After Effects is a powerful video editing program that allows users to create stunning visual effects. However, it can be confusing to figure out which plugins to use to enhance your projects, as a variety of plugins are available for After Effects. This article lists 8 of the best After Effects plugins to help improve your project’s overall quality.
Contents
How to Use Plugins in Adobe After Effects
- Launch After Effects and select the “Effects” tab to use a plugin. Then, choose the plugin you want to use from the list.
- Some plugins may have additional controls that you can access from the “Effects” tab.
- Scroll through the available plugins and select the one you want to use.
- Click the ‘Apply’ button to apply the plugin to your project.
8 of the Best Adobe After Effects Plugins
1. Red Giant Universe
Red Giant Universe is a plugin for After Effects that gives you access to a library of tools for creating Motion Graphics, VFX, and more. It is a collection of over 60 plugins, including many effects from Lens Flare & Light Leaks to 3D Tracking. With Universe, you can easily composite and animate. It has over 80 presets and training videos to get you started quickly.
2. Boris FX Sapphire
The Boris FX Sapphire is a popular plugin for After Effects. It includes over 270 effects and 3000+ presets. It is a powerful effect & transition builder with integrated tracking and masking. It comprises a comprehensive set of tools for creating and manipulating 2D and 3D text. Sapphire’s image quality, control, and render speed can help to save time.
3. Optical Flare
Optical Flares is a plugin for After Effects that allows you to create realistic lens flares and other light effects. This plugin comes with a library of already-made lights/lens flare presets that you can apply and tweak in a few clicks. They can be used in different positioning modes such as 2D, 3D, Track Light, Mask, etc. The plugin also includes transparency to add any background behind or in front of the flare.
4. Saber Plugin
This free After Effects plugin is a must-have for any video editor who wants to add explosive energy to their projects in post-production. The Saber plugin for After Effects has 50 presets, including masking and text presets for creating video intros. This AE plugin is perfect for adding special effects in post-production.
5. Quick Chromatic Aberration
The Quick Chromatic Aberration Plugin for After Effects is a great free option. The plugin helps to add a touch of realistic imperfection, especially for Motion Graphics. The Plugin is easy to use and comes with a help file to get you started.
6. Animation Composer 3
Animation Composer 3 is a plugin for After Effects which allows you to create complex animations quickly, without having to keyframe every aspect of the animation. You can try different animations in seconds. Everything is easy to add, remove or customize.
7. Flow
The Flow plugin for After Effects is a powerful tool for creating smooth, flowing animations. It offers a variety of features for creating and manipulating keyframes, including the ability to interpolate between keyframes, create curved paths, and use expressions to control the flow of your animation.
8. Mettle SkyBox Suite
SkyBox Suite is a set of plugins for After Effects that lets you create a 360-degree video. It includesSkyBox Studio (for creating VR videos), SkyBox 360/VR Player (for playing back VR videos), and SkyBox 360/VR Tools (for adding VR effects).
Conclusion
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, these plugins will help you create amazing visuals in After Effects. If you wish to use these plugins to create on After Effects, check out Postudio. With Postudio, you can launch After Effects & use plugins by Red Giant & Boris FX. All you have to do is edit and create; Postudio takes care of the rest.
