Pexels MCP server
Commit Oct 14, 2026Search for photos and videos and browse curated media collections through the Pexels API.
Also known as codeChap/mcp-server-pexels, mcp-server-pexels
- Stars
- 1
- Tools
- 8
- Downloads, 30 days
- —
- Latest version
- 0.1.0
- Last commit
- Oct 14, 2026
- License
- —
What is Pexels MCP?
Pexels searches for photos and videos and browse curated media collections through the Pexels API. It exposes 8 tools, such as search_photos, curated_photos, get_photo.
Summary generated from the project's README
About Pexels MCP server
Finding high-quality visual media for projects directly through an AI client is what this Rust-based server enables. It connects your local environment to the Pexels API, allowing you to search for specific photos and videos or browse hand-picked media collections. Developers can use this tool to integrate stock imagery and video content into their workflows by communicating via stdio using JSON-RPC 2.0.
To use this server, you must provide a Pexels API key within a local config.toml file. Once configured, the server provides specific tools like search_photos and search_videos, which support filters for orientation, size, color, locale, and duration. You can also access curated content through tools such as curated_photos, popular_videos, and featured_collections to find themed media sets or specific media items by their unique IDs.
What you can do with it
- 1Search for filtered stock photographyAsk the AI to find photos that match a specific color, orientation, or size requirement.
- 2Discover trending video contentRequest a list of popular videos filtered by specific dimensions or durations.
- 3Explore themed media setsFind curated collections of media to get inspiration for a specific theme.
- 4Retrieve specific media assetsGet the details for a single photo or video using its unique identifier.
Written from the project's README. Every use case is checked against a quote from it.
Pexels MCP tools 8
Detected from the READMEsearch_photoscurated_photosget_photosearch_videospopular_videosget_videofeatured_collectionscollection_media
| search_photos | — | |
| curated_photos | — | |
| get_photo | — | |
| search_videos | — | |
| popular_videos | — | |
| get_video | — | |
| featured_collections | — | |
| collection_media | — |
Automated checks
Ran Nov 15, 2026Full report →Not verified yet. A server needs a score of 80, no serious finding, and enough data for us to check. How checks work · What to fix for more points
- Source repository linked and reachablecodechap/mcp-server-pexels is public and reachablegithub.com/codechap/mcp-server-pexels ↗Pass
- Package names this repository as its sourceNot checked
- Build provenance (Sigstore attestation)Not checked
- Open source license (OSI)No licenseFinding
- Commit or release in the last yearLast commit or release 2026-10-14github.com/codechap/mcp-server-pexels ↗Pass
- OpenSSF ScorecardNot checked
- Package name not close to a popular packageNot checked
- No critical advisory in the package or its dependenciesNot checked
- No hidden instructions to the model8 tool descriptions and the README read; no override phrases, credential paths or hidden charactersPass
- Destructive tools are labelledNo tool named like delete, drop or execPass
- Remote endpoint answers the MCP handshakeNot checked
README
View on GitHubmcp-server-pexels
An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for the Pexels API. Built in Rust, exposes photo search, video search, and curated/featured content as MCP tools.
Communicates via stdio using JSON-RPC 2.0.
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
search_photos |
Search photos by query with optional orientation/size/color/locale filters |
curated_photos |
Get a paginated list of curated, hand-picked photos |
get_photo |
Retrieve a single photo by ID |
search_videos |
Search videos by query with optional orientation/size/locale filters |
popular_videos |
Get popular videos with optional dimension and duration filters |
get_video |
Retrieve a single video by ID |
featured_collections |
List featured collections (themed sets of media) |
collection_media |
List media in a specific collection (filterable by photos/videos) |
Prerequisites
- Rust (edition 2024)
- A Pexels API key from pexels.com/api
Setup
mkdir -p ~/.config/mcp-server-pexels
Create ~/.config/mcp-server-pexels/config.toml:
api_key = "your-pexels-api-key"
Build
cargo build --release
Produces target/release/mcp-server-pexels.
MCP configuration
{
"mcpServers": {
"pexels": {
"command": "/path/to/mcp-server-pexels"
}
}
}
Project structure
src/
main.rs - entry point, config loading, stdio transport
server.rs - MCP tool definitions
api.rs - Pexels HTTP client and response types
params.rs - tool parameter types
config.rs - TOML config loading
License
MIT
Pexels MCP questions
What tools does Pexels MCP provide?
It exposes 8 tools, including search_photos, curated_photos, get_photo, search_videos, popular_videos.
What tools are available in the Pexels MCP server?
The server provides tools to search photos and videos, retrieve specific media by ID, view curated photos, see popular videos, and browse featured collections.
Can I filter photo searches?
Yes, you can search for photos using optional filters for orientation, size, color, and locale.