Bigstock vs Pexels

Bigstock is a stock-image marketplace offering more than 50 million royalty-free photos and illustrations, along with HD stock video clips. Image downloads come as JPGs, while vector illustrations are available in AI or EPS formats. Subscriptions include small, medium, large, and extra-large JPG sizes, plus vectors. Bigstock provides API access and supports web use. Subscription allowances vary by plan: for example, the 50 images/month plan is $79 a month, while the 5 images/day plan is also $79 a month. Unused subscription downloads do not roll over. Standard licenses do not expire, but each image has an aggregate print limit of 250,000 copies. Use on merchandise for sale or above that limit requires an extended license, priced at $99.00 or 50 credits. New users may be offered a seven-day video trial of up to 35 clips; trial enrollment automatically bills a subscription afterward unless canceled.

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.