Pixabay allows users to download photos, videos, and music to use for any purpose. Downloads are free, but users can make donations to content creators.
The Good
- Content creators can become known through their work on Pixabay and this could result in an offer of work
- Pixabay could give photographers an opportunity to network with other creators and users
- Content creators may be able to earn money through donations for downloads.
- For content users, downloading images from Pixabay gives you confidence to know that you can use the images without breaching copyright.
- A large amount of content can be found in one place so it will be much easier to search for the image that you want.
- There is also an App for downloads on mobile phones or tablets
The Bad
- Since Pixabay has been acquired by Canva, many photographers have lost money that may have been donated to them through Pixabay.
- It may be difficult for new photographers to get their images seen
- It is not clear who owns the right to the photographs once they have been uploaded to the website.
- For people who want to download a photo for a specific use, it may be difficult to find exactly what they want
Verdict: Huge library of images, videos, art and graphics – all FREE. For creators, could be a great side hustle.
Introduction
Pixabay probably has the largest amount of content of any of the websites which allows users to download and use images, videos, and music. It is completely free for both content creators and for the people who download that content. The content on this website is copyright free and can be used for any purpose other than reselling. It is not necessary to register with Pixabay in order to download content. Users are prompted to make a donation to content creators when they download content. For anyone who is searching for images or videos, it is worth checking out this website.
What is Pixabay?
Pixabay is a website that gives users the opportunity to download and use stock images, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, sound effects, and music. The company was founded in Germany by Hans Braxmeier and Simon Steinberger. It was acquired by Canva in 2019.
Is it really free to use?
The content on Pixabay is free to use although you are encouraged to make a donation to the creator, similar to Pexels, another free stock photo site. You will also find that there are some sponsored images that are not free.
“Pixabay is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images, videos and music. All contents are released under the Pixabay License, which makes them safe to use without asking for permission or giving credit to the artist – even for commercial purposes.”
pixabay.com
How does Pixabay work?
Content creators upload to Pixabay knowing that people can download their images for free to use however they like. Users can search for this content through keywords or by searching for the creator as each person who registers for Pixabay has a profile page. Users can download whatever they want for free, but they can also give a donation to the content creator. If you click on the “coffee” button you are directed to a page where you can make a one-off or a monthly donation directly to the creator using either PayPal or your credit card.
What can you find on Pixabay?
There is a huge amount of content on Pixabay. The website says that they have more than 2.6 million free images. In addition to free photos and videos, you will also find illustrations, vector graphics, sound effects, and music. You can search through Pixabay’s curated collections with categories such as Green Forest and Celebrating Women. Music is arranged in categories such as Music for Videos and Podcast Music. There is also Editor’s Choice which puts the spotlight on some of the best images and both videos and images have a Popular category featuring content with the most likes.
How does Pixabay make money?
This is a very popular website so it gets a lot of traffic. With millions of visits to the website, it is very likely that Pixabay makes a lot of money through advertising. When you are searching through Pixabay images, you may also come across sponsored images from companies such as istock. The images downloaded from istock are not free and there is likely to be an affiliate payment from anyone who links from Pixabay and then buys an image or pays for a subscription. Pixabay also has a good social media presence with more than 80K followers just on its Instagram page.
What are the benefits of uploading photos for use on Pixabay?
There are a number of benefits to be gained from uploading photos for use on Pixabay. Because any photographer can upload images to Pixabay, it may become a way for new photographers to gain exposure. Because every Pixabay user has a profile page, photographers may be able to use Pixabay as an unofficial way of networking. Once you have uploaded your photos, you will get confirmation that your photos are good if people show interest in them. When people download photos, they are encouraged to make a donation. As a result, photographers may earn a little money as a result of uploading their work.
Are there rules for using photos or videos?
Pixabay has their own license which specifies what you can and can’t do with the photos and videos that you download. It is basically a Creative Commons Zero license allowing you to download, modify, and use the content. The Pixabay license states you cannot redistribute or resell Pixabay content on other platforms or sell unaltered copies. If there are people in the images, they must not be identified in a bad light or be implied to endorse a product.
Advantages of using Pixabay
- Content creators can become known through their work on Pixabay and this could result in an offer of work from somebody who sees it.
- Pixabay could give photographers an opportunity to network with other creators and users
- Content creators may be able to earn money through donations for downloads.
- For content users, downloading images from Pixabay gives you confidence to know that you can use the images without breaching copyright.
- A large amount of content can be found in one place so it will be much easier to search for the image that you want.
- There is also an App for downloads on mobile phones or tablets
Disadvantages of using Pixabay
- Since Pixabay has been acquired by Canva, many photographers have said that Canva has started using the images that they uploaded to Pixabay without permission and without informing them. As a result they have lost money that may have been donated to them through Pixabay.
- It may be difficult for new photographers to get their images seen because of the large volume of images. Pixabay promotes more popular images so new content creators may find their images get lost among all the others.
- It is not clear who owns the right to the photographs once they have been uploaded to the website. If you decide to stop using Pixabay, it appears that you cannot remove the photos that you have uploaded, according to some Pixabay reviews.
- For people who want to download a photo for a specific use, it may be difficult to find exactly what they want because of the large amount of content available on Pixabay.
“Pixabay is a free photo, illustration, video and music sharing website powered by our generous community of photographers, videographers, illustrators and musicians. While not required, users can make donations to artists to thank them for their contributions.”
pixabay.com
FAQs about Pixabay:
Who is the owner of Pixabay?
Pixabay was acquired by Canva in 2019. To learn more about the acquisition, see this article on Canva Newsroom.
Who uses Pixabay?
Pixabay is a public domain. Anyone can download and use Pixabay images and videos. The content is under a Creative Commons License, which allows the use of images and videos for any purpose without attributing it to the creator. Images are used by students, website owners, business owners, designers, anyone!
Do you have to join Pixabay to use their images and videos?
You don’t need to join to download content. If you haven’t registered, you will see a captcha each time you want to download. Otherwise, there is no restriction on downloads.
Is it safe to use?
The Pixabay site is safe to use and for people who download images. Pixabay uses reverse image search to ensure that the person who uploads the image has the right to do so. Because of that you can be sure that you will not be breaking any copyright laws when you download any content from Pixabay. Not only that, if you prefer not to register with Pixabay, they will not have any of your personal data, allowing you to be safe from any potential data breaches. To learn more about data breaches, see the information on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.
Conclusion
Pixabay is a useful website for anyone who is looking for images, videos, or music to use for their own purposes. Many photographers choose to upload their photos to Pixabay in order to gain more exposure, but less popular photographers may find that their images are not easily found among all the other images on this website. Since Canva acquired Pixabay, some photographers have given bad reviews about the way their images have been used. For people who want to download content, Pixabay is still worth using since they are sure to find something among the large volume of content.
Captain FI is a Retired Pilot who lives in Adelaide, South Australia. He is passionate about Financial Independence and writes about Personal Finance and his journey to reach FI at 29, allowing him to retire at 30.
