My stack

    Comparison · 11 tools · prices checked on October 2, 2026

    The best After Effects plugins in 2026

    Most After Effects plugins are sold as one-time licences, a few as subscriptions, and several are free with paid packs on top. That makes them hard to compare at a glance. This list ranks the plugins we researched on the same grid and states the entry price as the vendor publishes it.

    Our picks at a glance

    Best overallMotion BroFree · 3.6/5Best free optionBodymovin / LottieFree · 3.6/5Cheapest to startFlow (aescripts)$35 one-time · 3/5

    The ToolTrim take

    The double spend to watch: Magic Bullet, Trapcode and Universe are all part of the Red Giant line sold by Maxon, so buying one suite on its own and later subscribing to Red Giant means paying twice for the same plugins. On the other side, Motion Bro's plugin is free and only its asset packs are paid: check which packs you would actually use before buying a bundle.

    The comparison

    #ToolEntry priceFree planToolTrim score
    1Motion BroAE/Premiere transitionsFree3.6/5
    2GifGunAE GIF exporter$39.99 one-time3.6/5
    3Bodymovin / LottieAfter Effects to LottieFree3.6/5
    4Animation Composer 3AE animation presetsFrom $16.50/mo3.4/5
    5OverlordDesign-to-motion bridge$75 one-time3.4/5
    6Duik ÁngelaCharacter riggingFree3.4/5
    7Red GiantVFX plugin powerhouseFrom $53/mo3.2/5
    8BAO BoaAE mask distortion$69.99 one-time3.2/5
    9Flow (aescripts)After Effects easing editor$35 one-time3/5
    10Magic BulletColor grading pluginPrice not public3/5
    11Newton 4AE physics plugin$249.99 one-time3/5

    Price of the comparison plan, as published by the vendor, in its currency. Annual prices are shown per month.

    Tool by tool

    1. Motion Bro

    AE/Premiere transitions

    FreeScore 3.6/5 · Average

    Free plugin for After Effects and Premiere Pro giving one-click access to paid transition and preset packs.

    Free plan: Motion Bro plugin itself is free with no paid tier; only individual asset packs and bundles are paid

    • Core plugin is free forever, no subscription required to start.
    • One-time purchases instead of a recurring subscription for asset packs.
    • Commercial license roughly doubles the price of any pack used for client work.
    • Locked to Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro; no standalone or other NLE support.
    Keep it if
    You already edit in After Effects or Premiere Pro and want ready-made transitions without a subscription.
    Avoid it if
    You edit outside the Adobe ecosystem, or need a fully custom look rather than preset-based transitions.
    Before you pay
    Buying the personal license and using the output commercially violates the license terms; the commercial upgrade is roughly double the price.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    2. GifGun

    AE GIF exporter

    $39.99 one-timeScore 3.6/5 · Average

    One-time-purchase After Effects plugin, desktop app and web app for exporting compressed GIF, WEBP, WEBM and MP4 files.

    • Low one-time cost with no recurring subscription.
    • Target File Size removes trial-and-error on compression settings.
    • Requires an existing After Effects license for the plugin workflow; it does not replace After Effects.
    • Single User License restricts use to one user on one computer at a time.
    Keep it if
    You regularly export short looped clips from After Effects and want a fast, size-controlled workflow.
    Avoid it if
    You do not use After Effects, or only need GIF export occasionally, since a built-in export tool may already suffice.
    Before you pay
    None found beyond the standard single-user license restriction; it is a one-time purchase with no recurring charge.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    3. Bodymovin / Lottie

    After Effects to Lottie

    FreeScore 3.6/5 · Average

    After Effects plugin that exports shape-layer animations to the open Lottie JSON format for web and mobile.

    Free plan: Individual users can set their own price, including $0, to download the full plugin.

    • Effectively free for individual use, with no technical restriction on the price paid.
    • Exports to an open format usable across web, iOS and Android from the same file.
    • Requires a paid After Effects subscription just to create the source animation.
    • Not all After Effects effects and expressions convert to Lottie JSON, which can force manual rework.
    Keep it if
    You already animate in After Effects with shape layers and need to ship that animation natively on web or mobile.
    Avoid it if
    Your animations rely heavily on effects or expressions that don't translate to Lottie JSON.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    4. Animation Composer 3

    AE animation presets

    From $16.50/moScore 3.4/5 · Average

    Animation Composer is a Mister Horse plugin for After Effects and Premiere Pro that provides a browsable library of animation presets, free with 1,000+ assets or $16.50/month (annual) for 6,000+.

    Free plan: Free plan includes over 1,000 assets and the 4 time-saving tools, versus 6,000+ assets on the paid subscription; brief also notes a library limit of up to 500 items on the free tier per the seed data.

    • Works across both After Effects and Premiere Pro under one subscription instead of buying separate plugins for each.
    • The free tier already includes over 1,000 assets, enough to try the workflow before paying.
    • It is a plugin, not a standalone tool, so it adds to an existing Adobe Creative Cloud subscription cost rather than replacing it.
    • Adding a team member is billed pro-rata rather than at a flat per-seat rate, so team cost is not a simple multiple of the individual price.
    Keep it if
    You already work in After Effects or Premiere Pro and want a large, ready-made animation preset library instead of keyframing common motions by hand.
    Avoid it if
    You do not use After Effects or Premiere Pro, since Animation Composer only works as a plugin inside those two apps.
    Before you pay
    Adding team members is prorated rather than billed at a flat per-seat fee, and prior perpetual-license owners may see different upgrade pricing only visible after logging in, not shown on the public pricing page.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    5. Overlord

    Design-to-motion bridge

    $75 one-timeScore 3.4/5 · Average

    Overlord transfers layered designs from Figma, Photoshop and Illustrator into After Effects, keeping masks, text and styles editable.

    • One-time purchase, no recurring subscription to maintain access.
    • Preserves editable text styling and masks instead of flattening artwork.
    • No free trial, so evaluating the plugin requires paying for it first.
    • Freeform and mesh gradients must be rasterized instead of transferring as editable shapes.
    Keep it if
    You regularly move Figma, Photoshop or Illustrator files into After Effects and are tired of rebuilding layers by hand.
    Avoid it if
    You animate only occasionally, or your app versions don't meet the minimum requirements.
    Before you pay
    Feature updates are guaranteed for one year only; keeping up with new releases after that requires renewing the license.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    6. Duik Ángela

    Character rigging

    FreeScore 3.4/5 · Average

    Free, open-source character and prop rigging toolkit for After Effects, with built-in wiggle, bounce and walk-cycle automation.

    Free plan: Fully free and open-source (GNU GPL-v3), no feature restrictions.

    • Completely free and open-source, with no paywalled core features.
    • Covers a wide range of animation automation (wiggle, bounce, walk cycles) that would otherwise require manual keyframing.
    • Works only inside After Effects, adding no value without it.
    • The rigging-specific workflow has a real learning curve; an official paid guide and video courses exist to cover it.
    Keep it if
    Keep it if you animate characters or props in After Effects and want rigging automation without manual keyframing.
    Avoid it if
    Avoid it if you don't use After Effects, or want a standalone rigging application.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    7. Red Giant

    VFX plugin powerhouse

    From $53/moScore 3.2/5 · Average

    Red Giant is a professional suite of 50+ VFX and motion design plugins created by Maxon for After Effects, Premiere Pro, and video apps. Includes Trapcode (particles, lens flares, lights), Universe (transitions, effects), color tools, and specialized toolsets. Ships with monthly updates and Maxon Studio (templates).

    • Very wide coverage of VFX/motion design needs (particles, transitions, color, keying) in one bundle.
    • Deep, native-feeling integration inside After Effects and Premiere Pro's own effects panel.
    • Subscription-only pricing with no perpetual license option, unlike some competitors.
    • Requires a compatible host app to function at all; it is not usable as standalone software.
    Keep it if
    You already work daily in After Effects or Premiere Pro and regularly use effects from at least two or three of the four suites (particles, transitions, color, VFX).
    Avoid it if
    You only need one specific effect type (e.g. just transitions, or just color grading) or don't already use a compatible Adobe host app.
    Before you pay
    Monthly billing at $85/month is nearly 60% more expensive per month than the $53/month effective rate on annual billing; check whether canceling mid-cycle keeps access until the period ends before committing.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    8. BAO Boa

    AE mask distortion

    $69.99 one-timeScore 3.2/5 · Average

    BAO Boa is an After Effects plugin that distorts layers precisely along mask paths for organic, smooth animated distortions.

    • Smooth, precise distortions along mask paths.
    • Perpetual license (no subscription).
    • No free trial version.
    • Fixed price with no visible student discount.
    Keep it if
    You regularly create curved or wavy text and shapes.
    Avoid it if
    You're new to After Effects and want to test first (no free demo).

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    9. Flow (aescripts)

    After Effects easing editor

    $35 one-timeScore 3/5 · Average

    Flow is an After Effects extension that replaces the native Graph Editor with a modern easing-curve editor and a reusable preset library.

    • CSS cubic-bezier export bridges the gap between motion design and front-end development.
    • A reusable, shareable preset library avoids rebuilding the same easing curve project after project.
    • The free trial's duration isn't stated anywhere on the product page.
    • It only works as a plugin inside After Effects, so it adds no value without an existing Adobe subscription.
    Keep it if
    Keep it if you animate regularly in After Effects and the native Graph Editor slows down your easing work.
    Avoid it if
    Avoid it if you don't use After Effects, or if a bundled tool like Animation Composer already covers your easing needs.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    10. Magic Bullet

    Color grading plugin

    Price not publicScore 3/5 · Average

    A color grading and film emulation plugin for video editors, bundled inside the Red Giant Complete subscription at an unpublished price.

    • Installs directly inside major host editors (Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and more) without a separate app to learn.
    • Bundled access to the wider 100+ tool Red Giant toolkit, not just color grading, inside the same subscription.
    • Cannot be bought standalone; the price is only published as part of the full Red Giant Complete bundle.
    • Requires a supported host video editor to run at all; it isn't a standalone application.
    Keep it if
    You already edit in a supported host app and want cinematic color presets without switching tools.
    Avoid it if
    You want color grading only, without paying for the rest of the 100+ tool Red Giant bundle.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    11. Newton 4

    AE physics plugin

    $249.99 one-timeScore 3/5 · Average

    Newton 4 is an After Effects plugin that gives layers realistic 2D physics (gravity, collisions, springs) without manual keyframing, sold as a one-time license.

    • Replaces manual keyframing for bounces, collisions and springs with a physics simulation.
    • One-time license with no recurring subscription fee, and a discounted upgrade path for Newton 3 owners.
    • The free trial exports are capped at 25 frames, too short to validate a full shot before buying.
    • Works only inside After Effects, with no standalone use.
    Keep it if
    You animate in After Effects and regularly need realistic physics-driven motion like bounces, collisions or springs.
    Avoid it if
    You don't use After Effects, or you only need this kind of motion occasionally and can hand-keyframe it.

    Full reviewAll pricesAlternatives

    How we rank

    The ranking follows the ToolTrim five-axis score, each axis backed by a source cited on the tool's page. When two scores tie, the more searched tool goes first. Prices come from each vendor's official page, never converted. Links to vendors may be affiliate links; they change neither the score nor the position.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the best option for motion designers and video editors?

    Motion Bro tops this ranking with a ToolTrim score of 3.6/5. The right pick still depends on how you work: each entry states when to keep it and when to avoid it.

    Is there a free option?

    Yes. Motion Bro, Bodymovin / Lottie, Animation Composer 3 and Duik Ángela offer a permanent free plan. The best rated of them here is Bodymovin / Lottie.

    What is the cheapest paid option?

    Flow (aescripts), $35 one-time, based on the price the vendor publishes.

    How is this ranking built?

    Each tool is scored on five axes (added value, simplicity, day-to-day use, power, reversibility), each score backed by a source cited on its page. Prices are read on the vendor's official page, in its currency. No vendor pays for its position.