EffectCraft: animated titles, logos and effects for videos.
EffectCraft is a free program for animation and visual effects. With keyframes, 259 effects, 3D layers and cameras you create titles, logo animations and explainer graphics.
How it helps day to day
- Videos should start with the logoA short logo animation is made with keyframes and exported as video with transparency.
- The website should show a small animationExported as Lottie, the animation loads fast and stays sharp.
- A process needs explainingText, shapes and arrows appear step by step.
What is inside EffectCraft
Exports H.264, ProRes with alpha, PNG, TIFF and EXR sequences and GIF. Imports and exports Lottie animations.
- Compositions and layers
- Text, shapes, footage, nested compositions, cameras and lights.
- Keyframes
- Linear, eased and hold keyframes with a graph editor.
- 259 effects
- Blur, colour correction, distortion, keying, particles and more.
- 3D
- 3D layers, cameras with depth of field and lights with soft shadows.
EffectCraft compared with Adobe After Effects
Like After Effects, EffectCraft works with compositions, layers, keyframes and expressions. The vendor does not mention After Effects project files (.aep) or support for After Effects plug-ins.
| EffectCraft | Adobe After Effects | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | free, also for business | €25,99 a month (annual plan billed monthly, incl. VAT) Source |
| Licence | open source (Apache 2.0) | commercial software |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux, in the browser | see vendor |
| Shared files | Lottie; image sequences (PNG, TIFF, EXR) | |
| Maturity | in development, version 0.16.0 | on the market for years |
After Effects is a trademark of Adobe Inc.. It is named for orientation only; there is no connection between Adobe Inc. and the maker of EffectCraft.
Our assessment
EffectCraft is still in development but shows a large feature set. It is worth testing for short animations.
Already useful for
- Short logo and title animations
- Website animations in Lottie format
- Trying out effects
Better wait for now
- Jobs with a fixed deadline
- Elaborate 3D scenes
- Switching your animation work over completely
Frequently asked questions
Can I create animations for the website?
Yes, EffectCraft imports and exports Lottie, a common format for website animations.
Can EffectCraft replace After Effects?
EffectCraft is still in development but shows a large feature set. It is worth testing for short animations.
May I use EffectCraft commercially?
Yes. The Apache 2.0 licence allows business use without a licence fee. It does not require you to publish your own files or data. Licence notices only apply if you redistribute or modify the program itself.
What does EffectCraft cost?
Nothing. EffectCraft is open source under the Apache 2.0 licence and may also be used in a business free of charge.
How do I install it?
The vendor’s page offers installers for Windows, macOS and Linux. If you use several Craft apps, the ArtCraft Launcher installs them and keeps them up to date. In businesses with several workstations, new programs should be approved centrally; we can help with that.
Related
Sources: vendor page and source code on GitHub, accessed 25 Oct 2026. We have tested the program ourselves and rated it worth a look. We have no business relationship with the vendor.
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