Programmatic video API
Turn JSON into video.
Send a JSON spec, get an MP4 back. Built for creators who automate their content — buy credits once, with no subscription and no expiry.
{ "resolution": "full-hd", "scenes": [{ "duration": 8, "elements": [ { "type": "video", "src": "clip.mp4" }, { "type": "text", "text": "New drop ↓" } ] }] }
How it works
Three steps from spec to MP4.
No timeline to drag, no editor to learn. Describe the video as data and let the API render it in the cloud.
Write the JSON
Compose scenes from images, video, text, and audio. Add transitions and variables when you need them.
POST to the API
Send the spec to /renders with your API key. You get a render ID back instantly — rendering runs in the background.
Get your MP4
Poll the render or catch the webhook. Download a finished H.264 file from a CDN URL.
curl -X POST https://api.vidhook.app/renders \ -H "Authorization: Bearer vh_live_•••" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d @movie.json → { "renderId": "rnd_8t2k", "status": "queued" }
What you can build
Everything you need to render. Nothing you don't.
vidhook keeps the feature set tight so the price stays low — the building blocks that actually ship social video.
Images
Place stills with fit control and Ken Burns zoom and pan.
Video clips
Embed real footage with trim, volume, and fades. The feature most APIs charge a premium for.
Text & fonts
Overlay captions with any Google Font, alignment, and timing.
Audio & BGM
Layer music and sound with looping and volume fades.
Transitions
Wipe, slide, fade, and more between scenes — the full xfade set.
VariablesComing soon
Template once, then render thousands of variants from your data.
Pricing you don't have to babysit
No subscription. No expiry. No waste.
Most video APIs lock you into a monthly plan and reset your balance every cycle. vidhook is prepaid: buy a pack of credits, and they're yours until you spend them.
- Pay once. No recurring charge, no card on file by default.
- Credits never expire. Render this week or next year — same balance.
- Pay per second. 1 credit = 1 second of Full HD. Only pay for what you render.
- Free every week. 180 credits weekly for watermarked test renders, no card required.
Pricing
Buy credits when you need them.
Start free, then top up with a one-time pack. Bigger packs cost less per credit. No plans, no commitment.
1 credit = 1 second of Full HD · 4K = 4 credits · credits never expire
How we compare
Less to pay for the same render.
What 1,000 render credits cost as a one-time purchase, next to other programmatic video APIs. Same JSON-to-video workflow — lower prepaid price.
Prepaid list price per 1,000 credits, 2026. 1 credit = 1 second of Full HD. Competitor names withheld; figures from their published prepaid pricing.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is a credit?
One credit renders one second of Full HD (1080p) video. 4K costs 4 credits per second. A render's cost is just its length times this rate, so you always know the price before you submit.
Do credits expire?
No. Credits you buy never expire. Render today or in a year — your balance stays exactly where you left it. (Free weekly credits are the one exception: they refresh each week and don't roll over.)
Is this a subscription?
No. vidhook is prepaid. You buy a one-time pack of credits — there's no monthly fee, no minimum, and no card kept on file unless you choose to buy again.
Do you support 4K?
Yes. 4K renders at 4 credits per second. Full HD remains the default at 1 credit per second.
What's included on the free tier?
180 credits every week — about 3 minutes of Full HD — for watermarked test renders, no card required. Use a test key to spend them; switch to a paid pack and a live key for clean output.
What's the difference between test and live keys?
A test key (vh_test_) renders from your free weekly credits and adds a watermark — ideal for development. A live key (vh_live_) renders from your purchased credits with no watermark, for production. The key you use decides which balance is charged.
Start rendering for free.
Create an account, grab an API key, and POST your first JSON spec in minutes.
Get started