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Entertainment · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs Blender

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Entertainment

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Blender logo

Blender

Video Production

Free and Open Source 3D Creation Suite

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Blender has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Blender rendering performance lags behind dedicated render engines
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Blender covers 3D modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe After Effects and Blender actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and Blender differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsBlender
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacosWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
CategoryEntertainmentVideo Production
Founded19902002

Identical on both: 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 Adobe After Effects

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

Only in Blender

  • 3D modeling
  • Sculpting
  • Animation
  • Rigging
  • Rendering
  • Compositing
  • Video editing
  • 2D animation

Both cover

  • Local deployment
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics creationnot Blender
  • Visual effects compositingnot Blender
  • Title sequencesnot Blender
  • Commercial advertisingnot Blender
  • Social media contentnot Blender

Blender

  • 3D modeling and animationnot Adobe After Effects
  • Visual effectsnot Adobe After Effects
  • Game developmentnot Adobe After Effects
  • Architectural visualizationnot Adobe After Effects
  • Video editingnot Adobe After Effects

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Blender

  • Rendering performance lags behind dedicated render engines
  • Limited real-time viewport performance for very large scenes

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe After Effects

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

Blender

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Blender review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe After Effects if

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

Choose Blender if

  • You need 3d modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want sculpting.
Blender review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe After Effects or Blender better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month and Blender at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe After Effects or Blender?
Blender has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe After Effects and Free for Blender.
Does Adobe After Effects or Blender run on more platforms?
Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos. Blender runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Blender for free?
Yes. Blender has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month.
What is Adobe After Effects best used for?
Adobe After Effects is most often used for motion graphics creation, visual effects compositing, title sequences, commercial advertising. Of those, motion graphics creation and visual effects compositing are not what Blender is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe After Effects do that Blender cannot?
Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools. Blender covers 3D modeling, Sculpting, Animation, Rigging. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blender: Can I use Blender commercially for free?

Yes. Blender is distributed under the GNU GPL license, meaning it is completely free to use for any purpose, including commercially or for education, with no licensing fees or restrictions.

Source
Blender: What operating systems does Blender support?

Blender is cross-platform and runs equally well on Linux, Windows, and Macintosh computers.

Source
Blender: Can I extend Blender's functionality?

Yes. Blender has a flexible Python-controlled interface and you can use hundreds of add-ons by the community or create your own using Blender's accessible Python API.

Source
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