Google Tenor API shuts down June 30, 2026. Compare GIF API alternatives: Klipy (ex-Tenor team, same API structure), Giphy, Imgur, self-hosted options. Migration code examples and free tier comparison.

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Tenor API Shutdown: GIF API Alternatives & Migration Guide

Published 2026-04-02 · Not yet reviewed · Figures compiled 2026-04-02, not re-checked since · 1 Tenor pricing change tracked

0 days
until Tenor API shutdown
June 30, 2026 · Tenor stability: VOLATILE
0
Days Remaining
6
Alternatives Compared
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Drop-In Replacement
3
Migration Paths

What’s happening: Google is shutting down the Tenor GIF API on June 30, 2026. New API key registration was disabled on January 13, 2026. Existing API keys will stop working at the deadline. Only the public GIF search API is affected — the Tenor website and keyboard app continue to operate.

Key insight: Klipy is the easiest migration path. Founded by former Tenor employees, Klipy’s API is near-identical to Tenor’s — in many cases you can migrate by changing the base URL. Free tier available, actively growing library.

Who’s affected: Discord, WhatsApp, Bluesky, and thousands of apps, bots, and forums that use Tenor for inline GIF search. Discord is testing Giphy and Klipy. WhatsApp has switched to Klipy. Bluesky is actively working on migration (issue #9728).

Jump to section

  1. Migration Timeline
  2. Alternative Comparison Table
  3. Migration Paths
  4. Code Migration Examples
  5. Who’s Affected
  6. Tenor Pricing Change Timeline
  7. Recommendations
  8. Methodology

Migration Timeline

Key dates from announcement to shutdown. Act now — the earlier you migrate, the more time you have to catch integration issues.

Date Event Impact
Jan 13, 2026 Tenor API shutdown announced. New API key registration disabled. MEDIUM
Jan 13, 2026 No new API keys can be created. Existing keys continue to work. MEDIUM
Jun 30, 2026 Complete API shutdown. All existing API keys stop working. All endpoints return errors. HIGH
Post-shutdown Tenor website and keyboard app continue to operate. Only the developer API is discontinued. INFO
What’s NOT affected: The Tenor website (tenor.com) and the Tenor keyboard app will continue to work. Google is only shutting down the public developer API. If your users search GIFs on tenor.com directly, nothing changes for them — only API-integrated apps are affected.

GIF API Alternative Comparison

All 6 alternatives compared. Migration effort rated from the perspective of a Tenor API integration.

Provider Free Tier Library Size API Style Migration Effort
Klipy Free tier available Large (growing, multi-source) Near-identical to Tenor API Minimal
Giphy API Free (API key required, rate-limited) Largest GIF library REST API, different structure Moderate
Giphy SDK Free with attribution Same as Giphy API Native SDKs (iOS, Android, Web) Moderate
Imgur API Free (1,250 uploads/day, 12,500 requests/day) Large (user-uploaded) REST API Moderate
Gfycat (via Snap) Uncertain — acquired by Snap Short-form video/GIF REST API (limited) High
Self-hosted (Meilisearch + media) Free (open source) Your own curated library Custom API High
Klipy advantage: Klipy was founded by former Tenor employees who built the original API. Their API structure is near-identical to Tenor’s — same endpoint patterns, similar response formats, compatible parameter names. For most integrations, migration is as simple as changing the base URL and API key. This makes Klipy the lowest-risk migration path by far.
Giphy API limits: Giphy’s API requires approval for production use. The beta API key is rate-limited and not intended for production apps. Approval can take days to weeks. If you’re migrating a high-traffic app, start the Giphy approval process early — don’t wait until close to the June 30 deadline.

Migration Paths

Three paths depending on your constraints. Klipy is the fastest for most apps. Giphy offers the largest library. Self-hosted gives full control.

Path 1: Migrate to Klipy (Recommended)

Near-identical API to Tenor. Change the base URL, get a Klipy API key, and most integrations work immediately. Free tier available. Growing library with multi-source GIF aggregation.

Best for: Most apps — fastest migration, lowest risk, ex-Tenor team knows the use cases

Path 2: Migrate to Giphy

Largest GIF library and strongest brand recognition. Different API structure than Tenor — requires endpoint and parameter changes. Production use requires API approval (beta key is rate-limited). Native SDKs for iOS, Android, and web.

Best for: Apps that need the largest possible GIF library, consumer-facing products where Giphy brand recognition matters

Path 3: Self-Hosted / Custom Solution

Build your own GIF search using Meilisearch or Elasticsearch with curated media. Full control over content, no API dependencies, no rate limits. Requires sourcing and indexing GIF content.

Best for: Apps with specific content requirements, teams that want zero vendor dependency, compliance-sensitive use cases

Code Migration Examples

Tenor → Klipy (Minimal Changes)

Klipy’s API mirrors Tenor’s structure. In most cases, change the base URL and API key:

// Before: Tenor API const TENOR_API_KEY = "YOUR_TENOR_KEY"; const response = await fetch( `https://tenor.googleapis.com/v2/search?q=${query}&key=${TENOR_API_KEY}&limit=20` ); const data = await response.json(); const gifs = data.results; // Array of GIF objects // After: Klipy API (change base URL and key) const KLIPY_API_KEY = "YOUR_KLIPY_KEY"; const response = await fetch( `https://api.klipy.com/v1/search?q=${query}&key=${KLIPY_API_KEY}&limit=20` ); const data = await response.json(); const gifs = data.results; // Same response structure

Tenor → Giphy (Different API Structure)

Giphy uses different endpoint patterns and parameter names:

// Before: Tenor API const response = await fetch( `https://tenor.googleapis.com/v2/search?q=${query}&key=${TENOR_KEY}&limit=20` ); const { results } = await response.json(); const gifUrl = results[0].media_formats.gif.url; // After: Giphy API (different structure) const response = await fetch( `https://api.giphy.com/v1/gifs/search?q=${query}&api_key=${GIPHY_KEY}&limit=20` ); const { data } = await response.json(); const gifUrl = data[0].images.original.url; // Note: response structure, parameter names, and // media format paths are all different from Tenor

Who’s Affected

The Tenor API powers GIF search in some of the world’s largest platforms. Here’s who’s actively migrating:

Discord

One of Tenor’s largest API consumers for inline GIF search. Actively testing both Giphy and Klipy as replacements. Millions of GIF searches per day across the platform.

WhatsApp

Has switched GIF search from Tenor to Klipy. One of the first major platforms to complete migration, validating Klipy’s API compatibility and scale.

Bluesky

Actively working on Tenor API replacement (GitHub issue #9728). Community discussing Giphy, Klipy, and open-source alternatives as options.

Thousands of Apps, Bots & Forums

Any app, Slack bot, Discord bot, forum, or messaging integration that uses the Tenor API for GIF search. Most indie developers haven’t started migration yet — the June 30 deadline is approaching fast.
Why Google is shutting it down: Google acquired Tenor in 2018 primarily for GIF integration in Google Search, Messages, and Gboard. The public developer API was never a revenue priority. With Google’s broader cost-cutting and focus on core products, maintaining a free GIF API for third-party developers doesn’t align with current strategy.

Tenor Pricing Change Timeline

Changes tracked in our deal changes database:

Date Change Impact
effective Jun 30, 2026 Google Tenor public API shutting down June 30, 2026. New API key signups halted January 13, 2026. Only the public GIF search API is affected — Tenor website and app continue operating. Developers must migrate to alternative GIF APIs Source ↗ HIGH

Recommendations

Best Alternative for Each Use Case

Fastest migration (recommended):

Klipy — near-identical API structure to Tenor, ex-Tenor team, change base URL and API key. Free tier available. Validated by WhatsApp’s migration.

Largest GIF library:

Giphy — the biggest name in GIFs with the largest library. Requires API approval for production. Different API structure means more migration work.

Mobile apps with native GIF pickers:

Giphy SDK — native SDKs for iOS, Android, and web with pre-built GIF picker UI. Saves development time but locks you into Giphy’s UI components.

Image + GIF combined:

Imgur API — if you need both image hosting and GIF search in one API. User-uploaded content means different content profile than curated GIF libraries.

Zero vendor dependency:

Self-hosted with Meilisearch — curate your own GIF library, no rate limits, no API shutdowns. Higher initial effort but complete control and no ongoing dependency.

High-traffic apps on a deadline:

Start with Klipy for immediate migration (days, not weeks), then evaluate Giphy for long-term if library size matters more. Don’t wait for Giphy API approval with June 30 approaching.

Methodology

How we track this data: AgentDeals monitors free tier changes across 1,547 developer tools in 60 categories. The Tenor API shutdown is tracked in our shutdown tracker and stability dashboard.

Migration recommendations: Based on API documentation review, community reports (Discord, Bluesky GitHub issues), and platform migration announcements. Klipy’s API compatibility was read from Tenor’s v2 API documentation on 2026-04-02.

For real-time data, use our stability dashboard, Atom feed, or MCP server. Full dataset available via REST API.

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