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Indie alternatives to After Effects

5 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what After Effects does, 5 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.

At a glance

Product	Price	Open source	Self-host	Platforms
Cavalry	Free plan	–	–	Mac, Windows
DaVinci Resolve	Free plan	–	–	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS
Jitter	Free plan	–	–	Web
LottieFiles	Free plan	–	–	Web, Mac, Windows, API
Rive	Free plan	–	–	Web, Mac, Windows

The alternatives

1. Cavalry

Procedural 2D motion design software

2D animation application for procedural, data-driven motion graphics, used by motion designers.

Free plan · Mac, Windows · Website ↗

2. DaVinci Resolve

Video editing, color grading, VFX and audio post

Professional post-production software from Blackmagic Design combining editing, color, Fusion effects and Fairlight audio.

Free plan · Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS · Website ↗

3. Jitter

Motion design in the browser

Web-based motion design tool for animating UI, social posts and logos, exporting to video, GIF or Lottie.

Free plan · Web · Website ↗

4. LottieFiles

Create, edit and share Lottie animations

Platform and tools for creating, editing, testing and hosting lightweight Lottie animations for web and apps.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, API · Website ↗

5. Rive

Interactive animations for apps, games and websites

Design and animation tool for interactive, state-driven vector animations that run in apps, games and websites via runtimes.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows · Website ↗

Questions

Is there a free alternative to After Effects?

Yes. 5 of the 5 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Cavalry, DaVinci Resolve, Jitter, LottieFiles and 1 more.

Which After Effects alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?

On Mac: Cavalry, DaVinci Resolve, LottieFiles and 1 more. On Windows: Cavalry, DaVinci Resolve, LottieFiles and 1 more. On Linux: DaVinci Resolve. On iPhone and iPad: DaVinci Resolve. On the web: Jitter, LottieFiles and Rive.

What makes these alternatives to After Effects “indie”?

They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as After Effects.

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Browse: Animation · Design · Video

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