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Design · head to head

LottieFiles vs Proto.io

LottieFiles logo

LottieFiles

Design

Authoring, hosting and delivery platform for Lottie vector animations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Proto.io logo

Proto.io

Design

Hosted high-fidelity prototyping with device preview and no code

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LottieFiles has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Proto.io prototypes live in the vendor cloud and offline export is a higher-tier feature, so the ability to archive completed client work is a plan-level decision rather than a given.
  • They diverge on capability: LottieFiles covers Lottie Creator, Proto.io covers Event and condition system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LottieFiles and Proto.io actually diverge.

Attributes where LottieFiles and Proto.io differ
AttributeLottieFilesProto.io
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: pricing model (Per user per month), 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 LottieFiles

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

Only in Proto.io

  • Event and condition system
  • Timeline animation
  • Device preview
  • Component library
  • User testing integration
  • Design import

What people use each for

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

LottieFiles

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

Proto.io

  • Running usability tests where the prototype must respond to real input rather than replay a fixed click pathnot LottieFiles
  • Demonstrating a form-heavy or data-driven flow to stakeholders before any code existsnot LottieFiles
  • Testing a mobile interaction on the physical device it is designed for, with correct gesture behaviournot LottieFiles
  • Validating a concept for a client who needs to feel the product, not watch a video of itnot LottieFiles

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Proto.io

  • Prototypes live in the vendor cloud and offline export is a higher-tier feature, so the ability to archive completed client work is a plan-level decision rather than a given.
  • Design is done elsewhere and interaction is rebuilt here, so every change to the visual design has to be reapplied by hand and the two artefacts drift apart.
  • The event and condition model is layer based, so a genuinely complex flow becomes a large tree of triggers that nobody but its author can audit.
  • Editor seats are priced individually and viewer access is limited on lower plans, so opening review to a wide stakeholder group pushes you up a tier for people who never edit anything.
  • The market standardised on Figma, so hiring people who already know Proto.io is progressively harder and every new researcher is a training cost.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Proto.io

On request
  • Freelancer$undefined/month
    • Single editor
    • Limited active projects
    • Standard sharing
  • Startup$undefined/month
    • Multiple editors
    • More projects
    • Team library
  • Agency$undefined/month
    • Higher project and storage limits
    • Client sharing controls
  • Corporate$undefined/month
    • Largest quotas
    • Offline export on higher tiers
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

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.
LottieFiles review

Choose Proto.io if

  • You need event and condition system.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want timeline animation.
Proto.io review

Questions people ask

Is LottieFiles or Proto.io better?
Neither clearly leads. LottieFiles starts at Free and Proto.io at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LottieFiles or Proto.io?
LottieFiles has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LottieFiles and On request for Proto.io.
Does LottieFiles or Proto.io run on more platforms?
LottieFiles runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Proto.io runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use LottieFiles for free?
Yes. LottieFiles has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Proto.io starts at On request.
What is LottieFiles best used for?
LottieFiles is most often used for replacing a heavy gif or mp4 loading state with a vector animation that costs a few kilobytes, shipping the identical animated brand asset to a website, an ios app and an android app from one source file, handing motion work from a designer to engineers without exporting frames or writing animation code, auditing and version-controlling a library of micro-interactions across a design system. Of those, replacing a heavy gif or mp4 loading state with a vector animation that costs a few kilobytes and shipping the identical animated brand asset to a website, an ios app and an android app from one source file are not what Proto.io is typically brought in for.
What can LottieFiles do that Proto.io cannot?
LottieFiles covers Lottie Creator, After Effects plugin, Figma plugin, dotLottie. Proto.io covers Event and condition system, Timeline animation, Device preview, Component library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Proto.io: Can it replace Figma?

No. It has no design system or file-handoff role. It sits alongside Figma for the prototypes Figma cannot express.

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.

Proto.io: What happens to prototypes if we stop paying?

They stop being accessible unless you have exported them, and offline export is restricted to higher plans, so plan archiving before you cancel.

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.

Proto.io: Is it worth learning now that InVision has gone?

If your work is usability research on conditional flows, yes. If you need click-through demos of static screens, Figma already does that at no extra cost.

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