What It Does
Motion Tools Pro acts as a command center for After Effects, consolidating workspace management, expression libraries, and animation tools into customizable panels. Developed by Motion Design School, it replaces scattered scripts and presets with an organized interface. You can configure per-script settings, export easing presets between projects, and access a filtered expressions library without hunting through menus. The plugin includes tools like Crop Comp (which crops specific layers using Alt+Click), UnPreComp, and Bake Expressions that adapts to existing keyframes.
Key Features
The Easings Manager stores and categorizes easing presets with export/import functionality, letting you reuse curves across projects. The Expressions Library includes property filters to find snippets by category (position, scale, rotation). Script Settings allow per-script configuration stored in a central location. Share Center exports and imports entire tool setups between machines or team members.
The Super3D Widget provides spatial controls for 3D layers. Crop Comp handles layer-specific cropping and works with thin lines and 3D compositions as of version 2.0.15. Bake Expressions converts expressions to keyframes while preserving animation timing (Shift+Click activates classic mode). The Social Media Widget displays 2025 safe zones for platform-specific formats.
Other utilities include Unique Label (for organizing layers by color), Dependener (stretches keyframes proportionally), support for Bézier and mathematical curves, animation graph editor access, mirror curves, rove across time, and time-reverse keyframes. The interface is fully customizable, distinguishing it from the free Classic version which offers the same 11 base tools with locked layouts.
Who It’s For
Motion designers who juggle multiple scripts and presets will appreciate the consolidated workspace. Studios standardizing workflows benefit from Share Center’s setup export. Animators refining timing curves use the Easings Manager for reusable presets. Freelancers formatting content for social platforms rely on the Social Media Widget. Anyone managing complex expression-driven rigs finds the filtered expressions library faster than memorizing syntax.
The plugin suits users comfortable with After Effects scripting concepts. New animators might prefer simpler easing tools before adopting a command center approach.
Pricing
Motion Tools Pro costs $40 as a one-time purchase through aescripts.com. Existing users of the free Classic version can upgrade at special pricing (visible after login). Bundles with related tools like Easify offer 15% savings. Motion Design School occasionally provides upgrade discounts for customers who purchased predecessor tools. The Classic version remains free with limited functionality and no UI customization. No subscription or trial exists, licenses follow the aescripts EULA and activate through the aescripts + aeplugins manager app.