Adobe After Effects is a powerful video editing and visuals software that allows you to create spectacular videos. After Effects provides high-quality digital effects, and this application makes it simple to remove unnecessary parts from a video.
Using your innovation and creativity, you can create stunning motion graphics and creative cinematography with the software, thanks to its comprehensive set of tools for motion picture compositing, animation, and cinematic VFX.
However, After Effects is not the only video effects software that can quickly and easily add appealing effects to your video. In this guide, we’ll look at a variety of Adobe After Effects alternatives, ranging from free to professional.
Best Free After Effects Alternative
After Effects alternative offers users a strong and diverse set of tools that will allow both pros and inexperienced users to create spectacular videos. Here is our guided list of the best free After Effects alternatives.
1. Blackmagic Fusion 16
Blackmagic Fusion is a tool that allows you to add visuals, graphics, and 3D animation to your projects. It is commonly used in the creation of digital compositing and visual effects for cinema films, television shows, and advertisements.
Features
- Diligence assisted VFX production.
- This After Effects alternative analyzes real-time motion vectors and recreates 3D keyframes.
2. Blender
If you’re looking for a free After Effects alternative, then the open-source 3D creation suite, Blender, is a tool you don’t want to miss. Blender is popular among users because it is cross-platform, available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and it is extremely adaptable.
Features
- The After Effects alternative software aids in the animation of onion skinning.
- The user has the option of changing the animation pose editor.
- This free After Effects alternative can render both ultra-realistic and high-quality files.
- The user may effortlessly combine 2D and 3D images.
3. Natron
Another free cross-platform software option to consider as an alternative to After Effects is Natron. Natron is a node-based application that specializes in real-time compositing. It has over 250 ready-made plugins that you can use to create 2D and 2.5D visuals.
Although it handles both 2D/2.5D needs, this tool does not support 3D animation or the creation of 3D effects.
Features
- There are over 250 ready-made plugins.
- The Roto/Roto paint toolsets are versatile and can generate an endless number of layers of masks and forms.
- It includes a robust 2D tracker as well as a planning tracker.
- It features a GPU and rendering capability, thanks to Natron.
4. Hitfilm Express
HitFilm Express is a free After Effects alternative 3D compositing, video editing, and visual effects software for videographers, producers and animation artists.
Hitfilm Express allows you to generate a wide range of content, edit videos, perform basic retouching and color correction, and polish quality professional effects.
Features
- 3D models can be imported, and tracking functions are available.
- Supports lights, shadows, and environment maps to make your text look like real-world natural objects.
- The tool includes a surface studio effect for creating animated material.
- The application visualizes audio.
- You can add lights and shadows to your items to give them a more realistic appearance.
Best Paid After Effects Alternative
Here is a variety of paid-for After Effects alternative programs to consider across the various creative industries.
1. Wondershare FilmoraPro
Wondershare FilmoraPro is a powerful nonlinear premium editor — though you can try it for free — that adds a professional touch to any production. It’s well-known for its powerful compositing, visual effects, motion graphics, audio editing, and color correction tools.
Features
- It has layouts that can be customized for editing, trimming, effects, and color correction.
- The design and navigation are user-friendly, and valuable prompts are provided.
- It can handle a variety of frame rates and resolutions, including 4K UHD at 100fps (Frames Per Second).
- Motion graphics and animations are both supported.
Price: The annual plan is $89.99. The one-time cost is $149.99.
2. Apple Motion
Apple Motion is a macOS-only software for creating animations, video and motion tracking, 2D and 3D compositing, and special effects. It’s a fantastic option for Final Cut Pro users because it has a comparable interface that closely relates to it.
Features
- 360° media can be imported, and 360° titles, generators, and effects can be created.
- High Dynamic Range visuals are available.
- The same advanced color wheels can be used to change hue, brightness, and saturation.
- With advanced tools or templates, you may switch between 2D and 3D titles.
Price: The one-time cost is $49.99.
3. Nuke
Nuke is similar to After Effects in terms of composition, animation, and VFX capabilities. You may create scripts using the node-based interface and have access to various toolkits to help you edit and create faster.
It is adaptable and has multi-channel processing. It can be used to make video effects or to design your own.
Features
- For seamless collaboration, GPU acceleration and fluid operations can be used.
- With minimum hardware requirements, it is compatible with both Windows and Mac.
- It has vector paint tools, a rotoscope, color correction, and other features.
- You may use this tool to work with photos that have numerous opacity and color levels.
- It handles lens distortion correctly.
Price: The quarterly plan costs $1,829. The one-time cost is $5,248.
4. Autodesk Smoke
Autodesk Smoke is a sophisticated piece of software that is exclusively available for Mac. It integrates editing operations with node-based compositing tools and is aimed at professionals and studios to improve efficiency.
Autodesk Smoke works flawlessly with the timeline in Final Cut Pro X, much as Adobe After Effects does in Premiere. Its key capabilities enable you to create stunning 3D visuals and motion effects.
Features
- Animate 3D text/titles to make them your own.
- Create dynamic 3D titles by importing 3D geometry.
- Nonlinear editing process based on tracks.
- Final Cut Pro X is supported.
Price: The yearly plan costs $1,700. The monthly plan costs $215.
Final Thoughts
We trust that after going through our guide, you can finally have a choice from our top eight best After Effects alternatives. In the end, it’s all about finding something that works with your liking and thinking, all at an affordable price point.
Given the high cost of some of these aternatives, it’s preferable to start with free trials and low-cost alternatives before moving on to the more pricey ones.
The Team Compare BizTech is made up of people from marketing backgrounds, digital marketing & content marketing backgrounds, each with unique experiences and nuggets of wisdom to share with you. The team is passionate about creating unique, accurate, and engaging content.