Plumebus

Name: Plumebus
Availability: OnlineOnly
Author: Eric @ VFX Tools

Images © Eric @ VFX Tools. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Plumebus stands out in the aescripts library for running a full GPU smoke and fire simulation live inside the After Effects timeline, with a real-time editor and two-way sync back to the comp.

What is Plumebus?

Plumebus brings live 3D smoke and fire simulation into the After Effects timeline. It combines a full GPU smoke simulation engine, a raymarch render engine and a Real-Time Editor, so you get instant feedback with no pre-render, can scrub freely and tweak parameters live in a full-speed viewport.

Simulations can be driven by emitters built from spheres, boxes, meshes, text and layers, with support for multiple emitters at once. Plumebus reacts to forces and 3D colliders and integrates AE lights and the AE camera. It ships with 40+ presets and handles fire, combustion and explosions, particle emission and VDB playback, alongside a path-traced renderer with tonemap.

A live two-way sync lets you iterate and send results back without a comp re-render. The preset range spans scenarios like gun smoke, cigarette and ambient smoke, explosions, bug splats, fog and mist, tire burns, smoke transitions, emitting from text, 3D object trails, logo reveals and looping beds.

Who is Plumebus best for?

Plumebus is best for after Effects artists creating smoke and fire effects directly in the timeline, from gun smoke and explosions to fog, smoke transitions, 3D object trails and looping beds.

How much does Plumebus cost?

Plumebus is completely free to download and use.

Key features

Full GPU smoke simulation engine paired with a raymarch render engine
Real-Time Editor with full-speed viewport and instant feedback, no pre-render
Emitters from spheres, boxes, meshes, text and layers, with multiple emitters
Forces, 3D colliders, AE lights and AE camera support
40+ presets covering gun smoke, explosions, fog, smoke transitions and logo reveals
Fire, combustion and explosions, particle emission and VDB playback
Path-traced renderer with tonemap and live two-way sync back to the comp

Frequently asked questions

Which After Effects versions does Plumebus support?

Plumebus lists compatibility with After Effects 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022, so recent and several older releases are covered. It also supports Media Encoder 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022. The current version is 1.0.0, last updated on July 8, 2026, and it runs directly in the After Effects timeline. For the most accurate compatibility details before installing, check the developer's page.

Does Plumebus require pre-rendering to preview smoke and fire?

Plumebus runs a live simulation that needs no pre-render, giving instant feedback as you work. You can scrub freely along the timeline and tweak settings live, backed by a Real-Time Editor and a full-speed viewport. Its live two-way sync lets you iterate and send results back without a comp re-render, so smoke and fire adjustments stay interactive rather than waiting on separate render passes.

Is Plumebus free to download?

Plumebus is listed as free in this catalog, so there's no price to report here. Licensing terms can change over time, so check the developer's page on aescripts for the current details before downloading. The listing shows version 1.0.0, last updated on July 8, 2026, which is the release to expect when you grab it. A demo video is also available.

What emitter and simulation options does Plumebus include?

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