Buyer's guide ยท Vodmill
White-label AI clipping platform source code with clip campaigns
Vodmill is self-hosted Node.js and TypeScript source code for a white-label AI clipping platform. Your customers upload a long video such as a talk, a podcast or a stream recording. Vodmill transcribes it, suggests clips that start and end on a sentence and gives each one a score with written reasons. A transcript editor, face-tracked reframing and 18 word-by-word caption presets turn a suggestion into a finished vertical clip, rendered by ffmpeg on your own server.
What you get
The full source code
The Node.js and TypeScript server, the React studio, the operator console, backup, restore and upgrade-check scripts, a Dockerfile and the documentation.
Clips that end on a sentence
Moments are picked by the Anthropic API when you add a key, or by a built-in non-AI scorer when you do not. Clips snap to sentence boundaries, and a complete-thought check offers a one-click boundary fix.
A score you can read
Every clip gets a score out of 100 from seven named signals (hook, curiosity, emotion, standalone, payoff, editing and fit), each with a written reason.
Face-tracked reframing
Runs on your server's CPU with six layouts: Auto, Fill, Fit, Split, Stack and Screen. The vertical crop follows the person who talks.
Captions and render
18 word-by-word caption presets, drawn by one module for the browser preview and the server render. One ffmpeg pass per clip and shape gives an MP4, SRT and VTT files, a cover image and an EDL, with silence and filler cuts and punch-in zooms.
Transcription your way
ElevenLabs, any Whisper-compatible API, or local whisper.cpp on your own server with no API cost.
Integrations
A REST API with keys, HMAC-signed webhooks and an MCP server with six tools, switched on by the operator.
How an agency resells it
Vodmill is built for agencies, clipping communities and streamer managers who run clipping for many creators from one installation.
A workspace per client
Each client or creator keeps their own workspace, with team roles, invites and notifications.
Plans and credits
You price each action in credits and sell monthly plans and credit packs through your own Stripe account. A failed or cancelled step is refunded automatically.
Plan limits
Source length, minutes per month, storage, 60 fps, no watermark, link import, creating campaigns and posts per month are set per plan.
Clipping campaigns
Brands post campaigns with a budget, a rate per 1,000 views, minimum views, a per-clip cap and rules, and clippers join and submit links. A review queue shows a fraud score with its signals; a flag pauses a payout and never rejects by itself.
A payout ledger
The ledger records what each clipper is owed and what was marked paid, with batches, CSV and references. An optional commission is capped at 50 %.
Publishing
YouTube upload through your own Google OAuth client, a customer's own Postiz instance or a signed webhook, with a schedule queue.
What it needs to run
Hosting and the services below are not included in the price. Each provider bills you directly.
- Node.js 22.12 or newer and npm, or Docker
- A Linux VPS with ffmpeg and ffprobe, a domain and HTTPS through Caddy or nginx; rendering and face detection use the CPU, no GPU needed
- An ADMIN_SECRET_KEY (32 random bytes, hex) to seal the keys you save
- Transcription: an ElevenLabs key, a Whisper-compatible API key, or a local whisper.cpp binary and model
- Optional, on your own accounts: Anthropic, Stripe, Resend, a Google OAuth client and YouTube Data API key, a Twitch app, Postiz and yt-dlp
- Build tools (python3, make, g++) only when no prebuilt better-sqlite3 binary fits
What it does not do
- It clips footage you provide. It does not generate video, avatars or music, and it ships no music, stock footage or sample videos.
- It never moves money to clippers. Campaign payouts are a ledger, and you pay clippers outside the software.
- View counts are automatic only for YouTube and Twitch, through their official APIs. For TikTok, Instagram, X, Kick and Facebook a clipper sends a screenshot report and a person reviews it.
- No direct posting to TikTok or Instagram. Networks other than YouTube work only through a customer's own Postiz instance or a webhook.
- Import from a link is off by default and not bundled: you install yt-dlp yourself, each user confirms they own the content or have permission, and Instagram and TikTok addresses are refused.
- The transcription, Anthropic, Stripe, YouTube and Postiz integrations are covered by tests with recorded or fake responses. Set up and test each one with your own account before you rely on it.
- It does not run on shared or serverless hosting. Billing, campaigns, publishing and the public API ship switched off, and the live demo is read-only.
Questions
Do I need an AI key to start?
No. Without an Anthropic key a built-in non-AI scorer suggests the clips and takes titles, hooks and hashtags from the transcript. One transcription option is needed either way.
Which transcription can I use?
ElevenLabs, any Whisper-compatible API, or local whisper.cpp on your own server with no API cost.
Does Vodmill pay clippers?
No. It records what each clipper is owed and what was marked as paid, with a reference. You pay outside the software.
Does it run on shared hosting?
No. It is a long-running Node.js server that renders video with ffmpeg on the CPU, so it needs a VPS.
Can it post to every network?
It uploads to YouTube through your own Google OAuth client. Other networks work through a customer's own Postiz instance or a signed webhook.
How much does Vodmill cost, and what does the licence allow?
$69, one payment, no subscription. One licence, no tiers: any number of projects and clients, a paid SaaS, every line changed. The only limit is reselling or publishing the source code itself. The services you connect bill you directly. See the licence.
Is setup included?
Yes. We install Vodmill for you and put in your logo, colours and texts. Bigger changes or new features get a fixed price before we start.
What if it does not work?
Write to us within 14 days. We fix it, usually the same day. If we cannot fix it within 7 days, you get your money back. See the refund policy.