imgproxy vs Cloudinary
Self-host swap-in for Cloudinary. · Self-host Cloudinary · imgproxy on os-alt
imgproxy is one of the open-source self-host replacements for Cloudinary — license MIT, 5min docker run to stand up, and $5-15/mo vps for the proxy; storage and cdn bill separately. Compare against Cloudinary's Free 25 monthly credits; Plus $89/mo (225 credits); Advanced $224/mo below.
| imgproxyopen-source | Cloudinarypaid SaaS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Image / video CDN + on-the-fly transformation | Image / video CDN + on-the-fly transformation |
| License / pricing | MIT | Free 25 monthly credits; Plus $89/mo (225 credits); Advanced $224/mo |
| Starting price | $0 self-host | $89/user/mo |
| GitHub | imgproxy/imgproxy | closed source |
| Setup time | 5min docker run | SaaS — sign up + bill |
| Monthly cost | $5-15/mo VPS for the proxy; storage and CDN bill separately. | from $89/user/mo (Free 25 monthly credits; Plus $89/mo (225 credits); Advanced $224/mo) |
Switching from Cloudinary to imgproxy
`docker run -d -p 8080:8080 -e IMGPROXY_KEY='hex' -e IMGPROXY_SALT='hex' -e IMGPROXY_S3_ENDPOINT='https://s3.example.com' darthsim/imgproxy:latest`. Replace Cloudinary URLs (`https://res.cloudinary.com/.../w_400/image.jpg`) with imgproxy URLs (`https://imgproxy.example.com/<signature>/w:400/<base64-or-plain-source-url>`). Source images live in S3/MinIO. Put Cloudflare or Bunny.net in front for global edge cache.
- Good fit for
- Most use cases — fastest single-binary image processor, near-perfect feature parity with Cloudinary's transformation surface.
- Weak at
- No upload/management UI; you push images to S3 yourself. Video transformation requires the Pro edition.
- License note
- Open-source edition is MIT; Pro edition with extra processors and AVIF speedups is paid.
Other open-source self-host alternatives to Cloudinary
In a terminal? npx os-alt cloudinary prints Cloudinary's self-host options —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Is imgproxy a free alternative to Cloudinary?
Yes — imgproxy is open source under MIT. Self-host cost: $5-15/mo VPS for the proxy; storage and CDN bill separately.. Cloudinary starts at $89/user/mo (Free 25 monthly credits; Plus $89/mo (225 credits); Advanced $224/mo).
How long does imgproxy take to set up vs Cloudinary?
Self-hosting imgproxy: 5min docker run. Cloudinary is a hosted SaaS — sign up and you're in.
What is imgproxy good at, and what is it weak at?
Good fit for: Most use cases — fastest single-binary image processor, near-perfect feature parity with Cloudinary's transformation surface.. Weak at: No upload/management UI; you push images to S3 yourself. Video transformation requires the Pro edition..