Should you use After Effects in 2025?

I use After Effects mainly in a professional setting, particularly for motion design projects and complex visual effects that require a high degree of creativity. One of the major strengths I appreciate is its enormous flexibility, thanks to the numerous plugins and scripts that allow the tool to be adapted to a wide variety of workflows, from simple to the most ambitious projects.

After Effects excels particularly when it comes to creating detailed graphic animations or seamlessly integrating special effects into video projects. Its compatibility with other Adobe tools such as Premiere Pro significantly optimizes the audiovisual production chain.

However, its level of complexity can sometimes be a hindrance, especially for beginners. The learning curve is steep, and it may take time to master all of its advanced features. In addition, its performance can depend heavily on the power of the machine used, especially for heavy compositions.

After Effects is a tool that is not generally recommended for complete beginners in video editing or animation. Its wealth of features comes with an interface and logic that can seem complex without appropriate training or tutorials. However, the software offers progressive features, such as animation presets, to help you get started in motion design.

For motivated beginners, this software offers tutorials and an active community that allows users to learn and gradually improve their skills, which can be an excellent long-term investment. The ability to work with layers, advanced effects, and expressions reveals its full potential as you learn.

After Effects is available via a monthly or annual subscription as part of Adobe Creative Cloud. The standard plan costs around $23.99 per month for a single-user license. This offer includes regular updates, cloud storage, and access to an extensive catalog of resources and plugins.

This subscription model can represent a significant expense for freelancers or small businesses, but it guarantees constant evolution of the tool and seamless integration with other Adobe software such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop, or Illustrator, which can significantly improve productivity.

The first key feature of After Effects is its layer-based animation engine, which allows you to create sophisticated animations through detailed management of keyframes, effects, and expressions. This approach offers total control and great creative freedom for custom projects, from simple animated logos to complex visual effects sequences.

Another essential feature is its advanced compositing and integration capabilities. After Effects allows you to merge multiple video sources, graphics, and 3D animations using layers and masks, offering rich and detailed post-production suitable for creating clips, commercials, and cinematic special effects.

Beyond the basics, After Effects includes advanced features such as expressions, which are scripts that automate and create complex animations without manual keyframing. This automation expands creative possibilities while optimizing workflow.

The software also supports 3D rendering through the integration of external engines and plugins, paving the way for more immersive creations. Exporting to various professional formats, compatible with most editing software and platforms, adds to After Effects' versatility.