6 min read
Where to Find Free & Licensed Lottie Animations
Not every team has an animator on staff, so most Lottie animations used in real products are sourced from a marketplace rather than made in-house. That's completely fine — but treat it like stock photography: the fact that a file downloads and plays doesn't mean you're cleared to use it commercially.
Common sources
- LottieFiles.com: the largest marketplace, with both a free community library and a paid "Pro"/"Elements" tier. Individual creators can attach their own license terms to a file, so terms vary animation to animation, not just by tier.
- IconScout: sells Lottie animations alongside icons and 3D assets, with per-item and subscription licensing options and clearer commercial-use terms upfront.
- Envato Elements / Motion Array: subscription-based stock libraries that include Lottie/After Effects animation packs, generally licensed for commercial use as part of the subscription terms.
- Custom-made: commissioned from a motion designer or built in-house in After Effects — the only option that guarantees you own full commercial rights outright.
The three license types you'll typically run into
CC0 / public-domain style: no attribution required, free for commercial use, no restrictions. The safest option, but relatively rare for animations compared to icons.
Free with attribution: free to use, but requires a visible credit (a link back to the creator or platform) somewhere in your product, app store listing, or website footer. Skipping the attribution technically puts you in breach of the license even though the file itself was free.
Paid / extended commercial: a one-time or subscription fee that removes the attribution requirement and usually grants broader rights — for use in a product you sell, in a client project, or at higher volume. Some paid tiers also include the original .aep source file so you can edit colors, timing, or content.
Practical checklist before shipping a downloaded animation
- Check the license on the specific file, not just the marketplace's general terms — individual creators can opt out of the platform's default free-use policy.
- If you're building something you'll sell (a SaaS product, a paid app, a client deliverable), assume you need the commercial/extended tier unless the license explicitly says otherwise.
- Keep a record of the license and purchase receipt for any paid animation — you may need it if usage is ever questioned.
- If attribution is required, follow the exact format the license specifies (some require a specific credit line, others just a link); a generic "animations by LottieFiles" mention doesn't always satisfy per-creator attribution requirements.
When in doubt, contact the creator or platform directly before shipping to production — it's far cheaper than a takedown request after launch.