# ThumbnailMaker

> ThumbnailMaker is an AI thumbnail maker for YouTube. You paste a video link or describe the scene in a sentence; it writes the brief (the scene, the words on the image, the style), then generates a 1280x720 thumbnail, or 1080x1920 for Shorts, with the text drawn into the image. Every image is checked before it is shown: the text is read back and corrected if a letter went wrong, readability is graded at 336 px (the width YouTube's desktop feed gives a thumbnail), and the bottom-right corner is measured so nothing sits under the duration badge. A result that is close is corrected by instruction ("make the text bigger", "warmer light") for one thumbnail instead of being regenerated, so the parts that already worked are kept. One click makes three concepts on three angles for YouTube's own A/B Testing (formerly Test & Compare). Generating takes a paid plan from $12 a month, with no free generation and no trial; writing a brief from a video link and the free tools need no plan. Founded in September 2026 by Aymane Senhaji, based in Rabat, Morocco.

## Product

- [Homepage](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/): paste a video link, see real generator output, how the generator works, pricing and FAQ.
- [Pricing](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/pricing): plans (Starter, Pro, Studio), what counts as a thumbnail, and the billing FAQ.
- [Blog](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/blog): guides on thumbnail design, click-through rate, clickbait and where YouTube draws the line, dimensions, and how AI thumbnail generation actually works.
- [About](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/about): who builds ThumbnailMaker, how the images are made, and who handles payments and data.

## Glossary

- [YouTube thumbnail glossary](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/glossary): plain definitions checked against YouTube's help pages: impressions, impressions click-through rate, average view duration, browse features, suggested videos, YouTube A/B testing, the thumbnail safe zone, and the 16:9 and 9:16 aspect ratios.

## Free tools (no account required, nothing uploaded)

- [All free tools](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/tools): the four tools below on one page.

- [YouTube thumbnail tester](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/tools/youtube-thumbnail-tester): see a thumbnail in a mock feed, on a phone and at 168 px; compare up to three.
- [YouTube thumbnail downloader and viewer](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/tools/youtube-thumbnail-viewer): paste a YouTube video, Shorts or embed link to view and download that video's existing thumbnail in every size YouTube stores, up to 1280x720.
- [Thumbnail text editor](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/tools/thumbnail-text-editor): add a headline to an image you already have, in the browser.
- [YouTube thumbnail resizer](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/tools/youtube-thumbnail-resizer): resize any image to 1280x720, 4K or a 1080x1920 Shorts cover, checked against YouTube's minimum width and file-size limits.

## API and MCP

- [ThumbnailMaker in ChatGPT and Claude](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/mcp): add https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/api/mcp as a custom connector (OAuth: log in to ThumbnailMaker and click Allow), then ask for a thumbnail in the chat. Tools that spend credits state the price first and run only after the user agrees. Making thumbnails needs the Studio plan; the brief and the check are free.
- [API and MCP](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/developers): an MCP server at https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/api/mcp (Streamable HTTP; OAuth sign-in or a Studio key as a bearer token) and https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/api/mcp/free (no account). Free tools: write_thumbnail_brief (a YouTube link to a thumbnail brief), check_thumbnail (measures a video's current thumbnail: custom size, duration-badge corner, contrast) and thumbnail_specs (YouTube's sizes and file limits). Signed in: generate_thumbnail, correct_thumbnail, make_three_to_test (Studio; the first call returns the price and a quoteId, the second runs with confirm: true and that quoteId, which pays for one call only), list_thumbnails, get_thumbnail, list_brand_kits, get_account; thumbnails come back as image previews with a link to the full file. Plus a REST API at /api/v1 with a Studio key (JSON bodies validated, errors as { error, message, docs } with a code).
- [OpenAPI spec](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/api/v1/openapi.json): the REST API as OpenAPI 3.1, no key needed to read it.

## For agents

- [Everything in one file](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/llms-full.txt): this file, then the developer docs, the ChatGPT and Claude setup, pricing and every blog post in Markdown.
- Markdown copies: add .md to /developers, /mcp, /pricing, /blog and any /blog/<post>, or ask for the page itself with "Accept: text/markdown".

## Who it is for

- [Gaming YouTubers](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/gaming-youtubers): Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite and Gorilla Tag content.
- [YouTube Shorts thumbnail maker](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/youtube-shorts-thumbnail-maker): 9:16 covers from the Short's link, words clear of the Shorts title and buttons.
- [Roblox YouTubers](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/roblox-thumbnail-maker): edit a screenshot of your own avatar in a sentence, or generate with the Blocky World style.
- [Gorilla Tag YouTubers](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/gorilla-tag-thumbnail-maker): edit a screenshot of your own monke in a sentence, or generate with the VR Chase style.
- [Minecraft YouTubers](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/minecraft-thumbnail-maker): 100 Days runs, mega-builds, mod showcases and SMP episodes.
- [Fortnite YouTubers](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/fortnite-youtubers): Victory Royale reactions, rank pushes, skin reveals and build battles.
- [Shocked-reaction thumbnails](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/shocked-reaction-thumbnails): the exaggerated-expression style used across reaction and challenge content.
- [Bible and faith creators](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/for/church-thumbnail-maker): sermon, devotional and worship content.

## Comparisons

- [ThumbnailMaker vs Canva](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/vs/canva)
- [ThumbnailMaker vs Adobe Express](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/vs/adobe-express)
- [Pikzels alternative](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/vs/pikzels-alternative)
- [Thumbmagic alternative](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/vs/thumbmagic-alternative)
- [1of10 alternative](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/vs/1of10-alternative)
- [vidIQ thumbnail maker alternative](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/vs/vidiq-thumbnail-maker-alternative)

## How it works

1. The user pastes a YouTube link or describes the scene in a sentence. From a link, the brief reads the video's title, its current thumbnail and its description (plus a transcript the user can paste) and offers three angles; for a video not published yet, the user gives its title and script instead. On the home page, the link or the sentence is kept through sign-up so the first thing a new account sees is its own video's brief.
2. The user optionally picks a style preset (Shocked Reaction, Blocky World, Victory Moment, VR Chase, Podcast, Versus, Before/After, Expressive Close-up, Tech / Review, Dark Mystery), a text style for the words drawn on the image, and a brand kit (colours, lettering, three reference thumbnails whose visual grammar is applied to new images).
3. ThumbnailMaker generates the thumbnail at 16:9 or 9:16 and runs the quality check on it: text read back and corrected, readability at 336 px, duration-badge corner, AI artifacts. The user downloads it sized for YouTube, with an optional 4K export.
4. A result that is close is corrected by instruction (one thumbnail a round); each correction stays anchored to the original brief. Auto-Polish has the model critique its own output and apply one correction before the result is shown. A Test & Compare pack makes three concepts on three angles (emotion, object, contrast) for YouTube's own A/B test.

On landscape thumbnails the bottom-right corner is kept clear of subject and text, because YouTube overlays its video-duration badge there. That rule is switched off for 9:16 Shorts, which do not show the badge.

Images are generated from text and from the user's own reference thumbnails. Prompts naming or identifying a real person are refused. The people shown in the examples on the site are AI-generated and not real individuals.

## Pricing model

Plans are counted in credits, ten to a thumbnail. One image is 10 credits, whatever made it (a generation, a second take, a correction or an Auto-Polish), style and text included; a 4K image is 20 credits and a Test & Compare pack of three concepts is 30. Generating takes a paid plan: there are no free previews and no free trial. Plans: Starter $12 a month for 400 credits, Pro $39 for 1,000, Studio $99 for 3,000; yearly, Starter $120, Pro $384 and Studio $984, refundable in full within 14 days of the first yearly payment. Subscriptions can be canceled anytime from account settings, with access continuing until the end of the paid period. Payments are processed by Polar as Merchant of Record.

## Company

ThumbnailMaker was founded in September 2026 by Aymane Senhaji and is based in Rabat, Morocco.

- [Terms of Service](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/legal/terms)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/legal/privacy)
- [Refund Policy](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/legal/refund-policy)
- [Contact](https://www.thumbnailmaker.so/contact)