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Recommended
Sunjida A.
Media Production, 51-200 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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Adobe After Effects is one of the best video editing software in the current market. It integrates seamlessly with other Adobe software, making it easier to use. You can do nearly any kind of visual effects using this software and it would improve the post-production quality of the video. You can make an intro or high-quality outros for your videos and it's got a great overlay concept as well. It gives you total control, and it makes it easy for you to decide because you know what you want to do. I will recommend others to use it.
I have been using After effects for three years now for my video editing work and it has helped me a lot in my work. Adobe After-effects have all the capabilities possible for motion graphics, visual effects, compositing, and VFX. I enhanced my VFX skills with this software. It also features advanced tools like cutting Chroma keys, text animation, visual effects, motion, and movement tracking, and more. It can be a great tool for novices.
Sometimes, Adobe After Effect can be time-consuming for rendering if the computer is slow. But if we have a powerful machine, then it's certain that it can export within minutes. All other features are outstanding, with no negatives.
Silvia M.
Apparel & Fashion, self-employed
Used monthly for less than 6 months
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The tools that Adobe After Effects offers are endless.
It's not really intuitive if you're not familiar with Adobe, it takes time to navigate around the tools but there are plenty of resources online to learn how to use all the features. It can be really slow in the rendering process.
Denis A.
Broadcast Media, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 2+ years
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it has helped me to make video animations
I liked the ease of creating text animations in 2d or 3d. the motion tracking and also the ease of managing layers
the software consumes too much gpu resource of the pc.
Jordan E.
Music, self-employed
Used monthly for 2+ years
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All in all, I found After Effects useful for creating my own videos, but I found it overpriced for someone like me who barely used it. And, within the four years I used After Effects, I only ever produced seventeen videos with it (roughly 0.34 videos per month). So, after four years of minimal usage, I decided to cancel my subscription and stop using it.
With After Effects, there are almost no limits to how you can create and produce your videos apart from your technical skills and knowledge. I was really pleased with its incredibly wide range of usable tools, parameters, filters and transitions to make almost any video I wanted.
I found making my videos using After Effects fairly time-consuming due to its advanced and highly-customizable nature. Due to my limited video editing skills, I could only create and produce very basic music videos for my music. Also, I believe its monthly subscription was overpriced for someone like me who barely used After Effects at all. That's why, after using it and staying subscribed for four years, I eventually cancelled my subscription and stopped using it.
Sabina H.
Graphic Design, self-employed
Used weekly for 1-2 years
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It's very well made for animations and video editing. Everything has its place and you can switch back and forth between various stages of animation / video making. You can adjust visuals, make effect, animations and also add fonts and edit sounds. Dream.
The timeline is sometimes little bit chaotic but I understand it's hard to improve that, because you need the complexity for bigger projects.
Anjanette D.
Design, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 2+ years
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I've been using this software for about four years. This is great for video editing, in my experience.
I have no difficulties with this software. If you know how to use it, it is already enjoyable and easy to use.
Sujan S.
Computer Software, self-employed
Used weekly for 1-2 years
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Adobe After Effects is a powerful and feature-rich animation and effects application that is widely used by professionals in the film and television industry. It has a number of pros that make it a versatile and powerful tool for creating high-quality videos and animations.
After Effects has a large and active user community, which can be a great resource for learning and getting support. There are many online resources, tutorials, and forums that can help users learn how to use the application and troubleshoot any issues they may encounter.
After Effects can be resource-intensive, and it requires a powerful computer to run smoothly. This may be a limitation for users with older or less powerful systems.
Monica D.
Retail, 501-1,000 employees
Used weekly for 2+ years
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Overall, a worthwhile and efficient software I wold recommend to other designers!
Having presets in the software already makes my job much more efficient and therefore more productive - I use it so often it's almost always open which usually would mean it runs slowly but it and media encoder together are a powerhouse of software.
The UI could be more friendly on the lines of XD, there are times I'm looknig for a feature for quite a while because it's not immediately obvious where it is
Robert H.
E-Learning, 1-10 employees
Used weekly for 2+ years
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I work with After Effects almost daily for over 10 years. I would never replace the software with something else, it's great.
Easy of use I should say is number one. The timeline with all the colours and customisable features is great and can speed up the animation process greatly.
There is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to special effects (most are 10+ years old) and also with rendering previews. It needs to be much faster.
Damon B.
Marketing and Advertising, 51-200 employees
Used weekly for 1-2 years
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It works seamlessly with other Adobe products, like Premier. It's also very powerful.
Like a lot of the legacy Adobe products, there are multiple ways to do each task you want to complete. It can take a while to learn, but worth it.
Richard G.
E-Learning, 501-1,000 employees
Used daily for 1-2 years
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Overall, this an Excellent motion graphics software and everyone who desires a great video intro just as the intro videos of Hollywood, Disney, Netflix, Apple etc. should try this.
The drag and drop feature of the software and also the ability to edit key frames to my own specification. The effects library also has a lot of different effects which makes me achieve an amazing video like I always wanted.
Adobe After Effect can be very complex if you are just starting with, the team can look into simplifying some process we go through to achieve certain special effects. Also, I don't know but if I try direct rendering from After Effect its very slow as compared to exporting to(adding to Queue in) Media Encoder
Jeremy D.
Media Production, 1-10 employees
Used daily for 2+ years
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I've been using AE for two decades now, and it is truly unrivalled in many ways. Despite some strong competition out there from Apple and BlackMagic Design, AE remains the industry standard, and for good reason.
The very best thing about After Effects is the sheer power under the hood. You can do everything from basic video editing & titles, to complex 3D rendering and motion tracking. And the tight integration with other Adobe apps, plus the familiar interface design will make jumping in easier for most industry professionals.
In After Effects, you have to hit "Render" to see even the most basic video playback, and as soon as you start adding any content to the timeline, you have to knock back the preview quality to 1/4, and wait, wait, wait for frames to render. This can make editing tedious.
Gonzalo P.
Information Technology and Services, 51-200 employees
Used weekly for 2+ years
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Thanks to After Effects I was able to vastly improve the final quality of our videos and webinars, supporting myself with the variety of templates found on the net for free and/or paid.
Adobe After Effects has a great ability to bring what happens in the designer's mind. It proposes almost infinite freedoms to carry out animation works such as transitions, stop motions, introductions for logos, among others. It provides results of as good quality as the designer intends, but it also solves many problems automatically thanks to the filters, effects, and shortcuts.
After Effects is very resource-intensive. It is clear that you need a fairly powerful computer to run this software, as well as to render videos. It is somewhat complex if you are not used to this kind of software. Not ideal for video editing, I prefer Premiere for this.
oussama R.
Import and Export, 11-50 employees
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I tend to use After Effects a lot in making Indexa social media stories to promote medical equipment. After Effects allowed me to create very attractive hearing aids stories, as well as interactive, as these stories often allow me to receive positive responses from customers and open a sales conversation with them based on arousing their interest through these stories
After Effects is the most amazing program for content creators who prefer to rely on animated illustrations It is very flexible, very precise and multi-tool, in addition to that, it provides ready-made moves and models that allow a short time for content makers The user interface is very interesting and comprehensive that allows easy control of the users
For the After Effects program to run lightly and smoothly, the device used must have specific technical specifications. It is difficult to obtain good performance with computers and devices that are technically limited in terms of processors and RAM. In addition, it requires training for a short period in order to reach the professionalism of use
Evelyn F.
Marketing and Advertising, 1-10 employees
Used monthly for 2+ years
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We have been using this software since the very beginning of our organization. It does provide the tools you might need to create any animation, or even video edits (without the convenience of other specialized video editors).
This is a full video edition solution covering almost any requirement when producing a video. Notwithstanding, the main purpose is to create animations that perform just as desired. You can begin with an already made vector or even a normal video. Honestly, possibilities are endless with this piece of software.
The user interface may be very challenging sometimes It is expensive software, not for every budget. The rendering system drains the resources of the computer, so it is very advised to employ a third-party software as Adobe Media Encoder.
Prashant S.
Architecture & Planning, 1-10 employees
Used weekly for 6-12 months
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The overall experience is just amazing with Adobe After Effects. I use it to animate my logos and text for my Intro videos which I post on my social media platform. This software increases my productivity.
The friendly user interface is best in Adobe After Effects. It's very easy to import different formats and start a new project. I use to add animation to my logos and text. Easy drag and drop of png files is the best option. It saves me a lot of time.
There is nothing to dislike about Adobe After Effects. The software is loaded with a variety of options and features for editing and new composition.
Tina L H.
Media Production, self-employed
Used monthly for 2+ years
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Adobe After Effects is a profession post-production software easily integrated with other adobe products as well as major 3d software programs such as Cinema 4D. If you are desiring to get to the top of your game, to work at major studio in post-production work, don’t waste your time with the competition, go straight to Adobe After Effects as well as their other software programs. Purchase a Master Collection subscription and see how your inspiration takes flight!
The Adobe Corporation took over After Effects in 1994 and since then it has had little competition. Recently the only competition has been DaVinci Resolve but it’s limited. As with all Adobe applications they integrate into one another. If you are working on a project and must jump quickly to Adobe Photoshop, it allows you to do so. After Effects includes a free installation of Cinema 4D Lite....
Adobe After Effects is more expensive than programs like Da Vinci Resolve. I would suggest purchasing the Adobe Master Collection subscription, which can be paid monthly or annually. It is also a RAM demanding software so please check your computer’s specifications and upgrade the components or computer if needed before downloading the software. It will check your computer’s specifications prior to downloading and inform you if you are needed additional qualifications.
Jonathan G.
Marketing and Advertising, 1-10 employees
Used weekly for 2+ years
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After Effects was one of those programs I knew I needed, but didn't want to need. I had to learn how to use it because it vastly improved my production value, which allowed me to charge more and scale my business.
The magic it can create is unreal. The production value of any project can jump leaps and bounds after a round in After Effects. Most people in my industry use Adobe Premiere and AfterEffects concurrently. I prefer to create/modify elements in After Effects and then use them in Final Cut Pro. It's not the most efficient way to do things, but it's doable and effective.
The one thing I don't like is that it's an Adobe product. Adobe are infinitely the champions of organization and structure. So much so that without prior knowledge of how Adobe programs operate i.e. file directory structure, etc - After Effects would be very difficult to learn. Tutorials or external instruction is usually needed. Once you get the hang of it, it's incredible powerful software.
Anthony P.
Design, self-employed
Used weekly for 2+ years
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With after effects, I animated logos for several companies, and thanks to the software I was able to do it quite quickly. We have many possibilities of modifications once in after effects, as much for animations as for special effects. Text animations are also easy with plug-ins adapted by the software. After effects supports many formats, which helps graphic designers in their workflow.
I often have video editing missions, and I choose directly after effects, as much in the motion design as in the video editing. I can do a lot of my workflow in after affects, that's what's great. I sometimes have photo editing that I have to do in photoshop, but I import everything into after effects, where I can create folders so I don't get lost, the interface is very well designed. There are also many choices of transitions for your cuts, everyone will be happy and will find what he needs.
The names of the effects are quite specific, so if you don't know specifically what you're looking for, you can waste some time. However, a search on the right hand side will guide you through the process, and will also suggest other effects that you may not have thought of. After Effects integrates very well into any video editing process. Once you start working with this software, we can no longer do without it !
Jakub H.
Marketing and Advertising, 1-10 employees
Used weekly for 2+ years
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This is a great piece of software where you can feel the complexity and the robustness since it does not crash when it run out of memory or swapping space. It only gets slow. And so is the work with AFX - you need to learn how to connect the pieces together and think ahead. Know the CG basics (alpha channel, subframe rendering etc.) to star using it effectively, but after that, anything can be achieved. You can even import basic 3D objects and work with them in postproduction. Upon finishing a projects all files can be collected and kept in a folder for future use, without having to keep the rendered outputs.
The consistency of the UI and main principles over years makes it a valuable app. But only after you figure out the main principles and start combining them. Animating or creating can be done rough or extremely precise on a frame-level. And if you ever get the feeling that there is something missing in After Effects - there is probably a plugin or script for that which can help. + tracking tools are great.
Sometimes people can get lost in their open compositions, pre-rendered compositions, cached contend etc. So even as a seasoned user one can get lost and close a window which was not inteded to be closed. Also there is no real particle playground.
Verified reviewer
Information Technology and Services, 201-500 employees
Used daily for 2+ years
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I have been using After-Effects for the past 3 years. And in these 3 years, I never relied on any other software than after effects. It fulfilled my all requirement with the best customer support service.
You can almost do anything related to animation in the After-Effects. I like simulation, visual effects, and a variety of text animations. People from different backgrounds can easily learn how to use this software.
There are lots of external plugins which can be used in After-Effects but they are not free to use. If possible, the development team can work on this to provide these plugins for free in the software itself. Other than this, there are no dislikes of this software.
Shubhanshu D.
Apparel & Fashion, 1-10 employees
Used weekly for 2+ years
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The integration with other Adobe Suite software helps me with a seamless workflow across AE, Ai, Ps and Media Encoder. Adobe has built a formidable ecosystem and AE is one of its armoury's most potent tools. I can't imagine my daily workflow without After Effects. My overall experience has been amazing and I look forward to whatever lies ahead.
From motion graphics, animations, VFX, color correction, and on and on. You name it and After Effects can probably do it. I've used it for my best motion graphic work - including kinetic typography, animated logos, and animations - and also some editing across ad films and marketing material. Currently, I'm looking into the integration of Cinema 4D into my 3D workflow. The plethora of tools that it provides along with the external tools available makes it versatile and super powerful.
After effects could definitely use better memory management. The cache fills up really quickly and can make the software crash more frequently.
Jeffrey B.
Automotive, 51-200 employees
Used daily for 2+ years
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I couldn't imagine having the social media presence that we do without After Effects.
We edit all of our social media content in After Effects. We use it for our TIKTOK and Facebook Videos, GIF FB ads, and just about every piece of video content we use to market our automotive car dealership. It's definitely upped our social media content, and we feel it gives us an edge over our competition.
I dislike that I haven't been able to learn all of After Effects functionality, I have yet to find something that the software doesn't do.
Micalen R.
Computer Games, self-employed
Used weekly for 6-12 months
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I really enjoy using Adobe After Effects. After learning to fully navigate the UI, I have improved my animation and editing skills. There are a lot of cool features and effects offered which is why I like to use it for my projects. Overall I do recommend this software.
I mainly use Adobe After Effects to add animations and effects to pre-production videos. The software has a lot of amazing effects that I can easily integrate into my videos. I love that Adobe After Effects makes use of layers so I can more accurately add my effects. The text editor is powerful and I use it to overlay graphics on my videos.
Adobe After Effect's render can take a bit of time to render my projects. The UI isn't the most simplistic so it does take time to learn.
Stephanie T.
Marketing and Advertising, self-employed
Used monthly for 2+ years
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The things I've been able to make in After Effects to enhance my videos is mindblowing. I never thought I would be able to create simple animations or animated titles and chyrons but After Effects has opened up my world when it comes to video. There is so much functionality in AE that I haven't seen rivaled in any other software. It has a similar interface to other Adobe products so if you have any familiarity in Adobe, the transition is possible. It also plays really well with other Adobe products so I can easily edit something in Photoshop, bring the layers into AE, and then grab that AE file and pop it into Premiere.
This is by far the most difficult software I've ever had to learn. This isn't necessarily because the interface is bad, but more so because it is so complex. Animation, by nature, has many, many layers and learning how to edit all of those in AE is definitely a process, more so than any other Adobe software in my opinion. Things aren't always intuitive in AE, especially if you're newer to the software, but it does all start to make sense as you use it more.