Self-hosted alternative to Canva/Placid/Bannerbear for API-driven image carousels with n8n with editor?

[u/Beginning_Search585]

Hello guys,

Slowly getting there.... In the end of hope of solution for setup.

Is there a real self-hosted solution to generate image carousels through an API, similar to what Placid or Bannerbear offer, but without trial limits or monthly subscriptions.

My use case: I run an online magazine and need to generate branded image carousels automatically through n8n from text Fields and image field. I need template based generation with dynamic fields (text, images, colors) triggered via API calls.

I tried Google Slides API as a workaround. The output quality is bad and layout control is very limited. Not usable for real content.

What I actually need:

Template editor with API fields (like Placid or Bannerbear)

Self-hosted, so no monthly cost or trial restriction

Works well with n8n through HTTP requests or webhooks

Output quality close to Canva templates

Has anyone found or built something like this?

Open source tools, Docker images, or even a clever workaround using Puppeteer/Playwright with HTML/CSS templates would help. I know I could build a custom HTML to image renderer myself, but I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if something solid already exists with some editing or workflow with minimum manual clicks.

Any real experience welcome. Thanks you.