After Effects vs. Hiring a Designer: What's Better for Small Businesses?
Should you learn After Effects or hire a designer? Compare both options for your small business.
Vela Team
Published · May 20, 2026
Both Options Have Downsides
Small businesses need video content. But the choice between learning After Effects or hiring a designer is not simple. And there is a third option that might be better than either one.
Learning After Effects
After Effects costs $22/month. But the real cost is time. It takes 20 to 40 hours to learn the basics. Each video takes 4 to 20 hours to make. For a small business owner, that is time you do not have.
Hiring a Motion Designer
A good motion designer charges $50 to $150 per hour. A simple video takes 5 to 15 hours. That is $250 to $2,250 per video. Revisions add more. The quality is high, but the cost adds up fast.
The Third Option: AI Tools
AI tools like Vela give you professional motion graphics without learning complex software or paying designer rates. You describe what you want, the AI creates it, and you refine it through chat. Fast, affordable, and the quality rivals professional work.
Quick Comparison
- After Effects: Cheap software, huge time investment, slow results
- Hiring a designer: Fast results, expensive, limited revisions
- AI tool (Vela): Fast results, affordable, unlimited iterations
How it works
Type what you want. Vela creates the motion graphic. Refine by chatting.
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