Cloudinary is a media management platform for images and videos. Upload, transform, and deliver media at scale. On-the-fly transformations via URL. AI-powered image optimization and enhancement. SDKs and integrations for every platform. The complete solution for managing visual media.

Available on: Web

Louis Corneloup Updated Jul 20, 2026 · how we evaluate Source cloudinary.com ↗

Ratings Across the Web

4.5 (304 reviews)

Cloudinary holds an aggregate rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 304 reviews across G2 and Capterra, last checked September 17, 2026.

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Image optimization
Video transcoding
AI transformations
DAM
CDN delivery
Upload widget
SDKs
Lazy loading

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Oct 5, 2026

Cloudinary plans and prices, checked October 2026
Plan	Price	Details
Free	$0	Getting started 25 credits/month 25K transformations 25GB storage OR bandwidth +1 more Show less Basic support
Plus	$89/per month	Growing sites 225 credits/month Add-ons available Email support
Advanced	$224/per month	High volume 600 credits/month Advanced features Priority support
Enterprise	Custom	Large scale Custom credits Custom SLA Dedicated support +1 more Show less Enterprise features

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Is Cloudinary worth the price?

Fair value

Cloudinary is the most feature-rich media management platform but its credit-based pricing is deliberately confusing.

The free tier (25 credits) is adequate for small sites, but the jump to $89/mo Plus feels steep compared to simpler alternatives.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Credit system bundles transformations, storage, and bandwidth, hard to predict actual costs

1 credit = 1,000 transformations OR 1GB storage OR 1GB bandwidth OR 500 SD video seconds

Overages are soft limits, Cloudinary contacts you to upgrade rather than cutting off

Full Cloudinary pricing: every plan, hidden costs and alternatives

How Cloudinary's pricing compares

At $89/mo, billing unit not specified, Cloudinary is the most premium of its 2 comparable direct competitors.

Mux

$20

imgix

$25

Cloudinary

$89

Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Oct 5, 2026.

Reviews

Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT cover

$99 Free with your review

Review Cloudinary, get a free AI guide

Share your experience and we will send you Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT, free.

Write a review

4.5/5

Across 304 verified user reviews on G2, Capterra

Add your hands-on experience using the offer above to help the next buyer.

Best Cloudinary Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

Brandfolder Paid

Manage, organize, and distribute all your brand assets

4.5

Bynder Paid

Organize, manage, and distribute creative content globally

4.5

Mux Paid

Video infrastructure for developers

4.2

imgix Freemium

Automate image and video optimization, transformation, and delivery

4.1

Effects SDK Freemium

Add real-time AI video enhancements to any app

See all video & media tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

Cloudinary vs Brandfolder Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Cloudinary vs Bynder Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Cloudinary vs Mux Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

Explore More

Cloudinary FAQ

How does Cloudinary help with media delivery?

Cloudinary allows users to upload, transform, and deliver images and videos at scale. It provides on-the-fly transformations via URL, ensuring media is optimized for various platforms and devices.

Which teams benefit most from using Cloudinary?

Cloudinary is ideal for developer teams and those involved in video and media management, as well as image editing. Its comprehensive SDKs and integrations support various platforms, making it suitable for diverse development environments.

How is Cloudinary priced?

Cloudinary offers a free tier for basic usage and features. For more extensive usage and advanced functionalities, paid plans are available.

Can Cloudinary optimize images automatically?

Yes, Cloudinary includes AI-powered image optimization and enhancement capabilities. This feature helps to automatically improve the quality and performance of visual media.

What kind of transformations can be applied with Cloudinary?

Cloudinary supports powerful on-the-fly transformations for images and videos, which can be applied directly via URL. This allows for dynamic adjustments to media without manual re-editing.

How does Cloudinary compare to imgix?

Cloudinary, like imgix, is a media management platform that offers powerful transformations and automatic optimization for images and videos. Cloudinary provides a complete solution for managing visual media, including AI-powered enhancements and a range of SDKs.

What are the potential trade-offs when using Cloudinary?

While Cloudinary offers a great free tier and powerful features, its pricing can become complex and expensive as usage increases. Users should consider their anticipated scale and feature needs when evaluating costs.

Source: cloudinary.com

Guides & Articles

Best Digital Asset Management Software

Features Cloudinary

Best Prompt Management & PromptOps Tools 2026

Expert guide

Best Headless CMS Platforms in 2026

Expert guide