Animate Text and Shapes
Put text and shapes into a composition, set keyframes, and refine movement with the timeline or graph editor.
EffectCraft: A Free
After Effects Alternative?
FREE · OPEN SOURCE · IN DEVELOPMENT (ALPHA) · WINDOWS / MACOS / LINUX
A free, open-source motion editor for first animations and new projects. Compare its current tools with After Effects before planning an Adobe handoff.
EffectCraft editor interface · Official project screenshot
EffectCraft vs Adobe After Effects
| What matters | EffectCraft | Adobe After Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Paid subscription; varies by plan and region |
| Source code | Open source | Proprietary |
| Compositions and layers | Text, shapes, footage, nested comps and common controls documented | Mature production workflow |
| Animation | Keyframes, easing and graph editing documented | Mature animation and plug-in ecosystem |
| Effects and 3D | Effects, cameras and lights documented; fidelity depends on task | Established effects and 3D workflows |
| Native project file | Editable .ecproj | Native .aep / .aepx |
| Existing .aep projects | Cannot open .aep or .aepx projects | Native opening and saving |
| Best fit | Learning, testing and new motion projects | Existing Adobe projects and production handoff |
EffectCraft is suited to a new motion project or first animation. It does not open .aep/.aepx projects or run After Effects plug-ins, so existing Adobe projects and plug-in workflows stay in After Effects.
What Can EffectCraft Do?
Build Effects and Composites
Stack effects on layers and combine text, shapes or footage inside a composition. Check each effect in your project.
Work with 3D Layers
Use cameras, lights and 3D layers for depth and lighting. Begin with a small scene before complex handoffs.
Images: official EffectCraft project screenshots.
Create Your First Text Animation
GOAL Make a short title move across a composition, save an editable EffectCraft project, and render a preview.
Create a composition
Start a new project, add a composition and choose a short duration.
CHECK YOUR RESULT
A blank composition is visible in the viewer and timeline.
Add a text layer
Add a text layer and type a short title. Keep this first scene simple.
CHECK YOUR RESULT
The title appears in the viewer and as a separate timeline layer.
Set two position keyframes
Set the first Position keyframe, move the playhead later and change the title's position.
CHECK YOUR RESULT
Two Position keyframes are visible in the timeline.
Preview and save
Preview the movement; save an editable working copy as .ecproj.
CHECK YOUR RESULT
The title moves and the project file exists.
Render and inspect
Use Render Queue to create an MP4 copy, then open it in a video player.
CHECK YOUR RESULT
The file plays with the intended movement; .ecproj remains editable.
Projects, AEP Files & Export Formats
A delivery video and an editable motion project are different files. EffectCraft does not open After Effects .aep/.aepx projects.
File Type Quick Check
| File / output | What to expect | Workflow check |
|---|---|---|
| .ecproj | Editable EffectCraft project | Reopen a saved copy; confirm layers and footage links |
| .aep / .aepx | After Effects native projects; EffectCraft cannot open them | Keep the Adobe originals in After Effects |
| Lottie JSON / .lottie | Import and export documented | Check effects and expressions in the target player |
| MP4 / MOV / WebM | Render Queue delivery formats | Play the file; inspect size, sound, duration and alpha |
| PNG / TIFF / EXR | Frame-based sequence outputs | Check frame count, order and storage |
Before moving an existing motion project
- Keep the original .aep, media and fonts unchanged.
- Check current file-format docs and Releases.
- Work in a small new .ecproj or disposable copy.
- Preview representative frames and inspect text, timing, effects and audio.
- Render a short sample before promising a handoff.
A rendered video is a delivery file, not an editable After Effects project. Save the .ecproj working file separately; EffectCraft does not import .aep/.aepx.