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Entertainment · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs Shotcut

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Entertainment

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shotcut logo

Shotcut

Video Production

Free, open-source, cross-platform video editor built on the MLT framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shotcut 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.; Shotcut interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Shotcut covers Native timeline editing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and Shotcut differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsShotcut
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macoswindows, mac, linux
CategoryEntertainmentVideo Production
Founded19902004

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 Shotcut

  • Native timeline editing
  • Wide format support
  • 4K resolution support
  • Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture
  • Multi-format timelines
  • Text and audio filters

What people use each for

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

Adobe After Effects

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

Shotcut

  • Free cross-platform video editingnot Adobe After Effects
  • Working with mixed-format footage in one projectnot Adobe After Effects
  • 4K video editing without a subscriptionnot Adobe After Effects
  • Capturing footage from Blackmagic SDI/HDMI hardwarenot 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.

Shotcut

  • Interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.
  • No built-in cloud collaboration or team review features.
  • Performance on very large 4K projects can lag on modest hardware.
  • Community-driven support model means no official paid support channel.

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

Shotcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • All filters and effects
    • Community support

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 Shotcut if

  • You need native timeline editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want wide format support.
Shotcut review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe After Effects or Shotcut better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month and Shotcut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe After Effects or Shotcut?
Shotcut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe After Effects and Free for Shotcut.
Does Adobe After Effects or Shotcut run on more platforms?
Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos. Shotcut runs on windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Shotcut for free?
Yes. Shotcut 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 Shotcut is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe After Effects do that Shotcut cannot?
Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools. Shotcut covers Native timeline editing, Wide format support, 4K resolution support, Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Shotcut: Is Shotcut free for commercial use?

Yes. Shotcut is distributed under the GPLv3 license, which grants the freedom to run the program for any purpose, including commercial use, at no cost.

Source
Shotcut: Does Shotcut collect personal data?

No. Shotcut does not collect, store, or share any personal information, and it requires no network connection for activation or usage tracking.

Source
Shotcut: What operating systems does Shotcut support?

Shotcut supports Windows 10 (build 1809) and later, macOS 12-26, and 64-bit Linux with glibc 2.35 or higher.

Source
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