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Rive animation that reacts to users

Rive animation that reacts to users is interactive vector motion whose state machine picks what plays on hover, click or a change in data. Pavlo Zhydkykh designs Rive buttons, toggles, product demos and characters for AI, fintech and B2B startups. One Rive animation starts at $1,000, with scope, price and delivery date fixed in writing after a first call.

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From
$1,000
Scope
Per project
Format
.riv file
Logic
State machines
Reacts to
Hover, clicks, data
Feedback
2 rounds

Key takeawaysUpdated By

Key takeaways

  • A state machine is in exactly one of a finite number of states at any time and changes state in response to inputs.[1]
  • In Rive, a state machine connects timeline animations and holds the logic that decides which one plays next.[3]
  • Rive data binding connects values from page code to properties in the file, and the animation updates when the data changes.[4]
  • The Rive web runtime is open source and pairs a JavaScript API with a WebAssembly core.[5]
  • One Rive animation by Pavlo Zhydkykh starts at $1,000, with the price fixed in writing before work starts.

What is Rive animation?

A Rive animation is interactive vector motion built in the Rive editor and played on the web by the Rive runtime. The state machine holds the logic: which animation plays when the visitor hovers, clicks or when the site sends a value. Rive matters because one file replaces several separate animations and the code that switched between those animations.

Wikipedia: Finite-state machine

Pavlo Zhydkykh

“I reach for Rive when motion has to answer the visitor. For a loop that only plays, a state machine is extra work nobody sees.”

Pavlo Zhydkykh · Web designer and developer since 2016

Fit check

Is Rive animation
right for you?

A good fit if

  • Buttons, toggles or onboarding steps should respond to the visitor, not just play.
  • A product demo has to show several states, such as loading, success and error.
  • The animation should follow live values, such as a progress number or a score.
  • The same interactive file should run on the website and in the app.

Not the right fit if

  • The motion is a simple loop that only plays: a state machine adds work nobody sees.
  • The motion is video footage or photo-real 3D.
  • The animation is the headline: text drawn in a canvas is not read by search engines.

Compared

Rive vs Lottie

Lottie plays a timeline. Rive runs logic, so Rive fits motion that has to respond.

Rive vs Lottie
CriterionRiveLottie
Made inThe Rive editorAfter Effects or LottieFiles
InteractionState machine in the fileMostly added in page code
Live dataInputs and data bindingLimited
FileOne .riv binary fileJSON or .lottie file
PlayerRive runtime, WebAssemblyLottie player script
Best forButtons, demos, charactersIcons, loaders, loops

Checklist

6 decisions to make before a Rive file is built

Rive work goes fastest when the states and inputs are agreed first. Pavlo turns these six decisions into the brief.

  1. 1. The states

    List every state the element can be in, such as idle, hover, pressed, loading and done. Each state is a scene to design.

  2. 2. The inputs

    Decide what changes the state: a hover, a click, a scroll position or a value sent by the site.

  3. 3. Where values come from

    Data such as a progress number comes from your page code, so Pavlo agrees the input names with your developer before wiring the state machine.

  4. 4. Fit and layout

    Decide how the artboard scales in the container on desktop and phone, so nothing is cropped or stretched.

  5. 5. Runtime weight

    The Rive runtime adds a WebAssembly file to the page. The runtime loads only on pages that use Rive, and Pavlo checks the .riv file for size.

  6. 6. Fallback and labels

    A still frame covers reduced motion and failed loads, and buttons keep real HTML labels so screen readers know what each button does.

How it works

From first call to an interactive file

States, inputs and artwork decide the timeline, so Pavlo fixes the delivery date in writing together with the price. Two feedback rounds are part of every animation.

From first call to an interactive file, step by step
#StepWhenWhat happensYou get
01 First call Day 1 A call with Pavlo about what the animation does, where the file sits and what should trigger each state. A clear brief
02 States and inputs Before work starts Every state and input is listed and written into the scope with the price and date. A fixed price and date in writing
03 Artwork and key states After the brief Pavlo draws the key states in your brand style, so the look is agreed before the motion. Approved key states
04 Animation and state machine After sign-off Timelines built in Rive and wired by Pavlo into a state machine with the agreed inputs. A working file on a preview link
05 Feedback, two rounds After the first cut Your comments on timing, feel and states, applied in two rounds. The final animation
06 Export and handover Agreed date Exported as .riv and tested on desktop and phone with the runtime your site uses, input names documented. The final file and a list of the inputs

Pricing

Build your estimate

Pick the project and add what you need. The final price is fixed after the first call, before any work starts.

01 · Project
02 · Add-ons

In their words

Rive, from the Rive docs
and from clients

Word for word, with the source linked: research, official documentation and the people Pavlo Zhydkykh has worked for.

“Rive is where designers, animators, and developers build interactive experiences.”

RiveRive Docs: IntroductionSource ↗

“State Machines are a visual way to connect animations together and define the logic that drives the transitions.”

RiveRive Docs: State Machine OverviewSource ↗

“Data binding connects data stored in View Models to properties in your Rive scene.”

RiveRive Docs: Data Binding OverviewSource ↗

“One of the best contractors I have worked with. Really thoughtful about communication. Would 100% hire again.”

Remi LabelleCOO, Accolade Pro · Web app designSource ↗

“The web and mobile designs he created were amazing. His communication was prompt.”

Corentin BernardCEO, Accolade Pro · Web and mobile app designSource ↗

“He is amazing in what he contributes, both design-wise and also from the ideas.”

Oliver BockOwner, The B2B Answer · Website design, 2025Source ↗

FAQ

Questions about
Rive animation

Still unsure? Ask your AI about Pavlo Zhydkykh:

ChatGPTPerplexityClaudeGeminiGrok

Q.01

How much does a Rive animation cost?

One Rive animation starts at $1,000. The final price depends on the number of states, inputs and artwork, and Pavlo fixes the price in writing after the first call, before work starts.

Q.02

How long does a Rive animation take?

Pavlo fixes the delivery date in writing together with the price, after the first call. A hover button and a product demo with live data are different jobs, and two feedback rounds are planned into the date.

Q.03

Do I own the Rive file?

Yes, the exported .riv file is yours to use on your site, in your apps and anywhere the Rive runtime plays. Editor source files are part of the handover when agreed in the quote.

Q.04

What do I need to provide?

Your logo and brand colours as files, the states the element needs and, for live data, where the values come from. A few examples of motion you like help too.

Q.05

Does Rive slow down a page?

The Rive runtime adds a WebAssembly file, so Pavlo loads the runtime only on pages that use Rive and only when the animation comes into view. A still frame covers reduced motion and failed loads.

Q.06

What happens after delivery?

The file is yours to use as delivered. New states, colours or inputs later cost $30 an hour with Pavlo, with no retainer.

Sources and further reading

  1. [1] WikipediaFinite-state machine
  2. [2] Rive Docsrive.app/docs
  3. [3] Rive DocsState Machine Overview
  4. [4] Rive DocsData Binding Overview
  5. [5] Rive DocsWeb (JS) runtime
  6. [6] MDNprefers-reduced-motion
Pavlo Zhydkykh

About the author

Pavlo Zhydkykh

Pavlo Zhydkykh is a web designer and developer in Eastern Europe who has built websites for AI, fintech and B2B startups since 2016, designing and building each project himself on Framer or Astro + Sanity. Clients include MStudio Asia, Silicon Data, Inturai, Accolade Pro, NimbleStax and Sancts.

  • Top Rated on Upwork
  • 100% Job Success
  • 10 years since 2016
  • 50+ sites shipped
  • 90+ PageSpeed at launch
Kulparkivska St. 200, Lviv 79021, Ukraine +380 93 610 62 68 [email protected]

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