Image and video API: upload, transform, optimize, and deliver media via URL parameters
Cloudinary handles the annoying parts of dealing with images: uploading, storing, resizing, optimizing, and delivering them fast. Change an image from 2000x2000 to 400x400? Just change the URL parameters. Convert to WebP for smaller files? Also a URL parameter. No image processing code needed.
The free tier is generous enough for a small app. The problem is the jump: there is nothing between free and $99/month. If your app is image-heavy (a marketplace, a portfolio site, a social app), factor this cost in early. For simpler needs, you might get away with self-hosted sharp/imagemagick and a CDN.
Pros
- Transform images on the fly via URL (resize, crop, watermark), no server-side processing
- Free tier includes 25,000 transformations and 25GB storage
- Automatic format and quality optimization cuts page load times
Cons
- Pricing is confusing (based on transformations, bandwidth, and storage combined)
- Jump from free to $99/month is steep with no middle tier
- Can get expensive fast once you have significant media content
Compare
Verified