Character Replace API for Developers
Character Replace & Animate API
Swap the person in a video with a reference character, or animate a still character from performance footage.
Free credits on signup
Transparent per-credit pricing
No watermarks on paid plans
Subscription or usage-based
Auto-scaling
Deadpool
Kratos
Chun-Li
Peter Griffin
Robot
Keanu Reeves
Elmo
Walter White
Stormtrooper
The Grinch
Trusted by teams at
Everything You Need to Ship Character Replace & Animate
Character replacement and animation with auto detection, resolution controls, and trim windows.
Replace & Animate Modes
mode "replace" (default) swaps the subject; "animate" drives a character image from reference motion.
Auto Subject Detection
selection_mode "auto" finds the primary person; use "point" with pixel coordinates when needed.
480p & 720p Output
Pick resolution per job to balance quality and credit cost.
Trim Controls
Limit processing with start_seconds and end_seconds.
Integrate in 3 Steps
Ship character swap or animation in three steps.
1
Get Your API Key
Sign up free and generate an API key from the Developer dashboard. You get free credits to start.
2
Upload Video & Character Image
Upload assets, then POST to /v1/character-replace with mode, resolution, and optional selection_mode.
3
Get Results & Scale
Receive the output via response or webhook. Deploy to production — infrastructure scales automatically.
Code Examples
Character Replace & Animate in a few lines of code. Install an SDK or use the REST API directly.
import os
import requests
response = requests.post(
"https://api.magichour.ai/v1/character-replace",
headers={
"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['MAGIC_HOUR_API_KEY']}",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
json={
"name": "Character replace",
"start_seconds": 0,
"end_seconds": 5,
"resolution": "480p",
"assets": {
"video_file_path": "api-assets/id/1234.mp4",
"image_file_path": "api-assets/id/5678.png",
},
"style": {"mode": "replace", "selection_mode": "auto"},
},
)
res = response.json()Estimate Your API Costs
Build with model-specific APIs for video, image generation, and image editing. Compare inputs, examples, and capabilities across Magic Hour's supported models.
Pricing tier options
Seconds of Video Per Month
100 seconds
seconds
Recommended plan
Pro Annual
$300
/year
300,000 credits per year
Up to 3.5 hours of video
Up to 30,000 images
PRO ANNUAL covers your usage
- 24,000credits / month
- 25,000credits / month
- 1,000credits / month
Estimated usage
Included
Remaining headroom
TOTAL BILL
$300
/year
SDKs for Every Stack
Official open-source SDKs with full TypeScript/type support. Install and start building.
Character Replace & Animate API Pricing
Subscription plans for standard usage.
Prefer usage-based pricing?
Email us or message us in Intercom and we will set up your usage-based pricing.
Built for Builders
See how developers use the Character Replace & Animate API to power real products.
Creator Apps
Swap users into clips or drive avatars from reference performances.
Marketing
Test mascots and spokesperson swaps without reshoots.
Avatars
Transfer motion from performers onto stylized character art.
Try before integrating
Try Character Replace & Animate Free — No Code Required
Test quality first with the free tool, then plug the same output quality into your app with the API when you are ready.
Character Replace API Frequently Asked Questions
Replace (default) swaps the primary subject while keeping scene motion. Animate drives a still character from the reference video performance.
selection_mode defaults to "auto". Set "point" and pass points with position_x, position_y, and time_seconds.
position_x and position_y are pixel coordinates in the source frame. time_seconds uses the same clock as start_seconds and end_seconds.
Output duration at 24fps, scaled by resolution (480p or 720p). See billing docs for per-second rates.
docs.magichour.ai/api-reference/video-projects/character-replace