Adobe After Effects is known worldwide as one of the best tools for creating professional-looking special effects. This program was created by the company Adobe with the intention of allowing the editing and post-production of videos and, in addition, to allow the creation of audiovisual special effects, animations, and motion graphics in three dimensions. Today I’m going to show you how to get Adobe After Effects for free.
How to get Adobe After Effects safety
If you want to use Adobe After Effects, you need to subscribe to one of the plans offered by Adobe, because After Effects is part of the Creative Cloud, a suite of editing and design programs. These plans can be paid for on a monthly or annual basis, and you have guaranteed updates at no additional cost, 24/7 support, and several other extras.
- Anticipating the educational effects of an unprecedented situation. Virtually all K-12 students in the United States are currently missing face-to-face instruction due to COVID-19.
- After Effects CC Course: from Novice to Expert (Udemy) Louay Zambarakji, the trainer of this program has taught over 100,000 students globally in the areas of Motion Graphics, Visual Effects as well as Video Editing. His courses are highly sought after and he has carved a niche for himself in this domain.
Adobe After Effects is a digital visual effects, motion graphics, and compositing application and is used in the post-production process of both filmmaking and television production, in live action and animation alike, with a wide variety of different uses.
The plans offered by Adobe to be able to use After effects are the following:
Option 1. Single application
The first option is the individual program. Here you can get only Adobe After Effects and the extra content that comes with all the plans: 100gb of cloud storage, Adobe Fonts, Adobe Portfolio, and Adobe Spark.
There are three different payment methods:
- Annual plan, with a monthly payment of $20.99/mo.
- Annual plan (prepaid) of $239.88/yr.
- Monthly plan for $31.49/mo.
Option 2. All Apps Plan
The All Apps Plan includes the entire Creative Cloud: more than 20 editings, design, illustration, photo retouching, and video programs, among others, completely at your disposal. You can make use of all the available programs, as well as the extras that come with each package, which I mentioned in the previous plan.
The prices for this plan are:
- Annual plan, with a monthly payment of $52.99/mo.
- Annual plan (prepaid) for $599.88 /yr.
- Monthly plan for $79.49/mo.
Option 3. Discount for students
Students and teachers get preferential attention at Adobe. If you’re studying or teaching, you automatically opt for the “Students and teachers” discount, a way for Adobe to help young people’s college budget.
Once you’ve proven to Adobe that you’re an active student or teacher, you’ll be rewarded with more than a 60% discount on the All Apps plan. The discount is only available for that plan.
You can choose between the following forms of payment:
- Annual plan, with a monthly payment of $19.99/mo.
- Annual plan (prepaid) of $239.88/yr.
This is the official way to get After Effects or any other Creative Cloud program. If you don’t want to pay but still want to use the program, I’ll show you how to get Adobe After Effects for free.
How to get Adobe After Effects Free Trial
Here’s the best way to get Adobe After Effects for free: a free trial. The company offers a free trial that you can access and use for free any of the programs found in the Creative Cloud. In order to start using After Effects for free, you must download the free trial from the Adobe website. This trial lasts 7 days, and during that time you can use not only one, but several programs of the Creative Cloud. To begin the download, go to the After Effects website, and in the upper part of that window, you will see a button called “Free trial”. Click here to continue.
Once you press the button, you will get a new window with a couple of options:
After Effects: This first plan includes Adobe After Effects completely free, plus the extras: step-by-step tutorials, 100gb of cloud storage, your own portfolio website y full access to Premium fonts.
Creative Cloud All Apps: More than 20 applications, among which you can find Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and many more. This plan includes all of that and the extras mentioned above.
Under each plan is the “Start free trial” button. Depending on the plan you choose, press the corresponding button.
Start your After Effects Free Trial
When you press the button, you will automatically be sent to another page, the last one before starting the download. Here you must fill in all the information that the page requires, as well as log in with your Adobe ID. You must have an Adobe ID account to continue. If you don’t have one, don’t worry, the page allows you to create your account, a quick and completely free process. Once you have entered your data and verified that everything is correct, you can click on the “Start free trial” button.
Once you press the button, the trial version of Adobe After Effects will start downloading. Note that this trial version lasts only 7 days from the time you install it, so try to have enough free time to enjoy After Effects or all the programs you want to use, as there are no limitations beyond time. If you just want to use the free trial, make it worth it!
After Effects Free | No to piracy
Downloading a pirate application is always going to carry certain risks, but do you really know how dangerous they are? Hackers hide behind big names like Adobe to create their viruses and offer them with “pirate versions” of Creative Cloud programs, reaching a wider audience.
Here are some of the risks of downloading pirate versions:
- Malware/viruses: The main risk: inside the application, during the installation process or even during the download, it is possible to find viruses or malware. Some of these viruses register everything you do on your computer and send that information by mail, risking your security and your online accounts.
- Zero updates: The programs in the Creative Cloud suite are constantly being updated. If you download a pirate version, you will not be able to enjoy the upgrades and you will miss out on the new features and options available in the programs.
- No help from Adobe: If you don’t have a valid serial code or Adobe ID, you won’t be able to use Adobe’s 24/7 customer support. If you have any questions or problems, you will not be able to call for help.
- Malfunctioning: People who create pirated versions of programs do so by hacking, blocking certain functions of the program that would otherwise be available.
- It’s illegal: Piracy is illegal worldwide, but in some sites, it is punished more severely than in others, so you can get in trouble by downloading and using pirated software.
Adobe After Effects alternatives
If for any reason, Adobe After Effects is not your thing or your trial period is over and you want to try something else, I leave here some programs that I consider good alternatives:
Blender
Blender is an open-source 3D modeling and animation tool, completely free of charge and compatible with Windows and Linux. It is an excellent alternative to After Effects because it is a suite with hundreds of options oriented not only to the 3D world but also to video editing and retouching. Blender is a powerful tool from where you can work complex three-dimensional graphic compositions, as well as the most extensive or simple videos.
It can be used for modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, water simulations, skinning, animation, rendering, particles and other simulations, nonlinear editing, composition and creation of interactive 3D applications, rigid body dynamics, fluids, fabrics and soft bodies, modifier-based modeling tools, powerful character animation tools, node-based material and composition system, and Python for embedded scripts
Is Adobe After Effects Free For Students
Fusion 9
Fusion is here to cover all aspects of 3D animation. You can use it to work projects in 3D or augmented reality, using its GPU acceleration for excellent performance and results. With Fusion 9 you can create the most powerful scenarios and graphical representations, serving as an excellent alternative tool to After Effects.
You have the option to use free of charge Fusion 9 version, an integrated 2D and 3D compositing and motion graphics software, VR tools with a massive set of tools including painting, rotoscope, titling, animation, multiple manipulators (including Primatte), an amazing 3D particle system, advanced frames, GPU acceleration, and support for importing and rendering 3D models and scenes from other applications. This free version includes technical support through Blackmagic Design’s community forums.
Hitfilm Express
Since Hitfilm was founded in 2011, this editing software company has grown stronger every year. Its free HitFilm 4 Express program surprisingly includes many of the features you’ll find in its paid version HitFilm Pro. Despite being a video editor, you’ll also find tools to create special effects such as 2D and 3D compositing, match moving to insert graphics into a video, or chroma removal.
After Effect Free Trial
Perhaps one of the most outstanding features of this application is that it allows you to expand its features by buying extra content from about $10. That means you can create the editor to suit you with what you really need. A good example of these extensions is the package ‘Sci-Fi Adventure’, very popular among users because it allows the creation of laser beams, laser swords, and laser guns.
If this option doesn’t convince you, you might want to take a look at other packages that will add lens sparkles, color treatment, ambient light or those typical effects from classic films.
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