Creating characters for games, animations, or even social media is an interesting and engaging way to express many different ideas. Whether you are a budding game developer, a niche storyteller, or just someone who wants to create a character for a personal project, an online character creator can make the work easy.
This article explores the top 6 online character creators that are readily available.
What does an online character creator do
An online character creator is a tool that lets users create and personalize a character. Its purpose is to design digital avatars, models, dolls, and puppets for a variety of uses, from video games to media projects. Most work through a grid-based structure, enabling the selection of various features such as facial structure, pupils, clothing, and accessories. Drawing skills are irrelevant, as most do not require downloading any software. Some also enable you to save or export the character using different formats.
The 6 best free online character creators
When it comes to designing a character, there are countless options for styling and subjects. Some opt to create realistic characters, while others go for animated styles, cartoons, or something abstract. Here are the 6 best free online character creators to work with each niche:
The Character Creator
This is an online character creator specializing in intricate 3D human characters. It is perfect for game developers, animators, and designers who need realism. The platform supports customization at the level of the body's shape, skin type, and facial features. It operates in a browser window and can save character models in standard 3D file formats.
- Realistic 3D modeling.
- Wide customization options.
- Exports to 3D software.
- Good for professional use.
- Requires high-speed internet.
- The free version has export limitations.
Canva
While primarily known for graphic design, Canva works as a basic online character creator. Users can create cartoon characters by dragging and dropping different parts, such as eyes, hair, clothes, and accessories. It's perfect for avatar creation intended for presentations, social media, or visuals accompanying stories. Canva's templates are a great starting point for users lacking design skills.
- Very beginner-friendly.
- Easy drag-and-drop interface.
- Good for cartoon avatars.
- Mobile access is available.
- Limited 3D or realistic options.
- Customization is not very deep.
Viverse
Viverse is an online character creator meant for the metaverse. It's designed to create 3D avatars to be used in VR, gaming, and virtual meetings. The tool generates a base avatar from a photo, which the user modifies afterward. This is easy and suitable for people wanting to immerse themselves in virtual worlds.
- Photo-based avatar creation.
- Compatible with VR platforms.
- High realism.
- Fast processing time.
- Not suited for cartoon-style characters.
- Limited pose or animation controls.
Pixcap
Pixcap is an online character creator specializing in 3D characters for animation. It features poseable rigs and AI character creation. Animators and designers can create and animate their characters in the browser as there is no need to download external apps. It's helpful for motion design, marketing images, and creating game assets.
- Built-in animation tools.
- AI-assisted character creation.
- Browser-based 3D editor.
- Good export flexibility.
- Slight learning curve.
- Not ideal for quick avatar design.
Media.io
Media.io has a quirky online avatar generator that transforms your selfies into cartoonish avatars. It's more focused on personal use, social media, or profile pictures. After uploading a photo, users can choose different cartoon filters, modify features, and download the image. It works well for casual users.
- Quick photo-to-avatar tool.
- Multiple cartoon styles.
- No login required.
- Fast image processing.
- No 3D or detailed editing.
- Mostly limited to face avatars.
AI Ease
AI Ease is something more special. An online character creator where users can design a character using nothing but text prompts, which the AI will turn into a digital character. No imagination is too wild with this tool, making it best suited for storytellers and content creators. No design skills or templates are needed to get started.
- AI-based text-to-character generation.
- Good for creative storytelling.
- No design experience is needed.
- Fast character output.
- Results may vary in accuracy.
- Limited editing after the generation.
Pros and cons of using online character creators
Online character creation tools are an excellent way to supplement one's design creativity due to the time-saving aspect they bring. Although their practicality is unquestionable, their suitability and limits still depend on the tools and components of one's creative desires. Here are some pros and cons of using an online character creator:
- Easy to use: Most online character creators have user-friendly interfaces that don't require design experience. You can build characters with just a few clicks or drag-and-drop actions.
- Saves time: Creating characters from scratch can take hours, but online tools speed up the process. You can generate or customize a character in minutes for quick use.
- Free and accessible: Many tools are free or have free versions, making them accessible to students, hobbyists, and professionals. You don't need to download heavy software or have a powerful PC.
- Variety of styles: Whether you want 2D cartoons or realistic 3D models, there's an online character creator to match your needs. Some even support VR or AI-based creation.
- Limited customization: Free versions often limit how much you can change or download. Some tools don't let you adjust detailed features like body rigs or advanced animations.
- Not suitable for complex projects: While great for basic characters, these tools may fall short in professional game development or high-end animation, where custom design and full control are needed.
Bonus tip: Boost your videos with a custom AI avatar on PC with CapCut
With the CapCut desktop video editor, you can seamlessly merge digital characters into your videos by adding custom AI avatars, enabling you to view and interact with them in real-time. It is perfect for creators working on explainer videos and tutorials or for those who engage in digital storytelling, because it combines text-to-speech features alongside scene editing and props.
Key features
Here are some key features of the CapCut desktop video editor that improve the creation of avatar-based content and the overall production quality:
- Effortless AI avatar setup
CapCut's built-in free avatar creator lets you select from a variety of pre-designed templates to produce realistic AI avatars. No complicated setup or technical skills required.
- Turn scripts into videos instantly
Transform your text scripts into engaging videos complete with voiceovers in just a few steps. This is perfect for creating educational content, demos, or business explainers.
- Flexible AI voice effects
Use the built-in voice changer to give your avatars unique tones or personalities. Great for storytelling or giving your content a creative edge.
- Convert text to speech
Turn written scripts into natural-sounding voiceovers, perfect for tutorials, product demos, or avatar narrations without needing a voice actor.
- Access royalty-free music
Enhance your avatar-led videos with background tracks from a built-in royalty-free music library, saving time on music sourcing.
- Auto captions
Automatically generate subtitles from voiceovers or speech using an auto caption generator, helping improve accessibility and viewer retention on platforms like YouTube or TikTok.
How to design custom AI avatars with CapCut
To design custom AI avatars, first download and install the CapCut desktop video editor. Click the download button below to start the free download. Once installed, open the editor, and you're ready to begin.
- STEP 1
- Open the AI video maker
Open the CapCut desktop video editor and choose "Avatar Video" to start producing captivating talking-head videos with lifelike AI avatars.
- STEP 2
- Add and customize the avatar
Click on "My Avatars" to begin. Drag and drop your video file, click "Next," upload your consent video, and submit it to CapCut. Once approved, your personalized avatar will be ready for use.
Alternatively, you can select a virtual avatar from CapCut’s preset characters like Rich Henry or Sir Arthur the Visionary. Paste or generate your script, pick a voice, set the duration, and click "Create" to have your AI-generated avatar video produced automatically.
- STEP 3
- Add a voiceover
Navigate to the "Scenes" panel and select "Voiceover." Browse through a range of popular and themed voices. After selecting one, click "Replace for all scenes" to apply it across the entire video.
- STEP 4
- Add and adjust captions and music
Head to the "Elements" section to choose and adjust caption styles. Then, in the "Music" tab, explore CapCut’s curated soundtracks by genre or mood. Select a track that fits your tone and add it to your project.
- STEP 5
- Export and share
Once everything looks good, hit "Export" in the top-right corner. Choose your video resolution, format, and frame rate, then save the completed file. Need more changes? Tap "Edit more" to continue refining your content.
Conclusion
With the help of an online character creator, anyone can bring imagination to life without needing complex skill sets or pricey design software. Building avatars becomes as easy as a few clicks within minutes, be it for games, videos, or social media. Everything from cartoonish figures to realistic 3D models can be made freely in one's desired option. Likewise, the CapCut desktop video editor with AI avatars is a perfect choice for creating professional videos effortlessly.
FAQs
- 1
- What AI features are integrated into online character creators?
Online character creators typically utilize AI to assist in face generation, style application, and adjusting behaviors relative to user inputs or prompts. For instance, some tools enable users to upload photos or text descriptions and generate avatars. For avatars ready for video, the CapCut desktop video editor has integrated AI voice and avatar tools that animate and speak with the text provided.
- 2
- Can online character creators support animation integration for characters?
Yes, some sophisticated online character creators support rigging and animation of 2D and 3D avatars. Animated avatars can include simple head and body turns, facial movements, expression changes, and static pose switches. Animation options are often restrictive in free tools. Adding motion, voice, and scenes to characters is best done using the CapCut desktop video editor.
- 3
- Do free online character creators provide real-time rendering previews?
Some free online character creators support real-time rendering of the character being posed and edited, especially at a 2D level or in basic 3D. This is a more efficient way to capture and design change checking without delay. Most frequently, high-end rendering is restricted to free versions. However, the CapCut desktop video editor lets you preview and enhance your scenes with characters.