The ability to create stunning videos and motion graphics is an interesting skill to achieve. Because in this social media-dominant world motion graphics and video editing are developing as the most effective visual storytelling mechanism. These types of visual stories play a huge role in attracting a wider audience around social media content creators. There are plenty of tools that let you create superb stories using motion graphics and video editing.
However, finding the best one is crucial if you want to make this journey a stress-free and comfortable process. Alight Motion and Adobe After Effects are in higher demand mainly due to their features and tools catering to different needs of the user. If you too wander between these two tools you are at the right place. Go through this and decide which one is the best-fit app for you.
Feature Breakdown
This section aims to simply the differences between the two apps Alight Motion and After Effects for your convenience.
Target Audience
Alight Motion
Alight Motion was designed by keeping mobile app users and beginners to video editing in mind. Therefore, the app is simple and minimalist with easy-to-use features. The beginners and the mobile users are the ones to benefit mostly from this design.
After Effects
Most of the app users find After Effects a bit complex. It was designed keeping professional and experienced video and motion graphic editors in mind. So, the tools here are extensive with a deeper learning curve. The app is the best fit for the experience and professional video editors than Alight Motion.
Availability
Alight Motion
When it comes to app availability users can download the app on their Android and iOS smart devices. Plus, the app is free to download with basic and important features and tools. The mobile-friendly design of the app makes the app usage simple and easy and is portable.
After Effects
After Effects is specifically for your Windows and macOS. Normally it is available as a free subscription service. The app is not portable and professional users are mostly benefited here.
Core Functionality
Both Alight Motion and After Effects are good at performing almost all the core functionalities a motion graphic and a video editing app does.
You can carry out basic video editing techniques like video trimming, and cutting, and also both app allows you to try basic video editing tools like various effects, filters, animations, text, images, stickers, music, etc.
Advanced features
After Effects
Apart from the basic video editing and motion graphic techniques and tools After Effects offers plenty of advanced tools to make your videos and motion graphics creative and professional. Some of these advanced features to be mentioned are:
Video compositing tools let you layer up your video into different elements to make video editing simple.
The keyframe animation feature of the app plays a considerable role when adding professionalism to your motion graphics and videos. Though this feature seems like a complex one After Effects simplifies this process amazingly.
Alight Motion
Though the advanced features of Alight Motion are not as complex as After Effects it does offer some advanced features like vector editing and keyframe animation. However, the capacity of these features is less when compared with the After Effects app.
Ease of use
Alight Motion
As mentioned already Alight Motion is user user-friendly app with a simple interface as it was mainly developed for beginners and mobile users. So, most of the app users find it an easy-to-use app with simple and intuitive tools.
After Effects
This app is mainly for dedicated learners and professionals. As most of the tools included here are complex and extensive the learning curve is deep. Also, the interface of the app also somewhat complex than Alight Motion. So, most of the beginner users find the app a bit difficult to use. However, dedication and practice will make the app usage simple and easy.
Cost and value
After knowing about the basic features of the app Alight Motion and After Effects the other important fact to consider is the cost and value of the apps before selecting one. A budget-friendly effective motion graphic and video editing app is the best fit for most of the users.
Alight Motion
Alight Motion offers a free version of the app. This free version has all the basic and essential tools to make your video outstanding. Also, the export video will have a watermark in this free version. To enjoy more features and to remove the watermark you can try the premium version of Alight Motion. The premium version offers in-app purchases. You can choose a weekly or a yearly plan.
- Weekly plan – Lite (US$4.99/week), Premium (US$7.99/week)
- Yearly plan – Lite (US$29.99/year), Premium (US$79.99/year)
All these subscription models offer a 1week trial period.
After Effects
After Effects is becoming active through a subscription model through creative cloud apps. The subscription model can be either monthly or annual.
- Monthly – US$34.49/month. you can cancel the subscription anytime, with no fee.
- Annual, paid monthly – US$22.99/month. Fee if you cancel after 14 days.
- Annual, prepaid – US$263.88/year. No refund if you cancel after 14 days.
So, by considering the above facts you can choose the app and the subscription plan to start your video editing and motion graphic creation. If you are a beginner to video editing it is better if you start from the free version of Alight Motion. If you are a pro and an experienced editor craving for more advanced and complex features then you can go for After Effects subscription models based on your budget.
Final words
It is your choice to select the best-fitting video editing and motion graphic app for you. If you are a mobile user and a beginner who is looking for a simple and easy-to-use video editing tool then Alight Motion is your best choice. But if you want more advanced features as an experienced video editor then After Effects is the right app for you. It depends on your experience level and the requirements. The choice is yours. Select the best match for you and make your videos and motion graphics more creative and captivative.