ImageKit
Image and video API, CDN and digital asset management with a free tier and bandwidth-based plans.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web
Is ImageKit free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
- Starting price:
- $9 a month plus usage (Lite)
- Free plan:
- Yes, 20 GB bandwidth a month
Checked on ImageKit's site Nov 8, 2026
Full ImageKit pricing and plansSwitch from ImageKit to
All 3
CloudinaryStarting price: $99/month, or $89/month billed yearly (Plus)
UploadcareStarting price: $79/month (Pro, monthly billing)
SirvStarting price: $19/month
- Verified facts
- 6 of 6
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About ImageKit
ImageKit optimizes, transforms and delivers images and video through URL parameters and a built-in CDN. You can upload files to its own media library or point it at existing storage such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage or Azure Blob. Alongside the delivery API it offers a digital asset management library with search and sharing, video processing and streaming, AI-powered edits like background removal, and tools for generating on-brand creatives in bulk. SDKs cover the usual web and mobile stacks, and it has added MCP servers so AI assistants can work with media. Pricing is published and mostly based on bandwidth, storage and processing units: a forever-free plan suits side projects, low-cost Lite and Pro plans allow pay-as-you-go overage, and enterprise plans add custom limits. It is often picked as a cheaper, simpler switch from Cloudinary. It runs as a cloud service only.
Best for: Startups and agencies wanting Cloudinary-like features with simpler, cheaper pricing.
ImageKit pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from ImageKit's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, 20 GB bandwidth a month | Nov 8, 2026 | imagekit.io |
| Starting price | $9 a month plus usage (Lite) | Nov 8, 2026 | imagekit.io |
| Pro plan | $89 a month plus usage | Nov 8, 2026 | imagekit.io |
Pros and cons
What works
- Forever-free plan with 20 GB monthly bandwidth
- Can serve files from your own S3, GCS or Azure storage
- Built-in DAM included with the API
Why people leave
- Free plan is capped and has no overage
- Custom domains need a higher plan
- No self-hosted option
ImageKit vs Cloudinary, Uploadcare and Sirv
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | ImageKit | Cloudinary | Uploadcare | Sirv |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Verified price | $9 a month plus usage (Lite) | $99/month, or $89/month billed yearly (Plus) | $79/month (Pro, monthly billing) | $19/month |
| Free plan | Yes, 20 GB bandwidth a month | Yes, $0 forever, no credit card | Yes, 1,000 operations/month | Yes |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web | Web | Web |
Top ImageKit alternatives
See all 3- 1Cloudinary68.8
Larger, more established platform with deeper AI and DAM features for big teams.
- 2Uploadcare61.8
Better if you also need a polished drop-in file uploader with malware scanning.
- 3Sirv42.3
Adds ecommerce-focused 360° spins, zoom and hotspots.
Why people left ImageKit
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from ImageKit, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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ImageKit: common questions
What is ImageKit?
ImageKit: Image and video API, CDN and digital asset management with a free tier and bandwidth-based plans. Best for startups and agencies wanting Cloudinary-like features with simpler, cheaper pricing. Available for Web.
Is ImageKit free?
ImageKit has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Yes, 20 GB bandwidth a month (checked on ImageKit's own site).
How much does ImageKit cost?
ImageKit is free with paid plans. Free plan: Yes, 20 GB bandwidth a month; Starting price: $9 a month plus usage (Lite); Pro plan: $89 a month plus usage. Checked on ImageKit's own site, November 2026.
Is ImageKit open source?
No, ImageKit is not open source.
What platforms does ImageKit run on?
ImageKit is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to ImageKit?
The highest-ranked ImageKit alternatives right now are Cloudinary, Uploadcare and Sirv. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
ImageKit vs Cloudinary: what's the difference?
Both ImageKit and Cloudinary are free with paid plans. Verified prices: ImageKit $9 a month plus usage (Lite), Cloudinary $99/month, or $89/month billed yearly (Plus). Both run on Web.