Overview

Pixabay is a free community library of photos, illustrations, vectors, editorial assets, videos, music and sound effects. It best suits people who want a broad mix of media without a subscription, provided they can work within the license restrictions and sign up when they need full-resolution photos or videos.

Pixabay reports more than 6.3 million media assets, 6 billion downloads and 400,000 creators. It is a Canva Germany GmbH brand founded in 2010 and based in Berlin. Browsing and downloading are open to users, while uploading requires a registered account.

Key features

Media and licensing

The range goes beyond stock photography: illustrations, vectors, editorial material, video, music and sound effects make Pixabay a useful starting point for projects that need several media types. Its Content License Summary permits free use without attribution and allows modification, subject to prohibited uses. Content cannot be sold or distributed on its own, and media containing recognizable trademarks cannot be used commercially in connection with goods or services. Those limits make Pixabay less suitable when a project depends on standalone resale or commercial use of branded material.

Media pages offer a choice of download size. Full-resolution photos and videos require sign-up, which is a reasonable trade-off for occasional use but adds friction for anyone collecting original-size files.

API and integrations

The REST API returns JSON results for searches for royalty-free images and videos. Its default limit of 100 requests per 60 seconds and maximum of 500 image or video results per query suit moderate search needs, not large-scale collection: requests must be cached for 24 hours, and systematic mass downloads are prohibited. When displaying search results, API users are asked to show where the media comes from. Canva also integrates Pixabay audio tracks into its media library.

Mobile, support and privacy

Android and iOS apps support image search, browsing, sharing and downloads, extending the library beyond the web. Users can ask questions on the community forum or contact Pixabay directly. Pixabay says automated tools and human moderators review reported or potentially violating media and user content. Its privacy policy says it collects information users provide for their accounts, as well as usage activity and analytics data.

Pricing

Pixabay has two free plans, with no free trial: the library plan is free and covers media downloads; the API plan is free and provides API access. Neither has a paid tier to consider, but the free access has practical limits. Full-resolution photo and video downloads require sign-up, while API users face request and result caps, a 24-hour caching requirement and a ban on systematic mass downloads. The library suits people looking for occasional assets; the API fits developers whose search traffic can stay within those conditions.

Platforms

Pixabay is available on the web and through Android and iOS apps, and offers an API. The apps provide image search, browsing, sharing and downloads; the API supports programmatic image and video search.

Who it's for

Pixabay is a strong fit for individuals and teams seeking free media across several formats, especially when attribution-free use and the ability to adapt assets matter. It is less appropriate for projects that require unrestricted commercial use of recognizable trademarks, standalone redistribution, or API-based bulk downloading.

Pros and cons

Pros: A reported library of more than 6.3 million assets covers photos, illustrations, vectors, editorial content, video, music and sound effects.
Pros: The license permits free use without attribution and allows adaptation, making the library flexible for many project uses.
Pros: Web, mobile apps and a REST API offer different ways to find and use media.
Cons: Full-resolution photos and videos require an account, so anonymous downloads are not enough for every use.
Cons: License restrictions rule out standalone resale or distribution and commercial use of recognizable trademarks in connection with goods or services.
Cons: API caching, request limits and the mass-download prohibition constrain high-volume workflows.

Alternatives

For a free library with photos and videos and a higher stated API allowance, consider Pexels, whose free plan allows 200 API requests per hour and 20,000 per month. Adobe Stock is a paid alternative with a free trial and plans that include standard assets and rollover credits. For alternatives across stock imagery, see Stock Photo Websites; for illustration-focused options, see Stock Illustration Websites; and for video libraries, see Stock Video Websites. Other options include Vecteezy, VectorStock, Bigstock, IMAGO, Shutterstock and Depositphotos.

Verdict

Choose Pixabay if you want a broad, free media library with mobile access and an API, and its license and download rules fit your project. Look elsewhere if your work needs unrestricted commercial use of recognizable trademarks, standalone redistribution, or bulk API retrieval.

	Pixabay	Science Photo Library
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No
Paid from	Free	£60.42/mo
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Vector assets	Yes
Illustration assets	Yes	Yes
Editorial assets	Yes	Yes
API access	Yes

Pixabay vs Science Photo Library

Pixabay

Science Photo Library