Free interactive tool
Enter your expected video volume below and get an instant cost estimate for Shotstack's pay-as-you-go and subscription paths, plus the closest matching VideoComposer plan. No signup required — the calculator runs entirely in your browser.
Set your expected monthly rendered video minutes, average output length per job, and monthly job count. Toggle whether you need production-ready (non-sandbox) output and programmatic API access. The estimate updates instantly as you adjust any input.
Shotstack bills by rendered output minute: $0.30/minute pay-as-you-go (sold as prepaid credit packs starting at a $75 one-time purchase), or $0.20/minute on a subscription starting at $39/month for 200 credits, with overage minutes billed at roughly a 30% premium above the subscription rate. The calculator applies both rates to your entered volume — including the PAYG purchase floor — and shows whichever paid path is cheaper.
For the full breakdown of Shotstack's free credits, sandbox constraints, and watermarking policy, see the VideoComposer vs Shotstack comparison.
Interactive calculator
Use your expected render volume to compare Shotstack's pay-as-you-go and subscription paths with VideoComposer's free browser tools and monthly API plans.
VideoComposer fit
Starter
$14.99/mo
Best fit for API access or moderate browser volume under about 10,000 monthly CPU credits.
Estimated VideoComposer CPU credits: 2,400/mo. This is a conservative estimate assuming conversion-heavy workloads at ~20 credits per minute of video — the top of our published 10–20 range. Credits are billed on actual processing time, and light operations like trims typically use only a few credits per job regardless of length, so real usage often lands on a smaller plan than estimated here.
Shotstack PAYG estimate
$75
120 rendered minutes at $0.30/minute comes to less than the $75 minimum credit-pack purchase, so $75 is the real minimum outlay (unused credits stay on your balance).
Shotstack subscription estimate
$39
Uses the smallest listed monthly tier that covers 200 credits.
Sandbox/free-tier reality check
Your usage or production requirement exceeds what a sandbox-style workflow should handle. Plan for paid production rendering.
Estimated monthly savings vs the cheaper Shotstack paid path
$25
Estimate only. Final cost depends on actual render duration, overage, selected credit pack, and required support level.
The two dollar figures above are Shotstack's pay-as-you-go and subscription cost for the monthly minutes you entered — the calculator shows both because whichever is lower depends on your volume. The VideoComposer panel converts the same usage into estimated CPU credits and recommends the smallest plan that covers it, from free browser tools up to a paid plan.
Every number here is an estimate, not a quote. Shotstack's published rates and VideoComposer's credit-per-minute conversion can both change; re-run the calculator with updated inputs whenever your expected volume shifts. For side projects, MVPs, and low-volume pipelines, the lowest-risk path is often to validate the workflow with VideoComposer's free browser tools before wiring up API automation on either platform.
Shotstack PAYG
$0.30/min
Pay-as-you-go rate; credit packs start at a $75 one-time purchase.
Shotstack subscription
$39/mo
Entry tier, 200 credits included.
VideoComposer starter
$14.99/mo
API access with 10,000 CPU credits.
Enter your expected monthly rendered video minutes, average output length per job, and monthly job count, then flag whether you need production-ready output and API access. The calculator instantly estimates Shotstack pay-as-you-go and subscription cost, checks sandbox fit, and recommends the closest VideoComposer plan.
Shotstack bills by rendered output minute: $0.30/minute pay-as-you-go (sold as prepaid credit packs starting at a $75 one-time purchase), or $0.20/minute on a subscription starting at $39/month for 200 credits, with overage minutes billed at roughly a 30% premium above the subscription rate. The calculator applies both rates to your entered monthly minutes — flooring the pay-as-you-go estimate at the $75 minimum pack — and picks the cheaper paid path automatically.
The calculator converts your entered usage into estimated VideoComposer CPU credits and matches it to the smallest plan that covers it — free browser tools, the free 600-credit account tier, or a paid plan starting at $14.99/month. It's an estimate: VideoComposer bills by measured processing time, not a flat per-minute rate, so light operations often cost less than the estimate shown.
See the full VideoComposer vs Shotstack comparison for a complete breakdown of Shotstack's free credits, sandbox limits, watermarking, and production pricing.
