Cost and keys
Does Montagist cost anything?
No. The AI providers you choose bill you directly for what you use, and every charge shows up in their consoles.
Which keys do I need?
At least one model key — DeepSeek, Kimi, Qwen, Anthropic or OpenAI, for example. Add web search and voice keys when you need them: if a step needs a key you haven't added, Montagist asks for it right there. How to get each key
Where are my keys stored, and are they safe?
On our servers in Singapore, each key encrypted separately. Only the last four characters are ever shown, and the full key is never sent back to you. You can delete a key at any time.
Could I spend a lot of money by accident?
No. Paid steps, like recording the full voice-over, ask you before they start. You set a daily spending limit in settings; once it's reached, no new paid step starts.
The Mac app
Why Mac only?
Capture, the sample cut, the voice-over and the final render all run on your own computer, so your footage and videos are never uploaded. This first version is for Apple silicon Macs; Windows and Intel Macs aren't supported yet.
Can I use it without the Mac app?
For pre-production, yes: topic, fact ledger, capture plan, script and storyboard all work in the browser. Capturing and reviewing footage, the sample cut, the voice-over and the final render need the Mac app.
Why does macOS stop the app the first time I open it?
The Montagist Mac app is still being prepared for release — there's no installer yet. The release will be signed with our own certificate rather than notarized by Apple. Whether you use the command or the installer, macOS may ask you to confirm on first launch. Follow the steps on the download page for system prompts and confirm access permissions only when needed.
Where are my footage and videos stored?
Only on your Mac. The cloud keeps text only: topics, the fact ledger, scripts, storyboards and your decisions at each gate.
Can I continue on another Mac?
The text, yes — it lives in the cloud. Captured footage stays on the Mac that captured it; this version can't move it to another Mac.
Content and rights
Can it make videos in English?
Yes. Choose English in your channel brief, and research, script, captions and voice-over all follow.
Who is responsible for footage rights?
You are. Montagist captures public web pages and public videos to your plan, but whether you may use them is your call. Make sure you have the rights to every clip before you publish.
Should I label the video as AI-generated?
Yes. The video's metadata says it is AI-generated, and the publishing kit reminds you to tick the platform's AI-generated label or equivalent.
Will Montagist post to platforms for me?
No. Once the publishing kit is ready, where and when to post is up to you.
Compared with other tools
How is it different from CapCut's script to video?
Script to video turns text straight into a video, fast. Montagist researches first, attaches a source to every fact and goes through five gates before rendering — slower, but you can check everything the video says. Full comparison
Can an AI assistant do it for me?
Yes. The Mac app ships with hnc, a command-line tool. Add the Montagist skill to an assistant like Claude Code or Codex and it can move an episode forward for you — but passing a gate still takes your own words.
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