After Effects vs Alight Motion: What Experts Prefer?

When I make videos for advertising agencies, I use After Effects because it is the best editor for serious projects. It has all necessary tools and features that help me create high-quality promotional videos for TV and YouTube.

However, for easier videos for social media, I often use Alight Motion. It's a quick and simple tool that works well for small projects. Plus, it’s much easier for beginners to use.

Final Verdict:

While Alight Motion is good for simple social media videos, After Effects is better for bigger professional projects. In my opinion, when comparing both, After Effects would be a better choice for making high-quality videos.

Head-to-Head Comparison

after effects logo

After Effects

alight motion logo

Alight Motion

Rating

★★★★☆ 4.5/5

★★★★☆ 4/5

Best For

High-quality, professional video editing with motion graphics

Quick fixes and simple video clips

Free Version

Free Trial

✔️

Price

From $22.99/mo

From $6.99
Platforms

Windows, Mac

Mac, iOS, Android
Ease of Use

★★★★☆ 4.5/5

★★★★★ 5/5

Customer Support

★★★★★ 5/5

★★★★☆ 4/5

Pros
  • Industry standard tool
  • Integration with Adobe CC suite
  • Robust motion tracking
  • Dynamic compositing
  • Speedy performance
  • Extensive effects library
  • Support for multiple layers
  • Robust timeline editing tool
  • Keyframe animation
  • Video stabilization algorithm
  • Manual frame-by-frame animation
  • Extensive library of effects
Cons
  • High system requirements
  • Higher learning curve
  • Performance issues
  • Intense advertising

User Interface

As a video creator for advertising agencies, I have a lot of experience using both After Effects and Alight Motion for different videos, and their user interfaces are clearly different.

after effects user interface

The desktop interface of After Effects seemed a bit complex at first, but it has many tutorials and resources that helped me learn it quickly. After I got After Effects for free, I mastered advanced features like 3D animation easily, thanks to all the learning materials available.

It took some time to get used to, but once I learned it, I could create almost anything. I also like that I can change the workspace to fit my needs, making it useful for professional projects.

alight motion user interface

On the other hand, Alight Motion is a great lightweight video editor for mobile users. The interface is easy to use and understand, which is perfect for beginners in video editing. Everything is laid out clearly, so I can find the main tools quickly. With simple controls on the touchscreen, I can make videos fast and get good results in no time.

Variety of Effects

after effects effects

I love After Effects because it has a big library of visual effects. Its features for combining video and graphics, 3D rendering, and particle systems let me create detailed effects that I can adjust for professional projects. I can move layers in 3D space, add masks, and use blending modes to get the effects I want.

It also works with many third-party plugins with After Effects effects that improve its abilities. This lets me create special effects like lens flares, advanced color changes, and other unique visual touches.

alight motion effects

Alight Motion has various basic visual effects that are simple but easy to use. I often use blurs, distortions, and color adjustments for my social media promo videos.

This free video editing app supports layer-based editing, but it’s simpler than After Effects. I can stack layers here, but it doesn’t have the advanced tools that desktop software does. Also, unlike After Effect, Alight Motion doesn’t support third-party plugins, so there are fewer ways to customize the effects.

Animation

after effects animation

After Effects gives users more options for making complex animations and graphics. I like its advanced tools, like motion tracking, expressions, and puppet tools. These help me make detailed movements and transitions accurately.

It also has various 3D animation features. I can animate objects in 3D and mix them smoothly with 2D elements. This motion tracking software uses keyframe animation a lot, which lets me control the timing and movement of objects using the graph editor.

alight motion animation

When comparing Alight Motion vs After Effects, Alight Motion has a simple animation process and mostly focuses on keyframing. It’s pretty easy to use but not as advanced as After Effects or some other animation software for beginners. I think it’s good for quick edits when you’re on the go, but not for complex projects.

Even though Alight Motion can do basic 3D animations like its competitor, it doesn’t offer as much complexity as the 3D features in After Effects.

Output Quality

after effects quality

I always trust how good my videos turn out when I use this compositing software. It’s even used for Hollywood movies and big commercials. You can get a lot of detail and make everything distinct.

Even when working on a tricky animation with many layers and 3D effects, I still get a high-resolution video. That’s why it’s great for movies, TV, and online videos.

alight motion quality

Of course, it’s hard to compare the quality of Alight Motion vs After Effects because Alight Motion is a mobile app made for working on the go, so its features aren’t as powerful as desktop software.

But, for a mobile app, Alight Motion provides pretty good quality. I can create cool animations, transitions, and effects without needing a strong computer for video editing. It’s perfect for simple but high-quality projects for social media and YouTube.

Price

after effects logo

After Effects

alight motion logo

Alight Motion

Free Version

Free Trial

✔️

Premium

From $22.99/mo From $6.99

Best Offer

Creative Cloud All Apps

$59.99/mo

Free

Alternatives

  • adobe character animator logo
    Adobe Character Animator
    $316.74/yr
  • blender logo
    Blender
    Free
  • corel motionstudio 3d logo
    Corel MotionStudio 3D
    Free, $99.99
  • powerdirector logo
    PowerDirector
    $139.99
  • videostar logo
    VideoStar
    Free

My Final Verdict

Overall, if you're working on a big project that needs advanced tools After Effects is better, and for simple social media videos, Alight Motion is a suitable choice.
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