Any FFmpeg command
Transcode, trim, merge, filter, extract -- the full FFmpeg toolkit via API.
FFmpeg as a Service
Run any FFmpeg command via REST API. No servers, no setup, no maintenance. Pay per job.
// Transcode to WebM -- one API call
fetch("https://api.rendobar.com/ffmpeg/execute", {
method: "POST",
headers: { "Authorization": "Bearer rb_..." },
body: JSON.stringify({
args: ["-i", "__input_0", "-c:v", "libvpx-vp9", "-crf", "30", "output.webm"],
inputs: { "__input_0": "https://cdn.example.com/video.mp4" }
})
})What you can do
Sandboxed execution
Commands validated and run in isolated containers. No file system access, no network escape.
Automatic I/O
Upload inputs via URL, download results via presigned link. No S3 config needed.
Pay per job
Billed per minute of output. No idle servers, no monthly minimums.
How it works
- 01
Get your API key
Sign up free at app.rendobar.com and copy your API key from the dashboard. No credit card required.
- 02
Submit your FFmpeg command
POST to /ffmpeg/execute with your command args and input file URLs. Commands are validated before execution.
- 03
Download the result
Poll the job status or receive a webhook notification. Download your processed file from the presigned URL.
Why Rendobar vs building your own
| Rendobar | Self-hosted FFmpeg | Coconut.co | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw FFmpeg commands | Yes | Yes | No (preset only) |
| Setup time | 0 (one API call) | Hours to days | Minutes |
| Scaling | Automatic | Manual | Automatic |
| Security | Sandboxed | Your responsibility | N/A |
| Pricing | Per minute output | Server costs 24/7 | Per minute |
| Free tier | $5 credits | No | Limited |
Pricing
FFmpeg jobs are billed per minute of output video. Starting at $0.03 per minute. $5 free credits on signup -- no credit card required. View full pricing →
Frequently asked questions
Can I run any FFmpeg command?
You can run most FFmpeg commands. Commands are validated through security layers that whitelist approximately 120 flags and block dangerous operations like file system access, network protocols, and arbitrary code execution filters. Standard transcoding, filtering, and processing operations all work.
How much does FFmpeg as a service cost?
FFmpeg jobs are billed per minute of output. Pricing starts at $0.03 per minute. A 5-minute video costs approximately $0.15. Every account starts with $5 in free credits -- no credit card required.
What formats does the FFmpeg API support?
Rendobar supports all formats that FFmpeg supports -- MP4, WebM, MOV, AVI, MKV, MP3, AAC, WAV, PNG, JPEG, and more. Input and output formats are determined by your FFmpeg command.
How do I pass input files to the API?
Include input file URLs in your request body. Rendobar downloads them to a secure sandbox, replaces URL placeholders in your command with local paths, and executes. Results are uploaded to a presigned URL for download.
Is there a file size limit?
Free tier supports files up to 100 MB. Pro plan ($9/month) supports up to 2 GB per file. Job timeout is 5 minutes on free, 15 minutes on Pro.
Can I use FFmpeg as a service from AI agents?
Yes. Rendobar is MCP-native. AI agents like Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor can execute FFmpeg commands through standard MCP tools -- validate commands, execute jobs, and retrieve results programmatically.
Related
Start processing in 5 minutes
$5 free on signup. No credit card. No servers to manage.