Most free motion graphics and video editors are too basic to be useful. The only truly powerful option I’ve found so far is DaVinci Resolve’s Fusion tab, but even that doesn’t live up to the standard that After Effects has set for me. Since I don’t plan on going back to Adobe after cutting ties, the search for alternatives has been never-ending. Until I heard about Pikimov.

Pikimov is a free, browser-based motion graphics video editor developed by Clément Cordier, and it is designed to function like After Effects. It felt a little too good to be true, but I gave it a spin and it completely surprised me. Here are my first impressions.

Browser-based and local processing

Zero setup and more privacy

The biggest difference between Pikimov and After Effects is that Pikimov is free, browser-based, and processes everything locally without sending your files to the cloud. I love a good browser-based app — it’s the epitome of accessible editing in my opinion. No installer, license activation, or updates required. This makes Pikimov the perfect hybrid. You get the convenience of a web app with the speed and privacy of a desktop tool.

It has layer-based compositions

AE-style

Once I created a composition, I was shocked at how similar the layout was to After Effects. You’ve got your files and comps on the left, the layer timeline at the bottom, and all the properties, controls, and effects in the right panel. In the top tool panel, you’ll find a couple more features like motion tracking and background removal, as well as helpful nuggets like tutorials and keyboard shortcuts.

Within this discovery process, I could definitely see how Pikimov was developed specifically as an AE alternative. I can add and edit keyframes, do motion tracking, add and tweak as many effects as I want, and even create compositions within compositions. There’s also a History panel that lets you revert to a previous state of the project without losing the recent changes. One thing I’m missing is the ability to change the property values by dragging the number — you have to enter it manually.

The keyframing is good

But lacks one core feature

Since ditching Adobe, one of my biggest pain points was finding a free editor that handles keyframes similarly to AE, but I’ve finally found it in Pikimov — sort of. It has a semi-advanced keyframing system. By this, I mean you can add keyframes to any layer or effect and use the transform controls to change the state of the frame or element. For example, here, I added a Position keyframe for the fish graphic at the start of the timeline, and another at the end with a different position — this makes the fish move from left to right. So far, so good.

But Pikimov is still actively being developed and improved, which means some core motion graphics functions don’t exist yet. One of them is a graph editor for keyframing. Graph editors are crucial for customizing the interpolation (or “easing”) between keyframes. They let you determine exactly how a graphic changes from state A to state B. Pikimov doesn’t have a custom graph editor, and instead, only offers five predetermined easing styles, such as Linear, Cubic In, and Cubic Out. This means that the movement style of your graphics will be limited.

Not all hope is lost, however, since there are reports of a graph editor being on the way. Keep in mind that Pikimov is still in its infancy; it only left beta in May 2024. Once we get a graph editor, you can bet I’ll be writing about it.

It allows grouping

For consistent global effects

The grouping feature lets you manipulate and animate multiple layers or elements as a single unit. Groups have a parent-child relationship with layers. So, if you have two layers, you can apply different effects to them individually, then group them to create a global effect that applies to both of them at the same time. I’d love to say that this is a standard function of motion graphics, but given how many free tools lack it, I’m taking Pikimov’s grouping as a win.

The effects are plentiful

All your bases are covered

In the right panel, the Add Effect button opens a collection of 35 effects. Effects like Bend and Wave Warp alter the actual shape of a graphic, while Levels and Color Balance target the colors. Shake (my favorite effect) affects the movement of a graphic. There’s also Chroma Keying and Color Overlay, which is what you’ll reach for with green-screening. The effects library pretty much covers every type of graphic property that is changeable, so I’m more than happy with the selection.

Blending and masking are seamless

I appreciate how barebones it is

Blend Modes is something I expected to find in Pikimov since it’s a standard function. It has a small yet sturdy collection of blending options such as Overlay, Multiply, and Screen. I have some good options for blending my graphics in a multi-layer project.

The masking feature is probably one of my favorite things about Pikimov. Typically, masking is the most tedious thing for me to do in any graphics project. After all these years, I still get confused by Add, Subtract, Difference, Intersect, etc., and end up shuffling through them all until it creates the mask I had in mind. So I actually appreciate the watered-down masking system in Pikimov.

All you have to do is tick the “set as mask” option and choose one of two mask types; Alpha keeps the masked layer at full opacity, while Luminance reveals some of the original shape’s details. Then, instead of a long list of masking options, you can simply Invert it — this flips the masked layer and the original shape around. That’s it.

The motion tracking is decent

I’d like a motion blur feature, though

Of course, a motion graphics editor isn’t complete without motion tracking. Motion tracking’s accuracy depends on a program's automation and algorithm capabilities. And Pikimov’s are quite impressive while still easy to use. All you have to do is select a tracking point, let the program do its thing, and then you can add graphics to that tracking point and customize them.

For example, here, I wanted to place text next to the train’s pole and keep it in that position as the frame moves. Pikimov does a good job with it. The only thing I’m missing is some kind of motion blur or optical flow feature to make the movement smoother, but I presume that’s still to come.

There's also 3D editing

Manipulate graphics in a 3D space

This is a tool I was pleasantly surprised to find in Pikimov. You can utilize all the above features and functions in a 3D space with three axes. Creating floating 3D boxes out of 2D elements is one of my favorite things to do in motion graphics, so this is a very cool feature to have in Pikimov.

What’s more, you can import 3D models in the .gld format and edit them. It seems that the models themselves aren’t editable like you can edit in Blender, which is fine because I’m not a 3D modeler. But you can make them move around and apply effects to them in the 3D space.

Did I finally find the perfect After Effects replacement?

Pikimov doesn’t replace every advanced workflow of After Effects, but it’s earned a permanent place in my toolkit. It’s also still under development, so I’m excited about what’s coming for this project. While Fusion is a powerful motion graphics tool, it’s just not the same as AE. Pikimov is turning out to be the alternative I’ve been looking for.