17 Cool Pure CSS Animations

If you’re looking to stun your website visitors, using CSS animations ought to do it! It might sound simple at first, but using animations like this can be extremely compelling and really make an impact on how your site is perceived. They can add a layer of interactivity that drives interest. They can also add personality.

So, if you’re not sure how to get started with CSS animations or where to find some to use on your site, we’ve got you covered here. This collection of 17 options should entice you at the very least.

Cloudy Spiral CSS Animation

See the Pen
Cloudy Spiral CSS animation by Hakim El Hattab (@hakimel)
on CodePen.

Add a touch of whimsy to your site with this CSS animation that features a perpetual cloudy spiral. It’s sort of mesmerizing!

Pure CSS Slider

See the Pen
Pure CSS Slider by Damian Drygiel (@drygiel)
on CodePen.

And then there’s this slider animation. Use it to add interest to the presentation of information on your site. It’s easy to customize and adds that little bit of interactivity visitors crave.

Parallax Star Background in CSS

See the Pen
Parallax Star background in CSS by Saransh Sinha (@saransh)
on CodePen.

This lovely star background uses a parallax effect to create a dark and enticing scrolling experience.

Minimal Pure CSS Slider

See the Pen
Minimal pure css slider by Elton Kamami (@eltonkamami)
on CodePen.

Here’s another slider option. This time, it’s got a minimal design but would serve well for displaying your best photos.

Pure CSS Watch Animation

See the Pen
Pure CSS watch animation by Grzegorz Witczak (@Wujek_Greg)
on CodePen.

If you need to portray the passage of time in some way on your site, this watch animation should get the point across.

CSS Animation Material Design

See the Pen
CSS Animation Material Design by Zoë Bijl (@Moiety)
on CodePen.

If you need to showcase what material design looks like, this quick little animation ought to do the trick!

Pure CSS 3D Sphere

See the Pen
Pure CSS 3D Sphere by Sergej Skrjanec (@iamlark)
on CodePen.

I could stare at this CSS animation all day! It showcases a 3D sphere that’s constantly changing shape and color.

Pure CSS Border Animation without SVG

See the Pen
[PURE CSS] border animation without svg by Rplus (@Rplus)
on CodePen.

Here’s another simple option that features a CSS border that changes upon hover.

Mr. JeellyFish Pure CSS Animation

See the Pen
Mr JeellyFish pure CSS animation by Fabio (@FabioG)
on CodePen.

Irreverence can be a great quality to add to your online presence. And Mr. JeellyFish here is definitely an example of that. Watch as he bobs along the screen.

Animated CSS Mail Button

See the Pen
Animated CSS Mail Button by Jake Giles-Phillips (@jakegilesphillips)
on CodePen.

Get visitors to send you an email in a much more engaging way than clicking a simple link with this mail button animation.

Underwater Pure CSS Animation

See the Pen
Underwater Pure CSS Animation by Travis Doughty (@tdoughty)
on CodePen.

In this CSS animation, whales swim into and out of view. The art style featured here is very geometric and immediately eye-catching.

Squishy Squashy

See the Pen
Squishy Squashy by JustGoscha (@JustGoscha)
on CodePen.

Watch as this yellow cube bounces and squishes against the edge of a box before changing directions.

The Glowing Loader

See the Pen
The Glowing Loader – Pure CSS Animation by Maxime Rossignol (@Maxoor)
on CodePen.

And then there’s this one that shows a dash and a dot chasing each other around the field of view.

Pure CSS Animation Demo

See the Pen
Pure CSS animation demo by Marian-COJOC-ro (@marian-cojoc-ro)
on CodePen.

Upon hover, tiles flip over to reveal a contrasting color. It gives the appearance of a sphere being formed across a square.

Color Palette with Pure CSS Animation

See the Pen
Color Palette with Pure CSS Animation by Nitish Khagwal (@nitishkmrk)
on CodePen.

If you offer design or artistic services, this color palette animation would make for a stunning fit.

The Chatbot

See the Pen
The Chatbot (Pure CSS Animation) by Tucker Massad (@tuckermassad)
on CodePen.

Want to visually indicate that your site has chat services? This chatbot CSS animation is as adorable as it is effective.

The Flying Robot

See the Pen
The Flying Robot (Pure CSS Drawing/Animation) [codepen challenge] by Tucker Massad (@tuckermassad)
on CodePen.

What site couldn’t use a flying robot gracing its pages, that’s what I want to know. This little guy whizzes across the screen in a flying saucer before pausing, popping up into view, then zooming away.

Enjoy These Pure CSS Animations

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of what pure CSS animations are and how you might be able to use them on your website. They range from super practical to downright silly. Even so, each of these animations will at the very least spark some inspiration.

Happy browsing and creating!