# Can Claude generate images? > Claude has no image model. How to add one to Claude and Claude Code, and ten options compared on setup, free credits, the price of one image and what each is good for. No, not by itself. Claude has no image model, so it can't make a photo or an illustration the way an image generator does. It can write code that draws: SVG icons and logos, HTML layouts, charts and diagrams, shown in the chat as an artifact you can edit. For photos of people, products and places, for edits to your own photos, and for video and music, Claude needs a connector: an MCP server that runs an image, video or music model and hands the result back to the chat. You add one on claude.ai in about a minute, or with one command in Claude Code. [Anthropic's help page](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9002504-can-claude-generate-images) gives the same answer. Published 2026-11-05. Last checked 2026-11-05. Written by vincevangen, one of the options below. ## What Claude makes without a connector Anything code can draw. Ask for an icon, a logo, a chart, a diagram, a social card or a page layout and Claude writes SVG or HTML, shows it as an artifact and changes it when you ask. It costs nothing and you can edit the result. In our own [test of 14 asset jobs](https://vincevangen.com/compare#our-test), code beat the image model on the icon, the favicon, the OG card and an empty-state illustration. Code can't make a photo: a person, a product on a shelf, a room, your own picture with a new background, a video clip or a song. Those need a model, and Claude reaches one through a connector. ## How to add image generation to Claude A connector is an MCP server that Claude can call. The steps are the same for every hosted option on this page. We use vincevangen as the example; swap in the URL or command your provider gives you. ### Claude on the web, desktop and phone 1. On claude.ai, open Customize → Connectors. 2. Click + Add, then Add custom connector. 3. Give it a name and paste the server URL (vincevangen's is below). Leave the OAuth fields empty. 4. Click Add, then Connect, and sign in with your account at that service. ```text https://api.vincevangen.com/mcp ``` The desktop and mobile apps use the connectors on your Claude account, so you add it once, on the web. Custom connectors work on every plan, and the Free plan allows one ([Anthropic's guide](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11175166-get-started-with-custom-connectors-using-remote-mcp)). On Team and Enterprise an organisation owner adds it first. Add to Claude opens the dialog with vincevangen filled in. [All the steps](https://vincevangen.com/docs/quickstart/claude.md) ### Claude Code One command adds the server for all your projects: ```bash claude mcp add -s user --transport http \ vincevangen https://api.vincevangen.com/mcp ``` Then run /mcp in Claude Code to sign in. If Claude Code is signed in with the Claude account that already has the connector, there's nothing to add: `/mcp` lists it. For CI, or Claude Code on an Anthropic API key, use an [API key](https://vincevangen.com/docs/quickstart/claude-code.md). ### Any other server A hosted server gives you a URL. Paste it into the connector dialog, or add it to Claude Code with the first command below. Most open-source servers run on your own computer and take your own model key. They work in Claude Code and Claude Desktop, which can start local programs, but not in Claude on the web or phone. [Anthropic's Claude Code guide](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp) covers both kinds. ```bash # hosted claude mcp add --transport http # runs on your computer claude mcp add --transport stdio --env API_KEY=... -- npx -y ``` ## The options side by side Prices are for one image of about 1 megapixel and name the model, because the same model costs different amounts in different places. Where a vendor sells credits, the dollar figure is its plan price divided by its credits. Every option links to the pages we read on 5 November 2026. | Option | How it connects | Free to start | One image | Good for | |---|---|---|---|---| | Krea | Plugin in Claude's plugin directory, marked Anthropic verified, or the web connector `https://api.krea.ai/claude-mcp`. | 100 compute units a day, no card. That is about two FLUX.2 [pro] images. | In Krea's own app, FLUX.2 [pro] works out at about $0.05 (yearly Basic) to $0.09 (monthly Basic). | Image, video and 3D models in Krea's app. Its Claude connector handles your Krea balance, files and uploads. | | OpenArt | Custom connector `https://mcp.openart.ai/mcp`, signing in with your OpenArt account. A CLI for Claude Code. | Some free credits at sign-up; the amount isn't published. MCP access is listed on paid plans, from Starter at $14 a month. | Credits per model aren't published. Starter is $14 for 4,000 credits ($0.0035 a credit). | Over 100 image, video and audio models, from ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor. | | Higgsfield | Custom connector `https://mcp.higgsfield.ai/mcp`. In Claude Code, its CLI (`npm i -g @higgsfield/cli`) and skills. | A limited free plan, but everything made through MCP spends credits, and free or unlimited generations don't apply to MCP or the CLI. | FLUX.2 [pro] is 1 credit, $0.033 to $0.070 by plan. Nano Banana 2 is 2 credits, $0.066 to $0.141. | Video and images. | | fal | `claude mcp add --transport http --scope user fal https://mcp.fal.ai/mcp-relay`, signing in with OAuth. | The MCP server is free; we found no free credits. | FLUX.2 [pro] at 1 MP: $0.03. | Developers who want fal's image, video and audio models at fal's own rates. | | BFL and Replicate | BFL: `https://mcp.bfl.ai` with OAuth, as a connector or in Claude Code. Replicate: `https://mcp.replicate.com/sse` with your Replicate API token. | None found. | FLUX.2 [pro] at 1 MP: $0.03 at both. | BFL: FLUX images and video from the people who make FLUX. Replicate: thousands of models on one key. | | Creative Claw | Custom connector `https://app.creativeclaw.co/mcp`, or its Claude plugin. | 100 credits at sign-up, no card. Credits never expire. | FLUX.2 [pro] at 1 MP: 6 credits ($0.06). Its default, Nano Banana 2.1 at 1K: 16 credits ($0.16). | Image, video and audio models in one place, without a subscription. | | Wireflow | Custom connector `https://www.wireflow.ai/api/mcp`, signing in with OAuth. | Up to 60 starter credits, no card. API and MCP access is listed on the paid plans. | FLUX.2 [pro]: about 10 credits, about $0.135 on monthly plans. Nano Banana 2: about 20 credits, about $0.27. | Workflows from one request: a reel, slides, an ad or a thumbnail. | | Magnific | Custom connector `https://mcp.magnific.com`. Claude Code: `claude mcp add --transport http magnific https://mcp.magnific.com`. | Any Magnific account can connect. The pricing page shows no free plan. | FLUX.2 [pro] at 1K: 50 credits, CA$0.045 to CA$0.0675 by plan. It showed us Canadian dollars only. | Images, video, audio and 3D, and search of the Freepik stock catalogue. | | Open source, your own key | Runs on your computer, in Claude Code (claude-image-gen also as a Claude Desktop extension). Needs a Gemini or OpenAI key on a billed account. | The software is free. Gemini's API has no free tier for image output. | Google's rate. Nano Banana 2.1 at 1K: $0.0336 (the default in mcp-image and banana-claude). Nano Banana Pro: $0.134 (claude-image-gen's default). | Developers in Claude Code who already pay Google or OpenAI and want the raw rate. | | vincevangen | Custom connector `https://api.vincevangen.com/mcp`, signing in with your vincevangen account, no key. One command in Claude Code. Cursor, Codex and other MCP clients use an API key. | 50 free credits at sign-up, enough for 8 final images. They expire after 90 days. | Standard (P-Image): 2 credits ($0.02). Final (FLUX.2 [pro]): 6 credits ($0.06). Photo edit: 9 credits ($0.09). | People, products, scenes, photo edits, lettering in a scene, music and short video. | Plans and prices change often. The vendor's own page is the one to trust. ## Each option In no particular order, with open source and ours last. ### Krea Creative suite with a plugin in Claude's directory. Krea's plugin is the only image tool we could confirm in Claude's plugin directory. Claude Code installs it from Krea's plugin marketplace, `krea-ai/skills`. Krea's README says the Claude plugin and its web connector are restricted to balance, files, uploads and Claude Motion imports, and don't expose AI generation. The generation tools are for Cursor, Codex and other agents. In Krea's app, the Basic plan's 5,000 units cover about 102 FLUX.2 [pro] images. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [Krea in Claude's plugin directory](https://claude.com/marketplace/plugins/krea), [Krea skills README](https://github.com/krea-ai/skills), [Krea pricing](https://www.krea.ai/pricing) ### OpenArt Creative suite with a connector. Add `https://mcp.openart.ai/mcp` as a custom connector and sign in. For Claude Code and Codex, OpenArt recommends its CLI instead. Its plans list access to over 100 image, video and audio models. Starter is $14 a month ($13 billed yearly) for 4,000 credits, which it says is up to about 4,000 images. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [OpenArt MCP setup](https://openart.ai/mcp), [OpenArt pricing](https://openart.ai/pricing), [OpenArt help](https://openart.ai/help) ### Higgsfield Video and image suite with a connector and CLI. Add `https://mcp.higgsfield.ai/mcp` as a custom connector. For Claude Code, Higgsfield has you install the CLI, run `higgsfield auth login` and add its skills. The CLI had about 92,000 npm downloads in the month to 4 November. A credit costs $0.070 on Starter (270 credits a month, $19 billed yearly), $0.039 to $0.049 on Plus and $0.033 to $0.043 on Ultra, depending on yearly or monthly billing. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [Higgsfield MCP](https://higgsfield.ai/mcp), [Higgsfield pricing](https://higgsfield.ai/pricing), [Higgsfield help: what is Higgsfield MCP](https://higgsfield.ai/creator-hub/help-center/integrations/what-is-higgsfield-mcp), [npm downloads, @higgsfield/cli](https://api.npmjs.org/downloads/point/2026-10-06:2026-11-04/@higgsfield/cli) ### fal Model host with a free MCP server. fal's MCP server is free and signs in with OAuth. You pay fal's rate for each model run you start. It runs fal's image, video and audio models. FLUX.2 [pro] at 1024 × 1024 is $0.03. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [fal MCP docs](https://fal.ai/docs/documentation/setting-up/mcp), [FLUX.2 pro on fal](https://fal.ai/models/fal-ai/flux-2-pro) ### BFL and Replicate The model maker's server, and a model host's. Black Forest Labs, who make FLUX, run their own server: `claude mcp add --transport http FLUX https://mcp.bfl.ai`. It generates, edits and varies FLUX images and video. FLUX.2 [pro] is from 3 credits, at $0.01 a credit. Replicate's server takes your Replicate API token and runs any of its models. FLUX.2 [pro] there is $0.015 a run plus $0.015 per output megapixel, so $0.03 at 1 MP. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [BFL MCP integration](https://docs.bfl.ai/api_integration/mcp_integration), [BFL pricing](https://docs.bfl.ai/quick_start/pricing), [Replicate MCP](https://mcp.replicate.com/), [FLUX.2 pro on Replicate](https://replicate.com/black-forest-labs/flux-2-pro) ### Creative Claw Many models on prepaid credits. Creative Claw sells credits the way we do: $10 buys 1,000 credits at $0.01 each, there's no subscription and credits never expire. It gives 100 free at sign-up. On the Free Claude plan it suggests adding `https://app.creativeclaw.co/mcp` as your custom connector; on other plans, its plugin. FLUX.2 [pro] costs the same there as on our Final tier. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [Creative Claw pricing](https://creativeclaw.co/pricing), [Creative Claw for Claude](https://creativeclaw.co/claude-image-generator/) ### Wireflow Workflow builder with a connector. Connecting is free and running a workflow spends credits. Wireflow builds the workflow from what you ask for in the chat. A credit costs about $0.0135 on its monthly plans, from $36 for 2,660. Video models are on paid plans only. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [Wireflow MCP](https://www.wireflow.ai/mcp), [Wireflow pricing](https://www.wireflow.ai/pricing), [FLUX.2 pro on Wireflow](https://www.wireflow.ai/models/flux-2-pro) ### Magnific Formerly Freepik, with a connector. Magnific, formerly Freepik, says it isn't in Claude's connector directory yet, so you add it as a custom connector. On Premium (CA$27 a month, or CA$20 a month billed yearly, for 240,000 credits a year) FLUX.2 [pro] at 1K works out at CA$0.05 to CA$0.0675; on Plus, CA$0.045. Its web app has unlimited FLUX.2 [pro] on some plans, and its API docs say that applies only inside the web app. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [Magnific MCP docs](https://docs.magnific.com/modelcontextprotocol), [Magnific pricing](https://www.magnific.com/pricing) ### Open source, your own key mcp-image, banana-claude, claude-image-gen. [mcp-image](https://github.com/shinpr/mcp-image) is a server you run with npx, using a Gemini key by default (OpenAI or BytePlus Seedream also work): `claude mcp add mcp-image --env GEMINI_API_KEY=... --env IMAGE_OUTPUT_DIR=/absolute/path -- npx -y mcp-image`. It had about 10,300 npm downloads in the month to 4 November. [banana-claude](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/banana-claude) is a Claude Code plugin with 1,183 GitHub stars; it needs a Gemini key on a billed Google AI project. [claude-image-gen](https://github.com/guinacio/claude-image-gen) takes a Gemini or OpenAI key. With all three you pay the model's provider directly, and none of them works in Claude on the web or phone. Sources (checked 2026-11-05): [npm downloads, mcp-image](https://api.npmjs.org/downloads/point/2026-10-06:2026-11-04/mcp-image), [banana-claude](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/banana-claude), [claude-image-gen](https://github.com/guinacio/claude-image-gen), [Gemini API pricing](https://aistudio.google.com/docs/pricing) ### vincevangen Hosted MCP server and Claude connector (ours). An MCP server that enables Claude to make photos, photo edits, video and music, added as a custom connector on claude.ai or with one command in Claude Code. Prepaid credits, no subscription, and paid credits never expire. Claude gets a quote before every call, and a call that would go over your cap is refused before it runs. Checks, text overlay and cache hits are free. [Pricing](https://vincevangen.com/pricing.md) Sources: [Pricing](https://vincevangen.com/pricing.md), [Models and licences](https://vincevangen.com/pricing/models) ## Where vincevangen wins and where it loses We wrote this page and we sell one of the options, so here is ours held to the same standard. ### Where others are better - FLUX.2 [pro] costs more here than at the model hosts: $0.03 for one 1 MP image at fal, BFL and Replicate, against 6 credits ($0.06) on our Final tier, or $0.048 on our $50 and $100 packs. Higgsfield's Plus and Ultra plans and Magnific's plans (in Canadian dollars) also cost less than ours for that model. Creative Claw charges the same as our list price. - Fewer models. We run 14, chosen per job. fal and Replicate reach thousands, and OpenArt lists over 100. - A smaller free start: 50 credits that expire after 90 days. Creative Claw gives 100 that never expire, and Krea refills 100 units a day for its own app. - We're not in Claude's connector or plugin directory, so you add us as a custom connector. On the Free plan that uses your one custom connector. ### Where vincevangen is better - A quote before every call, in credits with the dollar amount beside them, and a spending cap from the start. A call that would go over it is refused before it runs and costs nothing. - The Standard tier: 2 credits ($0.02) for a still of people, a scene or an illustration at an exact pixel size (P-Image, no reference images or lettering). - Checks in code, free: size, transparency, palette, seams and loops, each with the reason it failed. A vision model scores drafts against your rubric for free. - Exact text overlay, free: your words set in a real font over the image, so the model can't misspell them. - Each file names its model and whether that model's licence allows commercial use, with a warning when it's unclear. - Music from 30 to 500 seconds, with or without lyrics, at 15 credits ($0.15) a minute. - Failed results and cache hits cost nothing. Use vincevangen for people, products, scenes, photo edits, lettering inside a scene, music and footage. For icons, logos, cards, UI illustration and charts, ask Claude to write the code. The connector tells Claude the same. ## Questions people ask ### Can Claude generate images on the free plan? Not by itself, on any plan. On the Free plan you can add one custom connector, and the connector makes the images. Some of the options here have free credits to start; vincevangen gives 50, enough for 8 final images. ### Can Claude Code generate images? Yes, with an MCP server. Add a hosted one with `claude mcp add` and its URL, or run an open-source one on your computer with your own model key. If Claude Code is signed in with a Claude account that has a connector, the connector is already there. The steps are under [How to add image generation to Claude](#add). ### How much does it cost? Your Claude plan doesn't include image generation; the connector charges for it. For FLUX.2 [pro] at about 1 MP, prices on this page run from $0.03 at the model hosts to about $0.135 at Wireflow. vincevangen's Final tier is 6 credits ($0.06) and its Standard tier 2 credits ($0.02). ### Can I use the images commercially? That depends on the model's licence and the service's terms, not on Claude. vincevangen records each file's model and whether its licence allows commercial use. The output terms for our Video tier are still unclear, and its results say so. See [Licences](https://vincevangen.com/docs/licences.md). ### Can Claude edit my photo? Yes, with a connector that takes reference images. Attach the photo in the chat and ask for the change. On claude.ai the photo reaches the server through a one-time upload link, or directly once you allow network egress to the server's domain in Settings → Capabilities. vincevangen's Edit tier is 9 credits ($0.09) with one reference. ### Can Claude make videos? With a connector. vincevangen makes a 5-second clip for 6 credits ($0.06), and video with sound from 16 credits ($0.16) a second. Higgsfield, fal and Creative Claw run video models too. ### Can Claude make music? With a connector. vincevangen makes tracks from 30 to 500 seconds, with or without lyrics, at 15 credits ($0.15) a minute, as a file you download. ### Is there an image generator in Claude's directory? Krea's plugin is in Claude's plugin directory, marked Anthropic verified. See Krea above for what it can do from Claude. Magnific says it isn't in the connector directory yet. The other options here are added as custom connectors or servers. ## Sources Read on 2026-11-05. - [Claude Help Center: Can Claude produce images?](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9002504-can-claude-generate-images) - [Claude Help Center: custom connectors using remote MCP](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11175166-get-started-with-custom-connectors-using-remote-mcp) - [Claude Code docs: MCP](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp) - [Krea in Claude's plugin directory](https://claude.com/marketplace/plugins/krea) - [Krea skills README](https://github.com/krea-ai/skills) - [Krea pricing](https://www.krea.ai/pricing) - [OpenArt MCP setup](https://openart.ai/mcp) - [OpenArt pricing](https://openart.ai/pricing) - [OpenArt help](https://openart.ai/help) - [Higgsfield MCP](https://higgsfield.ai/mcp) - [Higgsfield pricing](https://higgsfield.ai/pricing) - [Higgsfield help: what is Higgsfield MCP](https://higgsfield.ai/creator-hub/help-center/integrations/what-is-higgsfield-mcp) - [npm downloads, @higgsfield/cli](https://api.npmjs.org/downloads/point/2026-10-06:2026-11-04/@higgsfield/cli) - [fal MCP docs](https://fal.ai/docs/documentation/setting-up/mcp) - [FLUX.2 pro on fal](https://fal.ai/models/fal-ai/flux-2-pro) - [BFL MCP integration](https://docs.bfl.ai/api_integration/mcp_integration) - [BFL pricing](https://docs.bfl.ai/quick_start/pricing) - [Replicate MCP](https://mcp.replicate.com/) - [FLUX.2 pro on Replicate](https://replicate.com/black-forest-labs/flux-2-pro) - [Creative Claw pricing](https://creativeclaw.co/pricing) - [Creative Claw for Claude](https://creativeclaw.co/claude-image-generator/) - [Wireflow MCP](https://www.wireflow.ai/mcp) - [Wireflow pricing](https://www.wireflow.ai/pricing) - [FLUX.2 pro on Wireflow](https://www.wireflow.ai/models/flux-2-pro) - [Magnific MCP docs](https://docs.magnific.com/modelcontextprotocol) - [Magnific pricing](https://www.magnific.com/pricing) - [npm downloads, mcp-image](https://api.npmjs.org/downloads/point/2026-10-06:2026-11-04/mcp-image) - [banana-claude](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/banana-claude) - [claude-image-gen](https://github.com/guinacio/claude-image-gen) - [Gemini API pricing](https://aistudio.google.com/docs/pricing)