--- title: "Pexels vs Unsplash: Which is searched more?" description: "Is Pexels or Unsplash more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Stock photo libraries set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/stock-photo-libraries/compare/pexels-vs-unsplash" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Pexels vs Unsplash: Which is searched more? Is Pexels or Unsplash more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Stock photo libraries set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Pexels and Unsplash - **Competitive set**: Stock photo libraries - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Pexels Share of Search**: 25.4% - **Unsplash Share of Search**: 17% ## Is Pexels or Unsplash more popular in search? - In September 2026, Pexels had more branded searches than Unsplash among stock photo libraries worldwide. Pexels had about 2.2 million branded searches, while Unsplash had 1.5 million. Pexels made up 25.4% of all stock photo library searches we track, and Unsplash accounted for 17%. - Pexels was ahead of Unsplash in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pexels’ share of searches among stock photo libraries worldwide moved from 24.3% to 25.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.7M to 2.2M. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Unsplash’s share of searches among stock photo libraries worldwide moved from 19.9% to 17%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2M to 1.5M. ## Top stock photo libraries in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Unsplash appeared in all five answers. Pexels was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Unsplash was listed before Pexels in every answer. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Unsplash | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Pexels | 2nd | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Getty Images | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | iStock | 4th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Pixabay | 5th | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Alamy | 6th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Depositphotos | 7th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | 123RF | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about stock photo libraries - Asked ChatGPT "Which stock photo library should I use?": 1. Unsplash, 2. Getty Images - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best stock photo libraries?": 1. Getty Images, 2. Unsplash, 3. Pexels, 4. iStock, 5. Alamy, 6. Depositphotos, 7. Pixabay - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best stock photo library for creative projects?": 1. Unsplash, 2. Pexels - Searched Google, AI Overview "royalty free photos": 1. Unsplash, 2. Pexels, 3. Pixabay - Searched Google, AI Overview "stock photos for websites": 1. Unsplash, 2. Pexels, 3. iStock, 4. Pixabay, 5. Getty Images Not named in any answer: 123RF. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in the United States on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for stock photo libraries worldwide in September 2026? - In September 2026, Pexels lost share of searches among stock photo libraries worldwide, from 28.3% to 25.4%. - In September 2026, Unsplash lost share of searches among stock photo libraries worldwide, from 19% to 17%. ## Month by month | Month | Pexels estimated searches | Pexels Share of Search | Pexels rank | Unsplash estimated searches | Unsplash Share of Search | Unsplash rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 2.7M | 24.3% | 2 | 2.2M | 19.9% | 3 | | Nov 2025 | 2.7M | 24.8% | 2 | 2.2M | 20.3% | 3 | | Dec 2025 | 2.7M | 26.2% | 2 | 1.8M | 17.5% | 3 | | Jan 2026 | 2.7M | 26.1% | 2 | 1.8M | 17.4% | 3 | | Feb 2026 | 2.7M | 28.1% | 2 | 1.8M | 18.7% | 3 | | Mar 2026 | 2.7M | 24.1% | 2 | 2.2M | 19.7% | 3 | | Apr 2026 | 2.7M | 26.1% | 2 | 1.8M | 17.4% | 3 | | May 2026 | 2.7M | 28.3% | 2 | 1.8M | 18.9% | 3 | | Jun 2026 | 2.2M | 25.4% | 2 | 1.5M | 17% | 3 | | Jul 2026 | 2.2M | 27.4% | 2 | 1.5M | 18.3% | 3 | | Aug 2026 | 2.2M | 28.3% | 2 | 1.5M | 19% | 3 | | Sep 2026 | 2.2M | 25.4% | 2 | 1.5M | 17% | 3 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pexels’ and Unsplash’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **Pexels**: Measured on the search term “pexels”. - **Unsplash**: Measured on the search term “unsplash”. - [Pexels profile](/demand/global-en/brands/pexels) - [Unsplash profile](/demand/global-en/brands/unsplash) - [All stock photo libraries worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/stock-photo-libraries): The set both shares are measured inside, 8 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Pexels or Unsplash more popular in search? In September 2026, Pexels had more branded searches than Unsplash among stock photo libraries worldwide. Pexels had about 2.2 million branded searches, while Unsplash had 1.5 million. Pexels made up 25.4% of all stock photo library searches we track, and Unsplash accounted for 17%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Pexels vs Unsplash: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/stock-photo-libraries/compare/pexels-vs-unsplash This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/stock-photo-libraries/compare/pexels-vs-unsplash. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.