Motion graphics and visual effects are becoming increasingly valuable in any video production. Adobe After Effects is one of the most widely-used tools for creating these. It is employed by professionals worldwide across various productions, including business, marketing, music videos, and documentaries. From beginners to professionals, many creators make use of top After Effects templates to speed up their production process.

However, mastering these expansive capabilities on your own may take years. Fortunately, you can produce better results in less time by learning from professionals. Below, I’ve chosen 10 of the best After Effects courses for those unsure where to start. Whether you're searching for the best Adobe After Effects course or a comprehensive After Effects VFX course, this list will guide you through some of the top options available.

If you’re more of an intermediate rather than a beginner, jump straight to the last three courses!

1. Adobe After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert

The After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert is one of the best After Effects courses for mastering motion graphics and visual effects. It's an ideal After Effects online course for beginners, offering comprehensive learning from novice to expert level.

The instructors updated and added new sections to the course quite recently -August 2021- which means the course includes recent techniques as well! However, keep in mind that this course is interactive, and you will need to put serious work into suggested exercises. For those looking for more guidance, our complete guide to After Effects can also be a helpful resource along your learning journey.

Photo by Jacob Miller on Unsplash

2. After Effects CC Masterclass: Complete After Effects Course 🔗

This is a highly recommended After Effects CC Masterclass: Complete After Effects Course, perfect for beginners looking for an After Effects certification course that balances theory with practical projects.

The most advantageous part of this course is, by the end of it, you will have finished dozens of real-world projects, helping you build confidence. After completing the course, you’ll be far beyond your beginner state.

3. Adobe After Effects CC – Motion Graphics Design & VFX 🔗

This Motion Graphics Design & VFX course focuses mainly on motion graphics and is completely beginner-friendly. But if you’re curious about what other tools could suit your needs, check out the best alternatives to Adobe After Effects. Also, this course is relatively short with approximately 5 hours of on-demand videos.

As a part of this course, you’ll get downloadable exercise files to work along with the trainer, which may extend the overall time it takes to finish depending on your pace.

4. After Effects – Motion Graphics & Data Visualization 🔗

If you're interested in creating animations for infographics, this could be the best After Effects course online for Motion Graphics and Data Visualization. You can start by bringing potentially boring data to life and move forward to exporting content for YouTube, PowerPoint, and social media, including animated GIFs.

You don’t need to worry, this one is for complete beginners as well, and you will be guided through your entire process, step by step.

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After enhancing your skills with the best After Effects courses, take your After Effects experience to heights, without the constraints of hardware limitations with Vagon’s high-performance cloud PCs. Vagon offers the power you need to create stunning motion graphics and VFX without any hardware limitations. With 48 cores, 4 x 24GB RTX-enabled Nvidia GPUs, and 192GB of RAM, you can drastically reduce your rendering times and streamline your workflow. Try Vagon today and experience unmatched speed and performance for all your After Effects projects.

For more on boosting your workflow, explore these tips for faster rendering in After Effects.

5. After Effects for Beginners | Free Mega Course

This Free Mega Course is a great After Effects online course for beginners, offering 4.5 hours of free YouTube tutorial content. It starts with the basics like the interface and keyframing before advancing to more complex topics like spatial interpolation. It's perfect if you're just starting out and looking for the best After Effects course for Beginners.

Just one small suggestion: rather than trying to finish it in one go, take your time and try to process all that new information slowly but permanently so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

6. After Effects CC: The Complete Motion Graphics Masterclass

The Complete Motion Graphics Masterclass is one of the best After Effects online courses focused entirely on motion graphics. If you're looking for the best course for After Effects that dives right into animation without covering the entire software, this is a great fit for you.

Since learning motion graphics in Adobe After Effects differs from mastering the full software, you'll immediately dive in and start creating animations. However, don’t feel overwhelmed, the course is designed for beginners!

7. Master After Effects

This course to Master After Effects is relatively long with around 16 hours of video content. However, once you finish it, you’ll know all the essentials of the software—even if you're a complete beginner right now. Also, you can earn a certificate of completion, making it a great option if you’re seeking an After Effects certification course.

8. After Effects Weekly

The After Effects Weekly is an ongoing course that offers a weekly series of tips, tricks, and techniques to keep you on track. As new features are added to After Effects each quarter, it’s becoming increasingly hard to keep up with everything, so even if you are a complete beginner or a master, this is a must-follow.

9. After Effects CC

The After Effects CC course offers a structured path for all levels—beginner, intermediate, and advanced. If you're searching for the best Adobe After Effects course that grows with you, or a comprehensive After Effects certification course, this is a solid option.

10. Improve your After Effects Skills

Unlike the other nine courses, Improve your After Effects Skills is aimed at intermediates and requires some prior knowledge. It’s considered one of the best After Effects courses to advance your skills beyond the basics and take on more complex projects. Also, you can enjoy your completion certificate once you finish the course!

So, if you're not a complete beginner, go check it out. And if you are a beginner, save this course for later—once you finish any course from the suggestions above, you’ll be ready for this one.

I know you may feel overwhelmed and lost in all those features in After Effects, especially if you are a beginner. I know it because I felt it, but I really hope this article helps you a little! For more inspiration, take a look at some of the best After Effects tutorials to continue improving your skills.

If you like the list of courses we gathered, you can check out more content about After Effects here.

You can also check out our GPU Guide for tips to use GPU, along with speed up and acceleration tips for Adobe After Effects.

FAQs:

1. What is the best Adobe After Effects course for beginners?

   • If you're just starting out, the Adobe After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert is a great option for beginners, offering a comprehensive guide from basics to advanced topics.

2. Can I learn After Effects online for free?

   • Yes, the After Effects for Beginners | Free Mega Course on YouTube offers 4.5 hours of free content covering everything from basic tools to advanced techniques.

3. Which is the best After Effects online course for motion graphics?

   • The After Effects CC: The Complete Motion Graphics Masterclass is a top choice if you're focused solely on learning motion graphics using After Effects.

4. What’s the difference between After Effects and motion graphics courses?

   • While most courses cover a broad range of After Effects features, some like After Effects CC: The Complete Motion Graphics Masterclass focus specifically on animation and motion graphics creation.

5. Are there After Effects certification courses available?

   • Yes, some courses like Master After Effects on LinkedIn Learning and After Effects CC on Pluralsight offer certificates of completion that can help boost your portfolio.