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Best Free Alternatives to Red Giant Universe
Stop paying $199/yr. Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: VFX PluginsVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
Video Copilot Saber
FREEBest for Light & Energy Effects
Why we like it
Industry-standard for energy beams, glows, and neon text; includes 50+ high-quality presets; extremely fast GPU rendering.
Keep in mind
Specifically for After Effects; limited to light-based effects.
Natron (OpenFX Ecosystem)
Best for Professional Compositing
Why we like it
Fully node-based; compatible with hundreds of OpenFX plugins; powerful rotoscoping and keying tools.
Keep in mind
Steeper learning curve than the layer-based Red Giant Universe; UI can be intimidating for beginners.
DaVinci Resolve (Free Version)
FREEBest for Color & Stylized Looks
Why we like it
Professional-grade color grading; built-in Fusion page for high-end VFX; includes many 'ResolveFX' that mimic Universe effects.
Keep in mind
Free version lacks some specific AI-driven 'Studio' effects (like Face Refinement or certain blurs).
Plugin Everything (Free Collection)
FREEBest for AE Workflow Speed
Why we like it
Includes 'Quick Chromatic Aberration' and 'Displacer Pro' which directly replace popular Universe tools; high performance.
Keep in mind
Individual plugins rather than a unified suite; requires manual installation of multiple tools.
AEJuice (Starter Pack)
FREEBest for Motion Graphics Elements
Why we like it
Excellent library of transitions, liquid elements, and flat animation presets; very easy 'drag-and-drop' interface.
Keep in mind
Requires the AEJuice Pack Manager; many premium assets are locked behind a paywall.
Crate's Glow / Heat Radiation
FREEBest for Realistic Glows
Why we like it
High-end scripts for After Effects; 'Crate's Glow' is often cited as superior to standard glow effects; physically accurate coloring.
Keep in mind
Requires a (free) account; limited number of daily downloads on the free tier.
Blender (Compositing Nodes)
Best for Integrated 3D/VFX
Why we like it
Includes Glare, Lens Distortion, and Pixelate nodes; real-time Eevee viewport for instant look-dev.
Keep in mind
Requires importing video into Blender; separate workflow from your main NLE (Premiere/Resolve).
FX Console by Video Copilot
FREEBest Workflow Utility
Why we like it
Speeds up effect application drastically; creates snapshots for quick 'look' comparisons; essential for power users.
Keep in mind
Utility tool only; does not provide its own visual effects.
ButtCapper (Battle Axe)
FREEBest for Minimalist Motion Design
Why we like it
Specialized script for changing stroke caps and joins instantly; simplifies tedious shape layer tasks.
Keep in mind
Single-purpose tool.
Community OpenFX Plugins (TuttleOFX)
Best for Batch Image Processing
Why we like it
Wide range of image processing tools including grading and transforms; works across many VFX hosts.
Keep in mind
Technical installation; documentation is geared toward developers.
CapCut Desktop (VFX Library)
FREEBest for Social Media Trends
Why we like it
Massive library of trending glitches, retro filters, and text animations; zero learning curve; hardware accelerated.
Keep in mind
Limited professional control; difficult to export high-end metadata for studio pipelines.
Pan and Zoom (FXFactory)
FREEBest for Photo-to-Video
Why we like it
Automates the 'Ken Burns' effect perfectly; creates organic camera movements without manual keyframing.
Keep in mind
Mac only (requires FXFactory engine).
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