AltText.ai

What is AltText.ai?

AltText.ai is an AI service that automatically generates alternative text for images on websites. Users can upload images or provide their URLs; the system then analyzes the visual content and provides a textual description suitable for use with accessibility readers and web pages.

It is designed for use in SEO, e-commerce, and large-scale content teams, and it allows for image processing directly within the website’s backend, in browsers, via APIs, or through batch processes. AI-generated descriptions can help reduce repetitive tasks, but they do not guarantee that all WCAG, legal, or search optimization requirements will be met automatically.

What is the purpose of alternative text?

Alternative text provides a textual description when an image cannot be displayed, and it also helps people who use screen readers to understand the information contained in the images. Search engines can use it as well to comprehend the images on a webpage and their relationship to the page’s theme.

A good alternative text should briefly describe the role of the image in the current page. For purely decorative images, it is better to use an empty alternative attribute rather than forcing the creation of meaningless descriptions.

Main functions

1. Generation from a single image

Users can upload local images via the web interface or enter an image address, and they can choose the language, writing style, and level of detail. Each image in standard format typically requires 1 credit point.

• It supports setting custom asset numbers for images.
• You can choose between a concise, detailed, or more elaborate style of description.
• The maximum number of characters can be restricted.
• It allows control over periods, quotes, punctuation marks, and special symbols.
• The generated results will be added to a searchable image database.

2. E-commerce context and SEO keywords

When processing product images, the platform can generate alternative text that better fits the page, by taking into account the product name, brand, description, and keywords. This makes it easier to understand the characteristics of the product compared to relying only on the file name or the image itself.

Keywords should be integrated naturally into the description; they should not be repeated excessively merely to improve ranking. Information such as color, size, material, and characters still needs to be verified manually, in order to avoid including attributes for products that do not exist.

3. Over 130 languages

AltText.ai supports over 130 languages and can generate alternative text in multiple languages for the same image. A default language can be set for the account, and plugin settings, the web interface, or API calls can also override this global setting.

For each additional translation, one credit point is typically required per image. Specialized terms, brand names, and regional expressions should be checked by native-speaking editors; automatic translation cannot be considered entirely accurate.

4. Batch CSV and web scraping

Users can import a CSV file containing image URLs, or have the platform scan a specified web page and select the images that need to be processed. Batch tasks run in the background; once they are completed, a notification is sent and the results can be exported.

• Suitable for migrating old websites, product catalogs, and media databases.
• It is possible to export the image address, asset ID, language, and alternative text.
• It can provide e-commerce data and SEO keywords to supplement page scraping tasks.
• Web scraping does not execute JavaScript, so lazy-loaded images may not be detected.

5. Image database

The platform saves the generated alternative text, image URLs, asset IDs, and processing times, to facilitate searching, editing, and exporting. Local files uploaded directly do not have external image URLs.

Databases are suitable for quality spot checks and multilingual management, but they should not be the only source of backup. Important projects should be exported in CSV format on a regular basis, and the final version after being saved in the CMS should also be retained.

6. CMS integration with e-commerce platforms

AltText.ai offers a variety of native integrations that enable the automatic generation and insertion of alternative text within content or product workflows. The official website lists platforms such as WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Contentful, DatoCMS, and Storyblok.

• Batchly add missing descriptions to existing media libraries.
• Only blank fields are processed; manually entered content is retained.
• It runs automatically after a new image is uploaded or a product is updated.
• Synchronize multilingual results to the supported translation fields.

After the integration is uninstalled, the text that has already been saved in the CMS or Shopify database usually remains intact. The actual behavior depends on the specific settings of the plugin and the permissions granted by the platform.

7. Browser extensions and automation connectors

The platform offers Chrome and Firefox extensions that can be used with Squarespace, Webflow, or other websites. It can also be connected to Zapier, Pabbly, Albato, and SureTriggers to incorporate image processing into automated workflows.

When installing extensions or connectors, it is necessary to check the permissions for reading pages, modifying content, and accessing account data. It is advisable to implement manual review before enabling automatic writing back, especially for websites belonging to public institutions and industries with strict compliance requirements.

8. InstantAlt universal script

InstantAlt allows websites to include an HTML script that generates and provides descriptions for images without alternative text in real time, whenever those pages are accessed. This feature requires a valid subscription, as the platform needs to continuously host and supply the relevant text.

Real-time injection is suitable for scenarios where it is difficult to modify the CMS, but it relies on external services and script loading. Websites should be tested for their performance, as well as their behavior in relation to search engine crawls, privacy consent, and service disruptions.

9. Developer API

Developers can submit images via API and obtain alternative text, and they can also create separate API keys along with limits on credit points for different integrations. Separate keys enable the revocation of access for a particular application without affecting other systems.

Server-side keys should not be exposed on public web pages or in client code. Batch processing should also include features such as retry mechanisms, rate control, idempotency, logging, and alerts for threshold violations.

10. Official MCP service

AltText.ai has made its official MCP service available on GitHub; this service enables compatible AI assistants to generate alternative text, manage image databases, and verify the accessibility of web pages. It is released via npm and is licensed under the MIT license.

The MCP service still requires an AltText.ai API key and account credit points; what is available in the open source version is only the connector, not the backend image analysis platform. The developers also recommend verifying the origin of the npm packages and using a fixed version, in order to avoid having unreviewed new versions installed each time the service is run.

Supported image formats

The official help page requires images to be less than 16MB in size and at least 50×50 pixels in dimension. Animations, complex charts, and images with a large amount of text may still need to be described manually.

How to use AltText.ai?

1. Create an account and receive 25 free credit points, no credit card required.
2. Choose between the web interface, CMS plugins, browser extensions, API, or MCP as the method of integration.
3. Set the default language, writing style, level of detail, and character limit.
4. Upload individual images, or import them in bulk via CSV, web scanning, and platform integration.
5. Add product information and necessary SEO keywords to e-commerce images.
6. First, conduct a sample check of the generated results and correct facts, context, and redundant wording.
7. After confirmation, write it back to the website and regularly export database backups.
8. Monitor the accessibility coverage of credit points, failed tasks, and newly added images.

AltText.ai prices

As of August 26, 2026, new accounts can receive 25 free credit points without the need for a credit card. The official website offers both periodic subscription plans and one-time credit point packages; the credit points obtained through periodic subscriptions carry over upon regular renewal.

The monthly pricing page shows that the minimum cost for a plan is $5; the public monthly prices for Silver, Gold, Titanium, and Platinum are $19, $59, $119, and $229 respectively. To prevent any misalignment of the dynamic information in the switching controls, the table focuses on the full-year subscription plans, which can be verified accurately.

The prices listed above were verified on August 26, 2026; they do not include taxes, exchange rates, or enterprise services. Switching to a different plan will result in the loss of the plan credit points that have not been used during the current period, but the credit points that have already been transferred as well as the one-time purchase points remain unaffected. It is necessary to verify these prices again before making a settlement.

Credit points and cancellation rules

• Generating a standard image typically costs 1 point, while a high-quality format costs 2 points.
• Adding each additional translation language usually costs 1 more point.
• During a regular renewal, any unused plan credit points can be carried over.
• Upgrading or downgrading will invalidate the unused plan points for the current cycle.
• One-time credit point packages and the transferred points remain in the account.
• After cancellation, automatic renewal is stopped, but the unused points can be retained.

Privacy and data security

The official website states that images are not stored for an extended period of time; they are processed only temporarily and deleted immediately after alternative text is generated. The account retains the addresses of the images as well as the generated text, and user data is not used to train AI models without explicit consent.

Payments are processed by Stripe. When dealing with proprietary products, personal photos, or sensitive documents, companies should still examine the privacy policy, sub-processors, data storage locations, and proof of deletion.

Is AltText.ai open source?

AltText.ai’s core generation platform is a commercial online service; no complete open-source version that can be deployed independently has been found. The developer APIs, plugins, and integrations all rely on official accounts and credit points.

The official MCP server is made available on GitHub under the MIT license, but this only means that the connection layer is open source; it does not mean that the AltText.ai image analysis services or models can be considered open source.

Product advantages

• It supports various workflows such as single-file, batch, CMS, browser, API, and MCP.
• Supports over 130 languages, product context, and SEO keywords.
• There is fine control over formatting, character length, and writing style.
• The price is calculated based on image credit points, with clear annual payment options.
• The official explanatory images are deleted immediately after temporary processing.

Product limitations

• AI descriptions may miss the true message that a page aims to convey.
• Automatic generation cannot replace a thorough accessibility review.
• Advanced formatting and multiple languages consume more credit points.
• InstantAlt relies continuously on a valid subscription and external scripts.
• The core services do not have their source code made available, nor can they be deployed on one’s own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can AltText.ai be used for free?

Yes. New accounts come with 25 free credit points and no credit card is required; this is ideal for testing the quality of image generation using one’s own photos first.

How many images can one credit point handle?

The standard format requires 1 point per sheet, while the advanced format requires 2 points per sheet; an additional 1 point is usually added for each additional translation language.

Which website platforms are supported?

The official website lists integrations such as WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Contentful, DatoCMS, and Storyblok; it also supports browser extensions, automation connectors, and APIs.

Will the images be saved for a long time?

Officials state that the images are only processed temporarily and deleted immediately after they are created, but the address of the image and the generated alternative text remain in the account.

Do credit points expire?

During a regular renewal, the planned points can be carried over; the points purchased in a single transaction as well as those that have been carried over remain valid. Switching plans will invalidate the unused planned points for the current period.

Is AltText.ai an open-source tool?

The core platform is not an open-source project. The official MCP server is licensed under the MIT license, but it still requires connection to commercial APIs and consumes account credit points.