful for designers looking to understand and replicate design elements.

Recommended for

  • Web Designers
  • UI/UX Designers
  • Front-end Developers looking for design insights
  • Design students learning about web interfaces
  • Designers seeking inspiration from existing websites

Pencil2D videos

Pencil2D v0.6 Review

More videos:

  • Review - Pencil2D v0 6 3 Ft Huion Tablet H 2

CSS Peeper videos

CSS Peeper: new tool for Web Designers

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Pencil2D and CSS Peeper)
Animation
100 100%
0% 0
Design Tools
20 20%
80% 80
Art Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Pencil2D and CSS Peeper

Pencil2D Reviews

10 Best 2D Animation Software in 2022 [Free/Paid]
Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.
The 10 best free animation software in 2021
Pencil2D: The easiest and simplest program to do 2D animation. If you're going to rely on frame by frame hand drawn animations for your game then this is easy and simple enough to do it perfectly. But if you need anything else then it's super lacking unfortunately.” - u/xTMT, Reddit
Top 5 Open Source Animation Software In 2021
With minimal design and easy to understand interface, Pencil2D is one of the best animation software for beginners. It is an easy to use, open source and free 2d animation software. Pencil2D community is always updating the software by releasing new updates and fixing any errors or bugs. As a free to download application, it is released under the GNU General Public License,...
14 BEST 2D Animation Software in 2020 [Free/Paid]
Pencil2d is a 2D hand-drawn animation software. It is easy to use and lightweight. It is a 2D animation software for free which allows you to sketch ink and paint on the go.
Source: www.guru99.com
10 Adobe Animate Alternatives in 2020
Due to a clear and intuitive interface, even a beginner can quickly figure out all features of the software. Pencil 2D enables you to work with layers, manipulate key frames in the timeline, use onion skin feature, adjust colors and pressure sensitivity, as well as rearrange workspace toolbars and panels according to your preferences.
Source: fixthephoto.com

CSS Peeper Reviews

112 Best Chrome Extensions You Should Try (2021 List)
CSS Peeper is one of the best Chrome extensions for web developers to extract more design and focus less on digging codes. It is intuitive to use. So easy to find an element and its styles on a page than it is with the built-in ‘inspect element’ tool in Chrome browser. CSS Developers who are invariably curious about web designs should use this extension.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CSS Peeper seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 3 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Pencil2D mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Pencil2D yet. Tracking of Pencil2D recommendations started around Mar 2021.

CSS Peeper mentions (3)

  • Using Adobe XD to find out a website's padding?
    You can indeed inspect the site with your browser's dev tools, or you have some Chrome extensions like: https://csspeeper.com/ that make the process more straightforward. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Your code, stylish
    Think CSS inspection through DevTools impractical or intimidating? CSS Peeper arrives to make inspecting styles easier and more elegant. It also intelligently extracts the site's color palette and makes it easy to export your assets. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • 25 Chrome extension for Designers
    @CSSPeeper 🌎 https://csspeeper.com/ CSS peeper is visual version of the chrome developer tools. It's great for designers looking to quickly & easily inspect the CSS from a website. Source: almost 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Pencil2D and CSS Peeper, you can also consider the following products

OpenToonz - OpenToonz is an animation program that is a free software version of Toonz, the animation software...

Tailwind CSS - A utility-first CSS framework for rapidly building custom user interfaces.

Synfig Studio - Just another WordPress site

Unused CSS - Easily find and remove unused CSS rules

Adobe Animate - Adobe Animate is a Flash, vector animation software.

CSSViewer - A simple CSS property viewer