FFmpeg API withoutmanaging media infrastructure

Upload, transcode, clip, compress, and generate thumbnails with a simple REST API built for product teams shipping video features fast.

Start freeSee API example

Add video workflows without running FFmpeg yourself

Building video processing into your product means dealing with FFmpeg server setup, job queues, retry logic, autoscaling, codec environments, and storage pipeline choreography. Each piece adds weeks to your timeline and ongoing maintenance overhead.

With an FFmpeg API, you skip all of that. Submit a job via REST, get back a webhook when it finishes, and download the result. The processing infrastructure, queue management, retry handling, and scaling all happen behind the API.

You ship video features in hours instead of weeks, and your team focuses on your product instead of babysitting media pipelines.

What you can do with the API

All the FFmpeg operations you need, available through simple API calls.

Transcode video

Convert between formats, adjust resolution, change codecs, set bitrate and quality targets.

Generate thumbnails

Extract single frames or thumbnail strips at any timestamp or interval from your videos.

Extract audio

Pull audio tracks from video files, convert to MP3 or other formats, adjust sample rates.

Create HLS streams

Package videos into HLS format with multiple quality variants for adaptive streaming.

Add watermarks

Overlay images or text onto videos, position anywhere, control opacity and timing.

Inspect with FFprobe

Extract metadata, duration, dimensions, codecs, bitrate, frame rate, and stream details.

Want to see all the recipes? Browse the full API documentation →

Example: submit a processing job

Here's what a complete transcode request looks like, from submission to webhook callback.

1. Submit the job

curl -X POST https://api.ffmpeg-micro.com/v1/transcode \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "inputFile": "my-upload.mp4",
    "outputFormat": "webm",
    "outputQuality": "high",
    "webhook": "https://yourapp.com/webhooks/transcode-complete"
  }'

2. Get immediate response

{
  "jobId": "job_abc123xyz",
  "status": "processing",
  "inputFile": "my-upload.mp4",
  "outputFormat": "webm",
  "createdAt": "2026-05-08T19:30:00Z",
  "estimatedCompletion": "2026-05-08T19:32:00Z"
}

3. Receive webhook when complete

{
  "jobId": "job_abc123xyz",
  "status": "completed",
  "inputFile": "my-upload.mp4",
  "outputFile": "job_abc123xyz_output.webm",
  "downloadUrl": "https://api.ffmpeg-micro.com/v1/download/job_abc123xyz_output.webm",
  "duration": 120.5,
  "fileSize": 8456320,
  "completedAt": "2026-05-08T19:31:45Z"
}
Try it yourself →

How the workflow works

Four steps from upload to download. The API handles everything in between.

1

Provide input

Upload your video file using a presigned URL or reference an existing file.

2

Submit job

POST your processing request with output format, quality, and webhook URL.

3

Check status

Poll the job endpoint or wait for the webhook callback when processing finishes.

4

Get output

Download the processed file from the provided URL.

Built for product teams shipping video features fast

Real teams use FFmpeg Micro to add video processing to their products without the infrastructure overhead.

User upload platforms

Transcode user-uploaded videos into standard formats and resolutions for consistent playback across devices.

Social clip generators

Turn long-form content into platform-ready clips for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Course platforms

Generate thumbnails, create preview clips, and optimize video content for web delivery.

Podcast workflows

Extract audio from video recordings, create audiograms, and generate video clips for social promotion.

AI media preprocessing

Normalize formats, extract frames, and prepare media files for AI model ingestion and training.

No-code automations

Plug into n8n, Make.com, or Zapier workflows to automate video processing at scale. See n8n guide →

Why use an FFmpeg API instead of self-hosting

Skip the infrastructure setup

No FFmpeg compilation, no codec licensing, no worker queue configuration, no autoscaling rules, no storage pipeline orchestration.

Ship features in hours, not weeks

Integrate video processing with a few API calls instead of building an entire media pipeline from scratch.

Pay for what you process

No idle server costs, no overprovisioning for peak load, no underutilized GPU instances. Only pay for actual processing minutes.

Automatic scaling and retries

Handle traffic spikes without capacity planning. Failed jobs retry automatically. No oncall for media pipeline incidents.

Stay current with FFmpeg updates

New codecs, format support, and security patches roll out automatically. No manual upgrades or compatibility testing.

Pricing and limits

Start with 100 free minutes included. Pay only for processing time after that, with per-minute pricing that scales with your usage.

No file size limits on paid plans. No monthly minimums. Cancel anytime.

View full pricing →

Start with one request

Test the API with your own video file. See how fast you can go from upload to processed output.

Run a test requestRead the quickstart