Adobe After Effects templates are pre-built project files designers can use to enhance their video projects. These files are customizable so video producers have freedom and flexibility to fit different project needs. You’ll find dozens of libraries with low-cost and free After Effects templates on the internet. Here are some of our favorites plus a few things to consider when choosing templates.
How Do Low-Cost and Free After Effects Templates Work
If you have some experience with Adobe After Effects, using templates is easy. You just find one you like, download it, and load it into the After Effects software. Templates can include a variety of elements:
- Background footage
- Titles
- Lower thirds
- Logos
- Graphics
- General themes
You can use these parts together or break them up and apply them to a range of different projects. Low-cost and free After Effects templates can make video creation cheaper and easier, but you will still need some technical expertise with After Effects to get the most from these assets.
Pro Tip: Always review the terms of your license when downloading low-cost or free After Effects templates. Different creators and platforms may grant different permissions depending on whether you’re using the template for personal, professional, or commercial purposes.
Where to Find Free After Effects Templates
ProductionCrate
Free Account + Paid Options
ProductionCrate hosts a database called FootageCrate where you can download VFX and Motion Graphics as well as a wide array of free After Effects templates. If you want even more options, you can opt for a paid subscription starting at $15 per month.
For some help honing your production skills, check out their post-production tutorials. You’ll find more than 100 After Effects tutorials that can help you learn the ins and outs of the software.
Motion Array
Free Assets + Paid Options
Motion Array is one-stop shopping for all of your video production needs. It offers an extensive collection of free After Effects Templates as well as presets, audio and video assets, motion graphics and even still images. For an even wider selection, you can sign up for a paid subscription starting at $19.99 per month. Subscribers also get access to more than 40 video plugins.
If you need help using all of these assets, the Learn page shares articles and tutorials on Adobe After Effects and other video production software tools.
VideoLancer
Free + Paid Assets
VideoLancer offers a handful of free After Effects templates, but you’ll also find a nice array of transitions, scripts, and expressions. With a robust mix of content (and plenty of free downloads) it’s a site worth mentioning. Be sure to check out VideoLancer’s collection of Tutorials too. They can help you sharpen your After Effects skills.
Sites Offering Low-Cost After Effects Templates
VideoHive
Starting at $7 per Asset
With more than 90,000 After Effects templates, VideoHive has plenty of options. It’s one of the largest collections on the internet and offers templates at a range of price points. You can search by category and narrow the search by style, price, resolution and more.
For design and production advice, check out their sister site evanto tuts+. There you’ll find hundreds of tutorials for beginner and intermediate After Effects users.
Storyblocks
Starting at $30/month
Storyblocks carries a full suite of royalty-free video stock templates, with general footage, motion backgrounds, and After Effects templates. The site offers a $15 per month starter package that does not include access to after-effects templates. To get templates you’ll need at least the $30/month Unlimited All Access plan.
One cool detail about Storyblocks is the way they suggest similar templates and recommended music for the templates you choose. These suggestions can help spark design ideas.
Pond5
Starting at $5 per asset
Pond5 is a great resource for any of your stock footage needs. What we like most about their After Effects offerings is their carefully curated collections. You can choose from options like infographic elements and social media templates, logos, and lower thirds. There’s even a selection of After Effects animation templates.
It’s free to sign up for a Pond5 account, and prices vary depending on the template. If you plan to download a lot of content, you might consider a $199 per month subscription. That might sound like a lot, but it includes 10 downloads of video assets, music, sound effects, 3D models and templates each month. That works out to about $19.90 per item.
If you are interested in animated video production, be sure to check out our portfolio. At IdeaRocket, we create videos in 3d animation, 2d animation, whiteboard, live action, and mixed media.
