Image hosting API # The simplest image hosting API. Register once, then POST a file — get a permanent CDN URL back. No SDK, no dashboard, no egress fees. A free image upload API built for developers and AI agents. [Get your API key](/signup) [Read the docs](/docs) ## The whole flow: two calls Register to get an API key, then upload a file. The response is a permanent CDN URL — the same two calls work from curl, Node, Python, a CI job, or an AI agent. curl Node Python \# 1. Register — returns your API key curl \-X POST https://api.pixelvault.dev/v1/auth/register \\   \-d '{"email":"you@example.com","password":"secure-pass"}' \# 2. Upload — returns a permanent CDN URL curl \-X POST https://api.pixelvault.dev/v1/images \\   \-H "Authorization: Bearer pv\_live\_xxx" \\   \-F "file=@photo.jpg" \# { "data": { "id": "img\_xyz", "url": "https://img.pixelvault.dev/proj\_abc/img\_xyz.jpg" } } ## What a good image hosting API needs Before you pick one — or build your own on top of S3 — check for these. ### Real authentication Per-project API keys, not a single shared token. imgbb-style anonymous uploads don't cut it for production. ### Zero egress fees Serving is where naive S3 setups get expensive. A global CDN with zero egress (via Cloudflare R2) means bandwidth doesn't bill you by surprise. ### Idempotent uploads Networks fail; a retried upload shouldn't create duplicates or error out. Retry-safe by design. ### Management, not just upload List, fetch, and delete images by ID — the operations you need once real data accumulates. ### An OpenAPI spec A machine-readable contract means predictable error codes and easy client generation — and lets AI agents consume the API directly. ### Broad format support JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, and SVG in, correct `Content-Type` out. ## Predictable errors A good API fails clearly: `401` for a bad key, `413` when a file exceeds your plan's limit, `415` for an unsupported type. No guessing, no HTML error pages — just JSON your code (or your agent) can branch on. PixelVault publishes the full contract as an [OpenAPI 3.1 spec](https://api.pixelvault.dev/openapi.json). Wiring it into a coding agent? See [image hosting for AI agents](/for-ai-agents). Want to try it without code first? Use the free [image-to-URL tool](/tools/image-to-url). Comparing options? Here are the [best Cloudinary alternatives](/alternatives/best-cloudinary-alternatives) and how PixelVault stacks up against [ImgBB](/alternatives/imgbb). ## Image hosting API FAQ Is there a free image hosting API? Yes. PixelVault's free tier includes 200 MB storage, 500 uploads/month, and 1 GB bandwidth — no credit card and no trial expiry. You get a real API key, not an anonymous upload endpoint, so it works for production apps. What's the simplest way to upload an image and get a URL? Register once to get an API key, then POST the file to /v1/images. The response is a permanent CDN URL you can use immediately — two calls, no SDK required. What image formats does the upload API support? JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, and SVG. Each is served back with the correct Content-Type header from a global CDN. How is this different from Cloudinary or imgbb? imgbb is a single anonymous upload endpoint with no real auth; Cloudinary is a full media-processing platform with SDKs and an $89/month floor. PixelVault sits in the middle: a clean image upload API with per-project keys, zero egress fees, and a free tier — without the enterprise complexity. Can AI agents use the API without a human? Yes. Registration is a single API call, and the service is discoverable via llms.txt, an OpenAPI 3.1 spec, and a remote MCP server — so an agent can find and use it with no browser at all. ## Upload your first image in 30 seconds Free tier: 200 MB storage, 500 uploads/month, no credit card. Paid plans start at [$9/month](/pricing). [Get your API key](/signup)