I have rich experience in designing unique and elaborate visual effects. For most of my projects, I use Adobe After Effects. The software has lots of advanced features necessary to make custom animations and 3D compositions. So, no wonder, experts like it so much.
CapCut is a perfect option for beginning designers or people, who make content from time to time, particularly for TikTok. The program is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
I think After Effects is one of the best VFX software for users with advanced tasks. It’s packed with instruments for 3D compositing, custom animations, and creating stunning visual effects. Another advantage is that After Effects works on both Windows and Mac, so it’s very versatile.
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After Effects |
CapCut |
Rating |
★★★★☆ 4.5/5 |
★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Best For
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Professionals who work on complex movie projects
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Beginners or casual creators who make content for social media platforms
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Free Version |
Free Trial |
✔️ |
Price |
From $22.99/mo
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Free; From $20.84/mo
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Platforms
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Windows, Mac
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Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
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Though Adobe Effects has an extensive toolset, mastering its features is rather easy. This is definitely good news for people just starting their design careers. You can learn the basics of motion graphics and visual effects creation step by step. The software contains such functions as layered compositing and keyframing, which are necessary for most projects.
There are lots of different After Effects alternatives, but this program still retains its top position. In fact, when it comes to versatility, few analogs can stay on par with After Effects.
Besides, users like its fire effects, explosion simulations, and tools to stabilize footage. Such instruments are particularly helpful when you need to blend CGI with live-action scenes. I also want to highlight that After Effects integrates with other Adobe programs, like Illustration, Photoshop, and more.
CapCut is a wonderful editing app for beginners. This video editing software for Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS devices makes it easy to create engaging videos. It allows users to add text, filters, and effects, to turn their ordinary footage into something special. The text-to-speech tool deserves special praise. With it, you can add professional-sounding narration without ever needing a microphone.
Learning the software is easy thanks to its intuitive interface and multi-language support. Once you are familiar with all its features, you can produce attention-grabbing content for your clients and followers.
Pros | Cons | |
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After Effects
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Impressive visual effects
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High system requirements
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Motion tracking tools
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Sometimes rendering can be slow
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Integration with Adobe software
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Versatile motion graphics
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CapCut
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Easy navigation for seamless editing
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Lots of ads
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High-quality video output
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Inconsistencies in audio preview
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Rich audio collection |
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AI video improvement
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Customizable templates
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After Effects |
CapCut |
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Free Version
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Free Trial |
✔️ |
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Premium |
$22.99/mo
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Free; From $20.84/mo
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Best Offer |
Creative Cloud All Apps $59.99/mo |
Free
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After Effects |
CapCut |
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Windows |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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|
|
Mac |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Android |
❌ |
✔️ |
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iOS |
❌ |
✔️ |
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Linux |
❌ |
❌ |
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Web
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❌ |
❌ |
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Comparing After Effects vs CapCut was interesting. To my mind, After Effects is professional motion graphics software that has advanced features and capabilities. Therefore, you should choose this program for complex projects that involve 3D compositing and custom animations.
CapCut is a beginner-friendly program suitable for making social media content creation. Still, it may feel limiting if you want to produce high-end visual effects.
Take advantage of these free LUTs to elevate the quality of your footage. With just a few clicks, you can enhance colors, bring out details in the foreground, and soften harsh shadows. These .cube files are compatible with After Effects CC and other popular video editing apps.