A self-hosted video converter that keeps your footage on your server
CloudConvert and the online transcoders do the work on their servers, which means your footage goes to them first. SnapOtter runs FFmpeg on your own hardware, so the files never leave your network.
What most teams do today
You upload a clip to an online converter, wait for the transcode, and download the result. Large files mean long uploads, and the footage sits on someone else's server while it processes.
Why that's a problem for sensitive files
Video is heavy and often sensitive: raw interviews, internal training, unreleased product footage, camera pulls with people in frame. Online converters process uploads on infrastructure you do not control, and free tiers cap file size and minutes, so real work stalls or forces a paid plan.
How SnapOtter does it privately
SnapOtter transcodes with a static FFmpeg build inside your instance. Convert between MP4, WebM, MOV, MKV, and AVI through the UI or the REST API, with no size cap beyond your disk and no footage leaving the box. Long jobs report progress over a live stream.
Self-host in one command
Process a file over the REST API
Last reviewed July 10, 2026. Commands match the current single-container image and REST API. Competitor references: CloudConvert
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a file-size limit?
- No hard limit from SnapOtter. You are bounded by your own disk and CPU, not by a vendor's plan tier.
- Does my footage get uploaded anywhere?
- No. Transcoding runs inside your instance, so the source and output stay on your infrastructure.
- Which formats are supported?
- The common web and editing formats via FFmpeg, including MP4, WebM, MOV, MKV, and AVI.
More self-hosted workflows
Deploying this across a team?
Audit trails, per-tool permissions, SSO, and air-gapped deployment for regulated environments. Talk to us about running SnapOtter as shared infrastructure.