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3D & CAD · head to head

3D-Coat vs Adobe After Effects

3D-Coat logo

3D-Coat

3D & CAD

Digital sculpting for game artists

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Film & TV

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 3D-Coat split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence; Adobe After Effects the Internet Archive's capture of Adobe's After Effects page on 1 January 2022 priced the standalone app at US$20.99 per month, with the full Creative Cloud All Apps bundle at US$52.99 per month; current prices may differ.
  • They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3D-Coat and Adobe After Effects actually diverge.

Attributes where 3D-Coat and Adobe After Effects differ
Attribute3D-CoatAdobe After Effects
Starting price$29/month$22.99/month
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, Macos
Category3D & CADFilm & TV
Founded20071990

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting
  • Surface sculpting
  • Retopology
  • UV mapping
  • Texture painting
  • PBR materials
  • Smart materials
  • Baking

Only in Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics
  • Visual effects
  • 2D and 3D compositing
  • Animation tools
  • Keying and rotoscoping
  • Color correction
  • Text animation
  • Particle systems

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3D-Coat

  • Voxel sculpting from a digital clay blocknot Adobe After Effects
  • Retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshesnot Adobe After Effects
  • UV mapping and PBR texturingnot Adobe After Effects
  • Preparing print-ready models for 3D printingnot Adobe After Effects
  • Node-based material authoring on the GPUnot Adobe After Effects

Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics creationnot 3D-Coat
  • Visual effects compositingnot 3D-Coat
  • Title sequencesnot 3D-Coat
  • Commercial advertisingnot 3D-Coat
  • Social media contentnot 3D-Coat

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3D-Coat

  • Split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence
  • Pricing is not published on the product pages
  • Licences are sold node-locked or floating, so moving a seat between machines depends on which was bought

Adobe After Effects

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Adobe's After Effects page on 1 January 2022 priced the standalone app at US$20.99 per month, with the full Creative Cloud All Apps bundle at US$52.99 per month; current prices may differ.

Pricing, plan by plan

3D-Coat

$29/month
  • Amateur$99/month
    • Non-commercial use
  • Professional$379/month
    • Full commercial license
  • Floating$568/month
    • Network licensing

Adobe After Effects

$22.99/month
  • After Effects Single App$22.99/month
    • Motion graphics and VFX
    • 3D design space
    • Data-driven animation

Which should you pick?

Choose 3D-Coat if

  • You need voxel sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want surface sculpting.
3D-Coat review

Choose Adobe After Effects if

  • You need motion graphics.
  • You work on Windows, Macos.
  • You also want visual effects.
Adobe After Effects review

Questions people ask

Is 3D-Coat or Adobe After Effects better?
Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and Adobe After Effects at $22.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or Adobe After Effects?
3D-Coat starts at $29/month and Adobe After Effects at $22.99/month.
Does 3D-Coat or Adobe After Effects run on more platforms?
3D-Coat runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos.
What is 3D-Coat best used for?
3D-Coat is most often used for voxel sculpting from a digital clay block, retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes, uv mapping and pbr texturing, preparing print-ready models for 3d printing. Of those, voxel sculpting from a digital clay block and retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes are not what Adobe After Effects is typically brought in for.
What can 3D-Coat do that Adobe After Effects cannot?
3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools. Both handle Windows support.
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