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Entertainment · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs HitFilm

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Entertainment

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
H

HitFilm

Video Production

Video editor and 3D compositor in one application, now owned by Artlist

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HitFilm 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.; HitFilm editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, HitFilm covers Composite shots.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and HitFilm differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsHitFilm
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
CategoryEntertainmentVideo Production
Founded1990Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Windows, Macos), 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 HitFilm

  • Composite shots
  • Particle simulator
  • Camera tracking
  • Keying
  • Text and titling
  • Export presets

What people use each for

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

Adobe After Effects

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

HitFilm

  • Cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositornot Adobe After Effects
  • Producing a YouTube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscriptionnot Adobe After Effects
  • Learning compositing concepts on the free tier before committing to a paid effects toolnot Adobe After Effects
  • Adding tracked 3D elements to live footage in a one-person productionnot 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.

HitFilm

  • Editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • The perpetual HitFilm Pro licence was retired after the Artlist acquisition, so long-standing owners who bought outright must subscribe to receive current versions.
  • Effects and add-on packs were historically sold separately, and archived projects can open with missing effects if the current plan does not cover them.
  • Performance falls off sharply on integrated graphics, so a machine that edits comfortably can still be unusable for the particle and 3D work that is the reason to choose HitFilm.
  • Colour management and delivery options are thinner than DaVinci Resolve, so any project with a broadcast or cinema deliverable ends up round-tripping to another application anyway.

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

HitFilm

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Editing and basic compositing
    • Limited export resolution
    • Limited effects set
  • Creator$undefined/month
    • Expanded effects
    • Higher export resolution
    • Additional export formats
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Full effects set
    • Highest export resolution
    • Advanced compositing and tracking

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 HitFilm if

  • You need composite shots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want particle simulator.
HitFilm review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe After Effects or HitFilm better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month and HitFilm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe After Effects or HitFilm?
HitFilm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe After Effects and Free for HitFilm.
Does Adobe After Effects or HitFilm run on more platforms?
Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos. HitFilm runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use HitFilm for free?
Yes. HitFilm 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 HitFilm is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe After Effects do that HitFilm cannot?
Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools. HitFilm covers Composite shots, Particle simulator, Camera tracking, Keying.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HitFilm: Is HitFilm still free?

There is still a free tier with limited effects and export resolution. The perpetual Pro licence is gone; the paid tiers are subscriptions.

HitFilm: What hardware does it actually need?

A discrete GPU with adequate video memory. Integrated graphics will run the editor but stall on composite shots, particles and 3D layers.

HitFilm: Does the Artlist acquisition affect the software?

It puts HitFilm inside a stock media subscription business. The licence model changed after the acquisition, and the roadmap now serves that business.

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