Overview

Pixabay is a free community library of photos, illustrations, vectors, editorial assets, video, music, sound effects and other media. It suits creators and developers who need varied media without a subscription, though teams should weigh the license boundaries and API operating limits before building around it.

Pixabay reports a collection of more than 6.3 million 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 available to users, but uploading requires a registered account.

Key features

Media library and license

Pixabay's breadth is useful for projects that need more than stock photography: the library also covers illustrations, vectors, editorial media, video, music and sound effects. The Content License Summary allows free use without attribution and permits modifications, making it practical for many creative workflows. It does not permit selling or distributing content on a standalone basis, and recognizable trademarks in media cannot be used commercially in relation to goods or services. Those restrictions make Pixabay a poor fit when the asset itself is the product or when a commercial use depends on a visible brand.

Media pages offer a choice of download size. Full-resolution photos and videos require sign-up, so casual discovery is low-friction, but access to the largest files is not entirely account-free.

API and integrations

The REST API searches and retrieves royalty-free images and videos, returning JSON results for developers adding media discovery to an application. Its default allowance is 100 requests per 60 seconds, with a maximum of 500 image or video results per query. Requests must be cached for 24 hours, systematic mass downloads are disallowed, and Pixabay asks developers to show the media's source when search results appear. This works for bounded, cached search experiences, not high-volume harvesting or a continuously refreshed bulk asset pipeline.

Canva integrates Pixabay audio tracks into its media library, a useful route for users already working in Canva. Pixabay's Android and iOS apps support image search, browsing, sharing and downloads. For support, users can turn to the community forum or contact the company directly.

Pricing

Both listed plans are free at 0.00 USD per free, and there is no free trial because access is offered as a free plan.

Pixabay library: Free media downloads. Full-resolution photo and video downloads require sign-up. This suits individuals and teams sourcing assets occasionally, though account registration is needed for original-size files.
Pixabay API: Free, with 100 requests per 60 seconds by default, 24-hour caching, and up to 500 image or video results per query. It is a sensible starting point for a modest search feature, but the quota and caching rule constrain heavier or rapidly changing integrations.

There is no paid tier described for expanding those API limits. Teams whose application needs exceed the default allowance or cannot honor the caching and source-display requirements should consider a different provider.

Platforms

Pixabay is available on web, Android and iOS, and offers API access. The API is specifically for image and video search and retrieval; the mobile apps provide image search, browsing, sharing and downloads.

Who it's for

Pixabay is a strong fit for creators, small teams and developers who want a broad free media source, can work within its license, and need either occasional downloads or a carefully cached search feature. It is less suitable for workflows that redistribute stock files as standalone assets, rely on commercial use of recognizable trademarks, or require unthrottled bulk API retrieval.

Pros and cons

Pro: A wide range of media types is available without a subscription, so one library can cover more than photo needs.
Pro: Free use without attribution and permission to adapt content suit many creative projects without adding a licensing fee for ordinary use.
Pro: A JSON API and native mobile apps provide multiple ways to find media beyond the website.
Con: Standalone resale or distribution is prohibited, and recognizable trademarks have commercial-use restrictions, limiting some asset-led products and campaigns.
Con: Full-resolution photos and videos require sign-up, adding a step for users who need original-size files.
Con: API caching, request and result limits, the source-display request and ban on systematic mass downloads rule out some high-volume or live-search designs.

Alternatives

For a different free image-and-video API, Pexels offers free photos and videos, with an API allowance of 200 requests per hour and 20,000 per month; it is worth comparing when those published quota dimensions better match an integration. Choose Vecteezy when its image-only, video-only or unlimited-download bundles better fit a paid asset workflow. Adobe Stock is a paid option with a free trial, while Shutterstock is paid and has no free plan; either is a candidate when a paid stock service is preferable to Pixabay's free library.

Depositphotos, Unsplash and Dreamstime are other freemium alternatives, while iStock is a paid option. Browse more options in Stock Photo Websites, Stock Video Websites or Stock Illustration Websites.

Verdict

Choose Pixabay if you want a broad, genuinely free media library and can respect its commercial-use boundaries; its API is especially practical for modest, cached image and video search. Look elsewhere if you need standalone redistribution, relaxed bulk retrieval or API behavior beyond its stated limits.

	Dreamstime	Pixabay
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api	Android, api, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Vector assets	Yes	Yes
Illustration assets	Yes	Yes
Editorial assets	Yes	Yes
Monthly downloads	5 /mo	—
API access	Yes	Yes

Dreamstime vs Pixabay

Dreamstime

Pixabay