Overview
Rive is a real-time interactive design and animation tool for creating graphics that ship directly into apps, games, and websites. Its state machine lets designers build animations that respond to user input and runtime data without re-exporting assets, and lightweight runtimes integrate the work into virtually any platform. It is used for animated icons, onboarding screens, game characters, and interactive UI.
Our take
Rive builds interactive, real-time animations that run in applications rather than exporting as video, which is a genuinely different category from animation tools that produce files. State machines let an animation respond to user input, and that is the reason to use it — interface animation that reacts rather than plays.
Worth it if
Product teams building interactive interface animation that responds to state and input.
Look elsewhere if
Linear video animation, where a conventional motion graphics tool is more appropriate.
✨ Features
State Machine
Wire animations to inputs and logic so they respond interactively at runtime.
Cross-Platform Runtimes
Ship the same .riv file to web, mobile, game engines, and more.
Collaborative Editor
Design, animate, and iterate with teammates in shared files and libraries.
AI Agent Credits
Use AI agents to help automate animation generation and reduce manual keyframing.
⚖️ Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
💰 Pricing
Free
Free
- 3 collaborative files
- Access to the Rive Editor
- AI agent with limits
Cadet
$9 /mo
- Per seat, up to 3 seats
- Unlimited files and .riv export
- AI agent with limits
Voyager
$32 /mo
- Per seat, up to 25 seats
- Libraries and embed URL hosting
- Advanced AI models plus agent credits
Enterprise
$120 /mo
- Per seat, subteam workspaces
- Custom S3 bucket and custom runtime
- SSO, SOC2 Type II, and dedicated support
Categories
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from exporting animation as video or Lottie?
Rive animations carry logic. A state machine lets the animation respond to input, state and interruption, rather than playing a fixed sequence. That is what makes it suitable for interface elements — a button that reacts to being held, an illustration that follows a loading state, rather than a clip.
What is the runtime cost in an app?
Generally light, since rendering is vector-based rather than frame-based, which is a real advantage over video and large sprite sheets. Complexity still matters: heavily detailed animations running continuously consume CPU and battery. Test on low-end devices, where the difference between fine and janky actually appears.
