Next Level Open Source

EffectCraft

Media · 24 Oct 2026

EffectCraft is a free, open-source app for making motion graphics and visual effects, with layers, keyframes, effects, 3D cameras and a render queue. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux.

WebsiteInstall guide
EffectCraft's main screen: an animated title, EffectCraft, on the preview canvas, with the layer timeline below and the project, preview and properties panels around it.

Picture and logo: EffectCraft (getartcraft.com)

Is it right for you?

People who want to make animated titles, effects and 3D motion graphics on their own computer without paying for software, and are happy to use a young project that is still being built.

Replaces some features, but not everything.

Look elsewhere if you need:

  • You need a mature, finished tool: the project calls EffectCraft young and still in development.

What you can do with it

  • Animate with keyframes (points in time where a value changes), including a graph editor with value and speed curves.
  • Build scenes from layers of many kinds: shapes, text, footage, nested compositions, cameras and lights, with 38 blend modes.
  • Use 259 built-in effects, such as blur, colour correction, keying, particles and simulation.
  • Work in 3D with cameras, depth of field and lights that cast soft shadows.
  • Control properties with JavaScript expressions (small pieces of code), such as wiggle and loops.
  • Export to H.264 and ProRes with alpha, image sequences, GIF, and import or export Lottie animations for the web.

Running cost

Running
Where it runs

Nothing to pay for this place itself.

Usage
API usage and online services

No API or online services are recorded. That may mean none are needed, or that we have not checked.

Price estimation

$0.00/month

About $0.00 a month on average, in USD. Over 1 year (12 months) that is $0.

Upfront, paid once
$0
Fixed monthly costs
$0 / month
Usage-based (API) costs
none recorded

Software licence: The project says EffectCraft is free and open source.

What this assumes

Typical use. Your own computer: The software runs on a computer you already own.

    • You already own the computer, so its price is not counted.
    • Electricity is not counted: it depends on your computer and where you live.

    An estimate built from these assumptions, not a quote.

    Getting started

    Choose how much technical work suits you. Easy takes you to the project’s own ready-made option; the other levels show what you need first and a prompt you can give an AI coding agent.

    Ways to install it

    Running
    ArtCraft Launcher
    Where
    Your own computer
    API usage
    None needed

    Download the ArtCraft Launcher, a small app that installs EffectCraft for you, picks the right version for your computer and keeps it updated.