---
title: "Shutterstock vs Unsplash: Which is searched more?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, Shutterstock or Unsplash? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Stock image sites 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/compare/shutterstock-vs-unsplash"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Shutterstock vs Unsplash: Which is searched more?

Which is more popular in search, Shutterstock or Unsplash? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Stock image sites 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**: Shutterstock and Unsplash
- **Competitive set**: Stock image sites
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Shutterstock Share of Search**: 21.1%
- **Unsplash Share of Search**: 19.9%

## Which is more popular in search, Shutterstock or Unsplash?

- In September 2026, Shutterstock had more branded searches than Unsplash among stock image sites worldwide. Shutterstock was estimated to have 1.6M branded searches compared to Unsplash’s 1.5M, and held a 21.1% Share of Search versus Unsplash’s 19.9%.
- The lead changed hands 4 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Unsplash took it in November 2025, Shutterstock took it in December 2025, Unsplash took it in March 2026, Shutterstock took it in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Shutterstock’s estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide moved from 24% to 21.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.6M to 1.6M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Unsplash’s estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide moved from 20.6% to 19.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2M to 1.5M.

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

- In September 2026, Shutterstock lost estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide, from 22.1% to 21.1%.
- Unsplash’s estimated Share of Search among stock image sites worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 18% to 19.9% in September 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | Shutterstock estimated searches | Shutterstock Share of Search | Shutterstock rank | Unsplash estimated searches | Unsplash Share of Search | Unsplash rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 2.6M | 24% | 3 | 2.2M | 20.6% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | 2.2M | 22% | 4 | 2.2M | 22.5% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | 2.2M | 23.2% | 3 | 1.8M | 19.3% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | 2.2M | 23.2% | 3 | 1.8M | 19.3% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 1.9M | 20.4% | 3 | 1.8M | 20% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | 2.2M | 21.2% | 4 | 2.2M | 21.6% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | 1.9M | 20.5% | 3 | 1.8M | 20% | 4 |
| May 2026 | 1.9M | 20.6% | 3 | 1.8M | 20.2% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | 1.9M | 23.4% | 3 | 1.5M | 18% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | 1.7M | 21.9% | 3 | 1.5M | 19.7% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | 1.7M | 22.1% | 3 | 1.5M | 19.9% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | 1.6M | 21.1% | 3 | 1.5M | 19.9% | 4 |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Shutterstock’s 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.

- **Shutterstock**: Measured on the search terms “shutterstock” and “shutterstock contributor”, summed into one figure.
- **Unsplash**: Measured on the search term “unsplash”.

- [Shutterstock profile](/demand/global-en/brands/shutterstock)
- [Unsplash profile](/demand/global-en/brands/unsplash)
- [All stock image sites worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/stock-image-sites): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, Shutterstock or Unsplash?

In September 2026, Shutterstock had more branded searches than Unsplash among stock image sites worldwide. Shutterstock was estimated to have 1.6M branded searches compared to Unsplash’s 1.5M, and held a 21.1% Share of Search versus Unsplash’s 19.9%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Shutterstock vs Unsplash: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/shutterstock-vs-unsplash

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/shutterstock-vs-unsplash. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.