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Design · head to head

InVision vs LottieFiles

InVision logo

InVision

Design

Digital product design platform

From
Free
Rated
-
LottieFiles logo

LottieFiles

Design

Authoring, hosting and delivery platform for Lottie vector animations

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: InVision service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported; LottieFiles lottie only renders the After Effects features the player libraries implement, so expressions, most effects, layer styles and merge paths behave inconsistently or fail outright, and you must test every animation on web, iOS and Android before shipping.
  • They diverge on capability: InVision covers Interactive prototypes, LottieFiles covers Lottie Creator.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which InVision and LottieFiles actually diverge.

Attributes where InVision and LottieFiles differ
AttributeInVisionLottieFiles
Pricing modelUnknownPer user per month
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

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 InVision

  • Interactive prototypes
  • Design collaboration
  • Freehand whiteboarding
  • Design system manager
  • Inspect mode
  • Comments & feedback
  • Version control
  • User testing

Only in LottieFiles

  • Lottie Creator
  • After Effects plugin
  • Figma plugin
  • dotLottie
  • Hosted delivery
  • Player SDKs

What people use each for

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

InVision

  • Prototype creationnot LottieFiles
  • Design feedbacknot LottieFiles
  • Whiteboarding sessionsnot LottieFiles
  • Design handoffnot LottieFiles
  • User testingnot LottieFiles

LottieFiles

  • Replacing a heavy GIF or MP4 loading state with a vector animation that costs a few kilobytesnot InVision
  • Shipping the identical animated brand asset to a website, an iOS app and an Android app from one source filenot InVision
  • Handing motion work from a designer to engineers without exporting frames or writing animation codenot InVision
  • Auditing and version-controlling a library of micro-interactions across a design systemnot InVision

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

InVision

  • Service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported
  • Workflow required constant switching between design software (Sketch/Photoshop) and InVision for prototyping, creating inefficiency
  • Performance issues and glitches reported, especially with larger projects
  • Limited development capabilities; required additional hosting and developer support for deployment
  • Could not export working web or mobile applications without additional development

LottieFiles

  • Lottie only renders the After Effects features the player libraries implement, so expressions, most effects, layer styles and merge paths behave inconsistently or fail outright, and you must test every animation on web, iOS and Android before shipping.
  • Runtime cost scales with path and keyframe count, so a detailed illustration animated at 60fps can consume more CPU on a low-end Android handset than the video it was meant to replace.
  • The free plan caps private files and collaborators, so once a team standardises on the platform for handoff the seat count grows with reviewers and stakeholders, not just with animators.
  • Using the hosted CDN puts a third-party request in your page or app load path; self-hosting removes that dependency but also removes the versioning and analytics that justified the subscription.
  • The browser editor still does not replace After Effects for character work or complex effects, so most studios keep an Adobe subscription running alongside it and pay for both.

Pricing, plan by plan

InVision

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the InVision review.

LottieFiles

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Public and limited private files
    • Basic editor access
    • Open-source players and SDKs
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Private workspaces
    • Version history
    • Team review and handoff
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • SSO
    • Admin controls
    • Volume seat management

Which should you pick?

Choose InVision if

  • You need interactive prototypes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want design collaboration.

Choose LottieFiles if

  • You need lottie creator.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want after effects plugin.

Questions people ask

Is InVision or LottieFiles better?
Neither clearly leads. InVision starts at Free and LottieFiles at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, InVision or LottieFiles?
InVision starts at Free and LottieFiles at Free.
Does InVision or LottieFiles run on more platforms?
InVision runs on Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android. LottieFiles runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use InVision for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is InVision best used for?
InVision is most often used for prototype creation, design feedback, whiteboarding sessions, design handoff. Of those, prototype creation and design feedback are not what LottieFiles is typically brought in for.
What can InVision do that LottieFiles cannot?
InVision covers Interactive prototypes, Design collaboration, Freehand whiteboarding, Design system manager. LottieFiles covers Lottie Creator, After Effects plugin, Figma plugin, dotLottie.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

InVision: Is InVision still active and supported in 2026?

No. InVision announced discontinuation of all services by end of 2024. The platform is no longer available or supported.

Source
LottieFiles: Do I need After Effects to produce Lottie files?

No. Lottie Creator and the Figma plugin both output Lottie directly. Character animation and anything using complex effects still goes through After Effects.

InVision: What were InVision's core features?

InVision allowed designers to transform designs into interactive prototypes and mockups for web and mobile. It supported Craft Player for Sketch, Craft Sync for Photoshop, and preview mode in Studio, enabling design-to-prototype workflows.

Source
LottieFiles: Is the format proprietary?

No. The Lottie JSON schema and the player libraries are open source under permissive licences and dotLottie is an open container, so files keep working after you stop paying.

InVision: What were InVision's pricing plans?

InVision offered Free ($0), Starter ($25/month), Professional ($99/month), and Team plans. Annual billing provided a 10% discount. Free plan included basic prototyping; paid plans added collaboration and file access.

Source
LottieFiles: Why does the same file look different on Android?

Each platform ships its own renderer with its own level of feature support. Test the exact file on every target rather than trusting the After Effects preview.

InVision: Why did InVision fail in the market?

InVision's market position was disrupted by Figma, which unified design, prototyping, and collaboration in a single web-based platform. InVision required switching between design software and prototyping, creating friction and reducing competitiveness.

Source
InVision: What integrations did InVision support?

InVision integrated with design tools like Sketch and Photoshop, and supported sharing and collaboration workflows. The platform did not support deployment or direct development integration.

Source
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