Build your post-production library with the best free plugins, scripts, and presets for After Effects! and use them in your next project.

Boost your After Effects with these free plugins, scripts, and presets. This huge list of freebies enhances visuals and streamlines workflow. Download links and video tutorials included!

Why are Plugins and Filters necessary in After Effects?

Using Plugins and Filters in After Effects not only makes work easier but also more creative. Would you like to create every animation and effect yourself, or would you like to achieve stunning results in one click?

That’s why these tools save time, increase the quality of work, and bring a professional touch to projects. Take a look at some of our favorites.

1. Saber

Saber from Video Copilot tops the list of free After Effects plugins. This powerful tool creates light and energy beams with realistic glow effects.

Saber also applies energy beam effects to text or mask outlines and includes 50 presets. We’ve used it in tutorials like How to Create Retro Horror Movie Titles in After Effects.

2. Quick Chromatic Aberration

Quick Chromatic Aberration from Plugin Everything adds chromatic effects and color fringing with ease. 

It’s perfect for adding subtle, realistic imperfections to any shot, especially motion graphics.

3. Orb

Orb is a free 3D sphere plugin for creating realistic planets. It offers advanced illumination and reflections, letting you light planets with After Effects lights.

4. Displacer Pro

Displacer Pro is a powerful upgrade to After Effects’ default displacement effects. It offers scale, rotation, chromatic aberration, anti-aliasing

5. Dojo Glitch

Dojo Glitch from Creative Dojo gives full control over realistic glitches and artifacts. Adjust glitch intensity, RGB separation, flicker, lens distortion, and more.

6. AEJuice GIF

AEJuice GIF lets you export GIFs from After Effects with one click, making the process fast and effortless.

7. Color Vibrance

Color Vibrance is a free plugin for adding vivid color to black-and-white elements, perfect for colorizing stock effects like smoke bursts.

8. Thicc Stroke

Thicc Stroke is a variable-width stroke plugin for masks and shapes. It offers customizable settings and loopable color gradients along stroke paths.

9. Long Shadow

Long Shadow is a preset for creating flat, long shadows in After Effects. Adjust the angle, add gradient colors, and control shadow falloff.

10. FX Console

FX Console is a free plugin that speeds up After Effects workflow. It acts as a pop-up search bar for quick effects, presets, screenshots, and more.

11. LimberLite

LimberLite is the fastest way to start character rigging and animation in After Effects. It simplifies animation with a single click.

12. TextBorder

TextBorder lets you add a customizable border to text layers. Adjust expansion, thickness, roundness, and color with ease.

13. BOUNCr

BOUNCr from Ukramedia applies Dan Ebberts’ Overshoot and Bounce Back expressions in After Effects. This dockable panel lets you add bounce effects with ease.

14. Better Bokeh

Better Bokeh The gamma correction preset that enhances blurs in After Effects, perfect for the built-in Camera Lens Blur effect.

15. Duik Bassel

Duik Bassel the powerful 2D animation and rigging toolset. This includes controllers, bones, keyframe management, and automation, perfect for animation professionals.

16. Label Maker

Label Maker scans layer colors in After Effects and automatically matches their label color, making layers easier to identify.

17. gridRig

gridRig from Ordinary Folk lets you create stunning grid animations with just a few keyframes. Learn more in John Rodriguez’s article Take a Look at gridRig.

18. Dojo Shifter

Dojo Shifter quickly staggers and offsets layers in After Effects, with options for linear staggering or eased offsets.

19. Numbers+

Numbers+ the ultimate preset for counters, timers, and clocks. Fully rigged for animation, it’s perfect for infographics, currencies, and countdowns.

20. Squash & Stretch

Squash & Stretch from mamoworld adds handcrafted squash and stretch effects to animations, making them dynamic and fun in no time.

Conclusion

Plugins, Scripts, and Presets in After Effects make work faster and easier. They save time and make difficult effects possible in just a few clicks. If you want to bring a new style to your projects, be sure to try these tools!

For more Plugins, scripts and presets check these out:

• 10 Free Blender Add-ons Download – With Tutorials
• 12 Free After Effects Plugins – 100% Free With Tutorials
• Unmult Plugin Free – Remove Black Background From VFX