# Pexels vs Luma Dream Machine

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pexels at 76% against Luma Dream Machine's 33%. Pexels also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Luma Dream Machine sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Pexels asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pexels holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pexels has 37K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Pexels's written reviews are positive against 33% of Luma Dream Machine's.

Pexels ships an update every 2 weeks, Luma Dream Machine every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pexels | Luma Dream Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pexels/id1434330413/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luma-dream-machine/id6478852867/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **37K** | 1.8K |
| Positive reviews | **76.1% of reviews** | 33.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 75 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Canva Germany GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434330412) | [Luma AI, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615849916) |

## What reviewers say

### Pexels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pexels/id1434330413)

Access over 3 million free, high-resolution photos and videos donated by a global community. Discover diverse and inclusive imagery for any project, from social media to presentations. Upload your own work to inspire others and connect with fellow photographers.

**Highlights:** Unlimited access to 3M+ free photos and videos, Diverse and inclusive photography, Daily inspiration with trending images, Upload and share your own work, Organize favorites into collections, Support photographers through donations

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🌟 High-quality content
- 💰 Free to use
- 👍 Smooth operation
- 🎨 Great for creators

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Difficult navigation and search
- 🔀 Inconsistent user experience
- 🔑 Login/account problems
- 📥 Download failures

**Reported bugs**

- Repeated log-out issues
- Freezing and white screen problems
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between app and website
- Slow or failed downloads
- Search not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit/delete collections
- Filtering options (e.g. orientation, aspect ratio)
- Improved video functionality
- Multilingual support
- Better integration with other platforms


### Luma Dream Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luma-dream-machine/id6478852867)

Generate stunning images and videos with advanced AI models. This app allows you to create, edit, and explore visual ideas by simply describing them, even referencing existing images or your own style. It's designed for creators to bring their unique visions to life and share them with others.

**Highlights:** Create images and videos with AI, Edit visuals by describing changes, Reference existing styles and images, Generate consistent characters, Brainstorm and learn with creative queries, Share and remix creations

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lite | $9.99 | per month |
| Plus | $29.99 | per month |
| Unlimited | $94.99 | per month |
| Lite | $95.99 | per year |
| Plus | $289.99 | per year |
| Unlimited | $919.99 | per year |
| Dream Machine Credits | $4.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Blazing fast generation
- 🎨 Stunning visuals and designs
- 💡 Innovative brainstorming feature
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🤖 Seamless integration of AI as a creative partner

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent and unpredictable results
- ⏱️ Slow video rendering and processing times
- 💰 Expensive subscription model, charges for failed generations
- 🔄 Forced migration from web to app with reduced functionality
- 🤖 Limited understanding of user prompts and preferences

**Reported bugs**

- Video generation not working as expected
- Prompts not being understood correctly
- Inconsistent behavior across web and app versions
- Subscription and account management issues

**Requested features**

- Vertical format option for social media content
- Improved character creation and customization tools
- Better integration with external tools and workflows
- More transparency on queue times and generation credits
- Ability to downgrade or pause subscription plans


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pexels free?

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

### Is Luma Dream Machine free?

Luma Dream Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pexels or Luma Dream Machine?

Pexels is rated higher. Pexels averages 4.9 out of 5 from 37K ratings, while Luma Dream Machine averages 4.5 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Pexels or Luma Dream Machine have ads?

Neither Pexels nor Luma Dream Machine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pexels or Luma Dream Machine?

Pexels ships an update every 2 weeks, and Luma Dream Machine every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pexels was updated on October 25, 2026 and Luma Dream Machine on October 25, 2026.

---

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