Watermark Detection API That Tells You Whose Watermark It Is
A yes or no is not enough when a watermarked comp slips into production. PicDefense detects the visible watermark, names the likely source, and returns the text it read, so you know which license you are missing.
curl -X POST https://app.picdefense.io/api/v2/watermark \
-H "X-API-TOKEN: USERID:APIKEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"url": "https://example.com/photo.jpg"}'{
"status": 1,
"message": "succeeded",
"error": "none",
"data": {
"watermark": {
"detected": true,
"confidence": 0.9,
"source": "shutterstock",
"text": "shutterstock.com"
}
}
}Pay Per Call. No Subscription.
Buy prepaid credits once and spend them on any PicDefense endpoint.
| Endpoint | Credits / call | Per 1,000 calls |
|---|---|---|
POST /watermarkVisible watermark detection with source identification. | 0.03 | $2.10 – $6.00 |
Ranges run from the 100,000-credit pack down to the 100-credit pack. Credits are charged only on successful calls and never expire. See all credit packs on the pricing page.
What It Detects
Stock Agency Overlays
Recognizes the semi-transparent marks used on preview images from Getty, Shutterstock, Dreamstime, and roughly 50 other libraries.
Photographer Signatures
Separates individual photographer marks from agency watermarks so you know who to contact.
Sample and Preview Stamps
Catches “sample,” “preview,” and “do not copy” overlays that signal an unlicensed comp.
Works Without Metadata
Reads the pixels, not the EXIF, so it still works after a CMS or image optimizer strips the file metadata.
Built for These Workflows
Where teams wire this endpoint into their pipelines.
Catch Comps Before Publishing
Designers often mock up with watermarked previews. Check images at upload so a comp never ships as the final asset.
Marketplace Listing Review
Reject product photos and listings that reuse watermarked images from stock sites or other sellers.
Print-on-Demand Screening
Stop designs built on watermarked stock art before they reach the printer and the customer.
Website Cleanup
Sweep an existing image library for visible watermarks and route each hit to the right license owner.
What You Get Back
Every call returns JSON with status, message, error, and a data object. These are the fields inside data.
POST /watermark
Visible watermark detection with source identification.
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| watermark.detected | boolean | Whether a visible watermark was found. |
| watermark.confidence | number | Detection confidence from 0 to 1. |
| watermark.source | string | null | Identified source such as a stock agency, photographer, or copyright notice. Null when undetermined. |
| watermark.text | string | Short OCR snippet from the watermark, up to 120 characters. |
Why Teams Choose the PicDefense Watermark Detection API
Source Attribution
Most watermark detectors stop at true or false. PicDefense names the agency or rights holder so the next step is obvious.
Visual Model Plus Text Read
A visual detector and OCR work together, which helps with faint, tiled, or partly cropped marks.
Cheap Enough to Run on Everything
At 0.03 credits per call you can screen every upload rather than sampling.
Escalate in One Step
When a watermark turns up, send the same URL to the Copyright Risk Check API for the full picture.
Prefer a Dashboard?
Watermark detection runs automatically on every image PicDefense crawls from your website, alongside reverse search and risk scoring.
See watermark detection in Risk ForensicsUse It From an AI Agent
Every endpoint is also exposed as a tool on the hosted PicDefense MCP server. Connect Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client with your existing API token.
https://mcp.picdefense.io/mcpMCP setup guidePairs Well With
One API key and one credit balance cover every endpoint.
Copyright Risk Check API
One call returns a high/medium/low copyright risk verdict plus the evidence behind it.
Learn moreCopyright Metadata API
Pull EXIF copyright notices and read credit lines baked into the pixels with OCR.
Learn moreReverse Image Search API
Find every page and domain where an image appears, with a similarity score for each match.
Learn moreFrequently Asked Questions
Which watermarks can the API identify?
It recognizes the visible marks used by major stock libraries such as Getty, Shutterstock, and Dreamstime, along with roughly 50 other providers. It also reports photographer and generic copyright marks.
What happens when the source cannot be determined?
detected is still true and confidence is returned, but source is null. The text field often still shows what the watermark says.
Does it detect invisible or digital watermarks?
No. This endpoint looks for visible watermarks in the image pixels. It does not decode steganographic or invisible watermarks.
How much does it cost?
Each successful call uses 0.03 credits. That works out to roughly $2 to $6 per 1,000 images depending on your credit pack, and credits never expire.
Start Calling the Watermark Detection API Today
Create an account, copy your API token from Settings, and make your first request in minutes.
PicDefense API results are automated, probabilistic signals intended to support your own review. They do not constitute legal advice and do not guarantee that an image is free of third-party rights. Consult a qualified attorney for decisions about copyright, trademark, or publicity rights.