What it is
GitHub repo for Palmier Pro, a macOS AI-assisted video editor with a local MCP server; GPLv3 source is published through v0.7.6 and later binary releases are proprietary.
Gabriel’s notes
Quick take: A real video editor (not a “prompt-and-pray” toy) that lets AI agents directly operate on your timeline via a local MCP server. The interesting part is also the scary part: it’s literally designed to let software drive your edit.
Palmier Pro is a Swift-native macOS video editor with built-in AI generation and Model Context Protocol (MCP) support, so external agents (Claude/Codex/Cursor) can read and edit projects through tools exposed by the app. When the app is open, it exposes an MCP server on localhost (http://127.0.0.1:19789/mcp). The GitHub repo explicitly notes that releases through v0.7.6 (and a “last-gpl-source” snapshot) were published under GPLv3, and that later binary releases are proprietary with no corresponding published source. It also notes the app requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) on Apple Silicon. All of those details matter for security and procurement.
I saved this under Security & privacy because an AI-editable timeline is basically “let an agent poke your filesystem with scissors,” and that deserves more paranoia than a normal creative app.
Good fit if you want to:
- Let Claude/Codex/Cursor do real timeline operations (not just give you button-click instructions).
- Keep the agent bridge local (localhost MCP) instead of exposing an editor over the network.
- Mix human editing with AI generation inside one timeline-centric workflow.
- Separate “editing my footage locally” from “sending prompts/media to third-party model providers.”
- Evaluate an app that’s partly open-source history and partly proprietary present (read: version hygiene).
Pricing snapshot (auto-enriched):
The editor is free: Palmier’s pricing page says the Free plan is $0 and includes the multi-track editor plus MCP use with no account required. Paid tiers (Pro/Max) add monthly generation credits plus cloud transcription and built-in chat (pricing is listed as $29/mo (limited time) for Pro and $69/mo (limited time) for Max, with higher “non-discount” prices also shown). Pricing can change; their Terms mention they may change pricing with reasonable notice.
Work-use / compliance snapshot (auto-enriched):
Local-first, with a big asterisk: Palmier’s Terms say projects and media stay on your device unless you choose AI features that require external processing. If you opt into AI generation or the assistant, your input is forwarded to external providers (Palmier says it does not store that input on their servers). The MCP server is local and the docs describe connecting external clients to the local server; the Claude Desktop install flow even includes a warning that the connector is not verified (and clarifies the connector can access Palmier project files). Bottom line: treat “MCP + local edit” and “cloud AI features” as separate privacy boundaries.
My security posture (from my original bookmark notes):
- Unknown / not confirmed: I previously reviewed the open-source v0.7.5/v0.7.6-era code and didn’t see obvious malware/credential theft/persistence behavior. That was a personal spot-check, not a third-party audit.
- Confirmed: the repo states newer binaries are proprietary and the corresponding source is not published, so any old source review should not be treated as a security audit of whatever binary you download today.
- My “conditional approval” stance still applies: keep MCP local, require explicit approval for destructive actions, and be picky about any community Skills/extensions before you install them.
Alternatives (auto-enriched):
- DaVinci Resolve: a mature, widely adopted NLE with a free version and an optional Studio edition; great if you want editing power and stability first, and “agentic timeline control” second.
- OpenMontage: an open-source, agentic video production system (more pipeline/orchestration than a traditional NLE UI), useful if you want an AI-assistant-driven workflow but don’t specifically need a macOS-native timeline editor.
Before you adopt it:
- Decide which threat model you’re in: “offline editor with a local agent bridge” vs “cloud generation + external providers,” then configure accordingly.
- Pin versions intentionally. If you care about source transparency, understand the repo’s open-source cutoff (through v0.7.6) and don’t hand-wave it.
- Limit tool permissions in your agent client, and prefer “ask me before you do the irreversible thing” defaults (delete, overwrite, upload, send to cloud, etc.).
Sources
- https://github.com/palmier-io/palmier-pro
- https://www.palmier.io/pricing
- https://www.palmier.io/terms
- https://www.palmier.io/docs/agent-and-mcp
- https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/palmier