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Rotato alternatives: After Effects, Cinema 4D, and more

We asked our users what apps and mockup generators they used before. Turns out, there are many great alternatives for making 3D mockups and animations out there.

If you've tried searching for an easy way to create design mockups, you've most likely realized that there are a lot of different services out there to do so.

And not just different services, but also different kinds of services. 3D and 2D. Still and animation. You can create mockups from Photoshop files (PSDs), Figma, and Sketch templates. Adobe XD has a 3D transform feature you could use for showcasing and UI, and the list goes on and on.

We've made a list of some of the most prominent ways to create mockups to showcase your work. Let's take a look.

Different 3D alternatives

Using 3D mockups is only just emerging—but it sure helps you to stand out. Unless you plan to spend a few weeks getting up to speed on some of the traditional 3D packages (and then even longer on actual modeling)—check out the services below to help you with your 3D needs.

After Effects

Industry-standard tool. Though not strictly for 3D mockups, you can use After Effects for motion graphics, visual effects, and animation.

  • Price: $31.49/month or $20.99/month if you choose the annual plan (which allows you to pay monthly but requires you to commit to an entire year).
  • 3D mockup features: Comes with a library of preset animations and effects. Integration with other popular design tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Cinema 4D.
  • Pros: A lot of features. 3D layers help you to position and animate objects accurately. Animations are customizable, in case you want to brand your mockup work. Available for macOS and Windows
  • Cons: Steep learning curve—as 3D mockup creation isn't so straightforward.

Rotato

Our own 3D mockup generator—for your convenience. Animations and still rendering, on-device.

  • Price: Free to use, Pro plan starts at $69—for lifetime access.
  • 3D mockup features: 30+ templates available across different popular devices, from iPhone mockup templates to tablets, laptops, and desktop monitors.
  • Pros: Simple drag-and-drop interface to create an animated mockup for your design work—within seconds. Further editing options are available (transitions, angles, etc.) to create the perfect, high-quality mockups.
  • Cons: Only available for MacOS, though a browser-based version is available here for Windows users.

Screenspace

Browser-based tool to create design mockups. Ideal for marketing assets, app store assets, and social media.

  • Price: $100/month/seat. Free "Starter" plan available.
  • 3D mockup features: A variety of different mockup devices are available: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Preset animations are available.
  • Pros: Fast, can get you 4K renders in under an hour. Browser-based, so no installation is required.
  • Cons: Not cheap, the cheapest monthly plan starts at $100. Requires a stable Internet connection to use.

Videohive

Online marketplace to purchase stock videos, motion graphics, and video templates. All are ready-to-use, royalty-free, and most even include music.

  • Price: ~$40/template.
  • 3D mockup features: Different templates to pick from, though a design tool is needed for further customization.
  • Pros: Large library of over 4 million assets for you to peruse. Pay only for what you need. No subscription is needed.
  • Cons: Marketplace, rather than a design tool. You will still need to use After Effects or Cinema 4D to edit and render your mockups.

Morflax Things

Polished and simple 3D device mockup builder. Browser-based.

  • Price: $15/month. Free plan available.
  • 3D mockup features: 12+ 3D devices available to pick from. High-quality PNG and JPG export. Additional scene elements are available on the paid plan.
  • Pros: Pretty easy to use. Touts a drag-and-drop interface, real-time 3D renderings, and no installation is needed.
  • Cons: No animation available.

Adobe Dimension

Tool to create photorealistic 3D mockups of a wide range of products.

  • Price: US$54.99/mo as part of Adobe's Creative Suite.
  • 3D mockup features: Drag-and-drop interface, pre-built assets are available, gives good control over lighting, angles, textures, and materials.
  • Pros: Real-time rendering, integration with other Adobe tools, plus Adobe Stock—providing access to a large library of 3D assets. Popular for creating product packaging mockups.
  • Cons: Limited advanced modeling, no animation tools, steep learning curve, and price point.

Cinema 4D

One of the most straightforward 3D packages out there.

  • Price: $99/month or $719/year. $1,500 to $3,500 for the perpetual licenses.
  • 3D mockup features: Comprehensive for beginners or advanced users. Advanced modeling tools that support polygonal, spline, and procedural techniques.
  • Pros: A lot of features, motion graphics integrations, and real-time renderings. Widely used at the workplace. Available for both macOS and Windows.
  • Cons: High cost, and can have a steep learning curve for the more advanced features.

What's Rotato? And why Rotato?

If you've reviewed the list of different services above, you can see that the recurring pain points for many of them are usually the high price points and steep learning curves.

Our Rotato app was created with the goal of enabling designers to create high-quality mockups at a fraction of the time, and price.

Download our app and see how you can create a simple, animated 3D mockup of your work with a few clicks. We've helped thousands of designers with their projects, from showcasing product development work to internal and external stakeholders to updating their design portfolios and landing them new gigs. Everyone loves a stunning 3D mockup that leaves a lasting impression.

Rotato App Windows alternative

If you're looking to switch from Rotato because you're not a macOS user—good news: We've launched a web-based version of the Rotato App for our Windows users: https://rotato.app/about/windows

Give it a spin: peruse our template collection of different device templates, pick your desired animation, and create your 3D mockup. In case you have questions or feedback, send them our way via web-beta@rotato.app.

Thank you for using Rotato!

2D alternatives

If you're looking to create realistic and static 2D mockups instead, check out the services below.

  • Mockuphone. A wide range of templates for different devices. Free.
  • Angle. Hundreds of static angles and various devices. $79.
  • Mockuups studio. "Mockups that wow." $9/month. Different devices are available.
  • PlaceIt. Tons of templates, including videos. $29/month.
  • Envato Elements. Thousands of mockups, including video templates. $16.50.