The short answer. Pick Jitter if you animate interfaces, need Lottie export or edit files together with a team. Pick Swash if the type is the animation: variable font axes, font morphing, 3D text, shader looks and sound timed to each move, at $12 a month for 4K at 60 fps.
Side by side
| Feature | Swash | Jitter |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in | The browser | The browser; desktop Chrome recommended, no mobile appsource |
| Try without an account | Yes, as a guest | Sign-up opens the editorsource |
| Free plan | No time limit: full editor, 3 projects, 720p at 30 fps, watermark with a few exports a month without it | No time limit: 3 workspace files, unlimited drafts, 720p at 30 fps, watermarksource |
| Paid plan | Pro, $12 a month, 3-day free trial | Pro $19 per editor a month ($15 billed annually); Max $49 ($35 annually)source |
| Highest export | 4K at 60 fps (Pro) | 1080p at 60 fps on Pro; 4K at 120 fps on Maxsource |
| Export formats | MP4, GIF, PNG frame | MP4, GIF, Lottie; ProRes and WebM from Pro; transparent export from Maxsource |
| Text animation | Presets you can tune and stack; variable font axes; morphing between fonts; 3D text; text on a path | Presets and custom animation per letter, word, line or layersource |
| Effects | 41 shader effects, such as halftone, dither, CRT, glitch, grain and pixel sort, plus 24 animated backgrounds | Effects panel with distortion, 3D flips, dithering, fluted glass and moresource |
| Sound | Over 270 built-in sounds timed to each move, plus your own music | Several audio tracks for sound effects, music and voiceoversource |
| Templates | Over 50 free community templates | 300+ animation templatessource |
| Figma | Free Figma plugin: text and layout come over as editable layers | Figma import on every plansource |
Jitter facts are from Jitter’s own pages, checked on November 6, 2026. Products change; if something here is out of date, write to support@swashmotion.com and we will fix it.
Where Swash is stronger
Type as the main subject. In Swash, text is the object you animate, not a layer you move around. A preset can wave a variable font from hairline to black, morph the letters into another typeface, or wrap a word around a ring, sphere or helix in real 3D. Jitter’s own text documentation covers presets and custom moves per letter, word or line; it does not mention animating font axes, 3D text or text on a path.
Shaders and backgrounds. Swash has 41 shader effects, from halftone, dither and CRT to pixel sort and glitch, each with its own controls, plus 24 animated backgrounds. Jitter added an effects panel in 2026 with distortion, dithering and fluted glass. See Effects and shaders.
Sound that follows the motion. Every Swash preset can make a sound timed to its move, from a built-in library of over 270 sounds, and you can add your own music. Jitter supports audio tracks you bring yourself. See Sound.
Product moments, too. Widgets bring interface motion into the same editor: a Cursor that travels between objects, a Tracker frame that jumps from one detail to the next, a typing Terminal, counters and chat. See Widgets.
Price for high-resolution export. Swash Pro is $12 a month and exports up to 4K at 60 fps. On Jitter, 4K is part of Max, from $35 per editor a month billed annually.
Where Jitter is stronger
- Teams. Shared workspaces, real-time collaboration and comments on every plan.
- Lottie and more formats. Lottie on the free plan, ProRes and WebM on Pro, transparent and frame-by-frame export on Max.
- UI and product animation. Animated components, Figma import on every plan and a larger template library (300+).
Which should you choose?
| If you mostly make… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Kinetic type, posters, lyric clips, type-led social posts | Swash |
| Shader looks: halftone, dither, CRT, ASCII | Swash |
| App and website animations for developers (Lottie) | Jitter |
| Motion work that a team edits together | Jitter |
You can try both for free. Swash opens in the browser without an account; start from a template and change the words.
Swash and Jitter questions
Is Swash a Jitter alternative?
Yes, if your work is mostly animated text. Both run in the browser and start free. Swash focuses on kinetic typography, shaders and sound; Jitter on UI and product animation, Lottie and team collaboration.
Which one is cheaper?
Swash Pro is $12 a month and includes 4K at 60 fps without a watermark. Jitter Pro is $19 per editor a month, or $15 billed annually, with 1080p at 60 fps; 4K is on Max. Both have a free plan with 720p at 30 fps and a watermark.
Can I bring Figma designs into Swash?
Yes. The free Swash Figma plugin brings text and layout over as editable layers. Jitter also imports from Figma on every plan.
Does Swash export Lottie?
No. Swash exports MP4, GIF and PNG frames. If you need Lottie for an app or website, Jitter is the better fit.