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Entertainment · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs IINA

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Entertainment

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IINA logo

IINA

Entertainment

Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IINA 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.; IINA there is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, IINA covers mpv playback engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and IINA differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsIINA
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacosMac
Founded1990Unknown

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 IINA

  • mpv playback engine
  • Native macOS interface
  • Trackpad gestures
  • Picture-in-picture
  • Subtitle and audio track control
  • Music mode

What people use each for

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

Adobe After Effects

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

IINA

  • A Mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats QuickTime Player does not supportnot Adobe After Effects
  • Someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volumenot Adobe After Effects
  • A user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other appsnot Adobe After Effects
  • Anyone who prefers a graphical Mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command linenot 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.

IINA

  • There is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
  • It has no polished network share or cloud storage library browser, so streaming from a NAS or cloud drive is more manual than with Infuse.
  • As a volunteer open source project, new feature development and bug fixes depend on contributor availability rather than a funded team.
  • It is Mac only, so there is no equivalent app for Windows users in a mixed household.
  • Advanced mpv configuration is still exposed for power users, which can be confusing for someone who just wants simple playback with no options.

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

IINA

Free
  • IINAFree
    • Free and open source
    • No account or subscription
    • Full feature set with no paywall

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 IINA if

  • You need mpv playback engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want native macos interface.
IINA review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IINA: Is IINA free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.

IINA: What is the difference between IINA and mpv?

IINA is built on the mpv engine but adds a full native macOS graphical interface, menus and gestures that mpv does not have on its own.

IINA: Does IINA work on Apple TV?

No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.

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