AltVault Documentation

AI-powered alt text generator for WordPress. Automatically create SEO-friendly alt text for every image using Anthropic Claude or OpenAI GPT.

Overview

AltVault is a WordPress plugin that generates SEO-friendly alt text for your images using AI. It supports two AI providers — Anthropic Claude and OpenAI GPT — and offers three flexible captioning methods to fit any budget and workflow.

Captioning Methods

BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) — use your own Anthropic or OpenAI API key for the lowest cost per image
Caption Credits — buy credit packs from your AltVault dashboard. No API key needed
Pro Bundled — Pro license includes 1,000 captions per month at no extra cost

Privacy first. AltVault sends images directly to the AI provider (Anthropic or OpenAI) for processing. Images are never stored on or routed through Boulley Technology servers.

Installation

AltVault installs like any WordPress plugin. No server configuration or command-line access required.

Option 1: Upload via WordPress Admin

Download the AltVault ZIP from your account dashboard
Go to Plugins › Add New › Upload Plugin in your WordPress admin
Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now
Click Activate

Option 2: Manual Upload

Extract the ZIP file
Upload the altvault folder to wp-content/plugins/ via FTP or your file manager
Go to Plugins in WordPress admin and click Activate next to AltVault

After activation, go to Tools › AltVault to access the plugin dashboard.

Requirements. AltVault requires WordPress 5.0 or higher and PHP 7.4 or higher.

Dashboard

The AltVault dashboard is your central hub for monitoring alt text coverage across your media library. Access it from Tools › AltVault.

Stat Cards

The dashboard displays four stat cards at the top:

Total Images — the total number of images in your media library
With Alt Text — images that already have alt text assigned
Missing Alt Text — images that still need alt text
Monthly Usage — how many captions have been generated this month

Privacy Information

The dashboard includes a privacy info card explaining how image processing works. When AltVault generates alt text, your images are sent directly to the AI provider (Anthropic or OpenAI) using their official API. Images are not stored, cached, or processed by any intermediary.

Settings

The Settings tab lets you configure how AltVault generates alt text. All settings take effect immediately.

Captioning Method

Choose how you want to pay for captions:

BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) — recommended for high-volume sites. Use your own API key for the lowest cost per image
Caption Credits — buy credit packs directly from the plugin. No API key needed
Pro Bundled — if you have a Pro license, 1,000 captions per month are included at no extra charge

AI Provider

When using the BYOK method, select your AI provider from the dropdown:

Anthropic — uses Claude for image analysis
OpenAI — uses GPT for image analysis

API Key

Enter your API key for the selected provider. The key is stored securely in your WordPress database. See API Key Setup for step-by-step instructions on getting your key.

Generation Options

Auto-generate on upload — toggle this on to automatically generate alt text every time a new image is uploaded to the media library
Max length — slider to set the maximum character length for generated alt text (50–300 characters, default 125)
Capitalize first letter — toggle to automatically capitalize the first letter of each generated alt text

SEO Options

SEO prefix — text prepended to every generated alt text (e.g., your brand name)
SEO suffix — text appended to every generated alt text (e.g., a keyword or category)

SEO best practices. Keep alt text concise and descriptive. The default 125-character limit aligns with recommended alt text length for screen readers and search engines.

Captioning Methods

AltVault offers three ways to generate alt text, so you can choose what works best for your site and budget.

BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)

The most cost-effective option. You provide your own Anthropic or OpenAI API key and pay the AI provider directly. The cost is approximately $0.001 per image, making it ideal for sites with large media libraries.

Caption Credits

Buy credit packs directly from the AltVault settings page. One credit equals one image caption. No API key required — AltVault handles the AI request for you.

500 credits — $5
2,000 credits — $15
5,000 credits — $30

Credits never expire and can be used at any time.

Pro Bundled

Pro license holders receive 1,000 captions per month included with their license at no additional cost. Monthly credits reset on your license renewal date.

Mix and match. You can switch between captioning methods at any time from the Settings tab. Unused credits carry over regardless of which method is currently selected.

API Key Setup

If you are using the BYOK captioning method, you need an API key from your chosen AI provider.

Anthropic (Claude)

Go to console.anthropic.com
Sign in or create an account
Navigate to API Keys
Click Create Key
Copy the key and paste it into the AltVault API Key field

OpenAI (GPT)

Go to platform.openai.com
Sign in or create an account
Navigate to API Keys
Click Create new secret key
Copy the key and paste it into the AltVault API Key field

Keep your key secure. API keys grant access to your AI provider account and its billing. Never share your key publicly or commit it to version control.

The approximate cost per image with either provider is $0.001. Both providers offer usage dashboards where you can monitor spending and set billing limits.

Caption Credits

Caption Credits let you generate alt text without managing your own API key. Purchase credit packs directly from the AltVault settings page.

Pricing

500 credits — $5 ($0.01 per image)
2,000 credits — $15 ($0.0075 per image)
5,000 credits — $30 ($0.006 per image)

How Credits Work

One credit generates alt text for one image
Credits never expire
Your credit balance is displayed in the AltVault dashboard
Credits are tied to your license key and work across site migrations

Best value. BYOK is the cheapest option at roughly $0.001 per image. Caption Credits are convenient if you prefer not to manage API keys, with the 5,000 pack offering the best per-image rate.

Bulk Processing

The Bulk Processing feature (Pro only) lets you generate alt text for all images missing it in one operation.

How It Works

Go to Tools › AltVault and open the Bulk tab
Click Scan to detect all images in your media library that are missing alt text
Review the count of images found
Click Start to begin bulk processing
A progress bar shows completion percentage and a real-time log displays each image as it is processed
Click Stop at any time to pause processing — you can resume later

Pro feature. Bulk processing requires an active Pro license. Free users can generate alt text one image at a time from the Media Library.

License Activation

Activating your license unlocks Pro features including bulk processing, auto-updates, and monthly bundled credits.

Steps

Find your license key in your purchase confirmation email or your account portal
Go to Tools › AltVault and open the License tab
Paste your license key into the field
Click Activate

Once activated, your license status and expiration date are displayed on the License tab.

One site per license. Each license key can be activated on one site at a time. To move your license to a different site, deactivate it first from the License tab, then activate it on the new site.

Auto-Updates

Pro license holders receive automatic updates through the standard WordPress update system. When a new version is available, it appears on your Dashboard › Updates page alongside other plugin updates.

Updates include new features, performance improvements, and compatibility fixes. No manual download or re-upload required.

Stay current. Enable automatic plugin updates in WordPress for AltVault to ensure you always have the latest version without manual intervention.

FAQ

How much does it cost per image?

With BYOK (Bring Your Own Key), the cost is approximately $0.001 per image, paid directly to your AI provider. With Caption Credits, the cost ranges from $0.006 to $0.01 per image depending on the pack size. Pro Bundled includes 1,000 captions per month at no extra cost.

Does AltVault store my images?

No. Images are sent directly from your server to the AI provider (Anthropic or OpenAI) for analysis. They are not stored, cached, or routed through any intermediary server.

Can I edit the generated alt text?

Yes. Generated alt text is saved as standard WordPress image alt text. You can view and edit it at any time from the Media Library by clicking on an image and modifying the Alt Text field.

What AI models are supported?

AltVault supports Anthropic Claude and OpenAI GPT. You can choose your preferred provider from the Settings tab when using the BYOK captioning method.

Do credits expire?

No. Caption Credits never expire. Once purchased, they remain in your account until used.

What happens when my Pro license expires?

The plugin continues to work normally for generating alt text. However, you will no longer receive automatic updates, monthly bundled credits, or access to bulk processing until you renew your license.