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Entertainment · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs Emby

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Entertainment

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Emby logo

Emby

Entertainment

Your personal entertainment server

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Emby 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.; Emby hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Emby covers Personal media server.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and Emby differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsEmby
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacosWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop
Founded19902014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

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 Emby

  • Personal media server
  • Streaming
  • Library management
  • Sync
  • Remote access
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Mobile devices

What people use each for

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

Adobe After Effects

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

Emby

  • Running a personal media server for films, television and musicnot Adobe After Effects
  • Streaming a home library to phones, tablets and televisionsnot 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.

Emby

  • Hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription
  • The mobile, Fire TV, Xbox and PlayStation apps need Premiere for full access, with only basic playback unlockable per app
  • Offline downloads to phones and tablets are Premiere only
  • Premiere is $4.99 a month or $54 a year, with a lifetime option at $119

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

Emby

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Media server
    • Local streaming
  • Premiere$4.99/month
    • Cloud sync
    • Remote access
    • Sync to devices

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 Emby if

  • You need personal media server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop.
  • You also want streaming.
Emby review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe After Effects or Emby better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month and Emby at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe After Effects or Emby?
Emby has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe After Effects and Free for Emby.
Does Adobe After Effects or Emby run on more platforms?
Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos. Emby runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop.
Can I use Emby for free?
Yes. Emby 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 Emby is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe After Effects do that Emby cannot?
Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools. Emby covers Personal media server, Streaming, Library management, Sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Emby: How much does Emby cost?

Emby does not publish pricing information on its website. The service mentions Emby Premiere as an optional premium tier with bonus features including mobile downloads and hardware accelerated transcoding, but no cost is specified.

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