MockChats

MockChats is a web app for creating realistic chat videos. Creators script a conversation, style it like a real messaging thread, and export a vertical video ready for TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

The idea came from a friend who was producing chat story videos manually. Each one meant staging a conversation between two phones, capturing every message, then stitching it all together in a video editor. A single video took two to three hours to make.

They had tried generic chat UI generators, but the output never passed with viewers. Audiences recognise a real messaging app instantly, from the wallpaper to the read receipts, and a familiar conversation feels far more genuine than an invented interface. So MockChats replicates the real thing closely, down to typing indicators, voice notes and reactions.

Editor

Chats are written in an editor alongside a live phone preview. Users set up the sender and receiver with names and avatars, reorder messages with drag and drop, and mix in images, reactions and voice notes. Playback speed and typing indicators control the pacing of the final video.

With the manual work gone, a video that took hours now takes around ten minutes, and most of that is spent writing a good script.

Exports and billing

Exports are rendered server side into a retina sharp, phone framed video or image. Each export costs credits, with a monthly allowance set by the user's plan. Subscriptions are handled through Stripe, including upgrades with prorated payments and a customer portal for cancellations.

The project went from no code to a working MVP in one week - the editor, media exporting, Stripe billing, branding and the marketing site.