EffectCraft: free motion graphics and VFX, in pure Rust

EffectCraft is one of the seven free Crafting Apps in the ArtCraft suite — a locally-run, Rust-built answer to After Effects. It is part of why ArtCraft AI went viral in October 2026: professional creative tools with no subscription attached.

Key features

FeatureWhat it means for you
Full composition modelComps, timelines, text, shapes, video, nulls and adjustment layers.
259 built-in effectsBlur, color correction, distortion, keying, particles, simulation and more.
3D layersCameras and lights for real depth in motion graphics.
JavaScript expressionsAnimate programmatically, After-Effects-style.
Pro exportsH.264, ProRes, PNG, TIFF and 32-bit EXR sequences.

Honest limitations

Cannot open After Effects .aep project files — it is a fresh start, not a migration path.

EffectCraft vs After Effects: the short version

EffectCraftAfter Effects
PriceFreeSubscription (~US$20+/mo)
Runs whereYour machine, offlineCloud-linked desktop app
MaturityEarly alphaDecades of development
Best forEveryday work, hobbyists, Adobe-fatigueProduction-critical pipelines
Download EffectCraft free from the official ArtCraft site.
Get ArtCraft on the official site ↗

Frequently asked questions

Is EffectCraft free?

Yes. EffectCraft is completely free, runs locally on your computer, and requires no subscription or account.

Can EffectCraft replace After Effects?

EffectCraft covers the core After Effects workflow and is improving fast, but it is still early-stage software. Cannot open After Effects .aep project files — it is a fresh start, not a migration path.

Where do I download EffectCraft?

From the official ArtCraft website (getartcraft.com) or the project's GitHub releases. See our download guide for safe sources.