by Kyle Martinez·Workflow
Images © Kyle Martinez. Used for product review; image policy.
Cyclops earns its place in the toolfarm library for turning After Effects null layers, motion paths, and bounding boxes into shareable behind-the-scenes renders, with wireframe and chroma-key render types built in.
Cyclops creates behind-the-scenes renders of your After Effects animations, showing null layers, motion paths, and layer bounding boxes. These renders can be shared on social media or used in project case studies.
You can render just the composition or the entire After Effects application window, and choose from render types including standard, wireframe, greenscreen, and bluescreen. The green screen and blue screen types, added in Version 3 with a contribution from Matt Jameson at The Furrow, simulate alpha in your renders. Customizable render settings support different workflows, and recent versions include speed updates.
Cyclops is available for both macOS and Windows and is compatible with After Effects CC 2019 and later, up to the 2025 release. Updates, installation, and licensing run through the aescripts + aeplugins manager. The 3.0.5 release added Apple Silicon (ARM) support and improved composition detection across multiple monitors. A demo video is available.
Cyclops is best for after Effects artists creating behind-the-scenes renders of their animations to show null layers, motion paths, and layer bounding boxes for social media or project case studies.
Cyclops is completely free to download and use.
Cyclops is compatible with After Effects CC 2019 and later, covering the 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 releases, and it supports the latest versions available on Creative Cloud. The 3.0.5 update, released in December 2024, added support for Apple Silicon (ARM) and improved composition detection across multiple monitors. If you are running a version older than CC 2019, check the developer's page for details before installing to confirm it fits your setup.
Cyclops is available for both macOS and Windows, so you can produce behind-the-scenes renders on either platform. The 3.0.5 release added support for Apple Silicon (ARM) Macs and improved composition detection on all monitors, which matters for multi-display setups. For platform-specific setup notes, the official Cyclops help documentation is available on the developer's page, and installation is handled through the aescripts + aeplugins manager on both operating systems.
Cyclops offers a trial version that is limited to one-second renders, which lets you test the plugin before buying a full license. The developer recommends trying Cyclops prior to purchasing to confirm it works for your projects. Full licensing, along with updates and installation, is handled through the aescripts + aeplugins manager. For current licensing details and to see exactly how the trial and full versions differ, check the developer's page.
Cyclops handles all updates, installations, and licensing through the aescripts + aeplugins manager. Using the manager keeps the plugin current with the latest releases, such as the 3.0.5 update from December 2024 that added Apple Silicon (ARM) support and improved composition detection on all monitors. Staying current through the manager also means you receive the ongoing speed improvements the developer includes in newer versions. For step-by-step guidance, the official Cyclops help documentation is available on the developer's page.
Cyclops is listed as free in this catalog. A trial version is also available that limits renders to one second, so you can evaluate the standard, wireframe, greenscreen, and bluescreen render types before committing to a full license. The developer recommends testing it beforehand. Updates, installation, and licensing all run through the aescripts + aeplugins manager. For current licensing terms and the most accurate pricing information, check the developer's page.
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