Name: zsxkib Tool Merge Images Image Merge API
Brand: magicapi
SKU: api-magicapi-merge-images-clean-strips-zsxkib-tool-merge-images
Availability: InStock
Author: API Market

Shashank Agarwal

# 🧩 Image Merge API (zsxkib Tool Merge Images)

## Overview
Tool Merge Images, published by zsxkib, joins several images into one horizontal or vertical strip. Its developer describes it as merging multiple images into clean strips with precise alignment and sizing controls.

Send a list of image URLs in `images`; they are placed in the order you send them. Choose the direction, alignment, resize strategy, optional border and output format. Each request returns the URL of one merged image.

## Features
- **Horizontal or vertical strips**: `orientation` is `horizontal` (default) or `vertical`.
- **Order preserved**: images appear in the order of the `images` list.
- **Alignment**: `alignment` (`start`, `center` (default), `end`) places images perpendicular to the strip direction.
- **Size matching**: `resize_strategy` equalizes sizes along the strip axis with `reduce_larger` (default), `magnify_smaller`, `crop_larger` or `none`. `keep_aspect_ratio` (default `true`) keeps proportions when resizing.
- **Borders**: `border_thickness` in pixels (default `0`) adds a border around and between images, in `border_color` (hex such as `#ffffff` or a color keyword).
- **Output format and quality**: `webp` (default), `jpg`, `jpeg` or `png`, with `output_quality` 1 to 100 (ignored for PNG).

## Use Cases
1. **Before and after comparisons**: put an original and an edited image side by side.
2. **Product galleries**: combine product shots into one banner or vertical strip.
3. **Model output comparisons**: line up results from several image models in one picture.
4. **Social posts and thumbnails**: build collage strips with even spacing and borders.

## Visual Examples
### Example Input
Images (in order):

![First input image](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/rmgb-input-api-market.jpg)

![Second input image](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/supir-input-api-market.png)

Settings: `orientation` `horizontal`, `alignment` `center`, `resize_strategy` `reduce_larger`, `keep_aspect_ratio` `true`, `border_thickness` `0`, `border_color` `#ffffff`, `output_format` `webp`, `output_quality` `90`.

### Example Output
![Tool Merge Images output: the two input images joined side by side in one horizontal strip](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/tool-merge-images-output-88kq97pz-api-market.webp)

## Input Parameters
| Field | Type | Required | Default | Allowed values | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `images` | array of strings (URLs) | Yes |  |  | Images to merge (order preserved) |
| `orientation` | string | No | `horizontal` | `horizontal`, `vertical` | Direction of the strip |
| `alignment` | string | No | `center` | `start`, `center`, `end` | Alignment perpendicular to orientation |
| `resize_strategy` | string | No | `reduce_larger` | `none`, `magnify_smaller`, `reduce_larger`, `crop_larger` | How to equalise sizes along the orientation axis |
| `keep_aspect_ratio` | boolean | No | `true` |  | Maintain aspect ratio when resizing |
| `border_thickness` | integer | No | `0` | minimum 0 | Border thickness in pixels, around and between images |
| `border_color` | string | No | `#ffffff` |  | Border colour (hex or color keyword) |
| `output_format` | string | No | `webp` | `webp`, `jpg`, `jpeg`, `png` | Output format |
| `output_quality` | integer | No | `90` | 1 to 100 | Lossy quality 1-100 (ignored for PNG) |

## Pricing
- **Pay As You Go (PAYG) pricing**: you only pay for what you use.
- **Price**: $0.001 per API unit.
- **1 API unit = 1 successful request with up to 9 seconds of processing.** A longer job bills one more unit for each started block of 9 seconds (for example, 12 seconds of processing is 2 units, $0.002).
- More and larger images take longer to process.
- **Example cost**: the example request took 0.73 seconds of processing, which is 1 unit, so $0.001.
- **Failed or cancelled predictions are not billed.**
- **GET requests to check prediction status** are free and don't count toward API unit usage.
- **No monthly subscription fee.**

## API Documentation

### Base URL
All API requests go to: `https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/merge-images-clean-strips-zsxkib-tool-merge-images`

### Authentication
Send your api.market API key in the `x-api-market-key` header:
```
x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY
```

### Asynchronous Processing
**IMPORTANT**: This API is asynchronous. The flow is:
1. Send a POST request to `/predictions`. A successful request returns **201 Created** with a prediction `id` and a `status` of `starting` or `processing`.
2. Poll GET `/predictions/{id}` with that ID.
3. Keep polling while `status` is `starting` or `processing`.
4. Stop when `status` is `succeeded` (read `output`), `failed` or `canceled` (read `error`).

A polling interval of 1 second and an overall timeout of 600 seconds (10 minutes) work well.

### Endpoints

#### Create a Prediction
```bash
curl -X POST "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/merge-images-clean-strips-zsxkib-tool-merge-images/predictions" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "version": "d933c8352ca7270ddf7c9c816e1c872f6114675ce43c8d70c924a3347bbeef05",
    "input": {
      "images": [
        "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/rmgb-input-api-market.jpg",
        "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/supir-input-api-market.png"
      ],
      "alignment": "center",
      "orientation": "horizontal",
      "border_color": "#ffffff",
      "output_format": "webp",
      "output_quality": 90,
      "resize_strategy": "reduce_larger",
      "border_thickness": 0,
      "keep_aspect_ratio": true
    }
  }'
```

Response (201 Created):
```json
{
  "id": "88kq97pzynrmw0d1mvtvv0x4er",
  "version": "d933c8352ca7270ddf7c9c816e1c872f6114675ce43c8d70c924a3347bbeef05",
  "status": "starting",
  "created_at": "2026-11-04T14:28:13.941Z"
}
```

#### Check Prediction Status
```bash
curl -X GET "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/merge-images-clean-strips-zsxkib-tool-merge-images/predictions/{id}" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
```

Response when the prediction has finished (200 OK):
```json
{
  "id": "88kq97pzynrmw0d1mvtvv0x4er",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "output": "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/tool-merge-images-output-88kq97pz-api-market.webp",
  "error": null,
  "created_at": "2026-11-04T14:28:13.941Z",
  "started_at": "2026-11-04T14:28:33.586Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-11-04T14:28:34.314Z"
}
```

`output` is a single URL string pointing to the merged image, in the chosen `output_format`.

### Status Codes
- **201 Created**: prediction created (POST `/predictions`). This is the normal success response.
- **200 OK**: prediction details returned (GET `/predictions/{id}`).
- **400 Bad Request**: invalid input, for example a missing `images` list or an `output_format` that is not in the list.
- **401 Unauthorized**: missing or invalid API key.
- **404 Not Found**: no prediction with that ID.
- **429 Too Many Requests**: rate limit exceeded.
- **500 Internal Server Error** or **503 Service Unavailable**: temporary server problem; retry later.

## Rate Limits
Requests are rate limited to keep usage fair. If you receive a 429 response, wait and retry with exponential backoff.

## Error Handling
- Check the HTTP status code of every request and read the response body for the error message.
- A prediction can also end with `status` set to `failed`; the `error` field then explains why. Failed predictions are not billed.
- Retry 429, 500 and 503 responses with exponential backoff. Fix the input before retrying a 400.

## Implementation Guide
### Example Code

#### JavaScript
```javascript
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY";
const baseUrl = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/merge-images-clean-strips-zsxkib-tool-merge-images";

async function createAndWaitForPrediction(input) {
  const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "x-api-market-key": apiKey
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ version: "d933c8352ca7270ddf7c9c816e1c872f6114675ce43c8d70c924a3347bbeef05", input })
  });

  if (response.status !== 201) {
    throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
  }

  const prediction = await response.json();
  return pollForResults(prediction.id);
}

const delay = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));

async function pollForResults(predictionId) {
  const maxTimeout = 600000;
  const pollInterval = 1000;
  const startTime = Date.now();

  while (Date.now() - startTime < maxTimeout) {
    const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions/${predictionId}`, {
      headers: { "x-api-market-key": apiKey }
    });

    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
    }

    const prediction = await response.json();

    if (prediction.status === "succeeded") {
      return prediction.output;
    }

    if (prediction.status === "failed" || prediction.status === "canceled") {
      throw new Error(`Prediction ${prediction.status}: ${prediction.error || "Unknown error"}`);
    }

    await delay(pollInterval);
  }

  throw new Error("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes");
}

createAndWaitForPrediction({
  "images": [
    "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/rmgb-input-api-market.jpg",
    "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/supir-input-api-market.png"
  ],
  "alignment": "center",
  "orientation": "horizontal",
  "border_color": "#ffffff",
  "output_format": "webp",
  "output_quality": 90,
  "resize_strategy": "reduce_larger",
  "border_thickness": 0,
  "keep_aspect_ratio": true
}).then((output) => console.log(output));
```

#### Python
```python
import time
import requests

API_KEY = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
BASE_URL = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/merge-images-clean-strips-zsxkib-tool-merge-images"


def create_and_wait_for_prediction(input_data):
    headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json", "x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    response = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/predictions",
        headers=headers,
        json={"version": "d933c8352ca7270ddf7c9c816e1c872f6114675ce43c8d70c924a3347bbeef05", "input": input_data},
    )

    if response.status_code != 201:
        raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

    return poll_for_results(response.json()["id"])


def poll_for_results(prediction_id):
    max_timeout = 600
    poll_interval = 1
    headers = {"x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    start_time = time.time()

    while time.time() - start_time < max_timeout:
        response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/predictions/{prediction_id}", headers=headers)

        if response.status_code != 200:
            raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

        prediction = response.json()

        if prediction["status"] == "succeeded":
            return prediction["output"]

        if prediction["status"] in ("failed", "canceled"):
            raise Exception(f"Prediction {prediction['status']}: {prediction.get('error') or 'Unknown error'}")

        time.sleep(poll_interval)

    raise Exception("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes")


print(create_and_wait_for_prediction({
    "images": [
        "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/rmgb-input-api-market.jpg",
        "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/supir-input-api-market.png"
    ],
    "alignment": "center",
    "orientation": "horizontal",
    "border_color": "#ffffff",
    "output_format": "webp",
    "output_quality": 90,
    "resize_strategy": "reduce_larger",
    "border_thickness": 0,
    "keep_aspect_ratio": True
}))
```

## FAQ
- **What happens when the images have different sizes?**
  - `resize_strategy` decides. The default `reduce_larger` shrinks larger images to match along the strip axis; `magnify_smaller` enlarges smaller ones, `crop_larger` crops larger ones and `none` leaves sizes unchanged.
- **How do I add spacing between images?**
  - Set `border_thickness` in pixels. The border is drawn around and between the images in `border_color`.
- **Can I stack images vertically?**
  - Yes. Set `orientation` to `vertical`; `alignment` then places images left (`start`), centered or right (`end`).
- **How much does a merge cost?**
  - $0.001 for each started block of 9 seconds of processing. The two-image example took 0.73 seconds, so it cost 1 unit ($0.001).
- **What if my prediction fails?**
  - Failed predictions are not billed. Read the `error` field, adjust the input and try again.

## Contact Us
If you have any questions, reach out to us through the chat on the bottom right of the page.


Merge a list of images into one horizontal or vertical strip, with alignment, resize strategy, borders and webp, jpg or png output. $0.001 per request of up to 9 seconds of processing, pay as you go.