Heads-up
If your image volume is small and stable, `@11ty/eleventy-img` is the simpler choice. swiftimg is best for growing libraries or shared image stores across multiple sites.
Step by step
1. Upload to swiftimg
Use the CLI or /upload to get a URL.
Shell swiftimg upload hero.jpg2. Reference the URL from Markdown or Nunjucks
Eleventy templates accept absolute URLs as a drop-in.
Markdown 3. Build a picture-element shortcode (optional)
A small Nunjucks/JS shortcode can emit a responsive `<picture>` with swiftimg variants on the Developer plan.
Eleventy (11ty) — FAQ
Will the eleventy-img cache still help?
It caches transforms of in-repo images. For remote swiftimg URLs, swiftimg's own global cache replaces that.
Can I keep some images in /img and others on swiftimg?
Yes — Eleventy treats every URL as a string. Mix freely.
Does this work with the @11ty/eleventy-img plugin?
The plugin operates on local files; for remote sources, just point your `<img>` directly at swiftimg.
See also
Image hosting for Static sites (Hugo, Jekyll, Eleventy)
Offload images from your static-site repo to swiftimg. Smaller repo, faster builds, automatic WebP variants, and on-the-fly resizing — no plugin required.
Image hosting for Hugo
Reference swiftimg URLs from Hugo templates and content. Permanent URLs, automatic WebP, and no Hugo image processing on every build.
Image hosting for Astro
Reference swiftimg URLs from Astro's <Image /> component. Permanent URLs, automatic WebP variants, on-the-fly resize, and global delivery.
swiftimg vs Amazon S3
Cheaper than S3 for image hosting once you count egress, signing, and the missing transform layer.
Hosting for Eleventy (11ty) works on the free plan — see swiftimg pricing and plan limits for what each tier includes, or read the image hosting API documentation to upload from your own code instead of the browser.
Ready to host your Eleventy (11ty) images?
Start free, then unlock the full API, transforms, signed URLs, and a custom domain on the Developer plan.