Plugins/WordPress
Beta · WordPress.org listing in review
BudgetPixel for WordPress
AI featured images from 100+ models — inside the block editor, cost shown before every run
BudgetPixel AI Images adds a panel to the post sidebar that turns your title and excerpt into a featured image or inline image. Pick a model, see the exact credit cost, generate, and set it in one click. A WP-CLI command fills every missing featured image in your archive. Free and open source; images are billed in credits from any paid BudgetPixel plan, and your API key never leaves your server.
wp plugin install <release zip> --activateFree, GPL-licensed plugin · documentation · requires WordPress 6.2+ and any paid plan
Install in two minutes
Upload the zip, use WP-CLI, or clone the source. Then paste an API key once under Settings → BudgetPixel.
Download the plugin
Grab budgetpixel-ai-images.zip from the latest GitHub release.
budgetpixel-ai-images.zip (latest release)Upload it
In WordPress: Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin → choose the zip → Install → Activate.
Add your API key
Settings → BudgetPixel: paste a key from the developer console (any paid plan), pick a default model, press Test connection.
The WordPress.org listing is in review; once approved you can install it from Plugins → Add New by searching “BudgetPixel”.
Install and activate
From your site's root:
wp plugin install <release zip> --activateConfigure
Set your key and defaults in one command:
wp option update budgetpixel_settings '{…}' --format=jsonFill missing featured images
Preview the cost first, then run it:
wp budgetpixel featured --missing --dry-runClone into plugins
From wp-content/plugins:
git clone budgetpixel-ai/wordpress-budgetpixel budgetpixel-ai-imagesActivate
Plugins → BudgetPixel AI Images → Activate. No build step: the plugin ships its source.
Add your API key
Settings → BudgetPixel.
Building something custom instead? The plugin is a thin client for the BudgetPixel developer API.
What it does
One sidebar panel, one command, no build step and no front-end footprint.
Prompt from your post
The panel pre-fills a prompt from the title and excerpt with a no-lettering style hint. Edit it freely; once you do, it stops following the title.
Cost before you click
The exact credit cost of one image and your balance sit under the prompt. The plugin never spends credits without a click.
100+ models, live list
FLUX 2, Seedream 5.0, Nano Banana, GPT Image, Qwen-Image, Kling and more — the list and prices come from your account.
Featured or inline
Set the result as the featured image or insert it as an image block. Alt text defaults to the prompt.
Bulk-fill from WP-CLI
wp budgetpixel featured --missing lists every post without a featured image, totals the cost, asks, then generates.
Nothing added to your site
No scripts, links or tracking on the front end. An optional “Made with BudgetPixel” caption exists and is off by default.
Fill your whole archive
Every post without a featured image, priced first, generated on confirmation.
wp budgetpixel featured --missing --dry-run
wp budgetpixel featured --missing --limit=50 --model=flux-2-klein --aspect=16:9 --yes
The dry run prints each post and the total credits. The real run checks your balance, asks for confirmation, and sets each image as it finishes.
Pay per image, see it first
Images are billed in credits from your plan at the same prices as budgetpixel.com — roughly 10 to 300 credits per image depending on the model, with 1,000 credits costing about a dollar on a credit pack. Any paid plan includes API access. The plugin itself is free.
FAQ
Is the plugin free?+
Yes. The plugin is free and GPL-licensed. Generating an image uses credits from your BudgetPixel plan at the same prices as budgetpixel.com; any paid plan includes API access.
How much does a featured image cost?+
It depends on the model — from about 10 to 300 credits per image, with 1,000 credits costing about one US dollar on a credit pack. The editor shows the exact cost before you generate, and the price index lists every model.
Where is my API key stored, and does it reach the browser?+
In your WordPress options table on your server. The editor talks to the plugin's own REST endpoints, which call api.budgetpixel.com server-side, so the key never reaches the browser.
Can I fill missing featured images for my whole archive?+
Yes. wp budgetpixel featured --missing --dry-run lists every post without a featured image and the total cost; drop --dry-run to generate them. Scope it with --limit, --model, --aspect and --post-type.
Does the plugin add anything to my public site?+
No. The only optional public mention is a “Made with BudgetPixel” image caption, which is off unless you turn it on in settings.
Which WordPress versions are supported?+
WordPress 6.2 or newer with PHP 7.4 or newer, using the block editor. Tested up to WordPress 7.1.
Give every post a cover
Install the plugin, paste your key, and generate your first featured image in a minute.