ActionVFX is a prevalent choice for VFX assets; however, the shift to a subscription-based model has left many users feeling frustrated and unhappy. The new pricing structure is complex and potentially more expensive for those who don't need constant access to the library.
You're now forced to pay for assets you might not use, and there's less flexibility in purchasing options. If you only need a few specific elements for a project, the subscription model doesn't make sense.
While ActionVFX's products are still high-quality, these drawbacks have led many users to explore alternatives. So let's have a look at the choices available that do not require a subscription.
FX Elements
FX Elements
FX Elements offers a library of VFX stock footage that is very similar to that of ActionVFX, but at a better price point.
With over 3,000 elements across a wide variety of categories, the FX Elements library is very similar to that of ActionVFX.
All of the live-action, practical effects footage has been captured at professionally with RED digital cinema cameras. Downloads are available in 4k ProRes, 4k OpenEXR and camera RAW files (R3Ds) up to 8K.
Individual clips start at only $19. VFX packs start at $49 and subscription options start at $99. Additionally, all subscription options offers multiple downloads per day vs the "few per month" model of ActionVFX.
FX Elements has a dedicated support page with FAQs and a contact form. They do not offer live chat support, all support is handled via email.
Royalty-free license for personal and professional use. A link to the license is easy to find in the website footer.
Pros
- Professional quality
- Great price
- Big library
Cons
- Less total assets than ActionVFX
- No live chat support
Motion VFX
MotionVFX
MotionVFX offers a selection of VFX stock footage in addition to their famous range of plugins for NLEs.
MotionVFX library is a combination of live action and CGI effects. Many of the elements would fall under the category of "abstract" or "background" footage that is more useful for YouTube creators than compositors, but they do offer some elements that could be useful for VFX as well.
Most of the footage is live-action filmed on professional cinema cameras, but not all of the footage is available in 4k ProRes downloads as some packs use an H.264/H.265 codecs. No EXR or camera RAW download options.
Most packs are priced at $149 and include between 30 – 50 elements (some packs have more elements). No ability to purchase individual elements.
MotionVFX has a number of FAQs and support is available via live chat and via email.
The MotionVFX license agreement appears to be a standard royalty-free license. The license is easy to find on the website and anyone can easily read it: https://www.motionvfx.com/conditions#license-agreement
Pros
- Decent quality
- Good Support and license
Cons
- Sometimes H264 Codecs
- No EXR or RAW files
- Limited variety
BIGFILMS
BIGFILMS
Big Films offers a range of “blockbuster” effects in the style of many of the biggest films over the past decade.
Big Film library mostly consists of "Marvel" style effects. They boast a library of several thousand files but the variety is somewhat lacking.
The footage is good quality and in 4k resolution, but there are no live-action elements – everything is 100% CGI. Also the footage is only available in ProRes, no EXR or camera RAW options.
Most packs start at around $89 and include over 100 elements. No option to purchase individual elements.
Big Films offers a contact email address in the footer of the website. We assume this serves as a support contact as well, but there is no definitive support section.
The license agreement offered by Big Films is unknown. They only have links to standard Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Refund Policy on the website. Presumably their footage is offered with a royalty free license of some kind, but the terms are completely unknown.
Pros
- Good quality
- Good price
- Includes sound effects also
Cons
- CGI only, no live action elements
- ProRes only, no EXR or RAW files
- Limited variety
Honorable Mention
Here are a couple of other alternatives that you might want to consider:
Action Essentials 2k
The Action Essentials 2 collection from Video Copilot is a bit outdated but still a valid alternative to ActionVFX. The biggest downside of this collection is that it hasn't been updated in over 10 years and doesn't offer the level of variety that the other providers above do. The pricing is fair but a bit high for 2k elements. Their license is standard and can easily be found and read on their support page.
Compositing Academy
Compositing Academy is a source of VFX tutorials as well as a small library of VFX assets. While its library is not the biggest the assets available appear to be fairly high quality. They offer a mixture of both live-action and CGI effects. The price of the elements is a bit expensive, with rates starting at $200 for about 25 elements. A license agreement for their elements could not be found, so we are unable to comment on its contents (assuming one exists).
Wrapping Up
As you can see, there are plenty of valid alternatives to ActionVFX that do not require a subscription to access and download VFX assets.
Our recommended pick is FX Elements. While it has fewer total assets, it absolutely holds its own against ActionVFX and even outshines the competitor in many aspects.
Aside from having fewer total assets FX Elements is arguably as good or better than ActionVFX in every regard. Plus, given that they offer a wide variety of free elements, it's easy to get started and test out their products without a financial commitment.
With FX Elements (or any of these options), you can buy whatever you need for a cheaper rate than ActionVFX. And if you need a particular piece of footage from ActionVFX, you can subscribe for one month, download that asset, and then cancel your subscription.
FAQs
Are There Any Free Alternatives to Actionvfx for Amateur Filmmakers?
Yes, FX Elements, Compositing Academy, and BIGFILMS all offer free downloads to help artists get started without paying anything.
Which Alternative Offers the Widest Variety of VFX Elements?
FX Elements offers the most diverse collection of elements spanning a wide variety of effects categories.
Which Alternative Is Best Suited for Creating Sci-Fi or Fantasy Visual Effects?
BIGFILMS offers a variety of effects that are aimed at filmmakers creating films that visually align with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. FX Elements also has an assortment of elements that are perfectly suited for a sci-fi or fantasy film.
Can These Alternatives Be Used in Commercial Projects?
Yes, with the exceptions of Compositing Academy and BIGFILMS, all of these alternatives have clearly stated license agreements that allow for a wide range of commercial uses.
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