Top Image & Animation APIs for Developers in 2018

What Are Animation APIs?

The web animations API (not to be mistaken for Anime) lets developers synchronize elements and add timing changes to a Web page, creating new animations out of static images, GIFs/videos, or other page elements.

With web animation APIs, developers have the opportunity to create eye-catching visuals that site visitors find more memorable – and sharable.

The 6 Best Animation and Image APIs

Here is a list of the top animation & image APIs we looked at:

1. Imgur API

Imgur is one of the Internet’s most popular image hosting and sharing communities, with more than 1,500,000 images uploaded daily (Source). The Imgur API lets developers make use of the entire Imgur infrastructure.

Popular endpoints include Account Album Information, which returns information about a specific album, and Account Comments, which gives you access to the comments a user has made on an account.

Imgur API Pricing

The Imgur API is free for open source and non-commercial usage. If you’re planning to use Imgur’s API in a commercial application, you must register with both Imgur and RapidAPI. RapidAPI pricing tiers are based on both request and upload volume, and include:

• Free up to 100,000 requests/10,000 uploads per month
• $25 per month up to 600,000 requests/60,000 uploads per month
• $250 per month up to 7,500,000 requests/750,000 uploads per month
• All tiers add $0.001 per extra request and $0.01 per extra upload

2. Giphy API

via GIPHY

Giphy is the largest online collection of animated stickers and GIFs. Whether you need funny GIFs, reaction GIFs, or other unique animations, the Giphy API lets you embed the entire Giphy library into your application.

Popular endpoints include getGif, which returns information about a GIF, and getTrendingGifs, which returns GIFs that are currently trending online.

Giphy API Pricing

The Giphy API is free to use, but must conspicuously display a “Powered By GIPHY” attribution. New API keys are limited to 10,000 search requests a day and 10 upload requests a day.

When your application is ready for production, you can request a production key from your Giphy app dashboard, which will remove the limits as long as your app meets Giphy’s criteria.

3. Guggy API

Guggy creates funny personalized GIFs out of a user’s text message. The Guggy API allows developers to take advantage of this smart predictive GIF engine.

Popular endpoints include createGIFs, which returns GIFs based on a specific phrase or sentence, and getTrendingGIFs, which returns GIFs that are currently trending.

Guggy API Pricing & API Key

The Guggy API is free, although the API key is only available by emailing api@guggy.com.

4. Meme Generator API

The Meme Generator API creates simple JPEG memes using preloaded images and short text sentences.

Popular endpoints include Generate meme, which creates a meme based on a predefined set of images, and Get fonts, which provides font types for the text sentences at the top and bottom of the meme.

Meme Generator API Pricing

The Meme Generator API offers a free tier up to 100,000 calls per month. Example prices include:

• $25 per month up to 600,000 calls per month
• $75 per month up to 2,500,000 calls per month
• All tiers add $0.001 per extra call

5. Unsplash API

The Unsplash API allows developers to embed free high-resolution photos from Unsplash, one of the largest global photography sharing communities.

Popular endpoints include addPhotoToCollection, which adds a select photo to an existing collection, and getCollections, which returns a single page from the list of all photo collections.

Unsplash API Pricing

The Unsplash API and Unsplash photos are free to use, including commercial use, making it free image API.

6. Pixabay API

Pixabay is a collection of images and videos under the Creative Commons CC0 license, which makes them free for use, even for commercial purposes. The Pixabay API provides developers access to more than 1.3 million free photos, graphics and videos.

Popular endpoints include searchImages (image search API), searchIllustrations and searchVideos, which allow developers to search Pixabay’s collection for specific element types.

Pixabay API Pricing

The Pixabay API and Pixabay photos, graphics and videos are free to use, including commercial use.

Summary: Best Image & Animation APIs

Do you agree with our list? Which image and animation APIs are you using? Let us know in the comments below.