Adobe After Effects AlternativesOnly apps categorised as VFX Software

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Natron

    217 likes

   Natron is an open source, cross platform nodal compositing application. It is built around industry standard open source tech such as OpenFX, OpenEXR, OpenColorIO and OpenImageIO. The feature set includes realtime playback/RAM cache, multi-threaded rendering, 2d tracking...

   19 Natron alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-2.0)

   Application types

   • VFX
   • Motion Graphics

   Origin

   • France
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux

   

   

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   Is Natron a good alternative to Adobe After Effects?

    

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   9comments

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   Natron vs Adobe After Effects Comments

    

   Top Positive Comment

   Paul

   Apr 9, 2020

   4

   Free and open-source node based alternative to After Effects. It's pretty similar to Nuke, but doesn't cost anything.

   Top Negative Comment

   Guest

   Aug 21, 2017

   10

   Awful documentation (blank page); The versions change so much that the old tutorials don't help at all; Difficult to learn by just messing around; High learning curve.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   ahmed52

   Positive comment•Jan 7, 2022

   2

   free ,open source a bit hard to use at first

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   3 of 9 comments

   

   

   • Natron is Free and Open SourceAdobe After Effects is Paid and Proprietary
2. 

   

   Blender

    1775 likes

   A comprehensive open-source 3D software suite for modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, and animating. It supports renderings, simulations including fluid and cloth dynamics, complex compositing, video editing, and Python scripting, running across all major operating systems.

   143 Blender alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application type

   • 3D Modeler

   Origin

   • Netherlands
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • BSD
   • Snapcraft
   • Flathub
   • PortableApps.com
   • Haiku
   • Steam
   • Flatpak

   

   

   

   +9

   

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   29comments

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   Blender vs Adobe After Effects Comments

    

   Top Positive Comment

   sas_ja

   Jun 14, 2020

   5

   Blender is has a bit different workflow, that doesn't make it worse than AE. People think that Blender is only a 3D program, but it fact it has greasepencil (2d animation tool), and it also includes node-based compositing, video editing and video tracking. With Blender you can combine 2d animations, 3d renderings and video footage without using any external program.

   Top Negative Comment

   danielmichel

   Nov 7, 2017

   49

   AE's main purpose: Video effect editing. Blender has a whole range of possibilities, but it's hard to get into and it's not designed to be used solely for video effect editing.

   Guest

   Negative comment•Sep 7, 2025

   0

   It’s not a video editor anymore, they removed that feature.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

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   3 of 29 comments

   

   

   • Blender is Free and Open SourceAdobe After Effects is Paid and Proprietary
   • Blender is Customizable, Lightweight and Privacy focusedAdobe After Effects is not according to our users
4. 

   

   Blackmagic Design Fusion

    53 likes

   Fusion is the world’s most advanced compositing software for visual effects artists, broadcast and motion graphic designers and 3D animators.

   20 Blackmagic Design Fusion alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Freemium
   • Proprietary

   Application types

   • VFX
   • Video Editor

   Origin

   • Australia

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux

   

   

   

   +1

   

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   6comments

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   Blackmagic Design Fusion vs Adobe After Effects Comments

    

   Top Positive Comment

   Paul

   Apr 9, 2020

   4

   Great software and well integrated with DaVinci Resolve.

   Guest

   Positive comment•Oct 27, 2023

   1

   Great node-based alternative if you require an advanced control over your compositions. It supports OFX plugins, macros, and software-specific plugins/scripts(Lua & Python)

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   Guest

   Positive comment•Sep 19, 2018

   7

   High level composition software.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

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   3 of 6 comments

   

   

   • Blackmagic Design Fusion is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe After Effects is Paid and Proprietary
5. 

   

   NUKE

    36 likes

   NUKE is a powerful compositing application that delivers unparalleled speed, an efficient multi-channel scanline rendering engine, and a first-class feature set that is unrivalled in the desktop market.

   18 NUKE alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free Personal
   • Proprietary

   Application types

   • VFX
   • Motion Graphics

   Origin

   • United Kingdom

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux

   

   

   

   +4

   

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   NUKE vs Adobe After Effects Comments

    

   Guest

   Positive comment•Dec 11, 2016

   7

   There is a free commercial version, nuke is also more industry standard for compositing

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   

   

   • NUKE is Free Personal and ProprietaryAdobe After Effects is Paid and Proprietary
6. 

   

   Apple Motion

    23 likes

   Designed for video editors, Motion is a powerful motion graphics tool that makes it easy to create cinematic 2D and 3D titles, fluid transitions, and realistic effects in real time.

   Cost / License

   • Paid
   • Proprietary

   Application types

   • VFX
   • Motion Graphics

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Mac

   

   

   

   +6

   

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   3comments

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   Apple Motion vs Adobe After Effects Comments

    

   Guest

   Positive comment•Jan 31, 2017

   8

   Cheap, not free, and there are some plugins.

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   Paul

   Positive comment•Apr 9, 2020

   0

   A great software for motion design and 2D/3D animation, especially if you're already using Final Cut Pro.

   Guest

   Positive comment•Feb 7, 2018

   0

   better than ae and one-time payed

   Review by a new / low-activity user.

   

   

   • Apple Motion is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe After Effects is also Paid and Proprietary
7. 

   

   TiXL

    18 likes

   TiXL is an open-source solution for creating interactive 3d content and animations. It combines the best aspects of animation, compositing, and coding into a lightweight and intuitive UI. Your designs can be shared as executable or rendered to movies.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (MIT)

   Application types

   • VFX
   • Motion Graphics

   Origin

   • Germany
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Windows

   

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9. 

   

   Autodesk Flame

    2 likes

   Autodesk Flame software is a powerful finishing and visual effects solution with an integrated environment that accelerates creative workflows.

   Cost / License

   • Paid
   • Proprietary

   Application type

   • VFX

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux

   

   

   

   +3

   

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10. 

    

    PopcornFX

     5 likes

    A suite of tools dedicated to real-time visual effects creation, along with ready-to-run mainstream game engine integrations and a runtime simulation framework for custom integration.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    • VFX

    Origin

    • France
    • EU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak

    

    

    

    +3

    

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11. 

    

    ButtleOFX

     16 likes

    ButtleOFX is a simple, user-friendly and open source compositing software. It is based on TuttleOFX, an open source, modular and sustainable image processing architecture.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    • VFX

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Linux

    

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12. 

    

    Talos VFX

     3 likes

    Talos is an open source, node based particle effect editor that can be used in game development. It features a powerful but intuitive, drag-and-drop interface with the ability to import legacy LibGDX files for easy, visual editing.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (Apache-2.0)

    Application type

    • VFX

    Origin

    • Türkiye

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Java

    

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13. 

    

    Notch

     7 likes

    Notch is the game-changing real-time visual creation engine that keeps up with your ideas. From motion graphics to interactive installations to VR experiences to the largest performances on earth, it helps creators rediscover the joy of creating.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    • VFX
    • Motion Graphics

    Origin

    • United Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Windows

    

    

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14. 

    

    Action Pro

     1 like

    Action Pro is cutting-edge technology that lets you effortlessly create animated movement using familiar (mouse and joypad) and cutting-edge (Leap Motion) input devices.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    • VFX

    Origin

    • United Kingdom

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows

    

    

    

    +1

    

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