Softwr

Software · head to head

Unreal Engine VR vs Adobe After Effects

Unreal Engine VR logo

Unreal Engine VR

Software

AAA-quality VR development with Unreal Engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Software

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Unreal Engine VR has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Unreal Engine VR steep system requirements with demanding GPU and CPU for rendering high-quality VR experiences; 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: Unreal Engine VR covers Photorealistic rendering, Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Unreal Engine VR and Adobe After Effects actually diverge.

Attributes where Unreal Engine VR and Adobe After Effects differ
AttributeUnreal Engine VRAdobe After Effects
Starting priceFree$22.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, Macos
Founded19951990

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Unreal Engine VR

  • Photorealistic rendering
  • Physics simulation
  • Blueprint scripting
  • Motion controllers
  • SteamVR
  • Oculus
  • OpenXR
  • PSVR

Only in Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics
  • Visual effects
  • 2D and 3D compositing
  • Animation tools
  • Keying and rotoscoping
  • Color correction
  • Text animation
  • Particle systems

What people use each for

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

Unreal Engine VR

  • VR Gamingnot Adobe After Effects
  • AR Marketingnot Adobe After Effects
  • Virtual Trainingnot Adobe After Effects
  • 3D Visualizationnot Adobe After Effects
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Adobe After Effects

Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics creationnot Unreal Engine VR
  • Visual effects compositingnot Unreal Engine VR
  • Title sequencesnot Unreal Engine VR
  • Commercial advertisingnot Unreal Engine VR
  • Social media contentnot Unreal Engine VR

Where each one falls short

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

Unreal Engine VR

  • Steep system requirements with demanding GPU and CPU for rendering high-quality VR experiences
  • Only free with 5% royalty after $1 million in revenue, which may impact indie developers at scale

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

Unreal Engine VR

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Unreal Engine VR review.

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 Unreal Engine VR if

  • You need photorealistic rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want physics simulation.
Unreal Engine VR review

Choose Adobe After Effects if

  • You need motion graphics.
  • You work on Windows, Macos.
  • You also want visual effects.
Adobe After Effects review

Questions people ask

Is Unreal Engine VR or Adobe After Effects better?
Neither clearly leads. Unreal Engine VR starts at Free 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, Unreal Engine VR or Adobe After Effects?
Unreal Engine VR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Unreal Engine VR and $22.99/month for Adobe After Effects.
Does Unreal Engine VR or Adobe After Effects run on more platforms?
Unreal Engine VR runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos.
Can I use Unreal Engine VR for free?
Yes. Unreal Engine VR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month.
What is Unreal Engine VR best used for?
Unreal Engine VR is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Adobe After Effects is typically brought in for.
What can Unreal Engine VR do that Adobe After Effects cannot?
Unreal Engine VR covers Photorealistic rendering, Physics simulation, Blueprint scripting, Motion controllers. Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unreal Engine VR: Does Unreal Engine support VR and AR development?

Yes. Unreal Engine provides the highest-quality solution for creating augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) experiences, supporting development for VR, AR, gaming consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.

Source
Unreal Engine VR: Is Unreal Engine 5 free to use?

Unreal Engine 5 is free for most uses with no upfront cost. If a project earns over $1 million, a 5% royalty applies to future sales.

Source
Unreal Engine VR: What platforms does Unreal Engine support for VR development?

Unreal Engine supports macOS and Linux development with some limitations, though Windows 10 (64-bit) is the primary development platform. It supports VR development targeting various VR headsets.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Unreal Engine VR

More on Adobe After Effects

Keep looking

Other head to heads