How Grapple and After Effects differ for titles, motion and compositing.
Adobe describes After Effects as motion design and visual effects software, used for motion graphics, title sequences, compositing and 3D animation. Grapple builds motion from layers and keyframes too, and adds an editing timeline and Ape, an agent that builds with those tools.
Side by side
| Task | In Grapple | In After Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Layered motion graphics | Layers with keyframes, a Graph editor with Value, Speed and Dope Sheet views, shapes with path trim and repeaters, text animated by word or glyph, 17 blend modes and track mattes. | Motion graphics, logo and character animation, title sequences and credit rolls, according to Adobe. |
| Editing the cut | An editing timeline with ripple, roll, slip and slide, speed ramps and frame holds. | Works alongside Premiere through Adobe Dynamic Link. |
| Isolating a subject | Roto with subject, vector and paint masks, tracking and per-frame repair, using models included with Grapple that run on your computer. | AI Object Matte isolates a moving subject, with refinement brushes for edges. |
| 3D | 3D layers, extruded text and shapes, materials, lights, and cameras with depth of field. | A 3D workspace and the Advanced 3D Renderer, according to Adobe. |
| Rules and custom effects | Property scripts, plus custom effects written in GLSL or Python, with parameters exposed as controls. | Expressions to automate repetitive work and connect animation to external data. |
| Reuse | Effect presets saved in a project, and Ape skills for particular kinds of piece. | Motion Graphics templates you can design and share. |
| Generated media | Create runs image, video and audio models from the providers you choose, billed by that provider. | Firefly generative credits are included in Creative Cloud Pro plans. |
| Purchase | No Grapple account needed. | A subscription, as an individual app or as part of Creative Cloud. |
What Grapple adds
Grapple suits pieces where editing and motion graphics are the same job: an interview cut with lower thirds, a promo whose titles move with the edit, an explainer built from layered illustrations.
The larger difference is Ape. Hand it the construction, such as a set of lower thirds, a camera move through layered artwork or a custom treatment, and review the result as layers and keys you can change. History records the run as one entry, and Undo run reverses it. Grapple's corrections also carry through: a corrected transcript line updates the linked caption.
Bringing work across
Bring renders from After Effects in as media: Grapple imports common video and image formats, including OpenEXR, and exports H.264 or HEVC in MP4, in SDR or HDR. Try it on a short title sequence you know well, and judge it by how easily you can make the next round of changes.
Explore the editorTry it on footage you already know.
Pick a short clip and one job, such as a lower third or a trimmed opening. The getting-started guide takes you from import to an exported file.