Snowmix

Free plan LinuxMac

What Snowmix is

Snowmix is a free, open-source command-line tool for building a system that mixes live audio and video feeds. It combines video, images, text and graphic elements, with animation, clipping and blending for scene composition. Snowmix also supports 3D graphics through OpenGL, rendered off-screen with the CPU or with hardware-accelerated GPU rendering. Chroma keying for green or blue screens is supported from version 0.5.2.

Audio and video input and output use GStreamer scripts. Example scripts cover RTSP input and output as RTP, to a TCP server or to an MP4 file. Snowmix supports embedded Tcl and Python interpreters for scripting, and its shared-memory model is compatible with GStreamer shmsink and shmsrc. It can run without a display and be controlled remotely over low-bandwidth TCP connections.

Snowmix runs on Linux and macOS, though native macOS support is temporarily limited. The maintainer distributes source code rather than binaries, so users compile it themselves. It is designed for people building their own video mixer, rather than those looking for a point-and-click application. A free support forum is available, and paid consultancy is also offered.

Who it suits

Snowmix suits people building a custom video mixer who are comfortable working with a command-line tool, GStreamer scripts and compiling source code. Its scripting, graphics and remote-control features can serve projects that need flexible live audio and video mixing.

What it does well

Composes scenes from video, images, text and graphics.
Supports animation, clipping, blending and 3D graphics.
Includes chroma keying for green or blue screens.
Embedded Tcl and Python interpreters support scripting.
Can run headlessly with remote TCP control.

What to know first

Users must download and compile source code themselves.
It is not designed as a point-and-click application.
Native macOS support is temporarily limited.
It has not been tested on Windows.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Snowmix	Free and open source video mixer	Free

As snowmix.sourceforge.io lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Snowmix website.
Download the source code.
Compile the source code.
Use GStreamer scripts to configure audio and video input and output.

Verdict

Choose Snowmix if you are assembling a custom live mixer and want scripting, scene composition and remote operation. Look elsewhere if you need a point-and-click application or an installer instead of source code to compile.

Questions

Is Snowmix free?

Yes. Snowmix is free and open-source software.

Which platforms does Snowmix support?

Snowmix supports Linux and macOS. Native macOS support is temporarily limited; Windows has not been tested.

Does Snowmix provide downloadable binaries?

The maintainer distributes source code rather than binaries, so users compile it themselves.

Can Snowmix handle green-screen keying?

Yes. Chroma keying for green or blue screens is supported from version 0.5.2.

Is Snowmix intended for point-and-click use?

No. It is intended for people building their own video mixer system.

Facts from Snowmix's own pages

3D graphics: Snowmix supports 3D graphics through OpenGL, using CPU-based off-screen or hardware-accelerated GPU rendering. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Chroma key: Chroma keying for green or blue screens is supported from version 0.5.2. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Distribution: Snowmix is distributed free as open-source software, and the maintainer does not provide binaries; users can download the source and compile it. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 20 Sept 2026
GStreamer: Snowmix uses GStreamer scripts for audio and video input and output, and its shared-memory model is compatible with GStreamer shmsink and shmsrc. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Intended user: Snowmix is a specialized tool for people building their own video mixer system and is not intended as an easy point-and-click application. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: Snowmix is a command-line tool for dynamically mixing live audio and video feeds. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Remote operation: Snowmix is designed to run without a display and be controlled remotely over low-bandwidth TCP connections. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Scripting: Snowmix supports simple and advanced scripting, including embedded Tcl and Python interpreters. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Security and compliance: The official pages opened provide no security or compliance claims. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Streaming input and output: Example scripts support input from RTSP streams and output as RTP, to a TCP server, or to an MP4 file. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Support: A free support forum is available for Snowmix questions, while paid consultancy is offered for Snowmix, streaming, audio and video coding, and network architecture. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Supported systems: Version 0.5.2.2 was tested on listed Linux distributions and macOS versions through Monterey; newer macOS versions are prepared for but untested, and native macOS support is temporarily limited. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Video and graphics: It supports overlaying and mixing video, images, text, and graphic elements, with animation, clipping, and blending. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026
Windows limitation: Snowmix has not been tested on Windows, and its GStreamer shared-memory modules depend on POSIX features unavailable on native Windows. · snowmix.sourceforge.io, 7 Oct 2026