A product video can do what photos can’t: show the product in use, in motion and at scale. AI tools have made those videos cheap enough to make for a whole catalogue, not just your best-seller. But before you generate anything, it helps to know what Shopify accepts, which cuts each placement needs, and what a catalogue of videos actually costs.
This guide covers all three, plus a five-line brief that gets a usable first draft and a checklist for publishing.
What Shopify accepts
Shopify’s limits for uploaded video are generous (Shopify Help Center, opened 28 October 2026):
| Requirement | Shopify’s limit or recommendation |
|---|---|
| File types | MOV, MP4 or WEBM |
| File size | Up to 1 GB |
| Length | 0.25 seconds to 10 minutes |
| Dimensions | 100 to 4096 pixels wide and high |
| Aspect ratios (recommended) | 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 or 1:1 |
| Frame rate (recommended) | 60, 30 or 25 fps |
| Codecs (recommended) | H.264 video; AAC, MP3 or Opus audio |
These limits don’t apply to videos embedded from YouTube or Vimeo. Shopify suggests hosting anything longer than 10 minutes or larger than 1 GB there.
Two practical points:
- Your theme has to support video. Shopify says that to show videos in your store, you need a theme that supports them, or a modified theme. If a video doesn’t appear, you may need to update to a newer version of your theme (Shopify Help Center).
- Themes can set their own limits. Check your theme’s documentation before you plan a long product-page video.
One product, several placements
Most products need more than one cut. A sensible starting set:
| Placement | Format | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Product page | 16:9 or 1:1, works without sound | 15 to 30 seconds |
| Paid social ad (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) | 9:16, captions, hook in the first second | 15 to 30 seconds |
| Organic social post | 9:16 | 10 to 20 seconds |
| Longer demo (product page or YouTube) | 16:9 | 45 to 90 seconds |
Two habits save time and money:
- Make the most complete version first, a 30 to 60 second demo, then cut shorter versions from it in your editor. That costs less than generating every version separately.
- Plan for sound-off viewing. Product pages and social feeds often play video muted, so put the key message on screen as well as in the voice-over.
The brief: five lines
An AI tool that writes the script for you still needs a brief. Five lines are enough:
- Format and length: “30-second vertical video for Instagram Reels and the product page.”
- Audience and goal: “Runners buying their second pair. Get them to add to cart.”
- One message: one point per video.
- Facts you can support: product name, price and two or three real features. Don’t let the tool invent claims, numbers or reviews.
- Tone and structure: “Practical. Hook in the first 3 seconds, one proof point, call to action at the end.”
Upload real product photos if the tool accepts them, so the video shows your actual product. Then read the script before anything renders.
In Fabeo, you get a scene-by-scene script to review first, and writing or editing it costs nothing. You can rewrite any scene in plain language, render when you’re happy, and regenerate just the scene that misses instead of the whole video. Before you publish, you can send a review link to a client or colleague (Fabeo product videos).
What a catalogue costs
Fabeo charges per rendered minute: $3 a minute, or $2.60 on the Agency plan. Plans are $12, $24 and $39 a month for 4, 8 and 15 rendered minutes, and paid plans have no watermark (Fabeo pricing).
The arithmetic:
- One 30-second product video is half a rendered minute: $1.50 at $3, or $1.30 at $2.60.
- A 15-product launch at 30 seconds each is 7.5 rendered minutes: $22.50 at $3, or $19.50 at $2.60.
- The $39 Agency plan includes 15 rendered minutes a month, enough for 30 videos of 30 seconds.
These figures cover rendering only. They don’t include your time to brief, review and upload, or any scenes you regenerate, which also render. To price your own mix of lengths, use the AI video cost calculator.
Where Fabeo fits, and where it doesn’t
Fabeo makes finished product videos from a brief:
- Vertical (9:16), square (1:1) or widescreen (16:9), up to 2 minutes long on paid plans.
- A voice-over and background music in every video, so the file is ready to post.
- Seven styles, including product demo, social ad, UGC-style and before-and-after, plus templates you can reuse across products.
- Renders take about 10 to 15 minutes.
It suits stores and agencies that want a 15 to 60 second demo or ad for each product, reviewed before it goes live. You can also make videos from inside Claude: see how to make a product video with Claude.
Fabeo also has limits:
- It isn’t a Shopify app. It doesn’t read your store or add videos to your listings. You download the finished video and upload it to Shopify yourself.
- It only makes videos with sound and music. It doesn’t make GIFs or silent loops. If you want a silent loop on the product page, mute and trim the finished video in your editor.
- It isn’t built for long-form video or avatar presenters.
How to add the video to a product
- In Shopify admin, open Products and select the product.
- In the Media section, upload the video file. For a YouTube or Vimeo video, choose Select existing, then Add from URL. Use the standard watch link: Shopify doesn’t currently accept YouTube Shorts links.
- Drag the video to the position you want. The first media item is the product’s featured media, shown on collection pages and in the cart (Shopify Help Center).
- Preview the product page on your phone and check that the video plays.
Checklist before you publish
- Export an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio.
- Use 9:16 for social ads, and 16:9 or 1:1 for the product page.
- Check that your theme plays it, on mobile first.
- Put the key message on screen for viewers watching with the sound off.
- Re-check every price, feature and claim in the video against the product page.
- Keep the file under 1 GB and 10 minutes, or host it on YouTube or Vimeo.
FAQ
What video format does Shopify accept?
MOV, MP4 or WEBM, up to 1 GB and 10 minutes. Shopify recommends H.264 video with AAC, MP3 or Opus audio.
How long should a Shopify product video be?
For the product page, 15 to 30 seconds usually works. Keep a longer 45 to 90 second demo for buyers who want detail, and short vertical cuts for social ads.
Can I add an AI video straight to Shopify from Fabeo?
Not directly. Download the finished video from Fabeo and upload it to the product’s media in Shopify.
How much does it cost to make product videos for a whole catalogue?
On Fabeo, about $1.30 to $1.50 per 30-second video. The $39 Agency plan covers 30 such videos a month.