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Pexels

pexels.com

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Spec score 9.1 #3 of 80 in Stock Photo Websites

What it is

Pexels is a free photo and video library available on the web and through apps and add-ons. Its downloadable photos and videos are licensed for personal and commercial use without attribution. The site lists vector, illustration, and editorial assets. Accounts add collections, download history, photographer follows, a personalized homepage, likes, and uploading. Developers can use the free RESTful JSON API to access the photo and video library programmatically. API keys default to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 requests per month; the API may not be used to reproduce Pexels or make wallpaper and image-gallery apps. Official tools include iOS and Android apps, a Chrome extension, Google Slides add-on, and Figma and Sketch plugins. A community MS Office add-in is also listed. Pexels identifies Canva, Typeform, Sketch, and Airtable as API partners. Its listed Free plan costs nothing. Pexels says uploads created with generative AI are not allowed.

Spec sheet

What it does
Pexels is a free website and app for finding and downloading stock photos and videos.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Product
Pexels is a free stock photo and video website and app for designers, bloggers and anyone seeking downloadable visuals.Read 1 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Audience
Pexels says hundreds of thousands of photographers and videographers contribute and millions of people use the media, from startups to global brands.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Free plan
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · pexels.com
API
The RESTful JSON API provides programmatic access to the full Pexels photo and video library, free of charge.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Integrations
Pexels identifies Canva, Typeform, Sketch and Airtable as API partners.Read 1 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Security
Pexels says it uses commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Support
Pexels directs API users to its Help Center for answers and troubleshooting.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
License
Photos and videos are free for personal and commercial use without attribution.Read 1 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Account features
Registered users can create collections, view download history, follow photographers, like media, receive a personalized homepage, and upload their own work.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
AI content policy
Pexels says uploads of content created with generative AI are not allowed.Read 1 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Android requirements
The Android app listing reports Android 7.0 or later as the requirement.Read 14 Oct 2026 · appbrain.com
API access
Anyone with a Pexels account can request an API key and receive it instantly.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
API availability
Pexels offers a free API for searching photos and videos, browsing curated content, and embedding media in applications or websites.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
API integrations
Pexels identifies Canva, Typeform, Sketch, and Airtable as API users or integration partners.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
API limits
New API keys default to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 requests per month.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
API restrictions
Pexels prohibits using its API to replicate a competing stock library or standalone wallpaper service.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
API technology
The developer interface is a RESTful JSON API requiring an API key in an Authorization header.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Apps and plugins
Official tools include iOS and Android apps, a Chrome extension, Google Slides add-on, Figma plugin and Sketch plugin; a community MS Office add-in is also listed.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Canva integration
Pexels content is available through a Canva add-on that lets users discover free media inside Canva designs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Commercial rights
Pexels states that its photos and videos may be used free of charge for commercial projects.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Company ownership
Pexels is part of Canva, which announced its acquisition of Pexels and Pixabay.Read 14 Oct 2026 · canva.com
Company profile
LinkedIn lists Pexels as privately held, founded in 2014, headquartered in Berlin, with 11–50 employees.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Content licence
Uploaded photos and videos use the Pexels License, allowing free personal and commercial use without required attribution.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Contributor community
Pexels says hundreds of thousands of photographers and videographers share work on the platform.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Crunchbase profile
Crunchbase lists Pexels as a private Berlin company acquired by Canva and shows an 11–50 employee range.Read 14 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Curation
A Pexels review team selects content for featured search placement, and the best featured work is hand-curated to the homepage.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Editorial assets
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · pexels.com
Generative AI policy
Pexels states that contributors may not upload content created with generative AI.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Higher API limits
Pexels says limit increases are free for eligible applications that show acceptable Pexels and contributor attribution, although increases are currently paused.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Illustration assets
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · pexels.com
Legal address
The imprint identifies Canva Germany GmbH at Pappelallee 78/79, 10437 Berlin, Germany.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Legal entity update
Pexels announced in October 2026 that its legal entity name had changed to Canva Germany GmbH while retaining the Pexels brand.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Library size
The Android listing says the app provides access to more than 3 million free high-resolution photos and videos.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Limit: copyright support complaint
A Trustpilot reviewer said Pexels did not help resolve a copyright-demand scam and left the user handling the dispute alone.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Limit: repetitive content
G2 reviewers say some images recur frequently and are commonly seen across other platforms.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
ML and scraping restriction
Pexels terms prohibit unauthorized scraping, bulk extraction, and using API content or metadata to train or build machine-learning datasets.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Moderation
Pexels combines automated detection with human moderators to review reported or potentially violating content.Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com
Official SDKs
The API documentation lists maintained Ruby, JavaScript, and .NET client libraries with GitHub repositories and changelogs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Praise: library quality and usability
G2 reviewers repeatedly praise the large, high-quality free collection, quick loading, ease of use, and Canva editing connection.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Privacy rights
The privacy policy lists rights to access, rectify, delete, restrict, port and object to processing of personal data.Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.9 out of 5 from 36K ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on G2
4.6 out of 5 from 113 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Google Play
4.8 out of 5 from 168K reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on TrustRadius
8 out of 10 from 65 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Search languages
Pexels says its library is searchable in 28 languages.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Vector assets
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · pexels.com

Plans and prices

Free Free free photos and videos · API 200 requests/hour · API 20,000 requests/month Read 1 Oct 2026 · pexels.com
Free Free free photo/video downloads · personal and commercial use · no attribution required Read 14 Oct 2026 · help.pexels.com

Every Pexels plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Photos and videos are free for personal and commercial use.
  • No attribution is required for photos and videos.
  • Free API access to the photo and video library.
  • Apps and tools include iOS, Android, Chrome, Figma, and Sketch.
  • Accounts include collections and download history.

Limits

  • API keys default to 200 requests per hour.
  • API keys default to 20,000 requests per month.
  • API use excludes replicas and wallpaper or image-gallery apps.
  • Generative-AI-created uploads are not allowed.

Who it suits

Pexels suits designers, bloggers, developers, and others seeking downloadable visuals. It also suits users who want a free API or apps and design-tool add-ons for accessing photo and video assets.

Pexels in depth

Read the full write-up

Pexels is a stock-media library for people who need photos and video for personal or commercial projects. It is especially useful to creators and teams working without a stock-media budget. Its free, no-attribution license is the draw; developers must account for API quotas and use restrictions.

Overview

Pexels offers downloadable photos and videos, along with vector, illustration and editorial assets. The breadth makes it useful when a project needs more than photography, while free commercial use without attribution removes both a licensing charge and a crediting step. Pexels says its contributors number in the hundreds of thousands and its users range from startups to global brands.

An account adds collections, download history, photographer follows, a personalized homepage, likes and uploading. These tools can help organize ongoing visual work, but the library’s free offer does not depend on them. Contributors should note that Pexels does not allow uploads created with generative AI.

Key features

Apps and integrations

Official tools include iOS and Android apps, a Chrome extension, a Google Slides add-on, and Figma and Sketch plugins. A community MS Office add-in is also available. These options bring Pexels into common browsing, presentation and design workflows; the community add-in is distinct from Pexels’ official tools.

API access

The free RESTful JSON API provides programmatic access to Pexels’ photo and video library. Keys default to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month, enough to support moderate integration work but a constraint for high-volume services. The API cannot be used to replicate Pexels or build wallpaper and image-gallery apps. Pexels identifies Canva, Typeform, Sketch and Airtable as API partners, and directs API users to its Help Center for troubleshooting.

Privacy and security

Pexels says it uses commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data. Its privacy policy describes rights to access, rectify, delete, restrict and port personal data, and to object to processing.

Pricing

Pexels has one plan: Free — free. It includes free photos and videos, with API limits of 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month. There are no paid tiers described here, so the trade-off is not a choice between free and premium quotas: developers whose usage exceeds the defaults need to account for those limits, while anyone seeking a stock-media subscription plan should compare other services.

Platforms

Pexels supports web, Android and iOS, plus API access and an extension. Its broader set of official plugins and add-ons includes Google Slides, Figma and Sketch, giving users several routes to find visuals in their existing workflows.

Who it's for

Pexels is a sensible first stop for designers, bloggers and other creators who need downloadable visuals for personal or commercial work and want to avoid both fees and attribution. Teams can use account collections and likes to organize visual choices. Developers can use the free API for integrations that fit its default quotas and permitted uses. It is a poor fit for an app whose purpose is to reproduce Pexels or provide wallpaper and image-gallery functionality, and it is not a source for contributors seeking to upload generative-AI-created content.

Pros and cons

Pros: Photos and videos can be used commercially without payment or attribution, which suits budget-conscious publishing and design work.

Pros: The collection spans photos, videos, vectors, illustrations and editorial assets, covering more than one kind of visual need.

Pros: Account tools and official apps, add-ons and plugins support saving and using media across several workflows.

Cons: API keys default to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month, limiting fit for high-volume services.

Cons: API use is barred for replicas of Pexels and for wallpaper or image-gallery apps.

Cons: Pexels does not accept generative-AI-created uploads, ruling it out for those contributors.

Alternatives

Adobe Stock is the alternative to consider if a paid service with a free trial better suits your buying decision; its listed plans include standard assets and rollover credits. Pixabay is another free library and API option; full-resolution photo and video downloads require sign-up. Vecteezy is a freemium option with image-only, video-only and all-access plans for readers comparing asset-specific downloads. VectorStock is worth considering for vector purchases: its pay-per-image plan includes a pro license and no ongoing commitment.

Bigstock offers paid daily image-download plans for readers who prefer a defined monthly download allowance. IMAGO is a paid alternative with rights-managed and royalty-free image options, including editorial use. Shutterstock is another paid service to compare for image downloads or an unlimited-images plan. Depositphotos offers freemium access and unlimited-download plans for readers seeking that model. Browse Stock Photo Websites or Stock Video Websites to compare more options.

Verdict

Choose Pexels if you need a broad source of free photos and video for personal or commercial use and value the ability to skip attribution. Its accounts and integrations add practical ways to save and use media, but the API’s default quotas and prohibited app uses make it the wrong choice for some developer projects. Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on those uses or requires higher-volume API access.

Verdict

Pexels combines a free visual library with account tools, apps, add-ons, and programmatic access. API users should note its default request limits and restrictions on certain app uses.

Where Specifiction places it

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