Enterprise QC tooling. Indie pricing.
The alternative to $7,950 QC licenses. Platform-aware spec validation, social safe zones, and delivery pipeline integration — on a monthly plan you can cancel any time.
What broadcast-grade QC tools actually cost
Telestream VidChecker-post: $7,950 + ~$1,500/yr maintenance. Requires a dedicated Windows server. Venera Pulsar Standard: $12,000 one-time. Contact-us pricing above. Interra Baton: enterprise pricing, sales-only. All three have zero social platform safe zone support and zero delivery pipeline integration.
For freelancers and small post houses doing occasional delivery work.
For post studios delivering to streaming platforms and broadcasters regularly.
For high-volume post operations, agencies, and multi-team workflows.
What $8K tools don't have
TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube UI overlay dead zones tracked per-platform, per-version. Updated within 48hrs of any platform UI change. None of the enterprise QC tools have this.
VidChecker requires a dedicated Windows server. Pipewright runs in your browser, validates in seconds, and doesn't require IT procurement.
'Approved in Frame.io → auto-trigger Pipewright validation' webhook. Delivery validation happens before you ever leave your review workflow.
Post supervisors manually write delivery spec sheets for every project. Pipewright auto-generates a branded delivery brief from your spec run — a recurring manual artifact, automated.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Pipewright | VidChecker $7,950+ | Pulsar $12,000+ | Adobe AME $60/mo CC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Entry price | $49/mo | $7,950 one-time + ~$1,500/yr maintenance | $12,000+ one-time | Included in CC ($60/mo) |
Mac native / SaaS | ||||
Social platform specs (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube) | ||||
Safe zone UI overlay validation | ||||
Spec drift tracking (platform UI changes) | ||||
Audio loudness validation (EBU R128, ATSC A/85) | ||||
IMF package validation | ||||
HDR metadata validation | ||||
Frame.io / approval workflow integration | ||||
Auto-generate delivery brief | ||||
Transparent pricing (no sales call) | ||||
Collaborative review workflow | ||||
Spec auto-correction | ||||
Netflix certified template |
* VidChecker and Pulsar can auto-correct certain spec violations (loudness, luma/chroma) — a capability Pipewright will add in a future release. Comparison based on publicly available documentation and independent reviews as of Feb 2026.
Common Questions
How does Pipewright compare to VidChecker?
VidChecker is excellent for high-volume broadcast QC — if you need a dedicated Windows server rack and have $7,950+ to spend. Pipewright is designed for the 95% of post houses that aren't running dedicated QC infrastructure: you run a preflight check, get a PASS/FAIL against the platform spec, and move on. The thing VidChecker will never have: TikTok safe zones, Instagram Reels UI overlays, Frame.io approval hooks, and a delivery brief auto-generated from your QC run.
What about just using DaVinci Resolve's delivery page?
Resolve's deliver page is a great codec/format exporter — but it does zero spec validation. Your YouTube preset doesn't tell you your audio is 4 LUFS too loud. Your ProRes render doesn't warn you that Netflix requires a different frame rate. Resolve delivers what you told it to deliver. Pipewright tells you if what you delivered is actually right.
Is there a pay-per-project option?
Yes — we're launching a Pay Per Project tier ($12/validation run) for post coordinators and freelancers who only need occasional delivery validation. Coming Q2 2026.
How often are platform specs updated?
Platform specs drift constantly. TikTok added a 'Add to Playlist' button in Jan 2026 that changed the right-side dead zone by 20px. Instagram expanded the audio bar in late 2025. We track and push spec updates within 48 hours of a platform UI change. That's something a $25,000 Pulsar license doesn't do.
Does Pipewright replace my NLE delivery pipeline?
No. You export from Premiere, Resolve, or Media Encoder as you normally would. Pipewright validates the exported file against the target platform spec. Think of it as the pre-flight checklist between 'export' and 'upload.' The ideal workflow: finish in Resolve → Pipewright preflight → deliver.
One rejected Netflix deliverable costs $5,000–$15,000 to fix.
Pipewright Studio pays for itself in the first rejection it prevents.
No credit card required. No sales call. Cancel anytime.