Freedom251 › AI Reverse Image Search Tools
trace.moe
What trace.moe is
trace.moe searches anime scenes from screenshots and can return the title, episode, and timestamp, along with a brief preview to help verify a result. It is intended to locate a scene, not to stream anime; access to the original video is limited to a few seconds. Its image retrieval compares colors and patterns rather than relying on neural-network image understanding, so searches are designed for images that closely match indexed scenes. Crops, flips, rotations, strong filters, dark scenes, large text, and low-detail images can cause searches to fail. The FAQ recommends images at least 320×180 pixels. The index covers officially published TV, web, DVD, and Blu-ray anime, including most Japanese anime since 2000, though some series have incomplete coverage. The service is free, has no ads, and is available through the web, API, and official browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. It also lists a Telegram bot and an MCP server. The terms state that uploaded images are deleted immediately.
Who it suits
trace.moe suits viewers trying to identify an anime scene from a near-exact screenshot, and developers who want API or MCP access. It is not for watching full anime episodes.
What it does well
- Returns anime title, episode, and timestamp.
- Free service with no ads.
- Official extensions are listed for four browsers.
- Uploaded search images are deleted immediately, per the terms.
What to know first
- Only a few seconds of original video are previewed.
- Searches can fail on crops, filters, or dark scenes.
- Coverage is incomplete for some series.
Limits
The free service is available without ads. Its original-video access is limited to a few seconds of preview; paid GitHub Sponsors plans add daily API quotas and higher search priority, with concurrent searches on some tiers.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free service · no ads · operational costs funded by donations | Free |
| GitHub Sponsors — $1/month | $1 a month · 1,000 API search quota per day · medium search priority | $1 a month |
| GitHub Sponsors — $10/month | $10 a month · 10,000 API search quota per day · higher search priority | $10 a month |
| GitHub Sponsors — $100/month | $100 a month · 100,000 API search quota per day · highest search priority · 4 concurrent search | $100 a month |
| GitHub Sponsors — $20/month | $20 a month · 20,000 API search quota per day · higher search priority · 2 concurrent search | $20 a month |
| GitHub Sponsors — $5/month | $5 a month · 5,000 API search quota per day · medium search priority | $5 a month |
| GitHub Sponsors — $50/month | $50 a month · 50,000 API search quota per day · higher search priority · 3 concurrent search | $50 a month |
As trace.moe lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the trace.moe website or use an official screenshot-search extension.
- Choose an anime screenshot that closely matches the scene.
- Use an image of at least 320×180 pixels for effective searching.
- Submit the screenshot and check the returned title, episode, timestamp, and short preview.
- For developer use, refer to the API documentation or use the official MCP server.
Verdict
trace.moe is a focused source-finding tool for close screenshot matches, not a streaming service. Image quality and index coverage can affect whether it finds a result.
Questions
Is trace.moe free?
Yes. Its free service has no ads and is funded by donations.
What does a paid plan add?
GitHub Sponsors plans provide daily API search quotas from 1,000 to 100,000, with varying search priority. The $20, $50, and $100 plans also list two, three, and four concurrent searches respectively.
Can I watch anime on trace.moe?
No. The service is for finding a source, and access to the original video is limited to a few seconds of preview.
Which platforms and browser extensions are available?
The listed platforms are API, extension, and web. Official screenshot-search extensions are listed for Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
What anime does the index cover?
It covers officially published TV, web, DVD, and Blu-ray anime. Most Japanese anime since 2000 are indexed, though coverage is incomplete for some series.
What happens to uploaded search images?
The terms state that images uploaded to the search engine are deleted immediately.
Facts from trace.moe's own pages
- Browser integrations
- Official screenshot-search extensions are listed for Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Indexed content
- The index covers officially published TV, web, DVD, and Blu-ray anime; most Japanese anime since 2000 are indexed, with incomplete coverage for some series. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Legal policy
- The terms describe a process for reporting copyright infringement and say repeat infringers' accounts may be disabled or terminated. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- MCP capabilities
- The MCP server supports searches by image URL, local image file, base64 image, vector, or anime name, and can report account quota. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Minimum image guidance
- The FAQ recommends images of at least 320×180 pixels for effective searching. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Not for streaming
- The site says it is not for watching anime and limits access to the original video to a few seconds of preview. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Other integrations
- Official apps include a Telegram bot and an MCP server; the API documentation and source code are also linked for developers. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The terms page states that images uploaded to the search engine are deleted immediately. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- trace.moe searches anime scenes from screenshots and can identify the anime, episode, and exact timestamp, with a short preview to verify results. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Search limitations
- Search is designed for almost-exact matches, and crops, flips, rotations, strong filters, dark scenes, large text, or low-detail images can cause failures. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Search method
- The service uses content-based image retrieval that compares image colors and patterns rather than neural-network image understanding. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker directs users with questions or feedback to its Discord or Telegram communities. · trace.moe, 7 Oct 2026
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