Creatomate is the best alternative to Shotstack because of its API, video automation features, template editor, responsive templates, and better pricing.
Creatomate is a video editing API for generating, automating, and editing video. Its cloud-based editor features animations, keyframes, and effects to create reusable video templates. Additionally, it provides a way to automate any video editing tasks using JSON. The API documentation is comprehensive and there are many guides to help you get started.
Shotstack is an API for creating slideshow videos with JSON. However, many people find its JSON format difficult to use and limited in capabilities, as only basic editing features are supported, with very few practical templates provided. The lack of a user-friendly video editor makes creating templates tough and time-consuming.
Creatomate is the most powerful cloud video editing API
Generate, automate, and edit videos in the cloud with the Creatomate video editing API. Create video using templates and the online video editor, or automate any video editing task through our SDKs and API available for any programming language.
Render a template
Add captions to a video
Turn images into a slideshow
Resize with background blur
Picture-in-picture video
Add an intro or outro to a video
Watermark a video
View all 50+ examples
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const Creatomate = require('creatomate'); const client = new Creatomate.Client('Your API key');
await client.render({ // The ID of the template that you created in the template editor. // Read more: https://creatomate.com/template-editor templateId: '58c1163e-f250-49df-b98d-e8c4aad01a2d',
Five reasons why developers choose Creatomate over Shotstack
1
Interactive template editor
Shotstack comes with a basic template editor, but it lacks functionality and design capabilities.
Creatomate comes with a cloud-based video editor, which is suitable for both beginners and experts. Among many other features, its timeline and designer provide a drag-and-drop experience, animation previews, alignment tools, version history, JSON editor, real-time preview, and so much more.
2
Create templates for automated video generation
Keyframes, animations, dynamic text scaling, etc.
Smart and responsive template system
Automate everything with the video editing API
Feature-rich video capabilities
Shotstack supports only basic operations, such as placing elements at fixed locations. Only a few motion effects are available.
Creatomate supports many powerful editing features such as keyframes, responsive scaling, shadows, blurring, color filters, blending, looping, animating vector shapes, text animations, warping, 3D, element grouping, and more.
3
A better template system
Shotstack provides several templates, but they are mostly demos instead of actual templates. A Shotstack template cannot be resized to fit different resolutions and form factors without completely remaking the template.
Creatomate provides a wide range of high-quality templates, which can be used right away or easily customized. Each template is responsive, meaning they can be used for a variety of aspect ratios and resolutions without having to manage different templates.
Shotstack's API requires fixed lengths, timestamps and dimensions for every element in your video. Therefore, using dynamic content (e.g. dynamic videos, images or text) with varying lengths and sizes quickly proves to be a pain.
Creatomate's API rescales the duration of videos automatically, letting you use content of any length, size, or format. It takes care of everything with a single API request. It also allows you to generate multiple renders (e.g., of different resolutions) in one go without having to call the API repeatedly. With its comprehensive documentation and examples, you can get started right away.
5
Lower cost with simple pricing
Shotstack's pricing ramps up quickly as you need more credits. It works with overage fees if you exceed your plan allowance, so if something goes wrong with your automated workflows, you might find yourself facing a hefty bill at the end of the month.
With Creatomate's Essential tier ($41), you will pay about the same as Shotstack for the same amount of video minutes. And it will become even more cost-effective as you grow. Shotstack is already 40% more expensive than Creatomate with its second-cheapest subscription plan, which you will reach very soon with normal use. For instance, the Growth 10K tier offers you 700 minutes of video with Creatomate and 500 minutes with Shotstack for the same monthly fee ($99).
Pricing that scales with your needs
No hidden fees
A market-leading solution at an affordable price
Free to try, no credit card required
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