Free After Effects plugins
Start here if you don't want to pay for anything yet.
- Saber is free. Video Copilot's page says it is “available right now for free.”
- LottieFiles for After Effects is free to install; its page adds that some limitations may apply.
- CaptionX has a free plan, with paid plans for unlimited use.
- Free trials: Sapphire, Continuum and Twixtor each offer one, and Red Giant (Particular and Universe) has a 14-day trial through the Maxon App.
After Effects plugins, scripts and extensions: the three kinds
“Plugin” covers three different things in After Effects, and they live in different places.
- Effect plugins add effects you apply to a layer from the Effect menu. Saber, Particular, Optical Flares, Sapphire and Twixtor are effect plugins.
- Scripts run from File › Scripts and automate steps you would otherwise do by hand.
- Extensions are panels that open from Window › Extensions and dock like any other panel. CaptionX is an extension.
After Effects plugins for captions and subtitles
After Effects can't transcribe speech or import an SRT file, so captions there mean typing text layers or using a plugin. (We go through every method in how to add subtitles in After Effects.)
CaptionX for After Effects
ExtensionOurs. After Effects has no speech to text of its own, so CaptionX transcribes your composition in 100+ languages and adds animated captions as layers you can still edit, or plain subtitles as a text layer. The same panel has caption translation, a Silence Remover and Eye Contact Correction.
- Price:
- Free plan; Pro subscription for unlimited use
- Needs:
- After Effects 2026 (2025 may still work). Windows and Mac
Weighing it against Captioneer? Read Captioneer vs CaptionX.
Free to try. Supports After Effects 2026. After Effects 2025 may still work. The Mac download runs on Intel and Apple silicon.
Particle and 3D plugins: Trapcode Particular and Element 3D
Trapcode Particular
Effect pluginMaxon's Red Giant particle tool. Its page says: “Build particle systems, organic forms, and 3D effects directly in After Effects.” Particular and its sibling Form “give you physics, flocking, and fluid behaviors.”
- Price:
- Part of a Red Giant subscription; 14-day free trial through the Maxon App
Element 3D
Effect pluginVideo Copilot describes Element 3D as a “3D Object based Particle Plug-in”: it brings 3D objects into After Effects compositions.
- Price:
- Paid; see Video Copilot's store
Light and glow plugins: Saber and Optical Flares
Saber
Effect pluginVideo Copilot's free energy plug-in. Its page lists what it is for: “Create Energy Beams, Lightsabers, Lasers, Portals, Neon Lights, Electric, Haze & more.”
- Price:
- Free
Optical Flares
Effect pluginAlso from Video Copilot: “a plug-in for designing and animating realistic lens flares in After Effects.”
- Price:
- $124.95
Effects suites: Sapphire, Continuum (BCC) and Universe
These bundle many effects and transitions under one licence, and work in other editors too.
Boris FX Sapphire
Effects suiteBoris FX calls Sapphire “a professional visual effects and compositing plugin suite.”
- Price:
- $80 a month, $545 a year, or $1,865 to own; free trial
- Needs:
- After Effects is among its supported hosts
Boris FX Continuum
Effects suiteKnown as BCC. Boris FX says it “gives you access to stunning visual effects and workflow solutions that fit any content creation need.”
- Price:
- Free trial; see Boris FX for pricing
- Needs:
- After Effects is among its supported hosts
Red Giant Universe
Effects suiteMaxon describes Universe as “a vast library of video post-production plugins included in your Red Giant subscription,” with transitions, effects, stylization and finishing tools.
- Price:
- Part of a Red Giant subscription; 14-day free trial through the Maxon App
Twixtor: slow motion in After Effects
Twixtor
Effect pluginRE:Vision Effects' retiming plugin: “Intelligently slow down or speed up your image sequences with visually stunning results.”
- Price:
- Free trial; see RE:Vision Effects for pricing
Workflow plugins: Overlord and LottieFiles
Overlord
WorkflowFrom Battle Axe: “Transfer Figma, Photoshop and Illustrator layers to After Effects with a click.”
- Price:
- $75 per user
LottieFiles for After Effects
WorkflowExport for the web and apps: it “converts your Adobe After Effects animation into a Lottie format file for use on the web and mobile.”
- Price:
- Free to install; some limitations may apply
Questions
Are there free After Effects plugins?
Yes. Saber from Video Copilot is free, and the LottieFiles plugin is free to install. CaptionX has a free plan. Several paid plugins have free trials: Sapphire, Continuum and Twixtor, and Red Giant through the Maxon App.
What kinds of After Effects plugins are there?
Three main kinds. Effect plugins add effects to the Effect menu, such as Saber, Particular and Optical Flares. Scripts run from File › Scripts and automate steps. Extensions are panels that open from Window › Extensions, such as CaptionX.
What is the best After Effects plugin for captions and subtitles?
After Effects has no captions feature of its own, so it takes a plugin. CaptionX adds animated or plain captions from the speech in your composition and is free to start.
Is Saber for After Effects free?
Yes. Video Copilot's page for Saber says it is available for free.
How do I install After Effects plugins?
It depends on the plugin, so follow its maker's instructions. CaptionX comes with an installer: close After Effects, run it, then open After Effects and go to Window › Extensions › CaptionX.
How we checked: each description and price comes from that plugin's own page, as it read on October 13, 2026. Prices are US-dollar list prices and can change, so check the maker's site before you buy. Except for CaptionX, these products belong to their makers, and CaptionX isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.