Does Shotstack have a free plan or free tier?
As of July 2026, Shotstack's only free offering is 10 starter credits that expire after 30 days; there is no ongoing monthly free tier, and sandbox output is watermarked.
Quick Answer: Shotstack Free Plan At a Glance
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Free credits | 10 starter credits |
| Credit expiry | 30 days |
| Watermark | Yes (sandbox renders) |
| Permanent free tier | No |
| PAYG rate | $0.30/minute |
| Subscription rate | $0.20/minute (from $39/mo for 200 credits) |
| Overage | +30% premium on the subscription rate |
| 4K rendering | Custom High Volume tier only (1080p max otherwise) |
Free alternative: VideoComposer offers 5 production-ready jobs/day at no cost, no watermark, no credit card — plus a free API tier (600 credits/month, no card) for signed-up accounts. Paid plans from $14.99/mo add higher volume.
Prices as of 2026-07-11, re-verified live against shotstack.io/pricing. See the full pricing breakdown and side-by-side comparison below.
Shotstack Free Tier & API Limits — 2026
Shotstack lists 10 starter credits for new users, valid for 30 days, plus a developer sandbox for testing API calls while credits are available. For ongoing production rendering, usage moves to purchased credits: pay-as-you-go from $0.30/minute or subscriptions starting at $39/month. VideoComposer offers a true production free tier: 5 video jobs per day with no watermark, no credit card, no account required — plus a free API tier (600 credits/month, renews monthly, no card) once you sign up. Paid plans start at $14.99/month for higher volume.
Below: what Shotstack gives you for free, where sandbox and starter-credit limits apply, how paid API pricing works, and a side-by-side comparison with VideoComposer.
The table below covers pricing, free tier availability, and feature support for both platforms. The highlighted rows show where Shotstack's production-paid model creates the sharpest difference. If you already know your expected render volume, use the Shotstack pricing calculator to estimate pay-as-you-go, subscription, and sandbox fit.
| Feature | VideoComposer | Shotstack |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes — 5 jobs/day, no signup | Sandbox/testing credits; production is paid |
| Free API tier | 600 credits/month, renews monthly, no card | 10 credits, expire after 30 days (sandbox only) |
| Browser tools (no code) | Yes — merge, cut, convert, watermark | No — API only |
| REST API | Yes | Yes |
| Watermark on free tier | Never | Sandbox renders are watermarked |
| Video merge | Yes | Yes |
| Video trim / cut | Yes | Yes |
| Add watermark / overlay | Yes | Yes |
| Add subtitles | Yes (SRT / VTT) | Yes |
| Batch processing | Via API | Via API |
| Output formats | MP4, WebM, GIF | MP4, GIF, and more |
| Production pricing | Free / credits-based | PAYG credits or $39/mo subscription |
| Target audience | Developers + casual users | Enterprise developers |
Feature data based on publicly available information at time of update (July 2026). Verify current Shotstack pricing and features at shotstack.io.
Shotstack offers pay-as-you-go credits and subscriptions; subscriptions start at $39/month. Its free starting point includes 10 starter credits valid for 30 days and a developer sandbox for testing while credits are available. Ongoing production usage runs on pay-as-you-go credits or a subscription. The table below shows Shotstack's 2026 pricing paths compared to VideoComposer.
| Plan | Shotstack | VideoComposer |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Starter credits and credit-limited sandbox testing; ongoing production uses paid credits | 5 jobs/day, no signup, no watermark |
| Entry paid plan | PAYG credits or $39/month subscription | $14.99/month (credits-based) |
| Pricing model | Pay-as-you-go credits or monthly subscription | Credits — pay for what you process |
| Per-minute rate | $0.30/min PAYG or $0.20/min subscription (+30% overage above your plan allowance) | ~$0.015-$0.03/min of video on Starter (billed by processing time, not a flat per-minute rate) |
| 4K rendering | Custom High Volume tier only (1080p max on PAYG and subscription plans) | Source resolution preserved (no forced downscale) |
| Unused monthly credits | Subscription plans roll over up to 3x the monthly allowance | Reset each billing cycle — do not roll over |
| Minimum spend | Ongoing production uses paid credits | $0 (free tier covers up to 5 jobs/day) |
| API access | 10 free credits, expire after 30 days — then sandbox/paid production | Free — 600 credits/month, renews monthly, no card; paid plans for higher volume |
| Account required to start | Yes — signup and credits required for API keys and sandbox | No — free tier needs no signup |
Shotstack pricing re-verified live at shotstack.io/pricing as of 2026-07-11. Verify current rates directly at shotstack.io before making a purchasing decision — pricing pages change without notice.
Shotstack has a free starting point for testing, not a permanent free production API tier. It lists 10 starter credits valid for 30 days and provides a sandbox environment where developers can test API calls while credits remain. Ongoing production usage runs on pay-as-you-go credits or a subscription.
VideoComposer offers the opposite: a permanent production-ready free tier with up to 5 jobs per day, no watermarks, and no credit card required. Free users can merge, trim, convert, and watermark videos through the browser without entering payment details.
The Shotstack sandbox — its API testing environment for accounts with available credits — imposes the following limits and restrictions:
By comparison, VideoComposer's free tier has no watermarks, works in production, and requires no account to get started.
Yes. VideoComposer is a free Shotstack alternative for the most common video processing tasks: merging clips, trimming segments, adding watermarks or subtitles, and converting formats. The free tier supports up to 5 jobs per day with no watermark and no account required. For higher volumes, paid plans start at $14.99/month, below Shotstack's $39/month subscription starting price.
The key trade-off: Shotstack offers deeper timeline control and template-driven rendering suited to enterprise pipelines. If you need complex multi-track composition at scale, Shotstack may be worth the premium. For most developers building side projects, MVPs, or moderate-volume pipelines, VideoComposer covers the same core operations at a fraction of the cost.
VideoComposer doesn't charge a flat per-minute rate like Shotstack. Credits are billed by measured processing time (1 credit = 1 second, rounded up), so your effective cost per minute of video depends on the operation. The table below shows each paid plan's cost per processing-minute, plus a typical cost per minute of output video for common operations.
| Plan | Monthly credits | Cost per processing-minute |
|---|---|---|
| Starter — $14.99/mo | 10,000 | ~$0.090/processing-minute |
| Professional — $69.99/mo | 100,000 | ~$0.042/processing-minute |
| Enterprise — $399.99/mo | 1,000,000 | ~$0.024/processing-minute |
"Processing-minute" is 60 seconds of measured server processing time (the billing unit), not 60 seconds of output video — a fast operation like a trim uses far less processing time than its output length.
Translated to cost per minute of output video on Starter, based on typical production usage:
Monthly credits reset each billing cycle on all VideoComposer plans — they don't roll over. Shotstack subscription credits, by contrast, roll over up to 3x the monthly allowance (see the pricing table above).
VideoComposer is the better choice when you need immediate access with a lower monthly entry point, browser tools alongside an API, or a lower cost of entry for your video processing workflow.
You need a free tier with no time limit
VideoComposer gives anonymous users up to 5 jobs per day with no credit card and no expiry. Shotstack requires purchased credits for production use — there is no permanent production free tier.
You want browser tools as well as an API
VideoComposer provides browser-based tools for merging, trimming, converting, and watermarking videos alongside a full REST API. Shotstack is API-only — every task requires writing code or building an integration. VideoComposer is the only option that serves both developers and non-technical users from the same platform.
You want a lower low-volume entry point
Shotstack subscriptions start at $39/month, while pay-as-you-go credits are purchased upfront. VideoComposer keeps the browser tier free and gives signed-up accounts a free API tier (600 credits/month, no card) before any payment is needed — paid plans from $14.99/month lower the cost further for higher volume side projects, MVPs, or pipelines.
You want to prototype quickly without API setup
Browser tools let you validate your use case before writing a single line of API integration code. Open a tool, upload a video, and see the output in seconds. Shotstack requires API key setup and code before you can process a single file.
VideoComposer is not a drop-in replacement for every Shotstack use case. Shotstack is a general-purpose video editing engine built around a JSON timeline; VideoComposer exposes a fixed set of FFmpeg operations. The table below is an honest capability comparison, not a marketing gloss — verified against Shotstack's public documentation as of 2026-07-11.
| Capability | Shotstack | VideoComposer |
|---|---|---|
| JSON timeline / multi-track composition Shotstack edits are a full timeline of tracks and clips; VideoComposer exposes single operations (merge, trim, convert, overlay), not an arbitrary timeline. | ||
| Templates with merge fields Shotstack lets you save a reusable Edit as a template and merge in data at render time. VideoComposer has no template/merge-field system. | ||
| Titles, transitions & transformations Shotstack supports built-in text titles, transitions, and transformations (rotate, skew, flip). VideoComposer covers watermark/text overlay and subtitle burn-in, not a general title/transition library. | ||
| Official client SDKs Shotstack publishes Node, Python, PHP, and Ruby SDKs. VideoComposer is REST-only today — no official client libraries. | ||
| Hosted/stock asset library Shotstack integrates stock media and asset hosting into the edit workflow. VideoComposer processes URLs you provide; it does not host a stock library. | ||
| Merge, trim, convert, overlay, thumbnail, probe Both platforms cover these core operations — VideoComposer at a lower per-unit cost, Shotstack inside its broader timeline engine. | ||
| No-code browser tools VideoComposer ships free browser tools for merge, trim, convert, and watermark. Shotstack is API/SDK-only. |
If your project needs JSON-timeline composition, templates with merge fields, or an official SDK, Shotstack is the better fit today — see "When to Choose Shotstack" below.
Shotstack is purpose-built for enterprise-scale video rendering pipelines. It is the stronger choice in specific scenarios.
Shotstack is designed for organisations that render thousands of videos per month and need SLA-backed infrastructure with dedicated support.
Shotstack's timeline-based JSON templates and merge fields excel at programmatically generating personalised videos at scale — for example, dynamic social ads or data-driven video reports.
Shotstack publishes Node, Python, PHP, and Ruby SDKs. VideoComposer is REST-only, which means more integration code on your side today.
Shotstack's custom High Volume tier supports 4K rendering and additional output formats beyond the MP4, WebM, and GIF that VideoComposer covers.
Shotstack's rendering engine supports complex multi-track timelines with titles, transitions, and transformations — a capability suited to high-end production pipelines that need more than merge, trim, and overlay.
Every tool below is free to use in the browser without signup. The same operations are available programmatically via the VideoComposer REST API.
Estimate Shotstack pay-as-you-go, subscription, sandbox limits, and the closest VideoComposer plan.
Combine multiple clips into a single MP4. Optionally add audio and burn in SRT/VTT subtitles in the same step.
Extract a precise segment from any MP4 by setting start and end timestamps.
Overlay your logo or text onto any video with position and opacity control.
Convert between MP4, WebM, and GIF formats directly in the browser.
Advanced multi-clip composition with audio, subtitles, and transitions — via browser or API.
Automate all processing tasks programmatically. Built for developers who need scalable video pipelines.
Evaluating other video tools alongside VideoComposer? See how it compares to other popular platforms.
Looking for a video tool built around your specific workflow? Explore VideoComposer by use case.
Shotstack's free starting point is for testing: it lists 10 starter credits valid for 30 days and a developer sandbox, while sandbox video renders include a watermark and still require available credits. There is no permanent production free tier equivalent to VideoComposer's free browser tools.
As of July 2026, Shotstack's only free offering is 10 starter credits that expire after 30 days; there is no ongoing monthly free tier, and sandbox output is watermarked. Sandbox rendering still requires available credits, and ongoing production usage runs on pay-as-you-go credits or a subscription starting at $39/month. VideoComposer offers free browser tools with up to 5 jobs per day and no credit card required, plus a permanent free API tier for signed-up accounts (600 credits/month, renews monthly, no card).
VideoComposer serves both developers (REST API) and casual users (browser-based tools), with a free browser tier and credits-based pricing. Shotstack is an API-oriented platform targeted at developer and enterprise workflows, with pay-as-you-go credits and subscriptions available.
Yes. VideoComposer provides browser-based tools for merging, trimming, converting, and watermarking videos — no coding required. Shotstack is API-only and requires code to use. VideoComposer also exposes a REST API for developers who want to automate video processing.
Yes. For small projects, side projects, or developers who want browser tools before committing to an API workflow, VideoComposer is a strong Shotstack alternative. The free tier covers up to 5 jobs per day, and paid monthly or yearly plans bundle credits for higher-volume API use.
VideoComposer covers the core operations: merge, trim, add watermark, add subtitles, and convert formats. Shotstack specialises in template-driven rendering with broader timeline control. For most API use cases — merging clips, adding overlays, converting formats — VideoComposer is a capable and more affordable alternative.
VideoComposer outputs MP4, WebM, and GIF. Shotstack supports MP4, GIF, and additional formats on higher-tier plans. Both platforms handle the most common video output formats for web and social media use cases.
As of July 2026, Shotstack lists pay-as-you-go rendering at $0.30 per minute and subscriptions starting at $39/month for 200 credits at $0.20 per minute. New users start with 10 free credits valid for 30 days, but ongoing production usage runs on pay-as-you-go credits or a subscription. VideoComposer starts with free browser tools and a free API tier (600 credits/month, no card), with credits-based paid plans from $14.99/month for higher volume.
As of July 2026, Shotstack charges $0.30 per rendered minute on pay-as-you-go credits, or $0.20 per minute on a subscription starting at $39/month for 200 credits. Subscription usage above the plan allowance is billed at a 30% overage premium. Both paths cap output at 1080p; 4K rendering is only available on Shotstack’s custom High Volume tier (minimum 50,000 minutes/year). VideoComposer charges by processing time instead of a flat per-minute rate — typically $0.015-$0.03 per minute of video on the Starter plan.
VideoComposer is a cheaper alternative to Shotstack for merge, trim, convert, overlay, thumbnail, and probe operations. Its free tier covers up to 5 jobs per day with no watermark, and a free account adds a full REST API with 600 credits/month at no cost. Paid API plans start at $14.99/month for 10,000 processing-second credits (about $0.090 per processing-minute) versus Shotstack’s $39/month floor, for teams that need higher volume. Shotstack remains the stronger choice for JSON-timeline composition, templates with merge fields, and multi-track editing that VideoComposer does not offer.
Yes. VideoComposer is a free alternative to Shotstack. It offers up to 5 video processing jobs per day at no cost with no credit card required. Operations include video merge, trim, watermark overlay, subtitle burn-in, and format conversion. A free account also unlocks a full REST API with 600 credits/month at no cost; paid plans starting at $14.99/month add higher volume.
VideoComposer gives you 5 free video processing jobs per day with no watermarks, no signup, and no $39/month minimum.
Want API access? A free account includes 600 credits/month, no card required. Need higher volume? See the pricing page — credits-based plans start at $14.99/month with monthly or yearly subscriptions.
