How do I use Pexels with Claude?

You connect the Pexels MCP through Vinkius and then use your Claude client as usual. Once connected, you can simply ask Claude to search for or retrieve Pexels media.

Do I need my own Pexels API key?

Yes, you will need to enter your Pexels API key to authenticate the connection.

Can I search for videos as well as photos?

Yes, this MCP includes capabilities to search for and retrieve both photos and videos.

Can the AI find images with specific colors?

Yes, you can ask your agent to find images that match specific hex colors.

Is this MCP hosted by Vinkius?

Yes, Vinkius hosts and manages the MCP, so you don't have to run it locally.

Can I search for photos that match a specific brand color?

Yes! Use the search_photos capability and provide a hex code or color name in the color parameter to filter results by that specific palette.

How do I get the highest resolution link for a specific video?

Use the get_video capability with the target Video ID. The agent will return all available file qualities and their direct download URLs.

Can I see the media inside my own Pexels collections?

First, use get_my_collections to find your collection ID, then use get_collection_media with that ID to list all photos and videos stored inside.

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Connect Pexels (Alternative) to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Find and grab high-quality media without leaving your AI client.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

Waiting for input…

Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 9 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 03

01-03

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 9 available through Pexels.

01
Get featured collections
Access a list of featured collections curated by the Pexels community.
02
Get photo
Retrieve a specific photo using its unique ID.
03
Get video
Retrieve a specific video using its unique ID.

Capability set02 / 03

04-06

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 9 available through Pexels.

04
Search photos
Search the Pexels photo library using text queries.
05
Get curated photos
Pull a list of hand-picked, curated photos from the platform.
06
Get collection media
Get all photos and videos contained within a specific collection ID.

Capability set03 / 03

07-09

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 9 available through Pexels.

07
Get my collections
List the private collections you have created on Pexels.
08
Get popular videos
Browse a list of the most popular videos currently on Pexels.
09
Search videos
Search the Pexels video library using text queries.

Real work

What teams actually run

Brand-Consistent Sourcing

Ask your agent to find images that match a specific hex code for a brand project.

Rapid Prototyping

Pull placeholder images and videos into a design layout using text prompts.

Content Planning

Find trending video clips to match the theme of a new marketing campaign.

Asset Management

Retrieve specific files from your existing Pexels collections using their IDs.

Automate a task

Put Pexels to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

Pexels works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put Pexels to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

1056ms average. Fast in production.

Pexels is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1394ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 924ms
Slowest day: 1394ms
14-day trend: Stable+1%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 9 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of Pexels, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with Pexels. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

Pexels Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_P4ZoL8yFdeSLzT6WBAF7sDXEY3Ys4NI7FG4HtL4n/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — Pexels capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pexels-alternative-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_P4ZoL8yFdeSLzT6WBAF7sDXEY3Ys4NI7FG4HtL4n/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up Pexels in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work Pexels owners hand off.

This MCP is built for anyone who needs to source high-quality visual content without breaking their creative flow.

01
Content Creators
They ask the agent to find background images or stock footage for social media and blogs.
02
Designers
They pull high-resolution assets directly into their design workflow via their AI client.
03
Marketing Teams
They use the agent to find brand-aligned visuals that match specific colors and orientations.

FAQ

Questions Pexels owners ask.

01
How do I use Pexels with Claude?
You connect the Pexels MCP through Vinkius and then use your Claude client as usual. Once connected, you can simply ask Claude to search for or retrieve Pexels media.
02
Do I need my own Pexels API key?
Yes, you will need to enter your Pexels API key to authenticate the connection.
03
Can I search for videos as well as photos?
Yes, this MCP includes capabilities to search for and retrieve both photos and videos.
04
Can the AI find images with specific colors?
Yes, you can ask your agent to find images that match specific hex colors.
05
Is this MCP hosted by Vinkius?
Yes, Vinkius hosts and manages the MCP, so you don't have to run it locally.
06
Can I search for photos that match a specific brand color?
Yes! Use the search_photos capability and provide a hex code or color name in the color parameter to filter results by that specific palette.
07
How do I get the highest resolution link for a specific video?
Use the get_video capability with the target Video ID. The agent will return all available file qualities and their direct download URLs.
08
Can I see the media inside my own Pexels collections?
First, use get_my_collections to find your collection ID, then use get_collection_media with that ID to list all photos and videos stored inside.

Explore

More in Design Creative

Connect Pexels to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-03

Get featured collections

Get photo

Get video

04-06

Search photos

Get curated photos

Get collection media

07-09

Get my collections

Get popular videos

Search videos

What teams actually run

Brand-Consistent Sourcing

Rapid Prototyping

Content Planning

Asset Management

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

Pexels Connector

Claude Desktop

Content Creators

Designers

Marketing Teams

How do I use Pexels with Claude?

Do I need my own Pexels API key?

Can I search for videos as well as photos?

Can the AI find images with specific colors?

Is this MCP hosted by Vinkius?

Can I search for photos that match a specific brand color?

How do I get the highest resolution link for a specific video?

Can I see the media inside my own Pexels collections?

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