DynaPictures vs Imejis.io: Image API Comparison [2026]
I was excited about DynaPictures. Sub-200ms response times? Built-in Unsplash? German engineering? Sign me up.
Then I read the fine print. Images expire after 3 months.
That's not a typo. Your generated images get deleted after 90 days on their Lite plan. Six months on Pro. And suddenly that "fast API" doesn't seem quite as appealing when you're managing your own image hosting infrastructure.
Let me break down what I learned comparing these two.
Quick comparisonQuick Comparison
| Feature | DynaPictures | Imejis.io | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | ~$29/mo | $14.99/mo | Imejis.io |
| Free Tier | None | 100/month | Imejis.io |
| Stock Photos | Unsplash | Unsplash | Tie |
| Image Retention | 3-6 months | Permanent | Imejis.io |
| Public Links | No | Yes | Imejis.io |
| API Speed | Under 200ms | Fast | DynaPictures |
Score: Imejis.io 4-1. DynaPictures is faster. But that speed comes with serious trade-offs.
The retention problem this is a big dealThe Retention Problem (This Is a Big Deal)
Let me paint a picture.
You're an e-commerce store. You generate 500 product images. They look great. Your site is running smoothly.
Three months later? Those images are gone. Deleted. Your product pages are showing broken image icons. Your customers see nothing.
Dynapictures retentionDynaPictures Retention
- Lite Plan: 3 months, then deletion
- Pro Plan: 6 months, then deletion
- After expiration: Images are permanently gone
Imejisio retentionImejis.io Retention
- All Plans: Permanent storage
- After expiration: Nothing expires. Images stay forever.
This isn't a minor inconvenience. If you're using DynaPictures, you need to:
- Download every image before it expires
- Host them somewhere else (that's extra cost)
- Update all your URLs
- Repeat this every 3-6 months
Or you could just use a platform where images don't disappear.
The pricing realityThe Pricing Reality
DynapicturesDynaPictures
| Plan | Price | Images/Month | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | ~$29/mo | 250-1,000 | 3 months |
| Pro | ~$49/mo+ | 2,000-200,000 | 6 months |
No free tier. You're committing money before you've tested if it works for your use case.
ImejisioImejis.io
| Plan | Price | API Calls | Storage | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 100/month | 500 MB | Permanent |
| Basic | $14.99/mo | 1,000/month | 2 GB | Permanent |
| Pro | $24.99/mo | 10,000/month | 10 GB | Permanent |
| Unlimited | $69.99/mo | 100,000/month | Unlimited | Permanent |
For 1,000 images per month:
- DynaPictures: ~$29/mo (and your images expire)
- Imejis.io: $14.99/mo (and they don't)
That's 48% savings AND permanent storage. Not a hard choice.
Where dynapictures wins raw speedWhere DynaPictures Wins: Raw Speed
I'll give credit where it's due. DynaPictures is fast. Sub-200ms fast.
If you're building something where every millisecond matters, like real-time personalization on page load, that speed is genuinely impressive.
But here's the thing: most use cases don't need sub-200ms responses. Generating product images? Social media graphics? Email headers? A 1-2 second response is perfectly fine.
You're paying a premium (and dealing with expiring images) for speed you probably don't need.
Stock photos a tieStock Photos: A Tie
Both platforms have Unsplash built in. Thousands of free stock photos right in the editor. This is table stakes now, and they both deliver.
Public links only imejisio has thisPublic Links: Only Imejis.io Has This
Here's a feature I didn't expect to care about, but now I can't live without.
DynaPictures: Templates are API-only. Need an image? Write code or use Zapier.
Imejis.io: Public Links turn any template into a simple form. Share a URL with your marketing team, your client, your intern. They fill in the fields. They get an image. No code. No API keys. No "can you just make this real quick" Slack messages.
For teams where non-technical people need to generate images, this is huge.
The integration storyThe Integration Story
DynaPictures connects to:
- Zapier, Pabbly, Integrately
- Make (Integromat)
- Google Sheets, Airtable
Imejis.io connects to:
- 10+ direct integrations (Airtable, Google Sheets, Stripe, Gmail, Typeform, Webflow, monday.com)
- Zapier (5000+ apps)
- Make for advanced workflows
The difference? Imejis.io's direct integrations are faster and don't require Zapier fees. One-click OAuth, you're connected in minutes.
The editor experienceThe Editor Experience
DynaPictures: Solid editor. Gets the job done. Feels a bit utilitarian though, like it was built by engineers for engineers.
Imejis.io: This surprised me. It actually feels like Canva. Drag and drop that works. Real-time preview. Smart alignment guides. I'm not a designer, and I built a decent template in about 10 minutes.
The layer management is intuitive. The element library is extensive. And having stock photos right there (instead of in a separate tab) speeds things up more than you'd expect.
True cost comparisonTrue Cost Comparison
DynaPictures looks competitive until you factor in the hidden costs.
Dynapictures true costDynaPictures True Cost
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Lite Plan | ~$29/mo |
| External image hosting | $5-20/mo |
| Time managing migrations | 2-5 hours/mo |
| Real Cost | $34-49/mo + your time |
Imejisio true costImejis.io True Cost
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Basic Plan | $14.99/mo |
| External hosting | $0 (included) |
| Migration time | 0 (nothing expires) |
| Real Cost | $14.99/mo |
Actual savings with Imejis.io: $228-408/year plus hours of your time.
Real world scenario e commerceReal-World Scenario: E-commerce
Say you generate 500 product images per month.
With DynaPictures:
- Month 1-3: Everything works great
- Month 4: First batch expires and breaks
- You scramble to download, re-host, and update 500 URLs
- Every month: Repeat for the next batch of expiring images
- Time spent: Hours per month, forever
With Imejis.io:
- Month 1: Generate images
- Month 2+: They still work
- Time spent: Zero on maintenance
I know which one I'd pick.
Who should choose dynapicturesWho Should Choose DynaPictures?
Honestly? A pretty narrow use case:
- You need sub-200ms responses for real-time personalization
- You already have image hosting infrastructure
- You're comfortable managing quarterly image migrations
- European data residency is a hard requirement
If that's you, DynaPictures makes sense.
Who should choose imejisioWho Should Choose Imejis.io?
Everyone else:
- You want images that don't disappear
- A free tier matters for testing
- Public links for non-technical team members would help
- You'd rather not manage external image hosting
- Saving 48% sounds good
The verdictThe Verdict
DynaPictures has one advantage: raw speed. It's genuinely the fastest API I've tested.
But speed means nothing if your images vanish after 3 months.
Imejis.io wins on:
- Price (48% cheaper)
- Free tier (100/month vs. none)
- Storage (permanent vs. 3-6 months)
- Public links (exclusive feature)
- Integration ease
Unless you're building something where every millisecond counts, Imejis.io is the obvious choice.
→ Start Free with Imejis.io - 100 credits, permanent storage, no credit card.
FaqFAQ
Does dynapictures really delete imagesDoes DynaPictures really delete images?
Yes. On Lite, images are deleted after 3 months. On Pro, after 6 months. You need to download and host them elsewhere before expiration.
Does imejisio have retention limitsDoes Imejis.io have retention limits?
No. All plans include permanent storage. Your images stay accessible forever.
Which has better stock photosWhich has better stock photos?
Tie. Both include Unsplash with thousands of free photos.
Is dynapictures fasterIs DynaPictures faster?
Yes. Sub-200ms responses vs. 1-2 seconds for Imejis.io. But for most use cases, this difference doesn't matter.
Can i try either for freeCan I try either for free?
Imejis.io offers 100 free credits per month, permanently. DynaPictures has no free tier.
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