While technically a Video Copilot product, it is a staple in the aescripts community. is essentially a search bar for After Effects. Instead of digging through the Effects & Presets panel, you hit a shortcut (Ctrl + Space), type the effect name, and hit enter. It speeds up your workflow by orders of magnitude. 2. Buttcapper
If you are new to adding third-party tools, the process is simpler than it looks: aescripts free free plugins
After Effects’ shape layers are powerful but tedious. This free script takes a single shape layer with multiple "paths" (like a character drawn with one shape) and explodes it into individual shape layers per path. Essential for character rigging and logo animation. While technically a Video Copilot product, it is