Brandwave

How popular isPexels in search?

In September 2026, there were an estimated 2.2M branded searches for Pexels worldwide which is down 18.2% over the last 12 months. Pexels holds 26.2% estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide and is ranked 1st of 6 competitors for search popularity. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.

Share of Search, September 2026
  1. Pexels26.2%
  2. Adobe Stock21.4%
  3. Shutterstock18.6%
  4. Unsplash17.5%
  5. Getty Images11.8%
  6. iStock4.5%
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Where does Pexels compete?

Pexels is ranked in two competitor sets. Each share is worked out among that set's brands, so it differs from set to set.
Competitor setRankShare of SearchRanking
Stock image sites1st of 626.2%Shown below
Stock footage libraries1st of 542.8%Show ranking

Which stock image sites compete with Pexels?

Pexels against stock image sites worldwide, by month

Share of Search by month for Pexels, Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Unsplash, Getty Images, iStock. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of search table
MonthPexelsAdobe StockShutterstockUnsplashGetty ImagesiStock
Oct 202522.6%22.6%21.5%18.4%10.1%4.9%
Nov 202524.9%20.3%20%20.3%9.2%5.3%
Dec 202526.1%21.3%20.9%17.4%9.6%4.7%
Jan 202626.1%21.3%20.9%17.4%9.6%4.6%
Feb 202626.9%22%18.4%18%9.9%4.7%
Mar 202623.6%23.6%18.9%19.3%10.6%4.2%
Apr 202626.9%22%18.4%18%9.9%4.8%
May 202627.2%22.2%18.5%18.2%10%3.9%
Jun 202624%24%20.9%16%11%4.2%
Jul 202625.9%21.2%19.3%17.4%11.7%4.5%
Aug 202626.7%21.8%19.9%17.9%9.9%3.8%
Sep 202626.2%21.4%18.6%17.5%11.8%4.5%

  1. 1.Pexels

    26.2%

    Held 1st. 2.2M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.5 points.

  2. 2.Adobe Stock

    21.4%

    Held 2nd. 1.8M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.

  3. 3.Shutterstock

    18.6%

    Held 3rd. 1.6M estimated branded searches, -4.9% vs prior month. Share -1.3 points.

  4. 4.Unsplash

    17.5%

    Held 4th. 1.5M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.3 points.

  5. 5.Getty Images

    11.8%

    Held 5th. 1M estimated branded searches, +21.5% vs prior month. Share +1.9 points.

  6. 6.iStock

    4.5%

    Held 6th. 384K estimated branded searches, +21.2% vs prior month. Share +0.7 points.

Compare search popularity between Pexels and its closest rivals

Every comparison with Pexels

How has branded search demand for Pexels changed worldwide over the last 12 months?

  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Pexels worldwide fell from 2.7M to 2.2M.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pexels’ estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide increased from 22.6% to 26.2%.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pexels’ estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide peaked at 27.2% in May 2026 and was lowest at 22.6% in October 2025.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pexels rose from 2nd to 1st among stock image sites worldwide.

How did search popularity change for stock image sites worldwide in September 2026?

  1. In September 2026, Getty Images gained estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide, from 9.9% to 11.8%.

  2. In September 2026, iStock gained estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide, from 3.8% to 4.5%.

  3. In September 2026, Shutterstock lost estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide, from 19.9% to 18.6%.

  4. In September 2026, Pexels lost estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide, from 26.7% to 26.2%.

  5. Estimated monthly branded searches for Adobe Stock worldwide fell 33.2% over 12 measured months, from 2.7M to 1.8M in September 2026.

  6. Estimated monthly branded searches for Unsplash worldwide fell 33% over 12 measured months, from 2.2M to 1.5M in September 2026.

How is Pexels measured?

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pexels’ name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.

1 branded search term

  • pexels

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How the Brand Demand Index is measured

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