FFmpeg Micro vs JSON2Video

JSON2Video lets you define videos as JSON timelines. FFmpeg Micro lets you automate FFmpeg operations around the footage and assets you already have.

If your question is “should I model all my videos as JSON scenes” or “should I automate editing on top of existing content”, this page helps clarify the tradeoffs.

Who each tool is for

FFmpeg Micro
  • You record or ingest real video/audio and need to transform it at scale
  • You want to clip, resize, caption, and repurpose existing footage via automation
  • Your workflows already live in n8n/Make and you want a simple FFmpeg API
JSON2Video
  • Your videos are primarily generated from structured data (e.g., listings, SKUs, properties)
  • You are comfortable authoring and maintaining JSON timelines
  • You want a declarative way to define scenes, text, and transitions as data

Workload fit

Best suited workloads

FFmpeg Micro

  • Repurposing long-form content into clips and shorts
  • Generating multiple platform formats from the same source
  • Batch captioning and overlay workflows in n8n/Make

JSON2Video

  • Creating videos from catalogs (product, real estate, inventory)
  • Highly structured layouts (slideshows, text scenes, simple animations)
  • Scenarios where JSON is the natural source of truth
Key question to ask

Are you primarily generating videos out of JSON, or transforming videos that already exist?

If it's the former, JSON2Video is often the better fit. If it's the latter, FFmpeg Micro tends to be simpler and cheaper at scale.

Automation & developer experience

FFmpeg Micro
  • HTTP API designed to be called from automation tools plus backend code
  • Job inputs look like FFmpeg options and URLs rather than long JSON timelines
  • Good fit if your team already knows or is comfortable with FFmpeg concepts
JSON2Video
  • Automation is built around generating and posting JSON timeline definitions
  • Great if your app is already deeply data‑model driven and JSON centric
  • Heavier lift if you mostly want classic FFmpeg operations on existing media

When to choose FFmpeg Micro vs JSON2Video

Choose FFmpeg Micro if…
  • Your main input is user‑generated or recorded content
  • You want automation around editing and repurposing, not scene layout
  • You want predictable, per‑minute pricing for heavy workloads
Choose JSON2Video if…
  • You are comfortable designing JSON timelines and keeping them in sync
  • Your videos are mostly generated from structured data, not raw footage
  • You want a declarative model for every scene and transition
Use both together
  • Use JSON2Video to generate core templates from data
  • Use FFmpeg Micro to do heavy lifting: transcoding, clipping, platform variants
  • Keep each tool focused on what it does best

Need to automate editing on top of real footage?

Start a free FFmpeg Micro account and plug it into your existing n8n or Make flows to automate trimming, resizing, captioning and more on the content you already have.

Start Free – No credit card required