Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Visual Effects Software

Silhouette vs Natron

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Silhouette #5 in Visual Effects Software 8.7/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Boris FX
Natron #7 in Visual Effects Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Natron

Silhouette leads on 0 checks, Natron on 1, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSilhouette · 8.7/10
  • Free planonly Natron
  • Free trialonly Silhouette
  • Most featuresNatron · 3 of 5

Silhouette scores higher on our rubric for visual effects software: 8.7 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #7.

Natron offers free plan; Silhouette doesn't.

Silhouette is the better fit for advanced roto and compositing cleanup. Natron is the better fit for free node-based compositing.

  • Silhouette fits best

    Advanced roto and compositing cleanup

  • 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 Silhouette 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Natron 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.3
Ranking #5 in Visual Effects Software #7 in Visual Effects Software
Best for Advanced roto and compositing cleanup Free node-based compositing
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price $545/yr Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 14 days —
Deployment Desktop, Self-hosted Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Tickets, Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Silhouette 0/5 · Natron 3/5
Node-based compositing Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Keying tools Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Rotoscoping tools Not checked yet ✓ (best)
3D camera tracking Not checked yet —
Simulation tools Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux
Render engine Not checked yet Hybrid
Our review
Pros
  • Advanced roto, matte creation, keying, tracking, and cleanup tools
  • 400+ compositing nodes with HDR paint and machine-learning masking
  • Runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux with major VFX integrations
  • 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
  • Annual subscription starts at $545
  • Monthly pricing is $103 per month
  • No free plan for ongoing access
  • 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

Silhouette is a GPU-accelerated desktop application and plugin for professional visual-effects artists and studios. Boris FX combines advanced rotoscoping, matte creation, keying, tracking, paint, warping, morphing, and node-based…

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 →
  1. SilhouetteVisual Effects Software 8.714-day trial
  2. NatronVisual Effects Software 8.3Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Silhouette — where it wins

    • Advanced roto, matte creation, keying, tracking, and cleanup tools
    • 400+ compositing nodes with HDR paint and machine-learning masking
    • Runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux with major VFX integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Annual subscription starts at $545
    • Monthly pricing is $103 per month
    • No free plan for ongoing access

  • 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
  • Silhouette8.7/10 · 14-day trial

    A deep VFX toolkit for advanced roto and compositing cleanup, priced for professionals.

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

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

    Visit NatronFull verdict →

More comparisons

All visual effects software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update