Free Adobe After Effects Plugins

Plug-ins are small software modules—with filename extensions such as .aex, .pbk, .pbg, and .8bi—that add functionality to an application. Effects in After Effects are implemented as plug-ins, as are some features for importing and working with certain file formats. The Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in, for example, provides After Effects with its ability to work with Camera Raw files.

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Sapphire Plug-ins for Adobe After Effects 5.0 can be downloaded from our software library for free. You can execute this PC program on Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 32-bit. Also the tool is known as 'GenArts Sapphire Plug-ins for After Effects', 'GenArts Sapphire Plug-ins for After Effects Team V.R Private Edition'. Download after effects particular plugin for free. Photo & Graphics tools downloads - Trapcode Particular by Red Giant Software and many more programs are available for instant and free download.

Jul 31, 2009 19 Free After Effects Plugins. Scott Frizzle's Quaker Scott is a great broadcast designer working in the industry for over 15 years for some of the top networks on the air today such as Cartoon Network, TNT, and Discovery Channel. Scott developed Quaker as a. Adobe After Effects CC is a core application for so many artists because it can do so much, especially when coupled with its huge range of third party After Effects plugins. The right add-ons can add new functionality or help you streamline your workflow and can take your animations to the next.

After Effects works seamlessly with other Adobe apps. Create comps and immediately see how they look in Premiere Pro with Adobe Dynamic Link. Import work from Photoshop, Illustrator, Character Animator, Adobe XD, and Animate. Use Team Projects to collaborate with editors no matter where they’re located.
Is the free trial a complete version of After Effects? Yes, it includes all the features and updates in the latest version of After Effects. Can I download the free trial to my phone? No, this free trial is available only for desktop. Adobe does offer a collection of free mobile apps for both iOS and Android. Learn more ›.

You can obtain plug-ins for After Effects and other Adobeproducts from Adobe or other vendors. For specific instructionsfor installing a plug-in, see its documentation.

When After Effects starts, it loads plug-ins from several folder,including the Plug-ins folder. If a plug-in doesn’t come with aninstaller or with specific instructions for its installation, thenyou can usually install the plug-in by placing it in the Plug-insfolder.

By default, the Plug-ins folder is in the following location:

(Windows) Program FilesAdobeAdobe After Effects <version>SupportFiles
(Mac OS) Applications/Adobe After Effects <version>

Several plug-ins come with After Effects and are automaticallyinstalled in the Plug-ins folder.

Note:

When loading plug-ins, After Effects ignoresthe contents of folders with names that begin and end in parentheses;for example, the contents of the folder (archived_effects) are notloaded.

After Effects also loads plug-ins from a MediaCore folder, which is intended to hold plug-ins shared between After Effects and Premiere Pro. Some third-party plug-in installers install their plug-ins in this folder. In general, unless specifically instructed to do so, don’t install plug-ins in the MediaCore folder. If you install a plug-in in this folder that is not supported by one or more of the applications that read from this folder, you may encounter errors or other problems.

Note:

(Mac OS) Some third-party plug-in installers incorrectly installtheir plug-ins into the Mac OS X Package for After Effects. To revealthese plug-ins, Control-click the After Effects application iconin the Finder and choose Show Package Contents. You can then movethe plug-ins into the After Effects Plug-ins folder.

When exchanging After Effects projects between computer systems, make sure that the plug-ins that the project depends on are installed on both systems. Similarly, if you're rendering a composition with multiple computers on a network, make sure that all plug-ins used in the composition are installed on all rendering computers.

Note:

On Mac OS, press Command+Option+Shift+Help togenerate a list of all plug-ins loaded into After Effects (includingversion numbers). For information on using this command on Windowsor with a Macintosh keyboard that doesn't have a Help button, seeTodd Kopriva’s blog on the Adobe website.

After Effects comes with several third-party plug-ins.

Keylight installs its documentation in the plug-in’s subfolder inthe Plug-ins folder. For more information, see Keyingeffects, including Keylight.

Color Finesse installs its documentation in the plug-in’s subfolder in the Plug-ins folder. For more information, see Resources for Synthetic Aperture Color Finesse.

Documentation for ProEXR plug-ins is available in a PDF document on the fnord website. For more information, see About 3D Channel effects, including ProEXR effects.

CycoreFX HD is included in the installation of After Effects CC. There is 16-bpc support in all effects, and 32-bpc (float) support in the effects. ICycoreFX HD plug-ins have support for motion blur, lights, more controls, and options.

For more information, see Resources for Cycore FX (CC) effects.

Documentation for the mocha shape for After Effects (mocha shape AE) plug-in is available on the Imagineer website.

Note:

There is everything from Klondike to Baker's Dozen to Whitehorse, and quite literally everything in between.The instructions are generally fairly intuitive, but have some jargon that may be a bit off-putting at first. Each game has different rules, although due to the enormity of games in the collection, many end up being very similar with minor changes in rules. Pretty good solitaire crack.

Unlike the similarly named mocha shape for After Effects (mochashape AE), Imagineer mocha-AE is not a plug-in; it is a separate,standalone planar tracker application. For more information, see Resourcesfor mocha for After Effects (mocha-AE).

Many plug-ins for After Effects are written in the C/C++ programming language using the After Effects SDK. Effect plug-ins written with C/C++ have the filename extension .aex. For information on developing plug-ins for After Effects with the C/C++ SDK, go to the After Effects Developer Center section of the Adobe website.

Kas Thomas provides a tutorial on the MacTech website that shows step by step how to write an After Effects plug-in.

To ask questions about writing plug-ins with the C/C++ SDK for After Effects, go to the After Effects SDK user-to-user forum.

For information on plug-ins available for After Effects, go to the After Effects plug-in page on the Adobe website and the Toolfarm website.

To find plug-ins, scripts, projects, and other useful items, go to the Adobe Add-ons page.

For other sources of plug-ins, see After Effects community resources on the Adobe website.

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We did an article like this several years ago and it was super popular. Everyone loves free stuff! Some of these are really great tools too! Here are 32 free After Effects plug-ins for you to peruse, most of them are from our lovely vendors, too!

Freebies are arranged alphabetically by company.

Toolfarm Disclaimer: Not everything here will be compatible with the current version of After Effects. Some of these freebies go back a bit! There is no warranty and no support on these. They're free, remember.

Andy Mees

Andy Mees plug-ins use the FxFactory FxEngine, so you’ll need to download it to run these. They are Mac only.

1. Andy's Better 3D

What it does: Easy adjustments in 3D space for your 2D content. More info

2. Andy Mees Elastic Aspect

What it does: Stretch footage to fit a standard 16:9 frame. User guide

3. Andy Mees Gradient Filter

What it does: Add a neutral density graduated filter to your clips. User Guide

4. Andy Mees Region Tool

What it does: Apply effects only to the part of the image that needs it. More info

5. Andy Mees Safe Guides

What it does: Display a variety of safe area overlays. More info

6. Andy Mees Swish Transitions

What it does: Swish dissolve and swish pan transitions. More info

Download Andy Mees Plugins

Download all Andy Mees Freebies here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”. Select Noise Industries FxFactory. This is an application where you can install loads of plug-ins, including Andy Mees filters.

CoreMelt

7. CoreMelt ActiveText

What it does: Ten free text plugins to simplify the most common titling tasks. For Premiere Pro, FCP 7, After Effects and Motion. Learn more

8. CoreMelt Free

What it does: Starting with VeeYou back in 2003, CoreMelt has a long history of giving stuff away. We've wrapped up some of the best plugins out of our V2 range of products, and are offering them in one bundle, all for nix! Learn more

Download here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”.

Need more? CoreMelt V2 Plugin Set

Over 200 Plug-ins for FCPX, After Effects, and Premiere Pro
From soft organic glows and blurs to advanced color correction tools and instant photo montages, CoreMelt Complete will save you hours of time on every project, no matter what type of editing or motion graphics work you do.

Dashwood

9. Dashwood 360VR Viewer

What it does: Preview 360 VR footage, including support for Oculus Rift.

Download all Noise Industries Freebies here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”. Select Noise Industries FxFactory. This is an application where you can install loads of plug-ins for After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, and motion.

Need more? Dashwood 360VR Toolbox

360 degree VR headset monitoring while editing, and a full-featured plugin suite for Premiere Pro, After Effects and Final Cut Pro. First previewed at NAB 2015 in April, 360VR Toolbox literally turned heads with its ability to preview 360-degree spherical footage in the Oculus® Rift while playing from an edited sequence in Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe After Effects.

Digital Anarchy

10. Digital Anarchy Simple Gradient

What it does: Need to use a basic gradient as a Layer Mask? As an input into some other filter to enhance the effect? Simple Gradient is exactly what it says: a simple, two color gradient with a center point, width, and direction dial. Learn more and download

11. Digital Anarchy Ugly Box

What it does: Digital Anarchy Ugly Box is a freebie based on Beauty Box skin retouching plug-in. “This plugin takes Beauty Box and flips it upside down. Allowing you to make your talent look ugly! Diseased! Hideous!” Perfect for your next zombie movie! Learn more and download

Need more? Digital Anarchy Beauty Box Video

The Next Generation in Skin Retouching

Beauty Box Video 4.0 takes the best-selling and most awarded skin smoothing technology available and gives it real-time rendering (on some GPUs). Beauty Box already had the best automatic masking and skin retouching capabilities of any plugin and now it has incredibly fast rendering, as well.

Fan Film FX

12. Fan Film FX Blaster Bolt Free

What it does: Animated laser beam

13. Fan Film FX Saber Blade Free

What it does: 2-point lightsaber creator

14. Fan Film FX Space Wipes

What it does: Wipes inspired by Star Wars

Download Fan Film FX

fayteq

15. fayteq fayIN Tracking Plugin for AE

What it does: For all video enthusiasts and hobbyists who are looking for the easiest way to integrate elements in videos. fayIN Free provides you with all basic features that are necessary for an easy match moving workflow. You can add pictures, text or even videos to your clip with just a few clicks. Quickly adjust your insert with the corner correction, or use any After Effects CC effect to blend your inserts in. This non-commercial edition is available for download completely for free. Learn more

Download here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”.

Need more? fayteq fayIN Tracking Plugin for AE

Experience the ease of camera tracking and digital content integration.
fayIN is camera tracking and digital content integration combined in one plugin. Benefit from its new easy-to-use workflow inside After Effects. There is no need to import & export between different software environments anymore. fayIN reduces your production costs through high-quality tracking results and a new and fast tracking and content-integration workflow. Equal to the former fayIN version, fayIN Silver is the match moving tool for commercial concerns. Video editors and post production professionals benefit from all well-known fayIN functions and features. Additionally, we integrated a Motion Blur functionality.

idustrial Revolution

16. idustrial Revolution CoverFlux v2

What it does: Powered by FxFactory, the free iTunes style scrolling still image generator plugin for Final Cut Pro, Motion, Final Cut Express 4 & After Effects. Learn more

Download here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”. Select Noise Industries FxFactory. This is an application where you can install loads of plug-ins for After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, and Motion.

More cool stuff from Idustrial revolution, Volumetrix

Produces stunning light effects and transitions with glows, glints and distortions

Building on its huge success, Volumetrix2 now brings new gorgeous glows, glints and distortions all with the unique animating reveal. These stackable new effects are available within both the filter and transition plugin. The unlockable, trial version of Volumetrix is available by installing FxFactory.

ISP Film

17. ISP Film Color Miniature

What it does: “ISP Film Color Miniature FREE” is a plugin software provides users a tilt-shift effect. Just one step turns your video clip into as if the video clip was taken by expensive tilt-shift lens. Many efficient plugins are to be released in “ISP Film Color Series”, keep checking this website.

Download here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”.

Need more? Check out ISP Film Color Like HDR

“ISP Film Color Like HDR” is a plugin which allows users to emulate high dynamic range videos easily. The HDR effect is well known among still image editing field, but now it is available on video as well.

Luca Visual FX

18. Luca Visual FX Random Text

What it does: Powered by FxFactory, this Matrix-like random text plugin is the perfect tool to use in your next technological thriller. Learn more

Want more cool stuff? See Luca Visual FX HUD Elements 4K!

Unleash your creativity and stun your clients with HUD Elements 4K.
With over 135 2D and 3D assets in 4K resolution and organized into 7 different categories, each element can be previewed and downloaded at will. Hud Elements 4K is a versatile solution for building your own unique high-tech motion graphic displays for a wide variety of projects.

Noise Industries

19. Noise Industries FxFactory

What it does: This is the free version of FxFactory Pro. Learn more. Download this software to download several other FxFactory freebies, including idustrial revolution, Luca Visual Effects, Andy Mees, Yanobox, and more. Mac only.

20. Noise Industries Manifesto

What it does: Free static title and title roll/crawl generators. Mac only. Learn more

21. Noise Industries Pan and Zoom

What it does: Create the photo animation style made popular by Ken Burns. Achieve stunning results without a single keyframe. Mac only. Learn more

22. Noise Industries Star Titler

What it does: Simulate opening titles from the 1977 Star Wars movie. Mac only.

Download Noise Industries Freebies

Need more? Try Noise Industries FxFactory Pro

Visual effects toolbox with unmatched features.
Noise Industries FxFactory Pro has hundreds of filters, generators, and transitions to give your projects a truly unique feel. However, if you just can’t find that one perfect effect you can always design your own! FxFactory Pro is the first visual effects package that allows you to create and customize your own plug-ins for Final Cut Pro, Motion, Premiere Pro, and After Effects without having to write a single line of code!

Red Giant

23. Red Giant Colorista Free

What it does: Colorista Free is a simplified, elegant color corrector that anyone can share and use. You get exactly what you need with basic controls designed by experienced colorists, like the 3-Way wheels from our popular Colorista II and numeric sliders for precise numerical accuracy. For high-level work, Colorista Free is workflow ready to share Color Decision List (CDL) values with CDL-compliant host apps and will conform your color work to industry standards. Set your colors free. Note: this one is no longer available on Red Giant's Website and will probably not work with current versions of After Effects. Learn more

24. Red Giant Knoll Unmult

What it does: Easy alphas for objects on black. Need a matte generated from an image or video shot on a black background? Knoll Unmult will create an alpha channel from any image shot on black. Unmult is particularly useful for generating alpha channels for flares rendered on black or video or filmed media that is shot on black like cloud tank, lighting, or water droplet on glass. Note: this one is no longer available on Red Giant's Website. Learn more

25. Red Giant LUT Buddy

What it does: LUT Buddy was created for the professional colorist and came directly out of the film work of Stu Maschwitz, our Creative Director. The plug-in runs in desktop apps like After Effects and FCP, then exports its LUT output to communicate with higher end systems ranging from DaVinci Resolve to Panasonic displays. If you’re already using 1D or 3D LUT’s in your workflow, this tool was designed for you to share values between compliant software and devices. Note: this one is no longer available on Red Giant's Website.

Download Red Giant Freebies

Download here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”.

Need more? Check out Red Giant Magic Bullet Suite

Color correction, finishing and film looks for filmmakers
Magic Bullet Suite is a set of seven tools that bring intuitive, real-time color correction, and beyond, right to your editorial timeline. Includes Magic Bullet Looks 4, Colorista IV, Denoiser III, Magic Bullet Mojo II, Magic Bullet Cosmo II, Magic Bullet Renoiser, and Magic Bullet Film.

Video Copilot

26. Video Copilot Color Vibrance

What it does: A fast colorization plug-in for After Effects with some great features. More info and video

27. Video Copilot FxConsole

What it does: It's a workflow plug-in for After Effects, and it’s absolutely Free! This point update adds some new features and fixes several bugs. More info

28. Video Copilot Glass Eyes

What it does: Don’t waste your time with fake April fools pranks, this is a real plug-in that you can download right now! Learn more

29. Video Copilot Reflect

What it does: Download and use our free reflection Plug-in. Customize the look of the reflection in 3D space. Learn more

30. Video Copilot Saber

What it does: Create Lightsabers, portals, energy beams, and more with the Free After Effects plug-in Saber from Video Copilot. Andrew Kramer says, “Our sweet new energy plug-in is available right now for free! Check out the tutorial and start downloading! Staying up for two days straight is not ideal but happy to have it up!” Learn more

31. Video Copilot Sure Target 2

What it does: Use Sure Target preset to achieve advanced 3d moves. Learn advanced tips and create “3D-looking” titles. More info

Adobe After Effects Text Plugins Free

Download Video Copilot Freebies

Download Video Copilot Free Plug-ins here – Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”.

Check out Video Copilot Element 3D

Video Copilot makes some of the most rad tools on the planet and Element 3D is just one of them! Advanced 3D Object and Particle Render Engine

High Performance After Effects Plug-in for creating Motion Design & Visual FX! Element 3D allows you to import 3D objects created in Cinema 4D and OBJ into Adobe After Effects. From there you can manipulate them using a unique particle array system that can distribute 3D objects into any shape! Element 3D also supports your UV texture coordinates so importing and rebuilding your textures is easier than ever. This only brushes the surface of what Video Copilot Element 3D can create. Try it today and let your imagination come to life.

Yanobox

Adobe After Effects All Plugins Free Download

32. Yanobox Barcode

What it does: Simulate EAN-13 barcodes. Yanobox Barcode is a simple generator that simulates the European Article Number aka EAN-13 barcode used on everyday products across the world. Our version provides some unusual features like custom color modes and random digits, transforming the classical barcode to an eye-catching Motion Graphic element. View the manual here

Download all Yanobox Barcode here. Log into Toolfarm.com and download under “Adobe After Effects Plugins”. Select Noise Industries FxFactory. This is an application where you can install loads of plug-ins.

Need something super cool? Yanobox Nodes!

Free Adobe After Effects Plug-ins

Create generative Motion Graphics with flexibility and speed.

Nodes is a plugin for Final Cut Pro X, Motion, Premiere Pro, and After Effects that allows you to visually animate Objects & Relationships through Nodes and Lines. Created by the same author of the acclaimed Motype title generator, Nodes lets you combine text and graphics in beautiful 3D animations. The unlockable, trial version of Nodes is available by installing FxFactory.

Free Adobe After Effects Cs4 Plug-ins

Posted by Michele Yamazaki