An image processing apparatus includes: a determiner configured to, upon determining that information processing is not to be performed by the image forming apparatus based on a load status of the image forming apparatus, determine whether or not other image forming apparatuses on a network include an alternative image forming apparatus capable of performing the information processing based on load statuses of the other image forming apparatuses acquired from a server apparatus via the network; and a requester configured to, when the other image forming apparatuses include the alternative image forming apparatus capable of performing the information processing, request the alternative image forming apparatus to perform the information processing, but when the other image forming apparatuses do not include the alternative image forming apparatus capable of performing the information processing, request the server apparatus to perform the information processing.