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Head-to-head · Stock Photo Websites

Pexels vs Dreamstime

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Pexels #4 in Stock Photo Websites 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Pexels
Dreamstime #7 in Stock Photo Websites 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Dreamstime

Pexels leads on 0 checks, Dreamstime on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePexels · 9.0/10
  • Free planboth

Pexels scores higher on our rubric for stock photo websites: 9.0 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.

Pexels is the better fit for free photos and video with strong integrations. Dreamstime is the better fit for free users needing broad stock and office integrations.

  • Pexels fits best

    Free photos and video with strong integrations

  • Dreamstime fits best

    Free users needing broad stock and office integrations

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Pexels 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Dreamstime 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.7
Ranking #4 in Stock Photo Websites #7 in Stock Photo Websites
Best for Free photos and video with strong integrations Free users needing broad stock and office integrations
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Support Docs Email, Phone
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Pexels 4/4 · Dreamstime 4/4
Vector assets ✓ ✓
Illustration assets ✓ ✓
Editorial assets ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Specs
Monthly downloads Not checked yet 5 /mo
Included team seats Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free downloads for personal and commercial projects under the Pexels license
  • Searchable photo and video libraries with curated feeds and collections
  • Integrations across Canva, Figma, Google Slides, Office, and developer workflows
  • Free and public-domain collections broaden access to stock media
  • Microsoft Office, Google Docs and WordPress integrations support content workflows
  • APIs, corporate accounts and AI-assisted tools extend business use
Cons
  • Focused on stock photos and video rather than broader asset-production workflows
  • API access is aimed at developers embedding media into websites and applications
  • Desktop workflows depend on web access, browser extensions, and integrations
  • The listed subscription tier includes 5 downloads per month
  • Monthly and annual options shown are limited to the 5-image plan
  • Corporate sub-account seat limits are not stated on the official page
Our verdict

Pexels is a free stock media website for individuals, businesses, creators, and developers. Its library combines searchable photos and videos contributed by a global creator community, with downloads for personal and commercial projects…

Read the review →

Dreamstime is a stock media licensing platform for individual creators, publishers, agencies, businesses and enterprise teams. Its catalog covers royalty-free photos, vector graphics, illustrations, editorial imagery, video footage, music…

Read the review →
  1. PexelsStock Photo Websites 9.0Free plan
  2. DreamstimeStock Photo Websites 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Pexels — where it wins

    • Free downloads for personal and commercial projects under the Pexels license
    • Searchable photo and video libraries with curated feeds and collections
    • Integrations across Canva, Figma, Google Slides, Office, and developer workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on stock photos and video rather than broader asset-production workflows
    • API access is aimed at developers embedding media into websites and applications
    • Desktop workflows depend on web access, browser extensions, and integrations
  • Dreamstime — where it wins

    • Free and public-domain collections broaden access to stock media
    • Microsoft Office, Google Docs and WordPress integrations support content workflows
    • APIs, corporate accounts and AI-assisted tools extend business use

    Where it doesn't

    • The listed subscription tier includes 5 downloads per month
    • Monthly and annual options shown are limited to the 5-image plan
    • Corporate sub-account seat limits are not stated on the official page

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update