Adobe After Effects vs Natron

Adobe After Effects9.0Visit Natron8.3Visit

Higher score Adobe After Effects #4 in Visual Effects Software 9.0/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Adobe

vs

Natron #7 in Visual Effects Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Natron

• Adobe After Effects fits best

  Motion graphics and mainstream VFX

• Natron fits best

  Free node-based compositing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Adobe After Effects 9.0/10 Visit ↗	Natron 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.3
Ranking	#4 in Visual Effects Software	#7 in Visual Effects Software
Best for	Motion graphics and mainstream VFX	Free node-based compositing
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Phone, Community, Docs · 24/7	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Adobe After Effects 4/5 · Natron 3/5
Node-based compositing	—	✓ (best)
Keying tools	✓	✓
Rotoscoping tools	✓	✓
3D camera tracking	✓ (best)	—
Simulation tools	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux
Render engine	Hybrid	Hybrid
Our review
Pros	Covers 2D/3D compositing, tracking, keying, roto, and particles Connects with Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe Stock Includes Content-Aware Fill, expressions, and Motion Graphics templates	Free, open-source compositor for Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux Keying, rotoscoping, tracking, stabilization, and CornerPin tools OpenFX, Python scripting, and headless render-farm workflows
Cons	No free plan is available Runs on Windows and macOS desktop systems Uses a layer-based rather than node-based compositing workflow	No 3D workspace for scene-based compositing No verified 3D camera or planar tracking workflow Focused on compositing rather than full 3D production
Our verdict	Adobe After Effects is desktop software for motion design, compositing, animation, and visual effects. It is aimed at motion designers, video editors, filmmakers, and visual-effects artists who need animated titles, 2D and 3D compositions,… Read the review →	Natron is a free, open-source desktop application for node-based video compositing and visual-effects work. It is aimed at VFX artists and digital post-production users who need compositing, chroma keying, rotoscoping, tracking, color… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Adobe After Effects — where it wins

  • Covers 2D/3D compositing, tracking, keying, roto, and particles
  • Connects with Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe Stock
  • Includes Content-Aware Fill, expressions, and Motion Graphics templates

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Runs on Windows and macOS desktop systems
  • Uses a layer-based rather than node-based compositing workflow

• Natron — where it wins

  • Free, open-source compositor for Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux
  • Keying, rotoscoping, tracking, stabilization, and CornerPin tools
  • OpenFX, Python scripting, and headless render-farm workflows

  Where it doesn't

  • No 3D workspace for scene-based compositing
  • No verified 3D camera or planar tracking workflow
  • Focused on compositing rather than full 3D production

• Adobe After Effects9.0/10 · 7-day trial

  A broad desktop toolkit for motion design, compositing, tracking, and mainstream VFX.

  Visit AdobeFull verdict →
• Natron8.3/10 · Free plan

  A capable free compositor for artists who need node workflows without a paid license.

  Visit NatronFull verdict →