Pexels Scraper — Free Stock Photos & Videos

Use this Pexels photo scraper and Pexels video scraper to search public media and export reusable metadata with direct asset URLs. No Pexels account or API key is required.

Why use this Actor

Build a practical stock-media dataset instead of manually copying result pages. Search photos, videos, curated photos, or exact photo IDs, then export consistent rows for content planning, design research, editorial workflows, and automation.

Each row includes a canonical Pexels page, dimensions, public creator details, direct asset URLs, and request provenance. The Actor returns metadata and links; it does not download media files.

Who is it for

• Content teams building a shortlist of visuals for campaigns, articles, or social posts.
• Design and research teams comparing public stock-media results by dimensions, orientation, and creator.
• Developers and analysts who need a structured Pexels dataset for an app, spreadsheet, or workflow.
• AI and automation builders that need direct image or video URLs as inputs to an approved downstream workflow.

Example inputs and input recipes

Search photos

{
  "mode": "search",
  "query": "forest",
  "mediaType": "photos",
  "maxItems": 20,
  "orientation": "landscape"
}

Search videos

{
  "mode": "search",
  "query": "ocean",
  "mediaType": "videos",
  "maxItems": 20,
  "minDuration": 5
}

Fetch exact photo IDs

{
  "mode": "photoId",
  "photoIds": ["12377231"],
  "maxItems": 1
}

Browse curated photos

{
  "mode": "curated",
  "maxItems": 20,
  "orientation": "portrait"
}

Input settings

Key	Use
mode	Choose search, curated, or photoId.
query	Search phrase used in search mode.
mediaType	Choose photos, videos, or all for search.
photoIds	Pexels photo IDs or photo URLs for exact lookup.
maxItems	Maximum unique rows to save, from 1 to 100.
orientation	Keep landscape, portrait, square, or all.
minWidth, minHeight	Exclude smaller media with local dimension filters.
minDuration, maxDuration	Keep videos within a duration range in seconds.
dedupe	Keep one row per media type and Pexels ID.

What data you get

Field	Meaning
recordType, id, pageUrl	Media type, Pexels ID, and canonical page.
title, alt, tags, license	Public descriptive metadata and license label.
width, height, aspectRatio, orientation	Media dimensions and normalized orientation.
avgColor	Source-provided average color when available.
photographerId, photographerName, photographerUrl	Public creator identity and profile link.
imageOriginalUrl, imageLargeUrl, imageMediumUrl, imageSmallUrl	Photo rendition URLs for photo rows.
downloadUrl	Best available direct asset URL for the media.
durationSeconds, fps, videoFiles, bestVideoUrl	Video metadata and files for video rows.
sourceMode, sourceQuery, sourcePage, sourceApiUrl, scrapedAt	Public-source request context.

Photo-only and video-only fields are null or empty arrays when they do not apply. This is intentional: the Actor does not infer missing media attributes.

Example output

{
  "recordType": "photo",
  "id": "12377231",
  "pageUrl": "https://www.pexels.com/photo/12377231/",
  "width": 4000,
  "height": 2667,
  "orientation": "landscape",
  "photographerName": "Example creator",
  "downloadUrl": "https://images.pexels.com/photos/example.jpeg",
  "sourceMode": "search",
  "sourceQuery": "forest"
}

Pricing and limits

This Actor charges a small run-start fee and a per-saved-media-record fee. Prices vary by Apify subscription tier; see the live Pricing tab for current rates.

A run can save up to 100 unique media records. Public Pexels availability, the chosen query, and filters determine the number of matching rows.

API usage

Use the Actor from the Apify Console, API, SDK, MCP, or an automation platform. The completed default dataset can be exported to JSON, CSV, Excel, Google Sheets, or a downstream workflow.

Node.js

import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: process.env.APIFY_TOKEN });
const run = await client.actor('fetch_cat/pexels-scraper').call({
  mode: 'search', query: 'forest', mediaType: 'photos', maxItems: 20,
});
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);

Python

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN")
run = client.actor("fetch_cat/pexels-scraper").call(run_input={
    "mode": "search", "query": "forest", "mediaType": "photos", "maxItems": 20,
})
items = client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).list_items().items
print(items)

cURL

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/fetch_cat~pexels-scraper/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"mode":"search","query":"forest","mediaType":"photos","maxItems":20}'

MCP and automation

Add this Actor to your Apify MCP tools with mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch_cat/pexels-scraper. For Claude Code, add the server with:

$claude mcp add apify -- npx -y @apify/mcp-server --tools fetch_cat/pexels-scraper

Or add an MCP server configuration:

{"mcpServers":{"apify":{"command":"npx","args":["-y","@apify/mcp-server","--tools","fetch_cat/pexels-scraper"]}}}

Example prompts: “Search Pexels for 20 landscape forest photos” or “Export ten ocean video records with direct URLs.” For no-code workflows, run it through Apify integrations and pass the resulting dataset to your preferred destination.

Tips for better results

• Start with a specific visual phrase such as aerial forest or ocean waves.
• Use mediaType: "all" when a single dataset can include both photos and videos.
• Use orientation and minimum dimensions to avoid a later filtering step.
• Use exact IDs when you need stable lookups for known Pexels photos.
• Keep dedupe enabled when combining result types or repeated searches.

Limitations

The Actor uses public data only. It does not accept cookies, Pexels credentials, or API keys. Collection pages, photographer portfolios, similar-media lookup, account-only data, EXIF details, reactions, and media-file downloading are not supported in this release.

Respect Pexels terms and the rights applicable to each asset before using a result in your own project. Direct URLs may change or become unavailable on the source site.

FAQ

Does it download media files?

No. It exports public metadata and direct asset URLs.

Can I use a Pexels API key or cookies?

No. This Actor does not require or accept keys, accounts, or cookies.

Why are some fields empty?

Photo and video records have different applicable fields. The Actor returns null or an empty array rather than guessing.

Can I collect collections or creator portfolios?

Not in this release. The supported modes are search, curated photos, and exact-photo lookup.

Can I use this with an AI agent?

Yes. Connect the Actor through the Apify MCP tool or call it with the API examples above, then pass only the exported dataset fields your workflow needs.

Where can I get help?

Open the Actor's Issues tab with a redacted input and run ID. Include the mode, query, and expected record type so support can reproduce the request.

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Support

Need help with an input or exported dataset? Contact support through the Actor's Issues tab with a redacted input and run ID.