Best 15 Free After Effects Templates for Awesome Videos

Cristian, here.

I am running a video post-production agency called Veedyou Media.

So I am editing videos on a daily basis, or working with other editors and clients.

As a power After Effects and Premiere Pro user, I know how important is to have access to the absolute best plugins but also to templates, transitions, LUTs, presets, title templates and all kind of Premiere assets.

And if you can get your hand on a couple of good After Effects plugins or effects it will make your work as a video editor much easier and your videos will look way cooler.

No matter, if you are working on a short film, a corporate clip or you are just creating vacation videos for YouTube.

At the end of the day, if you can turn in your work in time and make the client extra happy you have done a great job.

I understand that creating professional-looking videos take time, which might be in short supply if you’re working under a strict deadline.

In no time you’ll be inundated by hundreds of options if you go looking for plugins on search engines.

I don’t want you to waste time looking.

So, as a professional video editor, here are my top 15 After Effects effects to create awesome videos.

1. Free Animated Titles, Text, Lower Thirds

Let’s not waste time on titles and lower thirds when there are other more important elements like content to focus on.

That said you need beautiful titles, texts, and lower thirds to attract the attention of the audience.

This free After Effects template contains 3 copies of animated titles and lower thirds that will fit any video project.

These neat and dynamic animations will add to the professional look and feel of the videos.

Best Features

• HD quality titles and lower thirds for videos of any resolution
• Free After Effects template that’s easy to apply
• A video tutorial is available with the package
• Works with After Effects CC2019
• No plugins required

2. Love Slideshow

There are many ways to make someone feel special. Here is a beautiful and elegantly designed After Effects template that’ll show how much you care.

This template can be used to send a personal message to your valentine, fiancée, partner, or better half.

It can be also used to advertise family unions, engagements, weddings, and other special events.

The Love Slideshow template contains 6 image slots and 6 text layers.

Best Features

• Beautiful rose petal template with 6 text layers and 6 image placeholders 
• Free After Effects template that’s easy to apply
• A video tutorial is available with the package
• Works with After Effects 2020
• No plugins required

3. 3D White Logo

Add life and depth to your video intro with the 3D White Logo.

The After Effects template contains one placeholder each for text and logo.

In the intro, the camera pans over to show the logo and text in a 3D setting.

The template is very articulately and creatively designed and is sure to impress the audience.

The 3D White Logo template can be used in video projects, slideshows, presentations, and more. 

Best Features

• Dynamic and creative 3D intro template 
• Free After Effects template that’s easy to apply
• Works with After Effects CS6+
• No plugins needed

4. Fashion Opener Countdown

The Fashion Opener Countdown grips you with its colorful shape layers, transitions, and text animations.

This dynamic After Effects template is powerful and alluring which is perfect as a video intro.

This short opener and countdown template can be used in videos that introduce seasonal outfits, celebrity ranges, fashion collections, and more.

This After Effects template will enhance the quality of the video.

Best Features

• A perfect mix of color layers, creative transitions, and neat text animations 
• Free HD quality After Effects template for fashion videos
• Works with After Effects CS6+
• No plugins required

5. Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery is a handy After Effects template to have while working on a video project with a lot of images.

This stylishly designed template will immensely improve the presentation of family photos, vacation images, modeling shoots, and more.

It’s also an excellent template to showcase products about fashion, sports, and more.

The AE template is simple yet elegant and professional.

It features 16 placeholders for text and 16 placeholders for images.

The template is high quality; available in both HD and 4K sizes.

Best Features

• Photo Gallery AE template with 16 placeholders
• Comes in a variety of sizes (HD and 4K)
• Works with After Effects CS6+
• No plugins required

6. Glitch Logo

The Glitch Logo template uses interesting distortion effects to highlight your logo.

This After Effects opener template has several applications including an intro in review, gaming, Si-Fi, and live streaming videos.

The AE template contains 1 logo and 1 text placeholder.

This modern and energetic logo template is a fine way to attract attention and impress the audience.

Best Features

• A logo template with a dynamic glitch effect
• Compatible with all resolutions including 4K
• Works with After Effects CC2020
• No plugins needed

7. Cinematic 80’s Style

Amid a barrage of modern-looking video introductions, the old-school Cinematic 80’s Style template is a refreshing and welcome change.

This gorgeous AE template with its stunning effects will enhance your videos.

This impressive template will fit well with a wide range of media projects including video games, presentations, and social media videos.

The Cinematic 80’s Style is one of the easiest templates to use; modify the text and colors and press render to apply.

Best Features

• Intro video with creative animation and stunning effects
• Free After Effects template with 80’s nostalgia theme
• Works with After Effects CS6+
• No plugins required

8. Free Animated Instagram Stories

With this After Effects template, creating engaging Instagram Stories has become a lot easier.

The template is fresh, fashionable, and powerful. It can be put to use to convey a message, sell products, or just to greet and entertain people.

The Free Animated Instagram Stories are easy to use. Influencers can create impressive stories in minutes.

The user only has to modify the text, replace the media, and let it play.

To make your task even simpler, a detailed tutorial is added to the package.

Best Features

• 5 dynamic Instagram Stories AE template
• Video tutorial included
• Works with After Effects CC2015
• No plugins needed

9. Bold Opener

Even if you’re editing a mobile recorded video, it doesn’t need to be less professional.

This Bold Opener template will enhance the look and feel of your creations with dynamic design, trendy transitions, and stylish text animations.

Not just personal videos, you can create professional-looking fashion, sports, and business videos with this After Effects template.

The video intro template features 10 media placeholders, 12 adjustable text placeholders, and 1 slot for the logo.

Best Features

• Well-designed AE intro template with cool transitioning effects and trendy text animations
• Works with any resolution including 4K
• Compatible with After Effects CC2015 and higher
• No plugins required

10. Letters Transitions

Stand out of the crowd, reject the conventional fade and slice transitions and make use of something unique in the form of letter transitions.

This After Effects template comes with dynamic transition effects of all alphabets.

These elegant transitions will add a professional look to videos about fashion, sports, portfolio, products, and more.

To apply the transitions just drag and drop them in your video – you won’t find an easier AE template than this.

Best Features

• Dynamic text transitions with easy use drag and drop method
• High-quality After Effects intro template
• Works with After Effects CC2017 and above
• No plugins required

11. 3 HD Free YouTube Subscribe Notifications

Nowadays, YouTube videos are increasingly important to promote a brand.

A YouTube video is incomplete without Subscribe notifications.

The subscribe notification you use must attract attention and induce the viewers to take action.

This After Effects template contains 3 HD notifications to use in intros of your product, personal, review videos, and more.

Applying these effects is so easy; just drag and drop them in your media.

Best Features

• Drag and drop YouTube subscribe notification template
• Available in FHD
• Works with After Effects CC2015 and above
• No plugins required

12. Vacation – Instagram Stories

Gone are the days of sharing vacation photos on social media.

Nowadays, it’s fashionable to use hybrid content; a mix of videos, text, and images.

This vacation AE template has everything to make your holiday/vacation videos stand out and attract attention.

There are 6 illustrations that’ll come in very handy in creating vacation videos for YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

No technical knowledge is required to use the template.

Best Features

• Easy to use vacation After Effects template
• Suited for vertical videos
• No plugins required

13. Valentine Neon Logo

Lights, colors, and beautiful animations are hallmarks of the Valentine Neon Logo template.

This is a simple logo template but is sure to make a deep impact in the hearts and minds of the audience.

This exciting template features one placeholder each for text and logo.

This After Effects template can be used in event, promotional, personal, TV, and commercial videos.

Best Features

• Simple and easy to use valentine neon logo AE template
• Works with After Effects CS6+
• No plugins needed

14. Simple Promo

Without After Effects templates, you’ll have to create video intros from scratch. This is a laborious task even for experienced video editors.

The Simple Promo AE template is a professionally-designed and elegant-looking intro for your presentations, social media videos, and more.

The promo template is sprinkled with the right amount of trendy transitions and stylish text animations to impress the audience.

The template contains slots for 1 logo, 3 images/videos, and 4 texts.

Best Features

• Easy to use and edit
• Comes with a full-color controller
• Works with all resolutions
• No plugins required
• Works with After Effects CC2018 and above

15. 3D Lower Thirds

Give the mundane text in your videos a dynamic makeover with this 3D lower thirds AE template.

Enhance your visual creations, be it event videos, slideshows, presentations, business videos, and more.

The 3D Lower Thirds pack comes with 8 unique creations.

The lower thirds are easy to apply and modify; each item contains its color controller.

Best Features

• 8 unique and dynamic 3D lower thirds
• Features an individual color controller
• Works with After Effects CS6+
• No plugins needed