Why RVE Has Both a Source Template and an SDK
A direct note from Sam, founder of RVE, about why RVE Pro and the RVE SDK both exist and which product you should choose.
Sam
Founder of RVE
How we got here
RVE started as a video editor starter template. Building the basic parts of a browser-based editor can take months. The template gave developers a working codebase that they could use as a starting point.
That became RVE Pro. Customers wanted it because full source access gave them complete control. Some needed it for security or procurement. Others wanted to change the product far beyond the limits of a normal SDK.
Pro sales also helped fund RVE. They put us in direct contact with companies building real video products. Those conversations shaped what came next.
The problem was maintenance. Once a customer changed the template, their code moved away from ours. New features and fixes required manual work. That is the normal cost of owning a source-code fork.
Many customers did not want that responsibility. They wanted us to maintain the editor while they focused on their product. That is why we built the SDK.
The honest difference
Version 8 is the latest released RVE Pro template. You buy that version once and can keep it under a perpetual licence. You control the source and maintain your version. Commercial use can require a separate Remotion licence.
The SDK gives you the current RVE editor through private npm packages. We maintain the packages and deliver new releases. The required Remotion licence is included.
The products do not stay identical. A source template that customers can change freely cannot follow every SDK update automatically. We want to be clear about that before anyone buys.
In a nutshell
RVE Pro is for teams that want to own the editor. You get the full source code. You can take it apart, change it, and run it your way.
RVE SDK is for teams that want video editing inside their product without maintaining the editor itself. We maintain the packages and ship the updates. You build the product around them.
Pro came first. We built the SDK after customers asked for a maintained option. We still offer both because they solve different problems.
RVE Pro and RVE SDK
One gives you ownership. The other gives you a maintained product.
| Compare | RVE Pro Source template | RVE SDK Maintained packages |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | The latest released Pro source application, currently Version 8 | The current RVE editor as private npm packages |
| Control | Change any part of the application | Configure and extend the SDK integration |
| Updates | Your team reviews and merges template changes | Install new package releases |
| Maintenance | Your team maintains its source-code fork | RVE maintains the packages |
| Development | Pro development continues, with the next source release in progress | The current architecture receives regular package releases |
| Remotion licence | Not included; a separate licence can be required | Included with the SDK |
| Choose it when | Complete source ownership is a firm requirement | You want the simplest long-term update path |
Both products continue
Version 8 is not the final Pro release. We continue to work on RVE Pro.
We are working toward the next source release. Our current direction is to use the SDK architecture as the foundation for RVE Pro 9. The plan can change while we do the work, so this is not a fixed release promise.
The SDK will continue to receive package updates. Pro will continue to provide full source releases for teams that need them.
Which one should you choose?
Choose RVE Pro when full source access is a firm requirement and your team is ready to maintain its version.
Choose the RVE SDK when you want the current editor, easier updates, and less maintenance. This is the best starting point for most new integrations.
If you are not sure, start with the SDK. Buy Pro when you know that you need the source.
Compare RVE Pro and the RVE SDK, view RVE Pro pricing, or read the SDK documentation.
