n8n has no FFmpeg node. The usual workaround, running ffmpeg with the built-in Execute Command node, has limits that n8n’s documentation spells out: the node is disabled by default from n8n 2.0, it isn’t available on n8n Cloud, and with Docker the command runs inside the n8n container, whose image no longer includes the apk package manager to install it with. FFmpeg community nodes work around this in three ways: they call an FFmpeg binary on your server, bring their own FFmpeg build, or send the job to an FFmpeg API in the cloud. This guide compares them, using the description and README each author publishes on npm and our own download data.
What do you need?
| You want to | Look at |
|---|---|
| FFmpeg without installing anything on the server or building a Docker image | n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-wasm or n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-command |
| Many ready-made video and audio operations, with FFmpeg installed on the server | n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-studio |
| Long jobs or n8n Cloud, with FFmpeg running elsewhere | @verygoodffmpeg/n8n-nodes-verygoodffmpeg or @ffmpeg-micro/n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-micro |
FFmpeg community nodes
Our FFmpeg hub lists 16 packages that pass our quality rule, with 821 npm downloads a week between them. The most downloaded, with the description each author gives on npm (weekly npm downloads as of 28 October 2026):
| Package | Weekly downloads | Latest version | Author’s description |
|---|---|---|---|
| n8n-nodes-ffmpeg | 439 | 0.1.4 (2 February 2025) | Merge videos using FFmpeg |
| n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-wasm | 156 | 1.4.0 (13 March 2026) | FFmpeg via ffmpeg.wasm: process audio and video files in your workflows |
| @ffmpeg-micro/n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-micro | 70 | 0.2.3 (19 August 2026) | FFmpeg Micro API: transcode, Whisper subtitles, uploads and job tracking |
| @verygoodffmpeg/n8n-nodes-verygoodffmpeg | 28 | 0.2.1 (30 August 2026) | Very Good FFmpeg transcoding API |
| n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-studio | 23 | 1.0.0 (25 March 2026) | FFmpeg video and audio processing, 80+ operations |
| n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-command | 19 | 1.2.0 (18 November 2025) | Run FFmpeg and FFprobe commands without binary installs or custom Docker images |
Versions and dates come from the npm registry. Weekly downloads: npm, last 7 days, adjusted for npm outage days.
FFmpeg on your server: n8n-nodes-ffmpeg and n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-studio
n8n-nodes-ffmpeg, the most downloaded, has three operations: Merge Videos, Overlay Audio on a video and Media Info, with custom FFmpeg arguments. Its README says FFmpeg must be installed on your system; its last release dates from February 2025.
n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-studio splits more than 80 operations across four nodes, FFmpeg Video, Audio, Analyze and Advanced. It also needs FFmpeg in the system PATH and lists self-hosted n8n and Node.js 18 or newer; some features, such as H.265 or AV1 encoding, need an FFmpeg build with the matching flags.
No install needed: n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-wasm and n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-command
n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-wasm runs FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly inside Node.js, so its README says no FFmpeg binary, volume mount or custom image is needed, also in Docker. It lists 21 operations, among them convert, resize, thumbnail, trim, merge, filters, speed, rotate, overlays, subtitle burn-in and GIF or WebP animation, and n8n 1.0 or newer. n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-command runs any FFmpeg or FFprobe command you write, using static binaries shipped with the package.
FFmpeg in the cloud: Very Good FFmpeg and FFmpeg Micro
@verygoodffmpeg/n8n-nodes-verygoodffmpeg runs FFmpeg jobs through the Very Good FFmpeg API with an API key. Its README says it is a verified community node, so n8n Cloud users can install it from the nodes panel, and it has a webhook trigger that fires when a job finishes. @ffmpeg-micro/n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-micro uses the FFmpeg Micro API to transcode, create SRT subtitles with Whisper and upload files, with a polling trigger for completed or failed jobs; its README suggests one workflow that starts a long job and a second that picks it up from the trigger.
Check each node page here for the latest release and, where it has one, its GitHub repository for open issues before you build on a package.
How to choose
- Self-hosted n8n in Docker, no custom image: n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-wasm for common operations, n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-command for your own commands.
- FFmpeg already installed on the server: n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-studio for a wide set of operations, or n8n-nodes-ffmpeg to merge videos and add audio.
- n8n Cloud: @verygoodffmpeg/n8n-nodes-verygoodffmpeg, which its README says is verified.
- Heavy or long video jobs: a cloud API node, so the encoding doesn’t run on your n8n server.
To install a package on a self-hosted instance, an owner or admin enters its npm name in Settings > Community Nodes; full steps are in How to Install n8n Community Nodes. On n8n Cloud only verified community nodes can be installed, see Verified vs Unverified n8n Community Nodes. Related: YouTube and n8n.
FAQ
Does n8n have an FFmpeg node?
No. You can run ffmpeg with the Execute Command node on a self-hosted instance where FFmpeg is installed, or use an FFmpeg community node.
Why can’t I run ffmpeg in n8n’s Docker image?
According to n8n’s documentation, commands run inside the n8n container, the default image is based on Alpine Linux without the apk package manager, and the Execute Command node is disabled by default from n8n 2.0. You either build your own image or use a node that brings FFmpeg along, such as n8n-nodes-ffmpeg-wasm.
Can I use FFmpeg on n8n Cloud?
The Execute Command node isn’t available on n8n Cloud. @verygoodffmpeg/n8n-nodes-verygoodffmpeg says it is a verified community node, which n8n Cloud can install.
What is the most used FFmpeg community node?
n8n-nodes-ffmpeg, with 439 weekly npm downloads on 28 October 2026.
