reelsdk vs FFmpeg Micro
An FFmpeg Micro alternative with raw ffmpeg 8.1, signed webhooks and captions in one call
FFmpeg Micro is a hosted FFmpeg API that bills 1 token per 10 seconds of input, about $0.043 to $0.06 per input minute. reelsdk runs your own ffmpeg 8.1 argument list for $0.01 per compute minute, burns word-by-word captions for $0.02 per output minute and makes a faceless short for $0.25, with the finished file returned in the same call or sent to a webhook signed with HMAC-SHA256.
- reelsdk raw ffmpeg, per compute minute$0.01
- FFmpeg Micro Pro, per input minute$0.043
- FFmpeg Micro Starter, per input minute$0.048
- FFmpeg Micro 1,200 or 3,000 tokens$0.05
- FFmpeg Micro 500 tokens$0.06
Different units: FFmpeg Micro bills each minute of input video, reelsdk each minute the machine runs your command, so a heavy encode costs more minutes on reelsdk and a stream copy fewer.
Which one to pick
Pick reelsdk if
- You want the finished file back in the same HTTP call, or a signed webhook instead of a polling loop
- You write plain ffmpeg arguments, multiple inputs and outputs and filtergraphs, instead of option objects
- You need word-by-word captions or a faceless short as one job, not a pipeline you assemble
Pick FFmpeg Micro if
- You want to sign up and start now: 200 free tokens, Python and PHP SDKs, an n8n node, a Make app and an MCP server
- You push big files or big batches: inputs up to 2 GB on Pro, no concurrency cap
- Your encodes are heavy: billing by input minute means a slow preset costs the same as a fast one
Price per minute
FFmpeg Micro and reelsdk, price per minute
FFmpeg Micro charges 1 token for every 10 seconds of input video, so we converted each plan and pack to a price per input minute. reelsdk prices raw ffmpeg by compute minute, captions and slideshows by output minute, and a faceless short per video.
| Option | Price | Included | Per minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg Micro Free | $0 | 200 tokens, about 33 input minutes, 100 MB inputs | Free |
| FFmpeg Micro Starter | $19.99 a month | 2,500 tokens, about 416 input minutes, 1 GB inputs | $0.048 per input minute |
| FFmpeg Micro Pro | $49.99 a month | 7,000 tokens, about 1,166 input minutes, 2 GB inputs | $0.043 per input minute |
| FFmpeg Micro token packs | $5, $10 or $25 | 500, 1,200 or 3,000 tokens that don't expire | $0.05 to $0.06 per input minute |
| reelsdk raw ffmpeg | Per job, no plan | Inputs up to 500 MB each | $0.01 per compute minute |
| reelsdk captions and slideshows | Per job, no plan | Transcription included | $0.02 per output minute |
| reelsdk faceless short | Per job, no plan | Script, images, voice, captions, music | $0.25 up to 60 s |
FFmpeg Micro never bills failed jobs, and plan tokens roll over up to 3 times the monthly grant. reelsdk has no subscription, and the first $1 is free. Prices from FFmpeg Micro pricing, checked October 2026.
Head to head
reelsdk and FFmpeg Micro, feature by feature
| reelsdk | FFmpeg Micro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay per job, no subscription, first $1 free | Monthly plans or token packs; 200 free tokens |
| What is billed | Minutes the machine runs your command | Minutes of input video, per second |
| How you send a command | An args array with plain file names, any number of inputs and outputs | options as { option, argument } pairs from an allowlist, presets, or @text-overlay |
| What is blocked | Network protocols, absolute paths, movie filters and a few file options | Any flag outside the allowlist |
| Getting the result | The create call waits up to 300 s and returns the finished job, or 202 with a poll URL | 201 pending; poll GET /v1/transcodes/{id}, then request a download link |
| Webhooks | HMAC-SHA256 in Reel-Signature, 3 attempts | None in the API reference |
| Download links | Valid for 7 days | Signed, valid for 10 minutes per request |
| Word-by-word captions | POST /v1/captions: burned in, plus srt, vtt and ass, in one job | POST /v1/transcribe returns an SRT; burning it in is a second transcode |
| Faceless short from a topic | POST /v1/shorts, $0.25 up to 60 s | Chain /v1/generate scenes, images, speech and animation yourself, or run a blueprint |
| Concurrency | 3 jobs at once, 500 a day per key | No per-request rate limit and no concurrency cap |
| Input size | 500 MB per URL, 1 GB per job, 100 MB uploads | 100 MB on Free, 1 GB on Starter, 2 GB on Pro, checked after the job is accepted |
| Length | Media up to 15 minutes, 10 minutes of run time | No maximum published |
| SDKs and no-code | HTTP from any language or tool, plus an MCP server | Python and PHP SDKs, n8n node, Make app, MCP server |
Be honest
Where FFmpeg Micro is the better choice
SDKs and no-code apps
FFmpeg Micro starts you on 200 free tokens and ships Python and PHP SDKs, an n8n node, a Make app and an MCP server. reelsdk has an MCP server too, and everything else is plain HTTP.
Bigger inputs, no concurrency cap
FFmpeg Micro takes inputs up to 2 GB on Pro and queues as many jobs as you send, with no per-request rate limit. reelsdk caps inputs at 500 MB each and runs 3 jobs at once per key, so a large backfill takes longer to drain.
Heavy encodes cost the same
Because FFmpeg Micro bills by input minute, a slow preset, a 4K encode or a long filter chain costs the same as a quick remux, and failed jobs are free. reelsdk bills compute minutes, so the heavier the command, the more it costs.
Migration
Moving a render from FFmpeg Micro
On FFmpeg Micro each flag becomes an { option, argument } object, the job starts pending, and you poll it and then request a download link. On reelsdk you name each input, write the same flags as a plain args list and declare the outputs; the call returns the finished job with a link that stays valid for 7 days.
FFmpeg Micro today
curl -X POST https://api.ffmpeg-micro.com/v1/transcodes \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $FFMPEG_MICRO_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"inputs": [{ "url": "https://example.com/input.mp4" }],
"outputFormat": "mp4",
"options": [
{ "option": "-c:v", "argument": "libx264" },
{ "option": "-crf", "argument": "23" },
{ "option": "-vf", "argument": "scale=1920:1080" }
]
}'
# 201 { "id": "...", "status": "pending" }: poll until completed
curl https://api.ffmpeg-micro.com/v1/transcodes/$JOB_ID \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $FFMPEG_MICRO_KEY"
# then ask for a signed download link, valid for 10 minutes
curl https://api.ffmpeg-micro.com/v1/transcodes/$JOB_ID/download \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $FFMPEG_MICRO_KEY"
The same render on reelsdk
curl -X POST "https://api.reelsdk.com/v1/ffmpeg?wait=120" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $REELSDK_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"inputs": { "in.mp4": "https://example.com/input.mp4" },
"args": [
"-i", "in.mp4",
"-c:v", "libx264", "-crf", "23",
"-vf", "scale=1920:1080",
"-c:a", "copy",
"out.mp4"
],
"outputs": ["out.mp4"],
"webhook_url": "https://your.app/hooks/reelsdk"
}'
# 200 { "job": { "status": "succeeded", "outputs": { "out.mp4": "https://..." } } }
# the link stays valid for 7 days
Field by field
| FFmpeg Micro | reelsdk |
|---|---|
inputs: [{ url }] | inputs: { "in.mp4": url }, then -i in.mp4 in args |
options: [{ option, argument }] | args: the same flags, in order |
outputFormat | The output file name in args and outputs |
preset: { quality, resolution } | Your own -crf and -vf scale= flags |
@text-overlay | drawtext with a bundled font, or /v1/captions for speech |
GET /v1/transcodes/{id} | GET /v1/jobs/{id}, or ?wait= on the create call |
GET /v1/transcodes/{id}/download | job.outputs["out.mp4"], valid for 7 days |
POST /v1/transcribe | POST /v1/captions, which also returns outputs.srt and outputs.transcript |
FAQ
reelsdk vs FFmpeg Micro, answered
Is reelsdk cheaper than FFmpeg Micro?
They bill different things. FFmpeg Micro charges 1 token per 10 seconds of input: about $0.048 per input minute on Starter ($19.99 a month), $0.043 on Pro ($49.99) and $0.05 to $0.06 on token packs. reelsdk charges $0.01 per minute the machine runs your command, so a quick transcode usually costs less and a very heavy encode can cost more.
Can I run my own ffmpeg commands on both?
On FFmpeg Micro you pass flags as option and argument pairs, and only allowlisted flags are accepted, alongside presets and a virtual @text-overlay option. On reelsdk you send a plain ffmpeg 8.1 argument list with any number of named inputs and outputs and full filtergraphs; network protocols, absolute paths and a few file options are blocked, and inputs are downloaded into the job directory first.
How do results, polling and webhooks compare?
FFmpeg Micro answers 201 with a pending job; you poll GET /v1/transcodes/{id}, then call /download for a signed link valid for 10 minutes, and its API reference lists no webhooks. reelsdk holds the request open for up to 60 seconds by default and 300 with ?wait=300, returns the finished job with links that last 7 days, or POSTs it to your webhook_url with an HMAC-SHA256 Reel-Signature.
Can both do captions and faceless shorts?
FFmpeg Micro's POST /v1/transcribe returns a Whisper SRT, and burning it in is a second transcode; its /v1/generate endpoints make images, speech and animated clips you chain yourself. reelsdk POST /v1/captions transcribes and burns word-by-word captions in one job, and POST /v1/shorts turns a topic into a finished short in about 100 seconds for $0.25.
Other comparisons
Sources, checked October 2026
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