Overview

Pexels lets people use its photos and videos for personal and commercial purposes without paying or providing attribution. That makes it practical for content workflows where recurring licensing costs or credit lines are a burden. The library also includes vector, illustration and editorial assets, extending its usefulness beyond standard photography.

Accounts add collections, download history, photographer follows, a personalized homepage, likes and uploading. These are useful for people building a repeatable sourcing workflow, but are not required to access the free library. Pexels says contributors number in the hundreds of thousands and its media reaches users from startups to global brands. Contributors should also know that uploads made with generative AI are not allowed.

Key features

Library and account tools

The combination of photos, video, vectors, illustrations and editorial assets gives Pexels more range than a photo-only source. Collections and download history can help organize ongoing projects, while follows and a personalized homepage support ongoing discovery. Likes and uploading round out the account tools, though the core download offer does not depend on having an account.

Apps and integrations

Official options include iOS and Android apps, a Chrome extension, a Google Slides add-on, and plugins for Figma and Sketch. The range is useful for creators who source media on mobile or inside design and presentation tools. Pexels identifies Canva, Typeform, Sketch and Airtable as API partners; a community MS Office add-in is also listed.

API access

The free RESTful JSON API exposes the full Pexels photo and video library to programs. Default keys allow 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month, sufficient for modest integrations but a constraint for high-volume services. The API cannot be used to replicate Pexels or to build wallpaper and image-gallery apps, so it is not a general-purpose route to launching a competing media product. API users are directed to the Help Center for answers and troubleshooting.

Privacy and contribution rules

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 data, and to object to processing. These commitments provide useful baseline assurances, though they do not change the product's central fit as a free media library.

Pricing

Pexels has one plan: Free — 0.00 USD per free. It includes free photos and videos, plus API access with a 200-requests-per-hour limit and a 20,000-requests-per-month limit. There is no paid tier or seat count to weigh; the trade-off is that API use remains subject to those quotas and restrictions. For individual creators and teams sourcing visuals, the plan removes subscription cost, but it does not promise unrestricted API throughput.

Platforms

Pexels supports web, Android and iOS, as well as API access and an extension. Its browser and mobile options suit people who source media across devices, while the Google Slides add-on and Figma and Sketch plugins bring it into common creative workflows.

Who it's for

Pexels is a sound choice for bloggers, designers, publishers and businesses that need photos or videos for personal or commercial work and want to avoid both fees and attribution requirements. It is also useful for developers who need a free way to integrate photo and video discovery within the API limits. It is a poor fit for developers building wallpaper or gallery apps, and for contributors who want to upload generative-AI-created work.

Pros and cons

Pro: Photos and videos are free for commercial and personal use without attribution, avoiding both licensing fees and crediting steps.
Pro: The library includes vectors, illustrations and editorial assets in addition to photos and videos.
Pro: Collections, history, follows and likes give account holders practical ways to organize and revisit media.
Con: API keys default to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month, limiting heavier integrations.
Con: The API cannot support Pexels replicas, wallpaper apps or image-gallery apps, ruling out several product concepts.
Con: Generative-AI-created uploads are prohibited, limiting what contributors can share.

Alternatives

Consider Adobe Stock if a paid service with a free trial and plans measured in standard assets, video and rollover credits better matches your sourcing needs.

Vecteezy is another option if you want a freemium library with image-only, video-only or unlimited all-access plans.

Pixabay is a comparable free library with an API; full-resolution photo and video downloads require sign-up.

VectorStock is worth considering when you need a single vector purchase with a Pro license or a credits model.

Bigstock may suit buyers who prefer paid monthly image plans with daily and monthly download allowances.

IMAGO offers rights-managed and royalty-free image options, including editorial-use licensing.

Yay Images is another freemium option for buyers comparing single-seat, lifetime or credit-based plans.

Shutterstock is an alternative for buyers looking at paid image-download, unlimited-image or AI-generation plans.

Browse Stock Photo Websites or Stock Video Websites for more options by media type.

Verdict

Pexels is best for creators and businesses that want a broad, usable library of photos and videos without subscription costs or attribution requirements. The free license and practical account and integration tools are its clearest advantages. Look elsewhere if your API project needs more throughput, falls into a prohibited use, or depends on AI-generated uploads.

	Pexels	Rawpixel
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	Free	$11/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, extension, iOS, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Vector assets	Yes	Yes
Illustration assets	Yes	Yes
Editorial assets	Yes	Yes
API access	Yes	—
Paid from	—	$8/mo
Included team seats	—	1 seats

Pexels vs Rawpixel

Pexels

Rawpixel