GPT Image 2.5 MCP Server

Generate and edit images with GPT Image 2.5 — OpenAI's most capable image model — directly inside Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client. $0.029 per image.

Ask Claude for a picture and get one back in the chat:

"A friendly robot painting a picture at an easel in a sunlit studio, warm morning light through a tall window, soft shadows, detailed illustration style, a small wooden sign on the easel reading 'GPT IMAGE 2.5'"

Example output from GPT Image 2.5

Generated with this server in 45 seconds for $0.029. Note that the text on the sign came out exactly as asked — GPT Image 2.5 is unusually good at rendering words inside an image.

⚠️ Read this first: the API key comes from you.bot, not OpenAI

This server reaches GPT Image 2.5 through you.bot, an API gateway that resells the model below OpenAI's own rate.

You need a you.bot API key. It starts with sk-live-.
An OpenAI key will not work, and you do not need an OpenAI account at all.
If you paste an OpenAI key by mistake, the server will tell you so by name rather than failing with a confusing 401.

Why people use it: signup gives you 50 free credits — about 17 images — with no credit card, so the server works the moment you paste the key in.

Setup

1. Get a free key (2 minutes)

Sign up at https://you.bot — no credit card.
You start with 50 credits ≈ 17 images.
Create a key at https://you.bot/dashboard/api-keys and copy it (it begins with sk-live-).

2. Add the server to your client

Claude Desktop

Edit claude_desktop_config.json (macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/, Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gpt-image": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "gpt-image-2-5-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "YOUBOT_API_KEY": "sk-live-your-key-from-you.bot"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop.

Claude Code

claude mcp add gpt-image -e YOUBOT_API_KEY=sk-live-your-key -- npx -y gpt-image-2-5-mcp

Cursor

In ~/.cursor/mcp.json (or Settings → MCP → Add new server):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gpt-image": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "gpt-image-2-5-mcp"],
      "env": { "YOUBOT_API_KEY": "sk-live-your-key-from-you.bot" }
    }
  }
}

Any other MCP client

Run npx -y gpt-image-2-5-mcp over stdio with YOUBOT_API_KEY in the environment.

3. Check it works

Ask your assistant: "check my image credits". You should see your balance and how many images it buys.

Tools

Tool	What it does	Cost
`generate_image`	Make an image from a text prompt	2.9 credits ($0.029)
`edit_image`	Change an existing image from a public URL — swap a background, add or remove objects, restyle	2.9 credits ($0.029)
`check_credits`	Show remaining balance and images left	free

There is also a setup prompt that walks you through configuration if something isn't working.

Aspect ratios: 1:1 (default), 3:2, 2:3, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 2:1, 1:2, 21:9

Output is fixed at 1024px (1K), which is what keeps every call at a flat $0.029. A generation typically takes 30–60 seconds; the server polls until the image is ready and then shows it to you inline.

What it costs


Per image	$0.029
Free on signup	50 credits ≈ 17 images, no card
Credit value	1 credit = $0.01
Expiry	Credits never expire
Failed generations	Refunded automatically

The server tells you the cost after every image, and check_credits never spends anything.

Optional settings

Environment variable	Effect
`YOUBOT_API_KEY`	Required. Your you.bot key (`sk-live-…`)
`YOUBOT_IMAGE_DIR`	If set, every generated image is also saved to this folder as a PNG

Tips for better images

GPT Image 2.5 rewards long, specific prompts. Describe subject, setting, lighting, composition and style instead of stacking keywords.

It also renders text inside images accurately — so if you want words on a poster or a sign, quote them exactly:

"A minimalist café sign reading 'OPEN DAILY 7AM' in clean sans-serif, warm morning light, shallow depth of field"

For edit_image, say what should change and what should stay:

"Replace the background with a snowy forest. Keep the subject, pose and lighting unchanged."

Troubleshooting

"No API key found" — YOUBOT_API_KEY isn't reaching the server. Check it's inside the env block of your MCP config, then fully restart the client.

"That key looks like an OpenAI API key" — exactly what it says. Get a key from https://you.bot instead; it starts with sk-live-.

"Out of credits" — each image is 2.9 credits. Top up at https://you.bot; credits never expire.

Nothing happens / tool isn't offered — confirm your client picked the server up (Claude Desktop lists it under the tools icon), and that you have Node 18 or newer.