Comparison

YouTube Studio vs Pexels

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

YouTube Studio

Manage your YouTube channel on the go. Track performance with detailed analytics, engage with your community by replying to comments, and update video details. Apply for monetization to start earning.

Highlights
  • Channel dashboard overview
  • Detailed analytics
  • Comment management
  • Content updates
  • Monetization application
Read full description

The official YouTube Studio app is the best way for you to understand and connect with the people in your community using the device you always have with you. Use the app to: - Get a quick overview of how your content and channel are performing with the new Channel Dashboard. - Understand how your channel and different types of content are performing thanks to detailed Analytics. You can also see performance data for different types of content in the Analytics tab. - Cultivate a deep relationship with your audience with the ability to sort and filter comments to find the most important conversations in your community. - Make changes to the look and feel of your channel, and manage individual pieces of content by updating the information for individual videos, shorts, and livestreams. - Start a business on YouTube by applying for the YouTube Partner Program so you can get access to monetization.

About

Pexels

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
Read full description

The Pexels app gives you unlimited access to over 3 million free, high-resolution photos and videos. Our beautiful library is donated by a global community of talented photographers who share their work for everyone to use freely. And you can be part of that community. Use Pexels photos and videos as wallpapers, in presentations, on social media, or wherever you choose! The most diverse free photos and videos Powered by an algorithm and curated by our team, you’ll find inclusive, diverse and true photography with every search. We’re constantly improving our results and library, so if we missed the mark, let us know and we’ll fix it. A daily dose of inspiration With fresh, new photos and videos added every day, find your inspiration by browsing the top trending images or curated collections. Pexels is for everyone Grab your phone or camera and join us. Upload your photos to reach millions and see the positive impact your work can have. Not only can you track your success as your photos get viewed and downloaded, you’ll also get to hear from the people using your imagery all around the world—from major publications to meaningful non-profits. Plus, we’ll connect you with the global community of Pexels photographers to help you level up your skills and stay inspired. Give back to artists After downloading, choose to support the photographers who make Pexels possible by donating to their PayPal or saying thanks on social media. Create a collection Organize and share your favorite photos and videos with the collect tool. With a Pexels account, you can save your work on both mobile and desktop.

Screenshots

YouTube Studio4 screens
Pexels4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pexels at 4.9 against YouTube Studio's 4.1. Pexels also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 50%) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). YouTube Studio's advantage is chart position (#13 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pexels holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26K and 37K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of YouTube Studio's written reviews are positive against 76% of Pexels's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

YouTube Studio ships an update weekly, Pexels every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
YouTube Studio versus Pexels: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterYouTube StudioPexels
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (26K ratings)4.9 (37K ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.5% of reviews76.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings26K37K — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#13 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size157 MB75 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperGoogleCanva Germany GmbH

Customer experience

YouTube Studio

All ratings26,090 ratings
Positive75.1%
Neutral7.0%
Negative17.9%
Written reviews1,294 reviews
Positive50.5%
Neutral13.9%
Negative35.6%

Pexels

All ratings36,621 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews1,113 reviews
Positive76.0%
Neutral5.2%
Negative18.8%

User reviews

YouTube Studio

From 26K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 📊 Helpful analytics
  • 👍 Great for small channels
  • 🎨 Customizable thumbnails

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • ⚠️ Limited functionality compared to desktop
  • 🔒 Verification issues for custom thumbnails
  • 💤 Slow performance and loading times

Pexels

From 37K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

YouTube Studio

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent view/like/subscriber counts
  • Unable to upload/edit videos
  • Crashes when trying to change thumbnails
  • Verification process not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to edit videos and create end screens
  • Improve comment management features
  • Allow more channel customization options
  • Integrate live streaming capabilities

Pexels

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

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

In-app purchases

None

YouTube Studio

No in-app purchases

None

Pexels

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is YouTube Studio free?
YouTube Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pexels free?
Pexels is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, YouTube Studio or Pexels?
Pexels is rated higher. YouTube Studio averages 4.1 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Pexels averages 4.9 from 37K ratings.
Do YouTube Studio or Pexels have ads?
Neither YouTube Studio nor Pexels shows ads.
Which is updated more often, YouTube Studio or Pexels?
YouTube Studio ships an update weekly, and Pexels every 2 weeks. Most recently, YouTube Studio was updated on November 5, 2026 and Pexels on November 5, 2026.

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