Research Question
The user sought an automation platform to create a workflow converting long videos from YouTube or Vimeo into viral shorts using AI, then posting to YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels.
Key Findings
- n8n provides exact matching templates: "Transform Long Videos into Viral Shorts with AI and Schedule to Social Media using Whisper & Gemini" (https://n8n.io/workflows/9867) uses OpenAI Whisper for transcription, Google Gemini for clip selection, FFmpeg for clipping, and posts to TikTok/Instagram Reels/YouTube Shorts; extracts 3-6 clips scheduled daily; and "Repurpose influencer videos into short clips using WayinVideo AI and Google Drive" (https://n8n.io/workflows/14540).
- All platforms support YouTube and Vimeo natively (e.g., triggers like New Video In Channel, actions like Upload Video); Instagram Business supports Reel uploads (e.g., Make, Zapier, Activepieces); TikTok support limited (IFTTT upload draft, Make ads-focused, n8n templates use Upload-Post API).
- Cost estimates assume 1 workflow, 10 steps, cloud deployment; for 500 executions/month: Windmill $0 (Free tier), IFTTT $6 (Pro), Make $16 (Core), Power Automate $15 (Premium), n8n $24 (Starter); for 5000 executions/month: IFTTT $6, Power Automate $15, Make $97 (Core), n8n $60 (Pro).
- No other platforms have pre-built templates for long video to shorts conversion.
Recommendation
n8n Starter ($24/mo at 500 execs/mo) is recommended for its beginner-friendly setup (0.5 hours), exact templates handling AI clipping and multi-platform posting (TikTok/Instagram Reels/YouTube Shorts), and self-hosting option to reduce costs; import template and add YouTube/Vimeo triggers. Alternative: Make Core ($16/mo) for strong video upload integrations but no templates; test free tiers first. Caveat: TikTok posting requires third-party API like Upload-Post.
Details
Integration support confirmed across platforms like Activepieces, FlowFuse, IFTTT, Make, n8n, Pipedream, Power Automate, Relay.app, Zapier.
Cost comparison table for 500 executions/month (10 steps/workflow, 1 workflow):
| Platform | Difficulty | Monthly Cost | Free Tier Fit | Key Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windmill | Intermediate | $0 | Yes | Script-based; non-devs struggle |
| IFTTT | Beginner | $6 | No | Simple posting only |
| Make | Beginner | $16 | No | Ops per bundle; assumes 1 item/execution |
| n8n | Beginner | $24 | No | Self-host free; perfect templates |
| Power Automate | Beginner | $15 | No | Microsoft-focused |
| FlowFuse | Intermediate | $20 | No | Community nodes needed |
| Pipedream | Beginner | $45 | No | Code for custom clipping |
| Relay.app | Beginner | $118 | No | AI credits limit (500k/mo) |
| Zapier | Beginner | $134 | No | Breaks on content creation |
Pricing pages: Zapier (https://zapier.com/pricing), n8n (https://n8n.io/pricing), etc. Prices as of Apr 20, 2026.