Lorem Picsum

API

Free placeholder image API with Unsplash-sourced high-quality photos

Overview

Lorem Picsum is a RESTful API for placeholder images and image metadata. Key endpoints include direct image URLs (e.g., /200/300 for random 200x300 images, /id/123/200/300 for specific images, /seed/myseed/200/300 for consistent random images) and JSON metadata endpoints like /v2/list (returns image details: ID, author, URL, dimensions). Responses are JPEG images for placeholder requests or JSON for metadata. Ideal for web/app developers needing placeholder images in UI prototypes, testing layouts, or adding random high-quality photos to demos without local asset storage.

Example Integration (JavaScript)

script.js JS


fetch('https://picsum.photos/')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Key Features

RESTful
No Auth required
Direct image serving
JSON metadata support
Seed-based randomization
Grayscale/blur filters

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Lorem Picsum free to use?

Yes, Lorem Picsum is completely free for both personal and commercial use with no restrictions.

? Does it require an API Key?

No, the API does not need any authentication or API key to access its endpoints.

? What response formats are available?

Direct JPEG images for placeholder requests; JSON for metadata endpoints like /v2/list which returns image details.

Top Alternatives

Placeholder.com Search Google

Unsplash Source Search Google

Pexels Placeholder API Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free

Category Photography

Platform Public API

Pros

⊕ Simple URL structure for quick integration
⊕ High-quality Unsplash-sourced images
⊕ Free for personal/commercial use
⊕ Consistent random images via seed
⊕ No rate limits

Cons

⊖ Limited content filtering (no topic search)
⊖ No SLA for production reliability
⊖ No custom image cropping options