# Rive vs Lottie vs ExodeUI: Interactive Animation Compared (2026)

> Lottie is a portable format for playing vector animations, usually authored in After Effects, and the .lottie (dotLottie) format now adds state machines for interactivity. Rive is an editor and runtime built around interactive graphics, with state machines and bones in a binary .riv file. ExodeUI is a design tool for interactive product UI: like Rive it has state machines and bones, and it adds UI layout, a physics engine, node logic and an open JSON format.

Updated . Source: https://www.exodeui.com/compare/rive-vs-lottie/

## Frequently asked questions

### Why choose Rive over Lottie for interactive UI?

Rive is built around state machines, with blending, data binding and scripting, so complex interaction needs no custom code. Lottie started as playback, and dotLottie state machines now cover simpler states such as hover, pressed and success. See Lottie state machines vs Rive for the details.

### Where does ExodeUI fit?

ExodeUI covers the same interactive ground as Rive and extends it to full UI: layout with breakpoints, a physics engine, node logic, multi-screen projects and an MCP server for AI agents.

### Can ExodeUI import Lottie and Figma work?

Yes — Figma through the ExodeUI Figma plugin, and Lottie through the MCP server's conversion tool.

### Is Rive or Lottie better for a React app?

It depends on the interaction. If the animation only plays, Lottie with a React player is simpler and the file is easy to hand off. If the element has to react to hover, tap, drag or app state, Rive keeps that logic in the .riv file instead of rebuilding it in React. ExodeUI takes the same state-machine approach and ships React runtime components and exportable code.

### Can a Lottie file be interactive?

Partly. Plain Lottie JSON is a timeline that plays. The newer .lottie (dotLottie) format adds state machines with states, inputs and events, so a Lottie file can switch between hover, pressed and success. It does not offer Rive's blending, bones or scripting, and it needs a dotLottie-capable player.

### Can I convert a Lottie file to an interactive animation?

Not by renaming the file. You can import Lottie art into a tool with state machines and rewire the interaction there. ExodeUI's MCP server has a Lottie conversion tool for bringing the artwork in, after which you add states, inputs and physics in the editor.

## Related

- [Rive alternative](https://www.exodeui.com/alternatives/rive)
- [Lottie alternative](https://www.exodeui.com/alternatives/lottie)
- [Free and open-source Rive alternatives](https://www.exodeui.com/best-rive-alternatives)
- [Is Rive free for commercial use?](https://www.exodeui.com/questions/is-rive-free-for-commercial-use)
- [React animation examples](https://www.exodeui.com/animations/react)
- [Flutter animation examples](https://www.exodeui.com/animations/flutter)