# Pixabay vs Unsplash

The clearest difference is ads: Unsplash at none against Pixabay's shown. Unsplash also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 57%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Pixabay's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Pixabay against 4.9 for Unsplash. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Unsplash has 13K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Pixabay's written reviews are positive against 75% of Unsplash's.

Pixabay ships an update every 2 months, Unsplash every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixabay | Unsplash |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixabay/id1178021455/reviews) | **[4.9 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unsplash/id1290631746/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Canva Germany GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434330412) | [Unsplash Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1165050870) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixabay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixabay/id1178021455)

Access a vast library of free stock photos, clip art, vector graphics, and video clips. All content is licensed for commercial use without attribution. Easily search, view, download, and share high-quality visuals.

**Highlights:** Free photos, cliparts, and vector graphics, Thousands of free video clips, Fast search and user-friendly interface, One-click image viewer with zoom/pan, Direct download and share in all sizes, Connect with others via messages and comments, Like and favorite images

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Amazing app
- 🎨 Great source of high-quality images
- 🙏 Grateful for the talented contributors
- 📚 Excellent resource for artists and creators

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to navigate, no back button
- 🐛 App crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Frequent log-out issues
- 🔍 Search function not reliable

**Reported bugs**

- No images found for basic search terms
- Inability to download videos
- Inconsistent app performance across devices
- Login issues and frequent log-outs

**Requested features**

- Add a back button to navigate easily
- Improve search functionality and filters
- Implement landscape mode support for iPad
- Introduce a dark mode option


### Unsplash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unsplash/id1290631746)

Access over 7 million free, high-resolution images contributed by a global community of photographers. Discover new photos daily for any project and easily save and access your favorites across devices. Anyone can contribute, regardless of equipment.

**Highlights:** Millions of free high-resolution images, Daily curated new photos, Collect and access photos across devices, Drag & drop functionality on iPad, Contribute your own photos, Used for presentations, artwork, mockups

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent quality photos
- 🎨 Inspiring and creative content
- 🔍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💰 Completely free to use
- 🌐 Wide variety of images from around the world

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
- 🔒 Lack of account integration and personalization
- ⏱️ Slow loading times and performance issues
- 🔀 Difficulty navigating back to previous screens

**Reported bugs**

- Clear all history feature not working
- Downloading images causes app to crash
- Widget not functioning as expected
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Inability to login or create an account

**Requested features**

- Add ability to follow photographers and see their full portfolios
- Implement a dark mode option
- Improve search functionality with more filters and tags
- Allow users to upload and share their own photos
- Provide detailed photo metadata and exif data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixabay free?

Pixabay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Unsplash free?

Unsplash is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pixabay or Unsplash?

Unsplash is rated higher. Pixabay averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Unsplash averages 4.9 from 13K ratings.

### Do Pixabay or Unsplash have ads?

Pixabay shows ads; Unsplash does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pixabay or Unsplash?

Pixabay ships an update every 2 months, and Unsplash every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pixabay was updated on September 23, 2026 and Unsplash on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*