Cloud video processing and editing

Try Shotstack, the FFMpeg Alternative

The fully managed, cloud hosted alternative to FFmpeg for building robust video processing workflows and editing applications.

GET STARTED Talk to an expert

Screenshot of video editing using code

206,528+

Videos per month

6,228,979+

Videos rendered

10,000+

Developers

Is building your application using FFmpeg just too hard?

FFmpeg is versatile, industry leading, video processing solution for developers. It automates tasks from the command line, as a library, and powers some of the worlds biggest video sites.

But building a web based application that relies on FFmpeg can be challenging. There is a steep learning curve involved writing scripts and integrating libraries. Keeping an FFmpeg server up and running 24/7 is a full time task.

You may have experienced some of these challenge. If you have tried running FFmpeg on a busy server, or tried to get it to work on Google Cloud or AWS Lambda. Most shared hosting companies won't allow FFmpeg due to intensive CPU and memory usage.

Example complex ffmpeg command
Shotstack isn't going to replace FFmpeg, but for certain tasks, and teams who need to go to market fast, Shotstack is a more than viable alternative that makes video application development a breeze. Jeff Shillitto, Shotstack Co-founder

You could spend hundreds of hours trying to configure, compile and maintain an FFmpeg stack, before writing a single line of code.

Easy to learn, without worrying about hosting or maintenance

Shotstack is a video editing API that helps you achieve many of the same outcomes as using FFmpeg. Unlike FFmpeg, Shotstack is available in the cloud and ready to go, without any set up or installation.

Shotstack's JSON based editing format is easy to learn, making complex workflows and editing tasks simple to set up. From simple encoding to personalised video campaigns, Shotstack proves itself as an alternative.

TRY NOW Talk to an expert

Shotstack vs FFmpeg

Compare common video editing use cases between FFmpeg and the alternative; Shotstack.

Merge and Stitch

Stitching videos

Compare how easy Shotstack makes stitching clips together to edit a video. While FFmpeg uses the concat command, the same can be achieved using Shotstack.

Shotstack's JSON format allows you to merge videos together on a virtual timeline, just like a familiar desktop video editing application.

FFmpeg Shotstack

FFmpeg alternative merge videos

Trim and Cut

Trimming videos

FFmpeg offers many different ways to trim the start or end of a video. With many obscure flags and parameters it can be hard to work out exactly what each command does.

Shotstack provides an alternative using familiar video editing concepts and easy to understand parameters like trim, start and length.

FFmpeg Shotstack

FFmpeg alternative trim video

Complex Use Cases

Creating a video slideshow

With FFmpeg it is possible to create intricate video edits such as slideshow or Ken Burns effect videos from static images.

Compare how to create a slideshow video and how easy it is with Shotstack to add scaling, motion effects, fade transitions and a soundtrack.

FFmpeg Shotstack

FFmpeg alternative slideshow video
This application is the perfect example of a well executed and documented API. In less than 10 mins, set up, web hook done, and first render! Mike Maberry, Gunslinger.dev
There are a couple of other options out there that attempt to provide the same or similar solution, but none of them come close in terms of quality, ease of use, and speed. Adam Chubbuck, Software Engineer
Shotstack was EXACTLY what I was looking for, and incredibly easy to get started with. You guys are killing it. Colin Plamondon, thebeam.fm

TRUSTED TO DELIVER

Join companies large and small rendering thousands of videos every day

Twitter
McDonalds
Nike
Coca Cola
IKEA
Randstad

Experience Shotstack for yourself, with no risk, and generate your first video in 15 minutes.