CleverUtils File Converter MCP

CleverUtils API

A free public REST API for converting files. Convert images, audio, video, documents, and PDFs — plus AI tools like upscaling, background removal, vocal isolation, and speech-to-text — with a single HTTP request. JSON responses, generous rate limits, batch support.

60-second tutorial

Convert a file with one cURL command

No signup. No API key. Just POST a file and get a job back.

curl -X POST https://cleverutils.com/api/v1/convert \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "to_format=jpg"

Response (canonical envelope):

{
  "data": {
    "job_id": "5f8c1a2e9d4b7c0e3f6a8b2d1e4c5f78",
    "status": "done",
    "output": {
      "filename": "photo_cleverutils.com.jpg",
      "size_bytes": 184523,
      "size_human": "180 KB",
      "url": "https://cleverutils.com/api/v1/jobs/5f8c.../output"
    },
    "links": {
      "self": "https://cleverutils.com/api/v1/jobs/5f8c...",
      "output": "https://cleverutils.com/api/v1/jobs/5f8c.../output"
    },
    "expires_at": "2026-04-10T14:32:11Z"
  }
}

Then download the result:

curl -o photo.jpg https://cleverutils.com/api/v1/jobs/5f8c.../output

See the full quickstart with Python, Node.js, PHP & Go →

Why use the API?

All formats

55+ image, 17+ audio, 30+ video, 25+ document formats. Plus 12 AI tools.

Batch processing

Send up to 20 files in a single request. Perfect for photo libraries, voice memos, and document archives.

Async-friendly

Get a job_id immediately, poll for status. Or wait synchronously for small files.

200 MB uploads

Larger limit than the website. Designed for video, RAW photos, and big documents.

Same engine as the site

ImageMagick, FFmpeg, LibreOffice, Real-ESRGAN, Demucs, Whisper. Battle-tested on millions of files.

Endpoints at a glance

POST/api/v1/convertUniversal file converter

POST/api/v1/batchUp to 20 files in one request

POST/api/v1/tools/{slug}AI tools and per-tool endpoints

GET/api/v1/jobs/{job_id}Poll job status

GET/api/v1/jobs/{job_id}/outputDownload converted file

GET/api/v1/batches/{batch_id}Aggregated batch status

GET/api/v1/healthService health probe

GET/api/v1/limitsYour current rate-limit usage

Full endpoint reference →

Key facts

• Authentication: none required. Anonymous, IP-based rate limiting.
• Default quota: 1000 requests per day per IP, 150 per hour, 1-second cooldown between requests.
• AI tool quotas: 50–100 per day per IP (heavy compute).
• File size limit: 200 MB per file.
• Batch limit: 20 files per POST /api/v1/batch request.
• Job retention: converted files are deleted after 2 hours — download promptly.
• CORS: Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * — works from any browser origin.
• Versioning: URL-based (/api/v1/). Breaking changes will go in v2 with at least 6 months notice.
• Status: see /api/status for live health.

Documentation

[

Quickstart →

Convert a file in 60 seconds with cURL, Python, Node, PHP, or Go.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/quickstart)[

Endpoint reference →

Every endpoint, every parameter, every response field.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/reference)[

Authentication →

Why we don't require API keys.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/authentication)[

Rate limits →

Limits, headers, retry behavior, and how not to get banned.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/rate-limits)[

Error codes →

Every error code, when it occurs, and how to recover.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/errors)[

OpenAPI / Swagger →

Machine-readable spec for SDK generators.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/openapi)[

MCP Server NEW →

Connect Claude, Cursor, Cline to file conversion via Model Context Protocol.

](https://cleverutils.com/api/mcp)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the CleverUtils API really free?

Yes. The API is free to use with no signup, no credit card, and no API keys. We use IP-based rate limits to protect against abuse — currently 1000 conversions per IP per day, with file uploads up to 200 MB. We may introduce optional paid tiers in the future for higher quotas, but the free tier will always remain.

Do I need an API key?

No. The free tier is fully anonymous. Just send HTTP requests to /api/v1/* and you're in. Rate limiting is per IP address.

What file formats are supported?

All formats supported by the website: 55+ image formats (JPG, PNG, HEIC, AVIF, WebP, RAW, PSD, etc.), 17+ audio formats (MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG, etc.), 30+ video formats (MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI, etc.), 25+ document formats (DOCX, PDF, EPUB, XLSX, etc.), plus 12 AI tools like upscaling, vocal removal, speech-to-text, and background removal.

How do rate limits work?

Each IP address gets 1000 requests per day, 150 per hour, with a 1-second cooldown between consecutive requests. AI tools have tighter limits (50–100 per day) because they're computationally expensive. Every response includes X-RateLimit-* headers showing your remaining quota. See /api/rate-limits for full details.

How long are converted files kept?

Converted files are stored for 2 hours after conversion, then automatically deleted. Make sure to download the result via GET /api/v1/jobs/{job_id}/output within that window.

Can I batch-process multiple files in one request?

Yes. POST /api/v1/batch accepts up to 20 files in a single multipart request and returns a batch_id you can poll at GET /api/v1/batches/{batch_id}. Each file in the batch counts against your daily quota individually.

What's the difference between /api/v1/convert and /api/v1/tools/{slug}?

Use /api/v1/convert for format conversion (HEIC→JPG, MP4→MP3, DOCX→PDF, etc.). Use /api/v1/tools/{slug} for specialized tools that don't fit a simple format swap — AI upscaling, background removal, vocal isolation, speech-to-text, watermarking, blurring, etc.