Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay: what their licenses actually allow

Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay each offer royalty-free images at no charge, but their licenses have meaningful differences in what you can and cannot do commercially. None of these platforms guarantee that every image in their catalog is truly free of third-party claims. Using an image from any of them without understanding the license terms can still expose you to a copyright demand.

Why "free" does not always mean "safe"

The word "free" on a stock photo platform means you pay no download fee. It does not mean the image is in the public domain or that all uses are permitted. Contributors to these platforms upload images they claim to own, but errors and fraud do occur. An image that appears on Pexels today may also appear in a Getty or Shutterstock library under a paid license.

Beyond contributor errors, each platform's license has its own restrictions. Knowing those restrictions before you publish an image saves you from costly surprises later.

Unsplash license: what you can and cannot do

The Unsplash License permits free use of all photos for commercial and personal purposes without attribution. You can use photos in products, marketing, websites, and apps. Unsplash does not require you to credit the photographer, though the platform encourages you to do so.

What is not allowed under the Unsplash License:

• Selling the photo itself as a standalone product (reselling unmodified prints to end consumers is prohibited without additional permission)
• Using photos in a way that implies a person in the photo endorses your product
• Compiling a stock photo competitor service using Unsplash images

One important nuance: Unsplash has a growing partnership with Getty Images and allows Getty to monetize certain images. A photo on Unsplash today could be subject to additional terms in the future if the contributor reclassifies it.

Pexels license: clean and permissive

Pexels operates under its own license, which is similar to Creative Commons Zero (CC0) in practice. You can use all photos and videos for free, modify them, and use them commercially without attribution.

Restrictions under the Pexels license:

• You cannot sell unaltered copies of Pexels photos as prints or on physical products like mugs or T-shirts unless you add substantial creative value
• You cannot imply that people pictured endorse your products or services
• You cannot use images in a defamatory or offensive context

Pexels explicitly states that photos "may depict identifiable people" and that you are responsible for obtaining any required model releases for commercial use that includes implied product endorsement.

Pixabay license: broad but with a print restriction

Pixabay images are released under the Pixabay License, which allows commercial use, modification, and redistribution without attribution. Like Pexels, Pixabay specifically prohibits selling unmodified photos or videos as prints or on merchandise.

Key differences on Pixabay:

• Pixabay also hosts vectors, illustrations, and videos, each under the same license
• Pixabay's license was updated in 2019. Images downloaded before that date under Creative Commons CC0 retain those terms; images downloaded after fall under the newer Pixabay License, which is slightly more restrictive
• Some Pixabay photos are contributed by Shutterstock, labeled "Sponsored Images." These require a Shutterstock subscription and are NOT covered by the free Pixabay License

That last point catches many site owners off guard. Sponsored Images displayed in Pixabay search results look identical to free images until you click through to the detail page.

Side-by-side license comparison

Feature	Unsplash	Pexels	Pixabay
Attribution required	No (encouraged)	No	No
Commercial use allowed	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sell photos as prints	No	No (without value add)	No (without value add)
Modify images	Yes	Yes	Yes
Use in ads	Yes	Yes	Yes
Product endorsement implied	No	No	No
Paid images mixed in	Partial (Getty partnership)	No	Yes (Shutterstock)
AI-generated images present	Growing	Growing	Growing

The AI image problem on free stock platforms

All three platforms now host AI-generated images uploaded by contributors. AI-generated images raise a separate copyright question: US Copyright Office guidance (as of 2024) holds that purely AI-generated images may not be eligible for copyright protection. This matters in two ways.

First, if you use an AI-generated image from one of these platforms, no one may own it, which is generally safe for you as a user. Second, some AI-generated images incorporate copyrighted training data in ways that are still being litigated, creating residual risk for commercial use. PixGuard's AI image detector can flag images that show signs of AI generation so you know what you are working with before publishing.

Hidden risks even with a valid license

Even a properly licensed image from Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay can create problems:

• Contributor fraud: A contributor may have uploaded an image that belongs to someone else. The platform's license does not protect you if a legitimate rights holder pursues a claim.
• Model and property releases: Licenses do not include model or property releases. Using a recognizable person's image in a commercial endorsement context without a release can trigger right-of-publicity claims that are separate from copyright.
• Trademark in photos: A photo featuring a trademarked logo prominently may implicate trademark law regardless of the image license.

Running your site through PixGuard's copyright risk scanner can identify images that match known stock agency fingerprints, helping you catch cases where a "free" image may actually be a licensed asset uploaded without authorization. The watermark detection tool can also surface invisible stock-agency watermarks that are not visible to the naked eye.

What to do if you get a demand letter for a free platform image

Receiving a demand letter over an image you downloaded from a free platform is jarring but not unheard of. Do not ignore it. If you have documentation that you downloaded the image from Pexels, Unsplash, or Pixabay (a download confirmation, browser history, or screenshot of the source page), preserve that evidence immediately.

The platform licenses offer some protection, but they are contract terms between you and the platform, not a shield against a third-party rights holder who claims the contributor uploaded their image without permission. You may need to involve an attorney if the demand is substantial. For context on how damages in copyright cases are structured, see our guide on copyright statutory damages per image.

Best practices for using free stock photos safely

1. Download images directly from the platform and keep a record of the download date, platform, and URL.
2. Check whether the image is labeled as a sponsored or paid image before downloading.
3. Avoid using images of recognizable people in commercial endorsement contexts without verifying that a model release exists.
4. Run images through PixGuard to verify they do not match a paid stock library fingerprint.
5. For high-stakes commercial use (product packaging, large ad campaigns), consider purchasing a rights-managed license from a reputable agency even if a free version of the image exists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to credit Unsplash photographers? Attribution is not legally required under the Unsplash License, but the platform encourages it. Crediting the photographer costs you nothing and supports the community that keeps the platform free.

Can I use Pexels images on merchandise I sell? Not if you are selling unmodified copies of the photo. The Pexels license prohibits selling the photo itself as a product. If you incorporate the image into original artwork or a design with substantial creative input, you may be able to, but verify whether a model or property release exists for your specific use.

Are Pixabay "Sponsored Images" free to use? No. Sponsored Images on Pixabay require a Shutterstock subscription. They appear in search results alongside free images. Always check the image detail page before downloading.

What if I downloaded an image years ago from one of these platforms? Your license is determined by the terms that applied at the time of download. Pixabay changed its license in 2019, so pre-2019 downloads may have been under CC0. Keep records of when and where you downloaded each image.

Can PixGuard verify whether my free stock images are actually risk-free? PixGuard scans images against known stock agency fingerprints and checks for watermark and metadata signals that suggest a paid library origin. It cannot guarantee that a contributor did not fraudulently upload someone else's image, but it surfaces the risk signals that warrant a closer look.

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Run a free scan at PixGuard to check whether any images on your site match paid stock library fingerprints. Even images sourced from free platforms are worth a quick review before you face an unexpected demand letter.