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Design · head to head

LottieFiles vs Recraft

LottieFiles logo

LottieFiles

Design

Authoring, hosting and delivery platform for Lottie vector animations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Recraft logo

Recraft

Design

AI image and vector generation for design teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Recraft free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LottieFiles and Recraft actually diverge.

Attributes where LottieFiles and Recraft differ
AttributeLottieFilesRecraft
Pricing modelPer user per monthfreemium
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Recraft

Nothing recorded that LottieFiles does not also cover.

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 Recraft
  • Shipping the identical animated brand asset to a website, an iOS app and an Android app from one source filenot Recraft
  • Handing motion work from a designer to engineers without exporting frames or writing animation codenot Recraft
  • Auditing and version-controlling a library of micro-interactions across a design systemnot Recraft

Recraft

  • AI-powered image generation and design creationnot LottieFiles
  • Commercial-licensed asset creation for businessesnot 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.

Recraft

  • Free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Subscription credits reset every month and do not carry over, unlike separately purchased top-up credits which never expire
  • Refunds are only considered within 30 days and only if fewer than 30 credits have been used
  • Annual billing is required to get the 20% discount over paying monthly

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

Recraft

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Recraft review.

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 Recraft if

  • You want to start without paying.
Recraft review

Questions people ask

Is LottieFiles or Recraft better?
Neither clearly leads. LottieFiles starts at Free and Recraft at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LottieFiles or Recraft?
LottieFiles starts at Free and Recraft at Free.
Does LottieFiles or Recraft run on more platforms?
LottieFiles runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Recraft runs on Web.
Can I use LottieFiles for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Recraft is typically brought in for.
What can LottieFiles do that Recraft cannot?
LottieFiles covers Lottie Creator, After Effects plugin, Figma plugin, dotLottie.

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.

Recraft: Is Recraft free?

Recraft offers a free plan where images generated are publicly visible in the community gallery and not licensed for commercial use. Paid plans (Basic, Pro, Teams) unlock full ownership and commercial rights but specific prices are not published.

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.

Recraft: How does Recraft's credit system work?

Recraft charges based on monthly credit allocation included with each plan. Additional top-up credits can be purchased separately and never expire, used automatically after monthly credits run out.

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.

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