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Rive

Editor plus open-source runtimes for interactive animations that ship as tiny .riv files.

$9/seat/mo (Cadet)Free tier
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What it actually does

Rive is an animation editor paired with open-source runtimes for web, iOS, Android, React Native, and Flutter. You design an animation once and ship it inside your app as a small .riv file.

Its state machine lets the animation react to app state, so a button or mascot can respond to what the user does, not just play on a loop.

The free tier is a demo: you can create but not export, so shipping to production means paying.

Rive vs its main rivals

The tools people actually weigh against Rive: LottieFiles, Jitter, After Effects. Same criteria for every column, including where Rive loses.

Rive logoRiveLottieFiles logoLottieFilesJJitterAfter Effects logoAfter Effects
Free tierYesNo exportYesYesYesWatermarkNoTrial only
Starting price$9/seat/mo$16/mo$16/mo$23/mo
Interactive state machinesYesNoPlaybackNoNo
Tiny runtime filesYes.riv (KB)YesJSONNoVideoNoVideo
Export on free tierNoYesYesWatermarkNoPaid app
Open-source runtimesYesYesLottieNoNo
Worth it for
  • Runtime animations are tiny, usually a few KB versus Lottie JSON or video
  • Cadet at $9/seat/mo unlocks unlimited files and .riv export
  • Open-source runtimes across web, mobile, and Flutter with no per-view fees
Watch out for
  • The free tier cannot export, so nothing ships without paying
  • The jump from Cadet to Voyager is 3.5x
  • The editor has a real learning curve for state machines

Pay less for it

4 ways found
Cadet is enough

The $9/seat/mo Cadet plan already unlocks unlimited files and export; you rarely need Voyager as a solo founder.

Free open-source runtimes

The runtimes are free and have no per-view fees, so scaling views costs nothing at runtime.

Design once, ship everywhere

One .riv file runs on web, iOS, Android, and Flutter, so you pay for one export, not one per platform.

Cheaper swap

LottieFiles — If you only need looping animations without interactive state, Lottie files export on a free tier and stay small.

See this for your whole stack, with your real numbers

StackTracker tracks what you actually pay for Rive and every other tool, flags overpayment, and shows the dollars you would save by switching.

See plans

Is it the right tool for you

Pick it if
  • You ship animated UI in a mobile or web app
  • You want tiny file sizes and interactive state machines
  • Your animation needs to react to app state
Skip it if
  • You only need a looping animation with no interactivity → use LottieFiles
  • You animate for video, not for app runtime → use After Effects

Track what Rive and the rest of your stack cost

StackTracker adds up every subscription, plus your hours, so you see the real number.

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Prices and limits last verified 2026-07-20.