What It Does
Pixel Bender Accelerator runs Pixel Bender filters (.pbk and .pbg files) natively in After Effects using your GPU. Adobe discontinued Pixel Bender support in CS6, so this plugin restores that functionality while making filters run significantly faster through OpenGL translation.
The plugin translates Pixel Bender code into OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL), compiles it, and executes it on your video card. This shift from CPU to GPU processing speeds up image processing tasks considerably.
Note: The plugin does not include Pixel Bender files. You’ll need to source these separately from sites like subblue, Pixelero, or AEPProject.
Key Features
GPU acceleration. Processes Pixel Bender filters using your video card instead of CPU, dramatically improving render times.
Support for .pbk and .pbg formats. Handles both Pixel Bender Kernels and Pixel Bender Graphs.
CS6+ compatibility. Restores Pixel Bender functionality that Adobe removed starting with CS6.
PBA_Launcher tool. Included launcher allows you to apply Pixel Bender filters quickly without navigating menus.
Important limitation: Not compatible with Apple Silicon chips. Also note that on macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) with CC 2015, applying effects from the Effect Menu can crash After Effects. Use the launcher script instead.
Who It’s For
This plugin is for editors who have existing Pixel Bender filters they need to run in modern After Effects versions, or who want to explore the large library of community-created Pixel Bender effects with GPU-accelerated performance. Because there are compatibility limitations, test the free trial with your specific filters before purchasing.
Pricing
Pixel Bender Accelerator costs $49.99 as a one-time purchase.
Upgrade pricing is available for owners of the older Pixel Bender Kernel Accelerator: free if purchased after August 15, 2013, or $20 if purchased before that date. Log in to your account to see upgrade eligibility.