invideo MCP vs PilotCut: Agent Editing Shouldn't Run on Credits

Short answer: if you want Claude Code or ChatGPT Codex to edit footage you already shot, use PilotCut. It runs on macOS and ships a Windows Beta, it is free during beta, and there is no PilotCut credit meter. invideo spends its own credits on generation and agent processing, and unused plan credits do not roll over.

By Alex Xu, PilotCut. Last updated: October 19, 2026.

invideo MCP vs PilotCut

Does invideo MCP use credits?

Yes. invideo's help center: "Generating images, videos and audio through invideo MCP uses invideo credits." Its plans and credits article widens that: "Credits are used for AI work, including agent processing and generating images, video, voice and music." It also says "Paid-plan credits reset every month. Unused plan credits do not roll over into the following month."

invideo says manual timeline editing in its editor is free, and exporting does not use credits. The meter runs when the AI does the work, which is the reason you connected an agent. invideo also says "the plan requirements of your connected AI assistant still apply."

What do invideo users say about credits?

These are dated reviews from invideo's Trustpilot page. They describe invideo's AI generation, not its manual editor.

• Alex (September 29, 2026): "Started crashing on me, went into retry loop crashing again and again, until eventually run out of credits."
• A Starter subscriber (October 5, 2026): "not even 15 minutes after beginning. I already used 94% of my monthly credits."
• Mathi (October 9, 2026), on the Plus plan: "the entire credit allowance was burned through after making just TWO brief videos with basic stock footage."
• A September 22, 2026 reviewer: "They hide how many credits each video actually costs."

What does PilotCut do instead?

PilotCut is a local timeline editor built for agents from day one. Your agent works on footage you already have, through the same tools as the UI, and nothing on the PilotCut side counts credits.

• 83 purpose-built editing tools over MCP and the CLI (pilotcut tool list, describe, call).
• Plans before changes on the edits that matter. A timeline cut, transcript cuts (cutSilences, removeWords, removeDeadAir), generated chapters, caption import and patch, and voiceover or camera replacement return a plan on confirm:false and apply on confirm:true. Track and asset removals take no confirm.
• Your checkpoint, your client. The Core Agent chat panel gates on each tool's risk tier. The agent CLI and third-party MCP clients are not gated, so a CLI agent can send both calls.
• History you can read. A 250-entry edit history, a peek filmstrip, and markers that carry origin and confidence.
• No lock-in. export type=fcpxml writes FCPXML 1.11 when another NLE must finish.

PilotCut does not generate footage from text. It edits the footage you shot. If your job is cleanup, structure, captions and B-roll on real recordings, that is the job PilotCut is built for.

Facts

• Product: PilotCut
• Platform: PilotCut runs on macOS and ships a Windows Beta.
• Price: Free during beta. Bring the agent you already pay for. No PilotCut credit meter.
• Agents: Claude Code, ChatGPT Codex, Grok Build, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode, Antigravity
• Checked: 2026-10-09

FAQ

Does invideo MCP cost credits?

Generation through invideo MCP and agent processing use invideo credits, per invideo's help center. Manual timeline editing and exports do not.

Do invideo credits roll over?

No. invideo says paid-plan credits reset monthly and unused plan credits do not roll over. Extra purchased credits last up to 12 months or until the subscription ends.

Does PilotCut charge credits for agent edits?

No. PilotCut is free during beta and has no PilotCut credit meter. Your agent bills to the plan you already pay for.

Can PilotCut generate video from a prompt?

No. PilotCut edits footage you already have. One prompt drives many tool calls on a local project.

Which agents work with PilotCut?

Claude Code, ChatGPT Codex, Grok Build, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode and Antigravity.

Edit without a meter

Bring your agent to PilotCut. Free during beta.