TL;DR: Free tool to split images into grids. No uploads, no signup, runs entirely in your browser.
The problem that annoyed me
Last year, I was helping my girlfriend create one of those cool Instagram grid posts where a single image spans across 9 tiles. We tried several online tools, but they all had issues:
- Most required uploading photos to random servers (privacy nightmare)
- Others had terrible UI or added watermarks
- Some only worked for specific grid sizes
- The "free" ones weren't actually free
After spending 2 hours fighting with these tools, I thought: "This should be simple. Why isn't there a decent solution?"
What I built
SplitImage.org does three main things:
- Instagram Grid Maker - Split any image into 1x2, 3x3, 3x4 grids (perfect for those puzzle posts)
- Panorama Splitter - Turn wide landscape photos into Instagram carousels
- Custom Splitter - Any row/column combo (great for printing large posters at home)
The technical bits that matter
- 100% client-side processing using Canvas API - your images never touch my servers
- Supports JPG/PNG/WebP up to 10MB
- Maintains original image quality
- Downloads individual files or bulk ZIP
- Works on mobile browsers too
I deliberately kept it simple - vanilla JavaScript, no frameworks, loads fast.
Unexpected use cases I discovered
Since launching, users have found creative ways to use it:
- Teachers printing classroom posters across multiple pages
- Photographers creating unique social media layouts
- Event planners making large banners from home printers
- Artists splitting high-res artwork for detailed viewing
Current stats & what's next
~2K users in the first month, mostly organic traffic. Zero complaints about privacy (because there's nothing to complain about!).
Planning to add:
- Overlap options for seamless poster assembly
- Custom aspect ratio preservation
- Maybe some basic filters/adjustments
Questions for HN
Privacy-first tools: Do you think more web tools should process data client-side? The performance trade-off seems worth it.
Feature creep: Should I keep it simple or add more advanced editing features?
Monetization: Any ideas that don't compromise the privacy aspect? (Not urgent, just curious)
Try it: https://splitimage.org
Would love your feedback, especially if you find bugs or have feature suggestions. Also curious if anyone has built similar tools - always interested in comparing approaches!
P.S. - If you're wondering about the domain name, .org was available and felt right for a free tool. Sometimes the simple choice is the best choice.