Pexafy

What Pexafy MCP server does

Pexafy MCP server gives an MCP-compatible assistant access to Pexafy’s collection of millions of free-to-use photographs. The index includes images collected from stock libraries such as Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay. Search results include the source, license information, and the credit line required for display.

The service is intended for finding photos through conversational requests rather than only keyword lists. An assistant can search for a described scene, look for images visually similar to a supplied picture, or find more images like a selected Pexafy result. Results can then be used in articles, presentations, landing pages, posts, Markdown, HTML, or CMS content.

How it works

Pexafy MCP server is available through Streamable HTTP at https://mcp.pexafy.com/mcp. An MCP client sends requests to the hosted endpoint and receives search results or selected image data. The service is read-only: its tools search, retrieve, connect an account, or return selected results, but do not modify external content.

Text searches accept a description in any language and can optionally restrict results to landscape, portrait, or square orientation. Image searches can use a link, an upload, or an existing Pexafy photo, with an optional instruction such as finding a similar image in a different setting.

In interfaces that display the result grid, users can open photos, like preferred results, and request more like a chosen image. The selected photos are returned in the order chosen. In terminal or agent workflows, results arrive as links with their license and credit details, and the client can fetch an image file when needed.

Setup and configuration

No local installation or API key is required for the hosted service. Configure an MCP client with the Streamable HTTP URL:

https://mcp.pexafy.com/mcp

VS Code can add it with code --add-mcp '{"name":"pexafy","type":"http","url":"https://mcp.pexafy.com/mcp"}. Claude Code uses claude mcp add --transport http pexafy https://mcp.pexafy.com/mcp. The README also provides connection flows for Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, and VS Code.

Search is available without an account in VS Code, Cursor, and other editors. ChatGPT and Claude require a one-time Pexafy sign-in, and the README states that a free account is sufficient.

Tools and capabilities

Pexafy MCP server exposes five read-only tools:

• search_photos searches by a natural-language description and can filter by orientation.
• search_photos_by_image finds visually similar photos from a link, upload, or Pexafy photo, with optional text guidance.
• get_photo_file_by_photo_id returns a selected image file up to 1280 pixels wide, including its credit line.
• get_grid_selected_photos returns the photos chosen in the interactive grid and preserves their order.
• connect_account links a Pexafy account from the conversation.

Limitations and notes

The service searches Pexafy’s own index rather than directly searching every stock library. Each image’s source, license, and required credit should be reviewed before publication. The documented file retrieval limit is 1280 pixels wide. The README describes the hosted endpoint and links to separate self-hosting and development documentation, but does not provide self-hosting configuration details here.