4.7/5
G2 rating
105 reviews
Report
Should I Use Unsplash?
Beautiful free images & pictures
Worth it
Worth itBuy if you need attractive free stock photos for websites, blogs, or apps — it's the category default, and the core library costs nothing.
Free, high-quality stock photos — the default pick for web content; risky for ads needing model releases.
Confidence: Medium
Yes
Free tier
Full photo library + API
2013
Founded
Launched by Crew
$8.8M
Funding
Per Crunchbase
Value for money
5
Core library and API are free
Ease of use
5
Reviewers repeatedly call it very easy
Feature depth
3
Photos, API, paid tier; fewer asset types
Security posture
3
Security page published; no public vulns found
Pros
Cons
Gotchas
- highLicense excludes model/property releases — avoid recognizable people or branding in ads²
- mediumBest images increasingly sit behind the Unsplash+ subscription⁷
- mediumUnsplash+ pricing not clearly listed in public sources³
- mediumThird-party WordPress plugins connecting to Unsplash have had CVEs — vet integrations11
Best for
- Bloggers and marketers needing free hero images
- Web and app designers
- Developers using the free photo API
- Budget-conscious content teams
Not for
- Ad campaigns needing model or property releases
- Editorial use requiring legal indemnification
- Photographers expecting income from contributions
- Teams needing video and illustrations at scale
Companies that use it
- Marq
- Brightidea
- Nextcloud
- Ultimate Member
Pricing
Free
$0
- Full community photo library
- Official API access
- Commercial use allowed, no releases
Unsplash+
Not publicly listed
- Exclusive premium content
- Unlimited downloads
Unsplash for Brands
Not disclosed
- Promoted brand imagery
Security
No known vulnerabilities in Unsplash itself; CVEs found affect third-party WordPress plugins, not Unsplash core.
- CVE-2025-5818 — Featured Image Plus WordPress plugin (third-party Unsplash integration)Vulnerability in the WordPress plugin, not in Unsplash's own service.11
- CVE-2021-24334 — Instant Images plugin (third-party Unsplash integration)Vulnerability in the WordPress plugin, not in Unsplash's own service.12
What users say
General users praise the free quality (4.7/5 G2), while photographers are split over the paywall and its effect on their profession.
“I think it is wonderful.”
“I think Unsplash is a very good op”
“Lately anything directly ”
Alternatives
Compare Unsplash with each alternative.
Pexels
Similar free library; also includes stock video.
Unsplash vs PexelsPixabay
Free photos, illustrations, and video in one place.
Unsplash vs PixabayLummi
AI-generated stock images positioned as an Unsplash+ alternative.
Getty Images
Paid stock with model releases and indemnification for commercial work.
Unsplash vs Getty ImagesFull analysis
Based on ~40 public sources; many review snippets were truncated, and Unsplash+ pricing was not verifiable from the evidence.
Sources
- Unsplash homepageunsplash.comofficial
- Unsplash Licenseunsplash.comofficial
- Unsplash+ pricingunsplash.comofficial
- Unsplash APIunsplash.comofficial
review
review
- PhotoClaim — Why You Shouldn't Use Photos from Unsplashphotoclaim.comreview
- PetaPixel — I Tried Unsplash for Two Yearspetapixel.comreview
review
security
- CVE-2021-24334 — Instant Images pluginnvd.nist.govsecurity
- Crunchbase — Unsplash funding ($8.8M)crunchbase.comnews
news
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