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AEAfter Effects

Trails

by OtherCubed·Motion Graphics

Images © OtherCubed. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Trails earns its place in the aescripts library for building fully dynamic trails, swooshes and speed lines that update instantly, backed by dynamic effects like line velocity, the wiggler, and later additions such as Stick Trails and Offset Trail.

What is Trails?

Trails is an add-on for After Effects that builds fully dynamic trails, swooshes and speed lines. A trail updates instantly in your composition, so you can set one up in seconds and layer on dynamic effects to give even more life to your animation.

The line velocity feature lets trails react to the velocity of whatever they're connected to, while the wiggler adds a touch of randomness to your lines. A velocity-based line length checkbox scales dynamic effects to the velocity of your trail, and because trails work with all shape layer effects, you can add trim paths, repeaters and zig zags.

Later versions introduced Stick Trails, a dynamic effect that sticks trails to a point or layer, and Offset Trail, which offsets a trail forwards or backwards in time. Trails is listed in the aescripts library and runs on After Effects from CC 2018 through 2024. A demo video is available.

Who is Trails best for?

Trails is best for after Effects artists who want to create dynamic trails, swooshes and speed lines that react to their animation.

How much does Trails cost?

Trails is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Fully dynamic trails that update instantly in your composition
  • Line velocity, so trails react to the velocity of whatever they're connected to
  • Wiggler that adds a touch of randomness to your lines
  • Works with all shape layer effects, including trim paths, repeaters and zig zags
  • Velocity-based line length checkbox that scales dynamic effects to the velocity of the trail
  • Stick Trails, a dynamic effect that sticks trails to a point or layer
  • Offset Trail, which offsets a trail forwards or backwards in time

Tags

#After Effects#motion graphics#trails#speed lines#swooshes#dynamic effects#shape layers

Frequently asked questions

Does Trails work with After Effects 2024?

Trails supports After Effects 2024, along with 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019 and CC 2018, so it covers several recent releases as well as older versions. Version 1.12 arrived on July 2, 2024 with a licensing framework update. If you're running one of these listed versions, you should be able to set up and edit trails in your compositions, and you can check the developer's page to confirm the current listing before installing.

Is Trails free to download?

Trails is listed as free here in the catalog, though licensing terms can change over time. Version 1.12 shipped with a licensing framework update, so for the current terms and any download details it's best to check the developer's page directly. Listing it as free means you can add dynamic trails, swooshes and speed lines in After Effects without a stated price in this entry, and the developer's page remains the source of truth for licensing.

What did the Trails 1.10 update add?

Trails 1.10, released in September 2019, introduced two new features. Stick Trails is a dynamic effect that lets you stick your trails to a point or layer, and Offset Trail lets you offset a trail forwards or backwards in time. These joined the tool's existing dynamic effects for shaping how trails behave. A later 1.12 update in July 2024 focused on a licensing framework change rather than adding new creative features to the add-on.

Can Trails use shape layer effects like trim paths?

Trails work with all shape layer effects, so you can add trim paths, repeaters and zig zags to your lines. Alongside this, the line velocity feature has trails react to the velocity of whatever they're connected to, and a velocity-based line length checkbox scales dynamic effects to that velocity. The wiggler adds a touch of randomness to your lines. Together these let you build fully dynamic trails that update instantly in your composition.

Alternatives to Trails

Also in Motion Graphics for After Effects.

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