Unsplash vs Pexels vs Pixabay: Which Platform Gets You More Exposure?

If you're uploading photos to free stock platforms, you've probably wondered: which one is actually worth your time? Especially when you consider the hidden costs of free stock contributions, the platform you choose matters.

Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay are the big three. Each has millions of monthly visitors and hosts millions of photos. But they're not identical.

Here's what you need to know as a photographer.

The Numbers

As of late 2025:

Platform	Monthly Visitors	Total Photos	Photographer Competition
Pixabay	~36 million	4+ million	High
Pexels	~33 million	3+ million	Medium
Unsplash	~23 million	4+ million	Medium-High

Traffic-wise, Pixabay leads. But raw traffic isn't the only metric that matters.

Unsplash: The Prestige Platform

Best for: Photographers who want brand association and creative credibility.

Unsplash has cultivated a reputation for high-quality, editorial-style photography. It's owned by Getty Images, which says something about its positioning.

Pros: - Strong brand recognition - Curated featured collections - Used by major tech companies and startups - Clean, photographer-focused interface

Cons: - Highly competitive for featured spots - Your photos compete with professional photographers - Downloads don't always translate to credits

The audience: Designers, marketers, and tech companies who care about aesthetics. If your photo shows up on a Y Combinator startup's homepage, it came from Unsplash.

Pexels: The Balanced Option

Best for: Photographers who want steady downloads across different content types.

Pexels sits between Unsplash's prestige and Pixabay's volume. It has a good reputation without being as competitive.

Pros: - Good download volume - Less competition than Unsplash for featured spots - Strong video section (Pexels Videos) - Active community

Cons: - Less brand prestige than Unsplash - Quality varies more than Unsplash

The audience: Bloggers, small businesses, content creators. More practical users who need good photos fast.

Pixabay: The Volume Play

Best for: Photographers who want maximum downloads and don't mind the mixed-quality environment.

Pixabay has the most traffic but also the most content. Standing out is harder, but the sheer volume means more potential downloads.

Pros: - Highest traffic - Accepts illustrations and vectors too - Large international audience - Less strict curation

Cons: - Quality perception is lower - More AI-generated content appearing - Harder to stand out - Less photographer prestige

The audience: Budget-conscious content creators, international users, people who need "good enough" images quickly.

Which Platform Actually Gets Your Photos Used?

Here's what matters for backlink potential:

High-traffic sites tend to use Unsplash. If you want your photos on Forbes, TechCrunch, or major company blogs, Unsplash gives you better odds.

Bloggers and small businesses spread across all three. The long tail of content creators uses whatever platform they find first.

International sites favor Pixabay. Its larger global footprint means more diverse usage.

For pure download numbers, Pixabay often wins. For prestige placements, Unsplash wins. Pexels is the middle ground.

The Multi-Platform Strategy

Many photographers upload to all three. Here's why that makes sense:

Different audiences. Each platform reaches different users. Why limit yourself?
Different algorithms. Your photo might get featured on one platform but buried on another.
More total exposure. Simple math: three platforms = three times the visibility.
Diversified backlinks. Sites reference different platforms. Being on all three means more potential credits.

The downside is time. Uploading, tagging, and managing three profiles takes effort.

What the Platforms Won't Tell You

None of these platforms help you track where your photos end up. They show downloads, not usage.

You could have a photo on the New York Times website and never know it. (Learn how to find websites using your photos.)

This is by design. The platforms want frictionless downloads. Adding usage tracking would slow things down and potentially reduce downloads.

For photographers who care about attribution and backlinks, this is a significant blind spot. You're contributing valuable content with no visibility into the return.

The Bottom Line

Choose Unsplash if: You want prestige placements and care about brand association. Your photos are editorial-quality and you can compete with professionals.

Choose Pexels if: You want a balance of quality and volume. Good for photographers building a consistent presence.

Choose Pixabay if: You want maximum downloads and don't mind the mixed environment. Good for niche content that might get lost on smaller platforms.

Choose all three if: You have the time and want maximum exposure. This is the optimal strategy for backlink building.

Regardless of which platform you choose, remember: downloads are just the first step. The real value comes from turning those downloads into backlinks—a process that starts with understanding your attribution rights and knowing whether you legally deserve credit under each platform's license.

No matter which platform you use, Backlink Harvest helps you find and reclaim your photo credits. Join the waitlist to learn more.