Pexels vs Shutterstock:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Pexels had more branded searches than Shutterstock among stock image sites in New Zealand. Pexels was estimated to have 6K branded searches compared to Shutterstock’s 3.3K, and held a 16.6% Share of Search versus Shutterstock’s 9.1%.
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Which is more popular in search, Pexels or Shutterstock?
Compare the stock photo and video libraries New Zealand marketers license images from. 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.
Share of Search by month for Pexels, Shutterstock. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Unsplash | Adobe Stock | Pexels | Getty Images | Shutterstock | iStock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 26.8% | 27.5% | 14% | 12.6% | 11.9% | 7.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 23.5% | 29% | 14.8% | 12.5% | 12.6% | 7.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 22.8% | 28.3% | 14.5% | 14.5% | 12.3% | 7.6% |
| Jan 2026 | 25% | 25.9% | 15.8% | 14.5% | 11.3% | 7.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 26.1% | 27.4% | 13.8% | 12.6% | 11.3% | 8.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 25.9% | 26.7% | 13.4% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 9.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 27% | 27.8% | 14% | 14% | 9.4% | 7.8% |
| May 2026 | 29.7% | 24.4% | 15% | 12.3% | 10.4% | 8.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 30.7% | 24.6% | 14.8% | 12.2% | 10.1% | 7.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 31.8% | 24.1% | 14.9% | 12.3% | 10% | 7% |
| Aug 2026 | 34.3% | 22% | 16.6% | 11.6% | 9.1% | 6.4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Pexels and Shutterstock comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Pexels was ahead of Shutterstock in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Pexels’ estimated Share of Search among stock image sites in New Zealand moved from 14% to 16.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.9K to 6K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Shutterstock’s estimated Share of Search among stock image sites in New Zealand moved from 11.9% to 9.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5K to 3.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand stock image sites in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Pexels gained estimated Share of Search among stock image sites in New Zealand, from 14.9% to 16.6%.
In August 2026, Shutterstock lost estimated Share of Search among stock image sites in New Zealand, from 10% to 9.1%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pexels’ and Shutterstock’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
10 branded search terms
- pexels
- pexels 3
- pexels c0m
- pexels free
- pexels free images
- pexels free photos
- pexels images
- pexels near me
- pexels new zealand
- pexels online
Shutterstock
8 branded search terms
- shutterstock
- shutterstock com
- shutterstock contributor
- shutterstock free
- shutterstock images
- shutterstock near me
- shutterstock nz
- shutterstock photos
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.