10 best video automation softwares [2026]

Best video automation software at a glance

1. Plainly Videos: Best video automation software for cloud-based After Effects automation

This one’s ours (yes, we’re biased, but with good reason!).

After years of manually creating video variations in After Effects, we got tired of the repetitive grunt work. So we built Plainly Videos - a video automation software that uses your AE templates and data from sources like CSV, Google Sheets, or APIs to automatically render as many variations as you need.

That means you can generate 10 or 10,000 video versions for dynamic video ads, digital signage, video localization purposes, and more, without touching the render queue. Everything renders in the cloud, so your machine stays free for, well… actual work.

Key features

• After Effects templates support.
• Dynamic data mapping via CSV, Google Sheets, or API.
• Seamless cloud-based After Effects infrastructure for rendering videos.
• Native integrations with Zapier, Airtable, Google Drive, Vimeo, etc.
• First-class API documentation for advanced use cases.
• Enterprise-grade security with full ISO 27001 and GDPR compliance.

Pricing

Plainly’s pricing is based on monthly render minutes.

• Starter at $69/month. Our most basic plan is ideal for testing purposes or smaller-scale automation. It gives you 50 render minutes to experiment and see how Plainly fits your workflow.
• Explorer at $134/month. Need more headroom? Explorer gives you 100 render minutes to play with.
• Team at $259/month. A solid fit for teams running regular video automation. Comes with 200 render minutes.
• Pro at $649/month. Built for higher output and larger pipelines. You’ll get 600 render minutes each month.
• Unlimited at $1,500/month. Running high-volume campaigns or need full flexibility? This one’s for you since it gives you unlimited rendering and storage, no caps.
• Enterprise with custom pricing. This is a great fit for large teams with special requirements.

Review

‘’The tool enabled us to render almost 20000 individualised videos in a relatively short amount of time with relatively low cost, which was a game changer for the way we as a company operate when it comes to content. Additionally, the support from Plainly was superb, and the team helped us before and during implementation.’’ - Andreas S. (G2)

‘’Plainly is just brilliant. Compared to my old in-house rendering setup, it’s like night and day. It scales effortlessly, performs consistently, and has been rock-solid reliable. Integration with third-party services was quick and straightforward, and getting started was super easy. Plus, the support team is awesome, quick, helpful, and genuinely invested.’’ - Tony S. (G2)

2. Veed.io: Best video editing tool for AI-powered video editing

Want to make videos in the blink of an AI? Well, Veed.io claims to help you do just that!

It’s an automatic video editor that relies on the power of AI to help teams create branded content fast, including social clips, talking-head explainers, and repurposed webinars. 

In fact, Veed combines a number of AI tools in one browser-based platform, meaning you don't need to pay for multiple video editing software simultaneously just to be able to ship a finished product.

Key features

• Script generation.
• Text-based video editing using simple prompts and templates.
• One-click auto subtitles, translations, and dubbing
  
• AI avatars with voice and face cloning for generating talking-head videos.
• Built-in screen and webcam recorder with timeline editor 
• Embeddable video player for hosting and sharing content

Pricing

This AI video editing software has a free plan, which gives you access to basic video editor features. Unfortunately, it comes with certain limits, such as a watermark on videos, lower export quality, and time caps on content.

If that’s a deal-breaker, you’ll need to subscribe to one of their paid plans:

• Lite - $19/month per editor
• Pro - $49/month per editor
• Enterprise - Custom pricing

A word of caution, though. If you want to go beyond editing and actually tap into the content creation process, you’ll have to purchase AI credits, which further raise the cost of the subscription. So, keep that in mind when deciding if this is the best video automation tool for you.

Review

‘’I genuinely appreciate VEED for its exceptional captioning capability, which stands out compared to Adobe Premiere Pro's less accurate options. The captions are both simple to create and precise, and they greatly improve video quality of my YouTube shorts.’’ - Matt S. (G2)

‘’VEED is super easy to use with a lot of features. They've also continued to roll out many new AI features as free upgrades to their moderate plans over time, which is great.’’ - Jonathan W. (G2)

3. Idomoo: Best video automation software for delivering interactive experiences

Idomoo is perhaps one of the oldest video automation software, if not the oldest. However, it’s evolved quite a lot over the years.

While most popular tools focus on production speed, Idomoo is more focused on using automation to personalize the videos. For that reason, we personally find it’s best suited for creating interactive onboarding videos and other types of personalized videos that respond to viewer input in real time.

Key features

• After Effects templates support.
• Lucas AI, a.k.a. an AI assistant for video generation.
• Interactive videos with branching logic, embedded CTAs, and real-time customization.
• CRM and first-party data integrations for scalable 1:1 personalization.
• Built-in player with engagement and conversion tracking.

Pricing

Unfortunately, Idomoo doesn’t publicly share its pricing. They do, however, imply that it’s based on volumes and the level of support needed. To use it for automatic video creation, you’ll have to first reach out to their team for pricing details.

Review

‘’Working with Idomoo was an outstanding experience from start to finish. They collaborated closely with our Creative and CRM teams to help deliver for our client a personalised video campaign for their customers.’’ - Richard S. (G2)

‘’The work with Idomoo was excellent, easy integration and implementation. The timeframe was met, and they were always available to answer any questions. The budget is very good for the service they deliver. The platform is also very intuitive to use.’’ - Carolina (G2)

4. Shotstack: Best video automation tool for code-driven video creation

If you're a developer, you'll LOVE Shotstack since it gives you full programmatic control over video generation through JSON. That means you can build and render dynamic videos by defining everything - from clips and overlays to transitions and audio - through their API.

Not to mention, the tool is cloud-based and designed to integrate seamlessly with the rest of your tech stack. And while it’s definitely dev-first, they also offer a lightweight web editor for more straightforward projects.

Key features

• JSON-based online video editing for full timeline control via API.
• Cloud rendering with high availability and built-in asset hosting.
• White-label video editing solution.
• SDKs for major languages and solid dev documentation.
• RESTful API with webhooks and integration support (Zapier, Make, AWS).

Pricing

Shotstack runs on a credit-based system where each rendered video minute equals one credit. If you’re just getting started, you can pay as you go at $0.40 per minute, though the minimum buy-in is 25 credits - enough to test the waters with 25 one-minute videos or about 17 AI-generated ones.

If you're planning to go bigger, a monthly subscription drops the rate to $0.20 per minute (and even lower with scale). And if you’re running serious volume that goes over 50,000 minutes per month, this professional video editing software also offers custom high-volume plans.

Review

‘’I like how easily it can be integrated into any site. It is hassle-free and very easy to code with Shotstack API.’’ - Chinmaya S. (G2)

‘’Shotstack fills a gap in the market (as far as I can determine), and the API appears quite comprehensive in its capabilities. With not much effort, you can achieve quite a professional result.’’ - Mark W. (Capterra)

5. Dataclay Templater: Best for desktop-based AE templating

If you're handling smaller-scale projects and prefer local rendering, Dataclay Templater might just become your go-to for After Effects automation.

It’s a plugin that turns AE into a full-blown video automation engine, letting you rig templates with dynamic data and generate personalized or localized video content at scale.

Key features

• Native After Effects plugin for rigging templates with dynamic data layers.
• Flexible data sources, including Google Sheets, JSON, TSV, or Dataclay’s custom QUE API.
• After Effects batch rendering and composition replication using Adobe Media Encoder or the built-in Bot.
• Command Line Interface (CLI) support for full automation and background re-versioning. 

Pricing

If you want to use Templater, you need to choose between one of their 3 editions: Rig, Pro, and Bot.

Rig is the entry point at €85.45 - a one-time, perpetual license that gives you everything you need to "rig" After Effects projects with dynamic layers and preview how those layers will behave with your data.

Pro, starting at €240.35/month, includes all Rig features but adds batch rendering and composition replication. It’s a good fit for those producing multiple video variants off a single AE template.

However, if you’d like to tap into full automation, you’re best off going with the Bot version, at €480.70/month, which lets you run renders in the background and trigger new videos based on incoming data, user actions, or their QUE API (though this is a paid add-on).

For all 3 editions, you have the option of choosing the standard or the floating license.

• Standard (node-locked) works great if you're sticking to one machine. Although you can still manually deactivate and move it if needed.
• Floating licenses are ideal for larger teams or virtualized environments. You host a Linux licensing server, and any connected machine can “borrow” a license and return it when done. No need to manually activate every time you create a new virtual machine.
  

Review

‘’Templater has become a default tool for our studio and has lead to many creative discoveries. It's the tech inspiring the creative and the creative inspiring the tech.’’ - Lloyd H. (G2)

‘’Templater gives you the ability to create content at scale. I am able to build templates and then render en masse from a spreadsheet. Working this way has saved me so much time, while still delivering high volumes of assets for clients.’’ - Justin (Software Advice) 

6. HeyGen: Best AI video editing software for generating videos with consistent AI characters

HeyGen is similar to Veed.io in that it's using generative AI to bring videos to life. However, rather than focusing primarily on editing existing footage, it is a true AI video generator ideal for training, explainers, onboarding, or social content built entirely from text and avatars.

You can generate a video from scratch using stock avatars or create custom ones with your own face and voice. And thanks to lip sync, multi-language support, and VEO 3.1. integration that ensures character consistency, your videos always stay on-brand, no matter how many of them you make. And while you cannot scale the rendering process using HeyGen, you can integrate it with Plainly to unlock that functionality.

Key features

• Avatar IV, a.k.a. one of the most advanced AI video models that helps create ultra-realistic AI presenters.
• AI dubbing and translation in 175+ languages.
• Custom avatar creation powered by VEO 3.1 integration to help maintain avatar consistency across videos.
• Text-to-video and photo-to-video technology.

Pricing

HeyGen markets itself as a free AI video generator. And although that is true, their Free plan is only a good option if you can get by with creating three 3-minute videos a month and are happy with 720p video quality.

Anyone who'd like to use this AI-powered tool for larger-scale video automation will need to subscribe to one of their paid plans: 

• Creator at $29/month, which unlocks longer video length, 1080p quality, voice cloning, watermark removal, and more advanced features.
• Team at $39 per seat a month, which adds collaboration capabilities, translation script editing, unlimited avatars, and up to 4K exports, among other features.

Review

‘’I needed to create videos featuring my own voice and image for marketing purposes, such as discussing my services and what I can offer. As someone who specialises in Search Engine Optimization, I wanted an alternative to constantly recording myself, so I decided to try HeyGen after seeing it recommended in a YouTube video. I was genuinely surprised by how accurately it captured my likeness, especially since AI doesn't always deliver as expected.’’ - Sarah-Jane M. (G2)

‘’HeyGen makes AI video creation feel surprisingly human. The avatars, voice tones, and pacing tools are miles ahead of other platforms. The new Video Agent workflow is a game-changer, it listens, adapts, and makes revisions fast. It saves us hours while still letting creativity lead. The built-in tone and pause controls make our videos sound natural and professional without extra editing.’’ - Magnus J. (G2)

7. Adcreative.ai: Best for transforming product photos into scroll-stopping video ads

AdCreative's bread and butter used to be static ad creatives (hence the name). But it now goes way beyond, offering a combination of tools for creating AI-generated product shoots, UGC-style videos, and full-blown video ads with zero manual editing.

Just upload a photo, describe what you want (or let their AI decide), and it’ll generate ads that look like they came out of a creative agency. Fashion brand? Covered. E-commerce store? Easy. All outputs are ready to run on Meta, TikTok, Google, and other advertising platforms.

Key features

• Product Videoshoot AI that turns product photos into video ads.
• Fashion video generator for campaign-style content creation from lookbook photos.
• UGC-style video ads powered by AI avatars and AI voiceovers.
• Prompt-to-video generation.
• Ad-optimized video formats designed to match platform trends and boost conversions.

Pricing

AdCreative offers 3 paid plan tiers, which mainly differ in how many credits, brands, and users you get.

But heads up: if you're here for automated video creation, skip the Starter plans (from $39/month), since they don’t support it.

Instead, go for Professional (from $249/month) or Ultimate (from $599/month) to unlock video features and get full creative firepower.

Review

‘’The new video ad creator from Adcreative AI is great. It makes quick, short videos that get people's attention for TikTok and Instagram. I just put my image on it and pick a mood, and it does the rest. The AI is right on the money about click-through rates, so I know what to run. It has a lot of styles that make my ads look much better than they did before.’’ - Rimsha S. (G2)

‘’AdCreative made things different for our business. I love the way it uses its AI to make creatives that work well on social media and save time on video production. It's easy to use, so there is no problem for starters or beginners.’’ - Sagar N. (G2)

8. Synthesia: Best video automation software for business video production

Synthesia falls into the same category as Veed.io and HeyGen, given that it's an AI-powered video automation software. 

What makes it stand out, though, is that it was built primarily with the corporate audience in mind - specifically for the purpose of producing training, onboarding, internal comms, and localized content.

This AI video editor requires no previous editing experience whatsoever, nor a camera, and makes it possible to turn text into video in over 140 languages.

Key features

• Text-to-video generation with lifelike AI avatars.
• Express 2 avatar engine (the newest of their AI models) that delivers more expressive facial expressions, lip-sync accuracy, and realistic gestures.
• One-click AI dubbing and translation to 140+ languages.
• Video Agents that respond in real time to viewer input.
• Interactive features like quizzes, branching, and embedded forms for more engaging videos.

Pricing

Synthesia offers 4 plans, but only 3 of them make sense for actual video creation.

That said, the Basic plan is free, but you're limited to 3 minutes of video/month and 9 avatars, which, if we're being honest, is more of a free trial than a usable plan.

Meanwhile, Starter starts at $29/month and gives you 1,200 credits - enough for 10 minutes of video and AI dubbing - plus access to 125+ avatars.

The Creator ($89/month) plan unlocks additional features, including 3,600 credits that equal 30 minutes of video and AI dubbing, branded video pages, interactive features, and API access.

Need unlimited minutes, collaboration, or SCORM export? You’re looking at the Enterprise plan with custom pricing, meant for teams with large volume needs.

Review

‘’Synthesia allows you to quickly transform scripts into polished, on-brand videos without the need for cameras, studios, or actors. The avatars have a professional appearance, and the multilingual voice options are impressive. Features like templates, captions, and brand controls make it easy for those without a design background to create consistent content.’’ - Vishal D. (G2)

‘’Extremely easy to use: script → video in minutes. Avatars and voices sound natural, perfect for multilingual content. Great for teaching or product walkthroughs: I can quickly turn feature explanations into videos for customers. Saves huge amounts of time and cost compared to traditional video production.’’ - Zhen F. (G2)

9. Submagic: Best for short form content creation

If you're drowning in long-form content and want to start pushing out TikToks, Reels, or YouTube Shorts quickly, Submagic has your back.

Just upload your video, and it’ll automatically trim the fluff, pick out the strongest moments, add captions, emojis, zooms, B-roll, transitions, and even sound effects - basically everything you'd do manually if you had the time (and patience).

It is ideal for podcasters, video creators, and social media teams who want to publish video clips consistently without hiring an editor.

Key features

• Auto‑cutting and key moment detection.
• AI captions (with emojis and dynamic animation) in 48+ languages.
• Auto zooms, transitions, B‑roll, and sound effects.
• Viral‑ready templates format‑optimized for TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
• Multilingual subtitle and translation support to expand global reach.

Pricing

Submagic lets you create 3 videos for free (as a trial), after which, you'll need to subscribe to one of their 3 plans:

• Starter - $19/month. Includes 15 short videos per member, no watermark, and AI-powered captions with B-roll. 
• Pro - $39/month with 40 videos and 5-minute limits, custom caption styles, translation, brand kits, and more
• Business + API - $69/month per member. Comes with support for longer videos (up to 30 minutes), 4K exports, API access, and templates for your whole team, among else. 

You can also add on the Magic Clips to any plan for an extra $19/month to auto-split long-form content into short-form clips.

Review

‘’First of all, I really loved Submagic's overall feature set. It has all the tools you need, from amazing captions to AI-powered features to create solid short-form videos effectively. Secondly, it has a simple user interface, so even beginners can easily navigate and learn all the key features quickly. Furthermore, I experienced highly accurate captions, so I only needed to make minimal manual changes.’’ - Aron K. (G2)

‘’Not even sure where to begin, but let's just say from software to the customer service, if Submagic had a crypto coin, I would be ALL IN. I no longer spend 4+ hours editing 1 reel, and can now film and edit reels daily within 1 hour without sacrificing any quality.’’ - Jeff L. (G2)

10. Nexrender: Best video automation software for developers who want full control

Nexrender is about as scalable as it gets - if you’re comfortable with scripting, that is.

It’s an open-source video automation software built specifically for After Effects, like Plainly.

You start with your .aep or .mogrt template, tell Nexrender what to change (text, images, audio, voiceovers), and then kick off as many renders as you need. It handles batch jobs, personalization, and distribution through a simple CLI and JSON-based setup.

And while incredibly versatile, if your coding knowledge isn’t up to par, this may not be the best video automation software for you.

Key features

• Data-driven rendering with automated text, image, audio, and layer swaps.
• JSON-based configuration with CLI control for fully customizable workflows.
• One-time batch rendering service.
• Cloud and self-hosted options.

Pricing

Nexrender is free to use if you’re self-hosting and comfortable working with the open-source CLI setup.

But if you’d rather skip server maintenance and get straight to scaling, they also offer a fully managed cloud version. Pricing for the cloud platform isn’t public. Instead, you’ll need to book a call to get a custom quote based on your rendering volume and setup needs.

Review

“Thanks to Nexrender, Jobdeck's potential has not just been unlocked, but supercharged! We're now creating dynamic job videos and stunning image adverts with unmatched efficiency and speed!” - Adam Nicholson (Nexrender)

‘’With Nexrender, we were finally able to combine all the pieces that we wanted to automate the creation of visuals.’’ - Bryan Maloney (Nexrender)

Scaling video content? Automation is the only way

Manually editing single videos, duplicating timelines, and exporting variants one by one might work for 5 videos. But what about 500? Or 5,000?

It doesn't matter if you’re creating personalized ads, internal training videos, localized content, or product explainers; there’s now a tool designed for it - and this list covered the best video automation software of them all. The only thing left is to decide which tool is best for your use case.

If that happens to be data-driven video rendering using AE templates and a data source, we’d love to show you what Plainly can do. Book a demo and see how fast video scales when the render queue isn’t holding you back.