Software Alternatives & Startups

Plainly Videos VS LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server

Compare Plainly Videos VS LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server and see what are their differences

Plainly Videos

Plainly automates rendering of your Adobe After Effects templates in the cloud. Dynamically swap out text, images, videos, colors etc by providing data in CSV, Google Sheets, API or other sources and create as many versions of your video as you need.

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Pricing
Paid Free trial $69 / Monthly (50 mins/month, 4K export, API, integrations, 2 renders, support)

LayerStack’s Arm-based cloud virtual machines, powered by cloud-optimized CPU based on Arm architecture that deliver excellent cost-effective processing power, allowing you to easily complete the most demanding application development.

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Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Plainly Videos
LSA
LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server
Website plainlyvideos.com layerstack.com
Pricing
Paid Free trial $69 / Monthly (50 mins/month, 4K export, API, integrations, 2 renders, support) Official pricing
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Platforms
Google Chrome Google Zapier Dropbox +1
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Company Startup from the United Kingdom · 1 - 9 employees · 2022 —
Listed in

About Plainly Videos and LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Plainly Videos
LSA
LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server

Plainly Videos is a video automation platform built on native After Effects cloud rendering. Teams turn one After Effects template into hundreds or thousands of video versions, without maintaining render machines. It's a good fit for creative agencies, in-house creative teams, publishers and...

Read more about Plainly Videos

No description of LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Plainly Videos 11 features
LSA
LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server 5 features
  • Adobe After Effects template support
    Plainly works natively with Adobe After Effects projects – you design a video template in After Effects and upload it with no creative limitations. This means you can use all of After Effects’ features in your template, and an official Plainly AE plugin is available to seamlessly upload projects directly from After Effects to the Plainly platform
  • Data-driven dynamic videos
    Generate personalized, data-driven videos by dynamically swapping out elements in the template (not just text, but also images, video clips, audio, colors, etc.) for each render. This enables hyper‑personalized videos at scale – every viewer or data entry can get a unique video tailored to them based on the input data (e.g. name, preferences, or any custom fields).
  • loud-based rendering with unlimited scaling
    All video rendering happens on Plainly’s secure cloud infrastructure, so you don’t need any local hardware or rendering farms. The system is built to scale indefinitely, capable of generating thousands of videos in parallel – you can render as many variations as needed without performance bottlenecks or quality loss.
  • One-click Integrations & automated triggers
    Plainly offers a library of native integrations to automate your workflows with zero coding. For example, you can connect a Google Sheet or Excel spreadsheet and have new videos auto-render whenever a row is added/updated, or hook up an RSS feed so that each new entry generates a video. It also integrates with form apps like Typeform, Jotform, or Airtable – whenever a form is submitted or a record is added, Plainly can instantly create a video using that data, hands-free.
  • REST API for developers (Video Editing API) & White‑Labeling
    Plainly provides a powerful RESTful video generation API so developers can create and render videos programmatically. You send a request with your template ID and dynamic parameters (text, image URLs, etc.), and Plainly returns a fully rendered video file. This API-first design means you can integrate video automation into your own app or backend – some companies even use Plainly as a white-label video creation engine under their own brand, building custom workflows on the same engine that powers Plainly’s platform. (In short, anything you can do in the Plainly app, you can do via API.)
  • Support for any data source
    Whether you prefer no-code or code, Plainly can use any data source you have. Marketers and creators can simply upload a CSV file to generate batches of videos or connect data from Google Sheets/Excel as described, while developers can feed in JSON data via the API from databases or CMS systems. This flexibility means videos stay in sync with your data – update your spreadsheet or send new data, and Plainly will update the video content accordingly, eliminating repetitive manual editing.
  • Custom output formats & encoding
    You’re not limited to a single video format – Plainly lets you export videos in any format or resolution required, with customizable encoding settings. Whether you need an MP4 for social media, a MOV with alpha channel, or specific dimensions/bitrate for a digital signage system, you can define the output format to meet different platform standards.
  • Layer scripting - Advanced timeline control
    Plainly includes a layer scripting feature for advanced video logic. This allows dynamic control of the timeline and layers – for example, you can move layers in time, extend or trim scenes, or pin the total video duration to a specific layer based on the data. You also get programmatic access to layer properties (font size, colors, visibility, positions, etc.), enabling sophisticated animations and variable-length videos that automatically adjust to your content (no awkward blank gaps or cuts when data elements vary).
  • Automatic captions & subtitles
    The platform can automatically add closed captions/subtitles to your rendered videos. This means you can generate videos that are social-media friendly or ADA-compliant without extra work – Plainly will transcribe and burn in captions during rendering, which is great for engagement as most viewers watch videos on mute.
  • Web application & collaboration
    Plainly provides an intuitive web app where you can manage projects, upload templates, set up data connections, and monitor renders in one place. The web interface supports team collaboration – you can invite team members, assign roles, and work together on video projects seamlessly, which is perfect for agencies or in-house teams working on automation together.
  • Enterprise-Grade Security
    Security and compliance are built in. Plainly is an ISO 27001 certified platform and fully GDPR compliant, which means it follows industry-leading security practices to keep your data and content safe. Enterprise users can trust that their assets (and their customers’ personal data in personalized videos) are handled with strict security controls and privacy compliance.
  • Cost-Effective Performance
    Arm-based servers from LayerStack typically offer a lower price point compared to traditional x86 instances while delivering competitive performance for many workloads, making them attractive for budget-conscious users.
  • Energy Efficiency
    ARM architecture is known for its power efficiency, which can translate into lower operational costs and a smaller environmental footprint for running cloud workloads.
  • Good for Scalable Workloads
    These servers are well suited for horizontally scalable applications like web servers, microservices, and containerized workloads that can take advantage of multiple ARM cores efficiently.
  • Simple Deployment
    LayerStack provides an easy-to-use control panel and API for deploying ARM-based cloud servers quickly, reducing the setup time for developers and businesses.
  • Global Data Center Availability
    LayerStack offers multiple data center locations, allowing users to deploy ARM-based servers closer to their target audience for reduced latency.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Software Compatibility
    Not all software and applications are optimized or even compatible with ARM architecture, which can create challenges for users relying on x86-specific dependencies or legacy systems.
  • Smaller Ecosystem Support
    Compared to established x86 cloud offerings, ARM-based cloud services from LayerStack may have a smaller community, fewer third-party integrations, and less extensive documentation.
  • Performance Variability for Certain Workloads
    While ARM excels at parallelizable and lightweight tasks, it may underperform for heavy single-threaded applications or specialized workloads that benefit from x86 optimizations.
  • Migration Complexity
    Switching from x86-based infrastructure to ARM-based servers may require significant re-testing, recompilation, or code changes, adding overhead for businesses transitioning existing systems.
  • Fewer Managed Service Options
    LayerStack's ARM offerings may have fewer managed services, pre-configured images, or specialized ARM-optimized tools compared to larger providers like AWS Graviton, limiting flexibility for advanced users.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Plainly Videos
LSA
LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server

Overall verdict

  • Plainly Videos is a solid choice for teams and creators who need to automate and scale video production, particularly through template-based rendering and API integration. It streamlines repetitive video creation tasks and integrates well with existing workflows, making it a good value for its target audience.

Why this product is good

  • Automates video creation at scale using templates, saving significant time on repetitive production tasks
  • Offers a robust API and integrations that fit into automated workflows and content pipelines
  • Supports Adobe After Effects templates, giving access to high-quality, professional motion graphics
  • Enables dynamic personalization of videos, useful for marketing and customer engagement
  • Reduces the need for manual editing and specialized video production resources

Recommended for

  • Marketing teams producing personalized video campaigns at scale
  • Developers needing programmatic video generation via API
  • Businesses automating repetitive video content such as ads, real estate listings, or product videos
  • Agencies managing high-volume video output for multiple clients
  • Companies leveraging existing After Effects templates for automated rendering

Overall verdict

  • LayerStack's Arm-based Cloud Servers offer a compelling combination of energy-efficient performance and competitive pricing, making them a solid choice for developers and businesses looking to optimize workloads on Arm architecture, though prospective users should verify specific application compatibility with Arm before migrating critical workloads.

Why this product is good

  • Arm-based architecture typically delivers better performance-per-watt and cost efficiency compared to traditional x86 servers
  • LayerStack offers competitive pricing structures for cloud infrastructure, often undercutting larger hyperscale providers
  • Simplified deployment and management through their cloud control panel
  • Global data center presence allows for reduced latency depending on target audience location
  • Scalability options let users adjust resources based on workload demands
  • Suitable for containerized and cloud-native applications that are increasingly optimized for Arm

Recommended for

  • Developers building cloud-native or containerized applications with Arm compatibility
  • Startups and small businesses seeking cost-effective cloud infrastructure
  • Teams running web servers, microservices, or lightweight computing workloads
  • Users who prioritize energy efficiency and lower operational costs
  • Businesses already invested in Arm-optimized software stacks
  • Testing and development environments where cost savings are a priority

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Plainly Videos 2 videos + Add
LSA
LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server 0 videos + Add

The Best Way to Batch Render Videos from CSV with After Effects

More videos

  • - Plainly: Create data-driven videos on autopilot

No LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Plainly Videos
LSA
LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server
100% 100%
0% 0%
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100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
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Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Plainly Videos and LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server.

What makes your product unique?

Plainly Videos's answer

Plainly automates data-driven video creation from your existing After Effects templates, with all rendering handled in the cloud. You don’t need to run After Effects locally or set up your own rendering system, avoiding the crashes and slowdowns that often come with local batch exports. Videos render in the background, so your machine stays free for other work. You can create dynamic video through our Web App, API or use integrations with tools like Google Sheets, Airtable, Zapier and more.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Plainly Videos's answer

If you’re already working with After Effects and need to automate video creation, Plainly is a natural fit. It supports 4K rendering, Layer scripting, works entirely in the cloud, offers native integrations, has a REST API, and scales easily - from one video to thousands. You don’t need to learn new software or change your workflow. And because it’s built around After Effects, you get far more creative flexibility compared to using web-based editors with limited design options. Plainly helps teams save time without giving up control over how their videos look and feel.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Plainly Videos's answer

Plainly is built for video teams, developers, and marketers who work with After Effects and need to create many versions of a video. That includes in-house teams automating personalized or localized content, agencies running client campaigns, and developers building video-based tools and services.

What's the story behind your product?

Plainly Videos's answer

Plainly started in 2020 from a simple realization: creating videos is often harder than it needs to be. While working on side projects, we noticed that many videos follow the same structure and don’t need to be made from scratch. A templated approach—changing a few elements while keeping the design—was more than enough for most use cases, especially when many videos are needed or when they’re made regularly.

To test the idea, we offered free templated videos to other founders on an online forum. The response was overwhelming, with over 150 requests in a day. That showed us the need was real, but it also made clear that full automation was necessary. Early versions still relied on too much manual work, so we built an API and made the platform work with Adobe After Effects, allowing users to generate videos automatically using their own templates.

Since then, we’ve continued to improve both the product and the platform. With support from the Serbian Innovation Fund and TinySeed, we’ve grown into a video automation tool used by companies in media, real estate, eCommerce, and other industries—helping them create videos at scale without the usual production bottlenecks.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Plainly Videos's answer

Plainly is built around Adobe After Effects and a cloud rendering engine that scales automatically. The platform includes a REST API, integrates with tools like Zapier, Airtable, and Google Sheets, and supports custom workflows through webhooks and automation platforms. The backend is designed for performance, reliability, and handling large-scale video generation.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

Plainly Videos's answer

  • Amazon
  • Anywhere Real Estate
  • Triplelift
  • Sprinklr
  • Burda
  • Hogarth
  • Viddyoze
  • Pega
  • UNICEF

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Alternatives to Plainly Videos and LayerStack Arm-based Cloud Server

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