What is the difference between iStock and Pexels for Redistribution?

iStock (Essential): no. Pexels (Free): limited.

What is the difference between iStock and Pexels for Print Use?

iStock (Essential): limited. Pexels (Free): yes.

What is the difference between iStock and Pexels for Indemnification?

iStock (Essential): yes. Pexels (Free): no.

What is the difference between iStock and Pexels for Refund Policy?

iStock (Essential): limited. Pexels (Free): no.

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iStock vs Pexels

Side-by-side comparison of licensing terms between iStock and Pexels.

License Comparison

Hover or tap any field name to see what it means. Highlighted rows indicate differences.

Field	iStock Visit iStock	Pexels Free · Free Visit Pexels
	✓	✓
	✓	✓
	✓	✓
	Not required	Not required
	✗	✗
	✗	~You cannot sell unmodified copies or redistribute on competing stock photo platforms.
	~Print runs are capped at 500,000 copies per image under the Essential collection license.	✓
	✓	✓
	✓	✓
	✓Published	✓Published
	✓	✗
	~	✗

Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

iStock:

iStock

Essential

Visit Platform

Pexels

Free

Visit Platform

Price

From $12/image

Free

Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

Download

Yes

Commercial Use

Yes

Editing

Yes

Attribution

Exclusive Rights

Redistribution

You cannot sell unmodified copies or redistribute on competing stock photo platforms.

Print Use

Print runs are capped at 500,000 copies per image under the Essential collection license.

Yes

Digital Use

Yes

Client Work

Yes

Survives Cancellation

Forever

iStock:

iStock is owned by Getty Images - licensing terms closely mirror Getty's royalty-free license but at different price points.

Editorial images on iStock cannot be used for commercial purposes and are restricted to informational contexts.

Pexels:

You cannot sell unmodified Pexels photos as prints, posters, or digital downloads.

Some content on Pexels is sponsored or partner-provided and may carry additional restrictions.

Key Differences

Fields where these platforms differ

Redistribution

iStock:✗

Pexels:~You cannot sell unmodified copies or redistribute on competing stock photo platforms.

Print Use

iStock:~Print runs are capped at 500,000 copies per image under the Essential collection license.

Pexels:✓

Indemnification

iStock:✓

Pexels:✗

Refund Policy

iStock:~

Pexels:✗

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Informational Only - Not Legal Advice

LicenseOrg provides informational summaries of platform license terms for educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Always consult the platform’s official license page and a qualified legal professional.

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