Bigstock vs Unsplash

You must pay $79–$99 monthly to access Bigstock's extensive content library. A free 7-day trial is available to test assets before committing to payment. Bigstock is geared towards predictable, paid enterprise usage. Unsplash's core library is massive and entirely free for commercial use worldwide. Unlimited downloads of beautiful, high-resolution photos cost nothing to the user. Unsplash built its reputation on this zero-cost model. Unsplash is the clear winner if you operate on a strict zero budget for visual assets. Bigstock is exclusively paid, although its cost per asset can drop significantly. Use Unsplash for all basic visual needs without worrying about complicated licensing or surprise credit card charges.

Bigstock includes extensive libraries of professional stock video footage in parallel plans. Higher-tier Bigstock image plans also include scalable vector files (AI or EPS formats). This makes Bigstock a complete media solution. Unsplash excels at high-resolution images, photos, and high-quality 3D Renders. Dedicated video or professional vector stock files are not listed as available assets on Unsplash. Bigstock provides a comprehensive media solution for designers needing vectors and video editors needing footage. Unsplash is solely image-centric. Agencies and multi-format production teams should strongly prefer Bigstock for utility and variety. Unsplash cannot serve dynamic media needs.

Bigstock plans enforce strict daily limits (5 or 10) or flexible bulk limits (50/month). Pricing is transparently listed, ranging from $79 to $99 monthly. This model suits predictable, steady consumption patterns. Unsplash+ pricing is not explicitly public but offers unlimited royalty-free downloads to an individual user. Subscribers face no daily or monthly download caps once paid. This encourages bulk usage. Bigstock requires users to carefully plan consumption based on fixed quotas. Unsplash+ allows for immediate, high-volume downloading once the monthly fee is paid. Choose Bigstock if you need precise tracking of asset costs per download. Select Unsplash+ for burst usage flexibility.

Bigstock provides a standard royalty-free license across all assets and plans. They back their service with a general 'Worldwide Satisfaction Guaranteed' policy. All assets are designed for safe commercial use. Unsplash's paid Plus plan guarantees enhanced legal protection, including Unsplash+ Protection. All Plus images are guaranteed model and property released. This provides crucial legal confidence for commercial designers. Unsplash+ specifically addresses legal peace of mind with concrete guarantees for commercial client work. Bigstock's protection feels less explicit and comprehensive. Commercial users should utilize the Unsplash+ Protection if they want maximum legal security for their still image usage.

The Bigstock platform operates primarily as an asset repository for downloads. No image manipulation or editing features are listed for any plan. Users must rely on external design software. Unsplash+ includes powerful creative tools like image cropping and background removal capabilities. These features streamline image preparation within the platform. Users can prep images instantly. Unsplash helps you prepare the image for use immediately after downloading the asset. Bigstock requires an external workflow for all necessary edits. An individual creator saves crucial time by using the Unsplash+ background removal tool without opening Photoshop.

Bigstock plans are usage-based, accommodating high daily consumption up to 300 assets monthly. Licensing seems geared toward production scale without specific seat restrictions. Team usage is implied. Unsplash+'s license is strictly for a single user seat only. It also prohibits storing content on Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems for broad sharing. Bigstock provides clearer and higher-volume paths for organizational production teams. Unsplash+ is completely unsuitable for sharing content widely in a business. Large agencies or internal corporate teams must select Bigstock to maintain proper access and high download volumes.

Bigstock users widely report unauthorized charges post-free trial cancellation and refund refusals. Support is limited to weekdays 9 am–5 pm EST only. This represents a major risk. Unsplash+ includes Priority Support in its paid plan for subscribers. However, Unsplash+ users also report billing errors and unresponsive support when problems arise. Bigstock's toxic billing sentiment is a major red flag that potential users cannot ignore. Unsplash's paid service has fewer, less severe documented issues. Always meticulously document all cancellation attempts when signing up for Bigstock's free trial to prevent auto-renewal charges.