Playbook by MediaBistro | Tools & Software for Creative Professionals
LottieFiles and Lottie by Airbnb both work with the same animation format, but serve different needs. LottieFiles offers a complete platform with editing tools, asset libraries, and plugins for creating and managing Lottie animations. Lottie by Airbnb provides the core open-source rendering library that makes these animations work on web and mobile.
LottieFiles operates as a full-service animation platform built around the Lottie format. The service provides creation tools, an editing interface, and a marketplace with thousands of ready-made animations. Designers can build animations from scratch, customize existing assets, or export work from After Effects and Figma through dedicated plugins.
The platform handles the complete workflow from creation through deployment. Teams can collaborate on animation projects, test renders across devices, and integrate animations into development workflows. LottieFiles targets designers and motion graphics artists who want a centralized hub for managing lightweight animations without jumping between multiple tools.
Lottie by Airbnb is the original open-source library that launched the Lottie format in 2017. The library parses After Effects animations exported as JSON files and renders them natively on iOS, Android, Web, and Windows. Developers integrate the library directly into their codebases to display animations without using video files or large image sequences.
This tool focuses purely on rendering and playback. You get a lightweight library that handles animation display with minimal performance overhead. Airbnb maintains the core specification and runtime libraries, while the community contributes platform-specific implementations and features. The project lives on GitHub with active development and extensive documentation for technical implementation.
Browser-based editor with timeline, keyframe controls, and visual tools
No creation tools; requires After Effects with Bodymovin plugin
Marketplace with thousands of free and premium animations
No built-in library or asset collection
Uses Lottie library under the hood; integrated into platform
Core rendering library for all platforms with full API access
Hosted player, React component, CDN links, and API access
Direct library installation with complete control over implementation
Team workspaces, version control, commenting, and approval workflows
No collaboration features; code collaboration through standard dev tools
Free tier with paid plans for advanced features and team tools
Completely free and open source with no licensing costs
LottieFiles charges for convenience and creative tools while Lottie by Airbnb remains free forever. Teams with budget for tooling will appreciate LottieFiles' streamlined workflow. Developers comfortable with code will save money using the base library directly.
These tools work together more than they compete. Lottie by Airbnb created the format and provides the technical foundation that makes lightweight vector animations possible on every platform. LottieFiles built a business layer on top of that foundation, adding creation tools, asset management, and workflow features that designers actually want to use. Most teams will touch both: developers implement the Lottie library while designers work in LottieFiles.
Choose LottieFiles if you need the complete package with editing tools, asset libraries, and team collaboration. The platform makes sense for designers who want to stay in a visual environment and teams who value integrated workflows. Go with Lottie by Airbnb directly if you're a developer who already has animation files and just needs the rendering library. The open-source route gives you maximum control and zero licensing costs, but you'll handle the entire workflow yourself.
