Online Stock Images

Pixabay: The Best Platform for Free Royalty-Free Images

Discover why this royalty-free image platform is a top choice for your creative projects. Read the article to learn more!

4.4

/5 | 33 reviews ⭐️

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🟢 Free Version

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🗺 HQ :Allemagne

📆 Last Update :

10/2025

📊 Key Takeaways

Pixabay is a royalty-free image bank founded in Germany that offers free photos and videos for your digital creativity!

Pixabay search bar

Whether you are a blogger, graphic designer, SME, or student, this international platform allows you to access free and royalty-free content from your search engine or its app (Android, iPhone, iPad). This resource from photographers and videographers offers personal or commercial use without mandatory attribution.

What is Pixabay?

Pixabay is a community media library that offers:

  • Over one million high-resolution images (photos, illustrations, vectors).
  • A vast collection of videos, sound effects, and free music.
  • An international community of contributors who constantly enrich the platform.

Pixabay guarantees the legality and free use of its content thanks to its Pixabay license, covering personal and commercial uses without the need for attribution.

Diversity of Pixabay Content 3

How to download on Pixabay? ⬇️

  • Type a keyword, filter by format (photo, illustration, video).
  • Click on the preview to see details (resolution, size).
  • Choose the desired size and click Download (no registration required for standard sizes).
  • Download via the iOS app (iPad, iPhone) or the Android version.

Freedom of use: free and without constraints

✅ Pixabay — Freedom of use: free and without constraints (2025)
🔎 Aspect ✅ Advantages 🌟 ❌ Potential Limitations ⚠️ 📝 Notes & conditions
Download – Free download
– Quick access without friction
– Maximum size without account limited
– Possible captcha/anti-bot quotas
– Free account for XXL sizes & download history
License & attribution – Personal & commercial use allowed
– No attribution required
– Credit appreciated by authors but not mandatory – Dedicated Pixabay license (different from pure CC0); review license page before sensitive use
Quality & content – Wide variety of images, videos, vectors & audio
– Collections & favorites for organization
– Quality varies by contributor
– Some sponsored content highlighted
– “Editorial/Commercial” filter useful to refine search
Allowed uses – Reuse and modification (cropping, text, filters)
– Web, social media, print, video use
– No exclusive ownership claim on unmodified media – Creative derivatives allowed; avoid simple redistribution “as is”
Legal restrictions – Models & property often covered by generic permissions – Logos/brands, recognizable faces: caution with use (no implicit endorsement)
– Prohibited to use in defamatory, misleading or sensitive ways
– Check specific needs: image rights, trademarks, protected artworks/architecture
Resale & redistribution – Possible in a transformed final product (poster, template, montage) – Prohibited to resell/redistribute the work “as is” on other image banks – Add creative or functional value (layout, pack, design)

Terms of use and Pixabay license 🔑

  • Pixabay License: equivalent to a “Creative Commons Zero” license; no attribution required.
  • Commercial use allowed: marketing materials, websites, printed publications.
  • No resale: redistribution of files as-is is prohibited.
  • Copyright verification: Pixabay ensures compliance, but the user remains responsible in case of disputed use.
Diversity of Pixabay Content 1

Mobile app and specific features

📱 Pixabay — Mobile app: handy features (2025)
✨ Feature 📝 Description 🔎 Notes & limitations
🎤 Voice search – Find images/videos by dictating the query (search field supports voice dictation) – Depends on keyboard/OS (iOS/Android) and enabled language
– Result quality linked to recognized keywords
📂 Organized collections – Save favorites and create themed collections
– Share a collection link with collaborators
– Pixabay account required for multi-device sync
– Visibility: private or link sharing (depending on settings)
🌐 Offline download – One-touch downloads (size options) for later access without connection – Files stored in device gallery/files
– Respect Pixabay license (commercial use OK, limits on people/brands)
🔔 Trending notifications – Alerts on popular content, new items, and followed keywords – Opt-in notifications (to activate in app/OS)
– Adjustable frequency or can be disabled
⚙️ Quick in-app tools – Light cropping/resizing before export
– Format choice (JPEG/PNG for images, MP4 for videos)
– Basic editing; advanced retouching to be done in dedicated tools
🧠 Keyword suggestions – Autosuggestion and related tags to refine mobile search – Trends vary by season and query popularity

User reviews and community

  • Positive feedback: ease of use, media quality, search speed.
  • Suggestions: further expand sponsored content, improve video sorting.
  • Community forum: exchanges, photo contests, and editing tutorials.
Diversity of Pixabay Content 2

Key features of Pixabay

🌟 Pixabay — Essential features (2025)
🔧 Feature 📋 Detailed description 📝 Notes & limitations 2025
Advanced search 🧐 – Filters: orientation, color, size, type (photo, illustration, vector, video)
– Sort by relevance/popularity; SafeSearch toggle
– Filters also available via API (image_type, colors, orientation, safesearch, order)
Keyword suggestions 🔍 – Assisted input & associated keywords
– Quick access to trends (e.g. “Trending”, “Wallpapers”)
– Trends vary by season and site activity
One-click download ⬇️ – Direct selection of resolution/quality
– Common formats: JPEG/PNG (images), SVG (vectors), MP4 (videos)
– Pixabay license: commercial use allowed, no attribution required, but restrictions on logos/brands/recognizable people
Pixabay API 🚀 – REST API (free key) to search/retrieve images & videos
– Rich parameters (categories, colors, orientation, language)
– Cache and source credit may be required depending on integration
Collections & favorites 📂 – Save favorites; create private/shared collections
– Organization by themes (images, videos, audio)
– Requires an account; link sharing possible
Royalty-free audio content 🎵 – Free music & sound effects (common audio formats)
– Use for videos, podcasts, games, ads
– Check third-party rights (brands/voices/samples) when applicable
Online editing tools ✂️ – Basic cropping/resizing from media page (“Edit image”)
– Quick adjustments before download
– Simple editor (for light retouching; advanced edits off-site)
AI-generated images 🤖 – Dedicated categories for AI visuals; filters by style/subject
– Downloads under Pixabay License (same basic rules)
– Commercial use allowed; caution with sensitive subjects (people/brands)

Conclusion: Get started today!

Pixabay is the ideal solution for your creative projects: free, legal, varied, and simple.

Try the mobile app, discover the richness of vector illustrations, and dive into an active community. Download, create, share – your content is waiting for you!

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Customer Support

Pixabay can assist you during your searches in their free image bank, videos, images, or photos through their support:

  • Communication channel: Pixabay favors forums to answer questions rather than traditional support channels.
  • Other contact methods: The Pixabay site also offers a contact form and an email address for those who prefer this method.
  • Responsiveness: The Pixabay team responded in less than 24 hours, resolving the issue quickly.

Pixabay Forum

Pixabay Forum

This is the ideal place to ask your questions related to Pixabay’s free image bank:

  • Interactivity: Pixabay members are active and ready to help.
  • Advantage: Many common questions already have answers, allowing for quick solutions.

Forms and Emails

More traditional ways to get in touch with the Pixabay team:

  • Advantage: Ideal for those who prefer more direct communication with Pixabay.
  • Response time: In our experience, the response time was under 24 hours, which is quite impressive for a free image bank.

If you encounter any issues with Pixabay, don’t hesitate to use their multiple support channels. They are responsive and ready to help.

Final Review of Pixabay

Pixabay remains a major reference among free image banks. For anyone looking for quality free media, it is often the essential starting point.

Its rich content, especially its landscape photographs and vector images, makes discovering captivating visuals easy. However, depending on the version of your query and the precision of your keywords, the search may sometimes require more in-depth exploration.

Despite its free nature and simplified Pixabay license, it is essential to verify usage rights, especially for business or commercial purposes. Even though attribution is generally not required, increased caution is necessary regarding sensitive content or content subject to third-party rights.

In conclusion, Pixabay offers a powerful and free service for your personal or professional projects. To diversify your website or surprise your visitors, don’t hesitate to compare it with other platforms like Pexels or Unsplash to enrich your visual library.

FAQ

Can videos or photographs be downloaded for free for commercial purposes?

All resources (photos, videos, vector images) are free under the Pixabay license. You can use them for:

  • Company marketing materials.
  • Web or printed publications.
  • Presentations intended for your visitors or clients.

How to embed an external blog post linked to a Pixabay image?

When previewing an image, click “Share” then “Copy article link.” Paste this URL into your CMS to embed an “About the image” box and enrich your article.

What legal terms govern the use of Pixabay photographs by visitors?

The Pixabay license (CC0) waives attribution and authorizes personal and commercial use. The only condition: do not resell the raw files. Your business or your website visitors are thus legally protected.

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