Flickr API

Search Flickr photos and pull photo details, EXIF, albums and photostreams as JSON, with no Flickr API key.

The API.SH Flickr API returns public Flickr data as clean JSON. Search photos by text or tags with license, date, orientation, color, size and location filters, then read one photo's title, license, owner, views, faves, keywords, place and every image size, with camera EXIF on request. You can also list a member's albums and the photos in each, or read a member's profile and photostream.

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4 endpoints
from $1 / 1,000 calls
1,000 free credits / month
failed calls free

Flickr photo search

GET https://api.api.sh/flickr/v1/search

{ "success": true }

1 credit · $1 per 1,000 calls

What you can build with the Flickr API

Image datasets with clear licenses

Search by keyword or tag and filter by license, media type, minimum size and safe-search level to collect images you are allowed to reuse, with every size's URL and dimensions.

/search /photo

Photo metadata and EXIF research

Read a photo's camera, lens, exposure, aperture, focal length and ISO along with its taken date, keywords and place, for photography analysis or gear studies.

/photo

Location-based photo discovery

Search around a latitude and longitude with a radius and date range to find public photos of a place or event.

/search

Archive and album exports

List a member's albums with counts and views, then page through an album's photos with license, taken and uploaded dates and image sizes.

/albums

Creator and photostream tracking

Read a member's followers, photo count and pro status, and follow their newest uploads page by page.

/user /photo

Flickr data you get

Field names from real responses. Numbers come parsed, URLs absolute, dates in ISO 8601.

Flickr API endpoints and prices

Every Flickr endpoint costs 1 credit per call: credits are $1 per 1,000 on a monthly plan, $2 pay-as-you-go. Pricing

Search and discovery1

Flickr photo search

/flickr/v1/search

$1 · $2 PAYG

1 credit

Profiles and accounts2

Flickr member albums and album photos /flickr/v1/albums	$1 · $2 PAYG 1 credit
Flickr member and photostream /flickr/v1/user	$1 · $2 PAYG 1 credit

Posts and media1

Flickr photo

/flickr/v1/photo

$1 · $2 PAYG

1 credit

Call the Flickr API

Flickr photo search: GET https://api.api.sh/flickr/v1/search

curl "https://api.api.sh/flickr/v1/search?q=sunset" \
  -H "x-api-key: $APISH_KEY"

import os, requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.api.sh/flickr/v1/search",
    params={"q": "sunset"},
    headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["APISH_KEY"]},
    timeout=120,
)
res.raise_for_status()
data = res.json()

const url = new URL("https://api.api.sh/flickr/v1/search");
url.searchParams.set("q", "sunset");

const res = await fetch(url, { headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.APISH_KEY } });
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${await res.text()}`);
const data = await res.json();

# Google Sheets (API.SH add-on)
=APISH("/flickr/v1/search", "q", "sunset")

# Zapier, Make, n8n (verified node): pick the API.SH app,
# choose "Flickr" and "Flickr photo search".

# AI agents (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor): add the
# API.SH MCP server https://api.sh/mcp

Create a free accountConfirm your email and get 1,000 free credits every month. No card needed.
Create an API keyOne key works for all 482 platforms.
Send the requestJSON back in one call. Add output=csv or output=ndjson for files.

Why API.SH for Flickr data

Public data only: no Flickr login, cookies or account needed
One key and one response shape for Flickr and 481 other platforms
Built and maintained by API.SH, not third-party publishers
Pay per call; errors on our side cost nothing
Live status for every endpoint

API.SH vs the official Flickr API

Flickr has an open official API, free for non-commercial use; commercial use needs prior arrangement with Flickr, and every app needs a key requested through the App Garden with a Flickr account. API.SH needs no Flickr account or key and returns public photos, albums and photostreams in the same JSON shape it uses for every other site.

Instead of maintaining a Python Flickr scraper from GitHub or comparing Apify actors, use one API.SH key with a fixed price per call and paging built in.

Flickr API questions

What Flickr data can I get?+

Photo search with license, date, orientation, color, size and location filters (/flickr/v1/search), one photo with owner, stats, keywords, place, every image size and optional EXIF (/flickr/v1/photo), a member's albums and album photos (/flickr/v1/albums), and a member's profile and photostream (/flickr/v1/user).

How much does the Flickr API cost?+

Every Flickr endpoint costs 1 credit per call. On a monthly plan 1,000 credits cost $1 (Starter is $50/month for 50,000 credits). Pay-as-you-go is $2 per 1,000 credits, with top-ups from $15 that never expire.

Is there a free Flickr API?+

Flickr's own API is free for non-commercial use once you request a key. On API.SH, every account gets 1,000 free credits every month. That is 1,000 calls to /flickr/v1/albums at 1 credit each.

Is there an official Flickr API?+

Yes. Flickr offers an open REST API with keys issued through its App Garden, free for non-commercial use and available for commercial use by arrangement. API.SH is an alternative when you want public Flickr data without registering an app, in the same JSON format as the other sites you use.

Do I need a Flickr account or API key?+

No. API.SH reads public Flickr pages only. No endpoint uses a login, cookies or anyone's account, and you never request a Flickr key.

Can I download images with it?+

Search, photo, album and photostream results include every image size with its URL and dimensions, so you can fetch the files yourself. Filter search by license to find photos you may reuse, and follow each photo's license terms.

Can I use it from Python?+

Yes. It is a plain HTTPS API that returns JSON, so any HTTP client works, and there is also an official API.SH Python SDK. Pass next_page back as page to walk through search results, albums and photostreams.

How do I get started?+

1. Sign up at api.sh. 2. Copy your API key. 3. Call /flickr/v1/search with a q such as sunset. Every parameter is in the docs at https://api.sh/docs. You can also use the JS or Python SDK, Google Sheets, Zapier, Make, n8n or the MCP server at https://api.sh/mcp.