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Film & TV · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs Houdini

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Film & TV

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Houdini logo

Houdini

3D & CAD

Procedural 3D animation and VFX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Houdini 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.; Houdini houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Houdini covers Procedural modeling.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and Houdini differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsHoudini
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacosWindows, MacOS, Linux
CategoryFilm & TV3D & CAD
Founded19901987

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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
  • Adobe Premiere Pro

Only in Houdini

  • Procedural modeling
  • VFX
  • Simulations
  • Pyro FX
  • Ocean tools
  • Rigging
  • Rendering
  • Maya

Both cover

  • Particle systems
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Adobe After Effects

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

Houdini

  • Procedural 3D modelling and environment generationnot Adobe After Effects
  • Visual effects simulation for pyro, fluids, cloth and rigid bodiesnot Adobe After Effects
  • Building reusable procedural assets for a studio pipelinenot 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.

Houdini

  • Houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • Houdini Indie cannot be used in the same pipeline as commercial versions of Houdini
  • Houdini Indie and Apprentice save to their own .hipnc file format, which commercial Houdini pipelines do not share
  • The free Apprentice edition is non commercial, caps render resolution at 1920x1080 and watermarks output images
  • Houdini Indie ships with only 2 render tokens
  • Full DOP level simulation node access requires Houdini FX at $4,495 per workstation; Core at $1,995 exposes only SOP level pre built simulation assets
  • Extra render tokens cost $195

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

Houdini

Free
  • ApprenticeFree
    • Learning version
    • Non-commercial
  • Indie$269/month
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Core$1995/month
    • Full commercial
  • FX$4495/month
    • Full + simulations

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 Houdini if

  • You need procedural modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want vfx.
Houdini review

Questions people ask

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