What does the caption count measure?

How many times that template has been used in Imgflip's own meme generator. It undercounts total use across the internet but is a consistent measure across templates on one platform.

Why show the number of panels?

Because it describes how the format works. A two-box template is almost always a comparison; a three-box one usually sets something up and knocks it down.

Yes. It comes from The Imgflip get_memes endpoint, key-free. Nothing is invented or simulated, and if the source cannot be reached the saver reports that instead of drawing something plausible.

Does it cost anything or need an account?

No. Every screensaver here is free, runs in the browser and needs no sign-up. This one uses a public API that requires no key.

Why do some templates have more caption boxes than others?

The box count is the template’s default number of text boxes, set by the layout. A two-box image suits a setup and punchline, while longer layouts suit comparisons or sequences.

Does this include every meme ever made?

No. It covers only templates and counts held by Imgflip, so memes created elsewhere are not part of the figures.

No. Imgflip describes the captions field as an estimated, rounded count of all-time captions, and the ordering of the list is based on the last 30 days of use.

Still Being Captioned Screensaver

The Still Being Captioned screensaver ranks meme templates by how many times each has been used, from Imgflip's public generator counts. It is an unusually direct measure of a format's staying power: Drake Hotline Bling has been captioned well over a million times on one site alone, a decade after the video came out. It runs in the browser with nothing to install; press ESC to exit.

How the Still Being Captioned screensaver works

The saver reads The Imgflip get_memes endpoint, key-free.

No account and no key: the request goes straight from your browser, or from this site's own refreshed copy of the feed where the source does not allow browser access.

Values are drawn on a canvas that resizes with the window, so it works on a laptop or a wall display.

If the source is unreachable the saver says so on screen rather than showing stale numbers as though they were current.

The life of a meme template

Imgflip is a meme-generator site where users pick a template, add captions and share the result. A template is a blank image with default text boxes, and the site’s public get_memes endpoint returns a list of popular templates. Each entry has an id, a name, an image URL, the image’s width and height, a default box count and a captions field, which Imgflip describes as an estimated, rounded count of all-time captions.

The list is ordered by how many times each template was captioned in the last 30 days, so it reflects recent activity, while the captions figure reflects the all-time total. That makes the data an unusual measure of internet culture: it counts how many captioned images were made on one site, not how many were seen. Some formats are old and still climb because they suit a flexible joke structure, while others spike with a news event and then fade.

Counts are for Imgflip only. They leave out memes made with other tools, screenshots edited by hand and everything posted on social platforms. Imgflip says the number of templates returned may change and that new fields may be added, so the list is best read as a record of how one community of creators uses the site, rather than a ranking of the internet’s most popular memes.

A worked example

Sixteen templates ranked by total captions, each with the count and the number of text boxes the format uses. The box count is the format's grammar: two panels for a comparison, three for a setup and punchline, and the long tail of single-panel reaction images.

Settings & tips

Accent and Background recolour the display without changing the data.
Add it to a Multi-view grid to watch it alongside other live savers.
Press ESC at any time to leave fullscreen.

Frequently asked questions

What does the caption count measure?: How many times that template has been used in Imgflip's own meme generator. It undercounts total use across the internet but is a consistent measure across templates on one platform.
Why show the number of panels?: Because it describes how the format works. A two-box template is almost always a comparison; a three-box one usually sets something up and knocks it down.
Is this real data?: Yes. It comes from The Imgflip get_memes endpoint, key-free. Nothing is invented or simulated, and if the source cannot be reached the saver reports that instead of drawing something plausible.
Does it cost anything or need an account?: No. Every screensaver here is free, runs in the browser and needs no sign-up. This one uses a public API that requires no key.
Why do some templates have more caption boxes than others?: The box count is the template’s default number of text boxes, set by the layout. A two-box image suits a setup and punchline, while longer layouts suit comparisons or sequences.
Does this include every meme ever made?: No. It covers only templates and counts held by Imgflip, so memes created elsewhere are not part of the figures.
Is the count exact?: No. Imgflip describes the captions field as an estimated, rounded count of all-time captions, and the ordering of the list is based on the last 30 days of use.

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