by Plugin Everything·Motion Graphics
Images © Plugin Everything. Used for product review; image policy.
Discotext earns its place in the aescripts library for bringing trim-paths behaviour to live text layers with controls that mirror the ones After Effects users already know. Its compatibility range, from CS6 up to the 2026 release, keeps it usable across older and current setups.
Discotext is a trim paths plugin for live text layers in After Effects, from developer Plugin Everything. It brings trim, offset, stagger and clone behaviour to text using controls that feel familiar to After Effects users. Start, End and offset controls set the core motion, while butt, square and round cap styles plus full dash, gap and offset options shape how the paths read.
Stagger works per path with order-modifier controls, and clone-and-offset copies come with their own transform controls. The plugin is compatible with most text animator properties and works at 8, 16 and 32bpc. Full motion-blur controls cover samples, angle and phase. Note that 3D text must be precomposed before being offset in Z.
Version 1.2.6, released December 6, 2024, fixed an issue on macOS 15 and newer, addressed a buffer issue and improved online activation. Discotext runs across After Effects versions from 2026 back to CS6, includes a universal binary for Apple Silicon, and added multi-frame rendering support in AE 2022.
Discotext is best for after Effects artists who want to trim, offset, stagger and clone live text layers using familiar path controls.
Discotext is completely free to download and use.
Discotext supports a wide range of After Effects versions, from the latest 2026 release back through 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and the CC line down to CS6. That coverage spans a broad set of releases, so most artists working in current or older versions can run it. Version 1.2.6, released December 6, 2024, also fixed an issue on macOS 15 and newer, so recent Mac systems are addressed. Check the developer's page to confirm details for your exact setup.
Discotext requires 3D text to be precomposed before it is offset in Z. So if you plan to push cloned or offset copies along the depth axis with 3D layers, precompose that text first and then apply the offset. For flat text, no precomposition step is called out. This is worth knowing up front when planning a 3D setup, since the requirement affects how you order your composition before applying the offset controls.
Discotext is compatible with 8, 16 and 32bpc, so it can be used across standard and higher bit-depth projects. It also includes full motion-blur controls covering samples, angle and phase, and it works with most text animator properties. Version 1.2.1 added support for multi-frame rendering in After Effects 2022, and version 1.2.2 introduced a universal binary for Apple Silicon (M1 and later). Together these points cover how it fits into different project and hardware setups.
Discotext is listed as free in this catalog. Licensing terms can change over time, so for the current arrangement, activation requirements and any account steps, check the developer's page directly. Version 1.2.6 improved support for online activation and added better error messaging for online activation issues, which points to an activation step being part of the setup process. That's the most accurate guidance available without any pricing specifics stated here.
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