ComparisonsFacts refreshed November 12, 2026
Lottie vs Rive: Which Animation Format Should You Use?
Lottie, through LottieFiles, plays vector animations exported from After Effects or made in the LottieFiles editor. Rive is a design tool and runtime in one, built around state machines so animations respond to input, hover and data.
| Fact | LottieFiles | Rive |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
Verdict
Choose Lottie for animations that play: illustrations, loaders, onboarding. Choose Rive when an animation has to react, such as buttons, toggles, characters or game-like interfaces.
FAQ
- Is Rive replacing Lottie?
- No. They solve different problems. Lottie is a playback format with a huge library of ready-made animations. Rive is for interactive animation.
- Which has smaller files?
- Rive files are usually smaller, because the format is binary and built for runtime use. Lottie files are JSON.
- Do I need After Effects for Lottie?
- No. LottieFiles has its own editor and a large free library, though After Effects remains the most common source.