Film & TV · head to head
Adobe Premiere Pro vs Adobe After Effects
Adobe Premiere Pro
Film & TV
Professional video editing software
- From
- $22.99/month
- Rated
- -
Adobe After Effects
Film & TV
Visual effects and motion graphics software
- From
- $22.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Adobe Premiere Pro very demanding system requirements, needing 32GB RAM and dedicated GPU for 4K work; 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.
- They diverge on capability: Adobe Premiere Pro covers Timeline-based editing, Adobe After Effects covers Visual effects.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects actually diverge.
| Attribute | Adobe Premiere Pro | Adobe After Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Founded | 1982 | 1990 |
Identical on both: starting price ($22.99/month), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, macOS), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Film & TV).
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 Premiere Pro
- Timeline-based editing
- 4K and 8K video support
- Audio editing
- Multi-cam editing
- VR video editing
- Auto reframe
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Audition
Only in Adobe After Effects
- Visual effects
- 2D and 3D compositing
- Animation tools
- Keying and rotoscoping
- Text animation
- Particle systems
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe Illustrator
Both cover
- Color correction
- Motion graphics
- Adobe Photoshop
- Creative Cloud sync
- Version history
- Local deployment
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Adobe Premiere Pro
- Professional video editingnot Adobe After Effects
- Social media content
- Marketing videosnot Adobe After Effects
- Documentary productionnot Adobe After Effects
- Commercial productionnot Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects
- Motion graphics creationnot Adobe Premiere Pro
- Visual effects compositingnot Adobe Premiere Pro
- Title sequencesnot Adobe Premiere Pro
- Commercial advertisingnot Adobe Premiere Pro
- Social media content
Both are used for social media content, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Adobe Premiere Pro
- Very demanding system requirements, needing 32GB RAM and dedicated GPU for 4K work
- Complex interface with many advanced features that require training and expertise to use effectively
- No live streaming or screen recording capabilities built-in
- Limited built-in free effects, most advanced effects require purchase
- Stability issues and occasional crashes, especially on larger projects
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.
Pricing, plan by plan
Adobe Premiere Pro
$22.99/month- Premiere Pro Individual$22.99/month
- Premiere Pro only
- Cloud storage
- Mobile apps
- Creative Cloud All Apps$59.99/month
- All Adobe apps
- Cloud storage
- Fonts and assets
- Creative Cloud Student$19.99/month
- All Adobe apps
- Student discount
- Team Premiere Pro$37.99/user/month
- Collaboration tools
- Team libraries
Adobe After Effects
$22.99/month- After Effects Single App$22.99/month
- Motion graphics and VFX
- 3D design space
- Data-driven animation
Which should you pick?
Choose Adobe Premiere Pro if
- You need timeline-based editing.
- You work on Windows, macOS.
- You also want 4k and 8k video support.
Choose Adobe After Effects if
- You need visual effects.
- You work on Windows, Macos.
- You also want 2d and 3d compositing.
Questions people ask
- Is Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe After Effects better?
- Neither clearly leads. Adobe Premiere Pro starts at $22.99/month and Adobe After Effects at $22.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe After Effects?
- Adobe Premiere Pro starts at $22.99/month and Adobe After Effects at $22.99/month.
- Does Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe After Effects run on more platforms?
- Adobe Premiere Pro runs on Windows, macOS. Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos.
- What is Adobe Premiere Pro best used for?
- Adobe Premiere Pro is most often used for professional video editing, social media content, marketing videos, documentary production. Of those, professional video editing and marketing videos are not what Adobe After Effects is typically brought in for.
- What can Adobe Premiere Pro do that Adobe After Effects cannot?
- Adobe Premiere Pro covers Timeline-based editing, 4K and 8K video support, Audio editing, Multi-cam editing. Adobe After Effects covers Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools, Keying and rotoscoping. Both handle Color correction, Motion graphics, Adobe Photoshop, Creative Cloud sync.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Adobe Premiere Pro: How much does Adobe Premiere Pro cost?
Adobe Premiere Pro costs $22.99/month for individuals. Creative Cloud All Apps is $59.99/month. Students/teachers get all apps for $19.99/month. Team licenses start at $37.99/license/month for Premiere Pro or $89.99/month for all apps.
SourceAdobe Premiere Pro: Is there a free trial for Premiere Pro?
Yes, Adobe offers a 7-day free trial, but it requires a credit card. Full desktop access is provided during the trial period.
SourceAdobe Premiere Pro: What are the system requirements for Premiere Pro?
Adobe recommends 32GB RAM and a dedicated GPU with at least 4GB VRAM for stable 4K editing. Premiere Pro is resource-intensive, requiring a powerful system for high-resolution formats.
SourceAdobe Premiere Pro: Does Premiere Pro support all video formats?
No, Premiere Pro has significant file format compatibility limitations. It notably does not support HDR video from iPhones and has restrictions on acceptable formats, which can be frustrating for some workflows.
Source