# Flickr vs Unsplash

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Unsplash at none against Flickr's 2. Unsplash also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5). Flickr's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flickr sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.00 per month. Unsplash asks for nothing beyond the download.

Unsplash holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15K and 13K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Flickr's written reviews are positive against 75% of Unsplash's.

Flickr ships an update every 2 weeks, Unsplash every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flickr | Unsplash |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flickr/id328407587/reviews) | **[4.9 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unsplash/id1290631746/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | 69.7% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 114 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Flickr, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465828283) | [Unsplash Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1165050870) |

## What reviewers say

### Flickr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flickr/id328407587)

Connect with a global community of photographers to share and discover billions of images. Easily organize, edit, and upload your photos from any device. Find inspiration and connect with like-minded individuals.

**Highlights:** Photo uploading and sharing, Photo editing tools, Discover inspiration, Join photography groups, Organize photos easily

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MONTHLY PLAN | $11.00 | per month |
| ANNUAL PLAN | $82.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent platform for photographers
- 📚 Great for storing and organizing photos
- 🌟 Wonderful community of photographers
- 🖼️ High-quality photo display
- 🔍 Useful search and discovery features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Restrictive free account limits
- 💰 Expensive pro subscription
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🤖 Aggressive AI content moderation
- 📤 Difficult photo upload and organization

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Unreliable photo uploads
- Inconsistent account management
- Inaccurate photo metadata display
- Glitches in group and album features

**Requested features**

- Improved mobile app functionality
- Better photo editing and management tools
- Easier sharing and collaboration options
- Expanded free account capabilities
- More responsive customer support


### 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 Flickr free?

Flickr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Unsplash free?

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

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

Unsplash is rated higher. Flickr averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Unsplash averages 4.9 from 13K ratings.

### Do Flickr or Unsplash have ads?

Neither Flickr nor Unsplash shows ads.

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

Flickr ships an update every 2 weeks, and Unsplash every 3 weeks. Most recently, Flickr was updated on September 25, 2026 and Unsplash on September 25, 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.*