iStock vs Pixabay

iStock8.7Visit PPixabay8.3Visit

Higher score iStock #4 in Stock Illustration Websites 8.7/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit iStock

vs

P Pixabay #6 in Stock Illustration Websites 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Pixabay

• iStock fits best

  Users wanting affordable stock plus AI tools

• Pixabay fits best

  Free users needing broad stock media access

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Side by side

Feature	iStock 8.7/10 Visit ↗	PPixabay 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.3
Ranking	#4 in Stock Illustration Websites	#6 in Stock Illustration Websites
Best for	Users wanting affordable stock plus AI tools	Free users needing broad stock media access
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$29/user/mo	Free plan
Free plan	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features iStock 0/3 · Pixabay 0/3
Commercial use	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Editorial license	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Extended license	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Download model	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Maximum resolution	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Raster file formats	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Illustration, vector, editorial, photo, video, music, and sound assets AI image generation and image customization are included API access plus Dropbox and Sketch integrations	Free access to photos, illustrations, vectors, editorial images and video Includes music, sound effects, GIFs and 3D models Offers mobile apps and a REST API for images and videos
Cons	No free plan is available Standard subscriptions are limited to one user Premium + Video starts at $125 per month	Content use is subject to prohibited uses and third-party rights The API covers images and videos rather than the full media catalog Uploading requires users to be registered creators
Our verdict	iStock is a paid stock content website for designers, marketers, publishers, businesses, and other creators. Its library covers royalty-free photos, illustrations, vectors, editorial-use imagery, videos, music, and sound effects for… Read the review →	Pixabay is a free stock-media platform for creators, publishers, marketers and other users who need access to visual and audio assets. Its catalog includes photos, illustrations, vector graphics, editorial images, videos, music, sound… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• iStock — where it wins

  • Illustration, vector, editorial, photo, video, music, and sound assets
  • AI image generation and image customization are included
  • API access plus Dropbox and Sketch integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Standard subscriptions are limited to one user
  • Premium + Video starts at $125 per month

• Pixabay — where it wins

  • Free access to photos, illustrations, vectors, editorial images and video
  • Includes music, sound effects, GIFs and 3D models
  • Offers mobile apps and a REST API for images and videos

  Where it doesn't

  • Content use is subject to prohibited uses and third-party rights
  • The API covers images and videos rather than the full media catalog
  • Uploading requires users to be registered creators

• iStock8.7/10 · Paid

  A broad stock library with AI tools, flexible downloads, and API access.

  Visit iStockFull verdict →
• PPixabay8.3/10 · Free plan

  A broad free media library with mobile apps and an image-and-video REST API.

  Visit PixabayFull verdict →