After Effects vs Linearity Move
After Effects and Linearity Move side by side, as of September 2026: what each one costs, what it's made for, and when smooth.video, a free animation tool that runs in your browser with no account, does the job instead.
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
After Effects vs Linearity Move at a glance
| After Effects | Linearity Move | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From US$22.99 a month on an annual plan, 7-day free trial | Free plan, Pro at US$14.99 a month or US$119.99 a year on the App Store | Free, no paid plan |
| Account | Adobe account required | Linearity account required | Not needed |
- Price
- After EffectsFrom US$22.99 a month on an annual plan, 7-day free trial
- Linearity MoveFree plan, Pro at US$14.99 a month or US$119.99 a year on the App Store
- smooth.videoFree, no paid plan
- Account
- After EffectsAdobe account required
- Linearity MoveLinearity account required
- smooth.videoNot needed
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of After Effects and Linearity Move before you decide.
After Effects
- Install
- Desktop app
- How you animate
- Keyframes, graph editor, effects and expressions across compositions
- Transparent video
- Yes
- 3D, visual effects, tracking
- Yes
- Plugins and scripting
- Yes
When After Effects fits better
You need 3D, particles, motion tracking, rotoscoping, compositing over footage, expressions or plugins, or you hand project files to a studio that works in After Effects. smooth.video is 2D only, with no particles, tracking or scripting.
After Effects vs smooth.videoLinearity Move
- Platform
- Mac and iPad apps
- Files
- A few on the free plan, unlimited on Pro
- Figma, Illustrator and Sketch import
- Yes
- Shape morphing and Lottie export
- Yes
- Shared workspaces
- Yes
When Linearity Move fits better
You design on a Mac or an iPad, bring artwork in from Figma, Illustrator or Sketch, need shapes that morph, or deliver Lottie files. smooth.video does none of those.
Linearity Move vs smooth.videoWhen smooth.video fits better
You need a title, a lower third, a logo sting or an animated stat for this week's video, you don't open After Effects every day, and a monthly subscription for a few seconds of animation doesn't add up.
You're on Windows, Linux or a Chromebook, or you just want to open a tab, animate a title or a logo, and export it without creating another account.
Open the editor- Free, full stop
- No plan, no trial, no credits, no export limit.
- No account
- Open the page and the editor is already there.
- Nothing is uploaded
- Your files are read and rendered by your own browser.
- No watermark
- Every export is clean, at any size, 4K included.
Start from a template
See all 203 templatesOpen one, change the words, export. Every element stays editable.
Questions
Can I open After Effects or Premiere Pro projects?
No. smooth.video opens its own .smooth projects, and imports images, video, audio and layered PSD files.
Can I use the exports in Premiere Pro or After Effects?
Yes, as regular video files. MP4 imports everywhere; for transparency, export a WebM and check that your version reads it.
Is it really free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no server doing the work, so there's no subscription and no watermark.
Can I import Figma designs?
Not directly. Export the pieces you want to move as PNG and drop them in, or bring a layered PSD to get each layer as its own element.
Can I export Lottie?
No. smooth.video exports MP4, WebM, GIF and images.
Is there a limit on projects?
No. Save each project as a .smooth file on your computer, as many as you need. The editor autosaves the one you're working on in your browser.
Or skip the decision.
smooth.video is free, opens in a tab and exports without a watermark. Try it while you compare.
Open the editor- Free
- No signup
- No watermark