Overview

Photos and videos are free for personal and commercial use without attribution, a practical advantage for publishing and marketing work where licensing fees or credit lines complicate production. The library also includes vector, illustration and editorial assets, giving users more than a source of conventional stock photography. Pexels says hundreds of thousands of photographers and videographers contribute, and its media is used by audiences ranging from startups to global brands.

An account adds collections, download history, photographer follows, a personalized homepage, likes and uploading. Those features can help people organize repeat work, but the core free media offer does not depend on them. Contributors should also know that Pexels does not allow uploads made with generative AI.

Key features

Media and account tools

The no-attribution license is useful when visuals move through commercial or editorial workflows that cannot easily accommodate credits. 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 available. These routes make Pexels more convenient across devices and creative workflows, though the library is not a paid stock service with a stated subscription tier or asset quota.

API access

The free RESTful JSON API gives applications programmatic access to the full photo and video library, and Pexels identifies Canva, Typeform, Sketch and Airtable as API partners. Default keys are limited to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month, so it can support modest integrations but may constrain higher-volume products. The API cannot be used to replicate Pexels or to create wallpaper and image-gallery apps, making it a poor fit for those concepts regardless of quota.

Pexels says it uses commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data. Its privacy policy lists rights to access, rectify, delete, restrict, port and object to processing. API users are directed to the Help Center for answers and troubleshooting.

Pricing

Pexels has one plan: Free — 0.00 USD per free. It includes free photo and video access, with API limits of 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month. There is no paid tier described with higher quotas or added entitlements, so organizations that need more API capacity should not assume they can upgrade within Pexels. The free access is compelling for individuals and teams that can work within the API limits; the absence of a paid expansion path matters for applications that may outgrow them.

Platforms

Pexels is available on web, Android and iOS, and offers API access and an extension. Its official ecosystem also includes a Chrome extension, Google Slides add-on, Figma plugin and Sketch plugin. This range makes it usable both as a destination for downloads and within several common creative tools, while MS Office support comes from a community add-in rather than an official tool.

Who it's for

Pexels is a strong choice for designers, bloggers, creators and businesses that need photos or video without a media budget or attribution requirement. Its account features are helpful for people who repeatedly save and organize visuals, and the API is useful for developers whose integrations fit its default limits and restrictions. It is less suitable for products that need high-volume API traffic, or for developers making gallery or wallpaper apps that the API rules prohibit.

Pros and cons

Pros: Photos and videos are free for commercial and personal use without attribution, reducing both licensing cost and crediting work.
Pros: Photo, video, vector, illustration and editorial assets cover a wider range of visual needs than photography alone.
Pros: Accounts and multiple official apps and plugins support saving and finding assets across devices and workflows.
Cons: API keys default to 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month, which can limit growth for application developers.
Cons: The API cannot power a Pexels replica, wallpaper app or image-gallery app, ruling out some otherwise plausible uses.
Cons: Generative-AI-created uploads are not allowed, limiting contributors who want to share that kind of work.

Alternatives

Pixabay is another free option, with a free library and API. Choose it if you want an alternative library; full-resolution photo and video downloads require sign-up, while the provided API plan is also free.

Adobe Stock is worth considering when a paid stock service and free trial are preferable to Pexels's wholly free plan; its listed plans include standard assets and rollover credits, with custom pricing.

Scopio is a paid alternative for teams that want a monthly image-download allowance. Its Starter plan is 4029.00 USD per month and includes 30 image downloads per month, with credits renewing monthly.

Vecteezy is a freemium alternative with image-only, video-only and unlimited-all-access options; consider it if those distinct download categories better match your needs.

VectorStock is a freemium web option focused on vectors, with a pay-per-image plan that includes a Pro license and no ongoing commitment.

IMAGO is a paid alternative for rights-managed or editorial image licensing.

Shutterstock is a paid alternative with image-download and unlimited-image plan options.

Depositphotos is a freemium alternative with monthly and annual unlimited-download plans.

For more options, browse Stock Photo Websites or Stock Video Websites.

Verdict

Choose Pexels if you want a broad, no-attribution photo and video library at no cost, with apps, account tools and a free API. Its clearest weakness is for developers: default quotas are finite and some app categories are barred, so projects that need higher traffic or a gallery-style product should look elsewhere.

	Gallery Stock	Pexels
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	$65/mo	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Web	Android, api, extension, iOS, Web
Free plan	No	Yes
Illustration assets	Yes	Yes
Editorial assets	Yes	Yes
Vector assets	—	Yes
API access	—	Yes

Gallery Stock vs Pexels

Gallery Stock

Pexels