Tools for building animated titles, logo animations, transitions and visual effects (VFX) with layers, keyframes and effects, then exporting them as video. First decide whether the result goes into a video, onto social media or onto a web page; each needs different file formats.
Good to know: Free-use terms vary by tool and plan. When a card lists no tool-specific limit, check quotas, watermarks and export terms on the official page.
EffectCraft is a native motion graphics and visual effects compositor: you build compositions from layers, animate them with keyframes, a graph editor and expressions, add effects, 3D cameras and lights, and send the result through a render queue to H.264, ProRes, image sequences, GIF or Lottie. The official page says it is free and open source, and its README says that it is released under MIT or Apache-2.0, that it cannot open After Effects project files and that macOS is the most tested platform. getartcraft.com lists EffectCraft as “In development” (checked 13 October 2026).
Why it fits
Motion Graphics & VFX
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
What should you compare?
Cutting and joining video clips and building interactive animations for a website are separate jobs; this page lists layer-based compositing apps. Try a short composition: add two keyframes to a title, ease the motion, apply an effect, then export the result and watch it at real playback speed.
Read on the official page which export formats are offered (video codecs, video with a transparent background, image sequences and lightweight animation files for the web), which operating systems are supported and what hardware it needs. Check separately whether project files open in other programs and whether plugins are supported. If the app is in alpha, beta or development, work on a copy for important projects and save often.
What is the difference between motion graphics and video editing? Video editing arranges and trims shots on a timeline; motion graphics and visual effects apps build a single shot layer by layer, animate elements and combine effects. Many projects use both: the shot is built here and added to the edit afterwards.
Can I also make animations for my website? Some apps also export lightweight animation files for the web; check in the official documentation which formats are supported and with what limits. For interactive 3D scenes and web animation, also see the 3D Design and Web Animation page.
Compare documented features
This comparison is based on published official documentation. It is not a hands-on test or a quality ranking. Unknown features are not treated as verified.