Flaticon vs iStock

Flaticon provides over 18.1 million vector icons and specialized stickers. It is strictly a specialized resource for UI/UX elements and design components. This massive icon library ensures designers find specific interface assets quickly. iStock provides vast high-quality stock photos, illustrations, videos, music, and sound effects. iStock is clearly better when you require broad content types for social media or video campaigns. The trade-off is niche depth versus broad coverage for marketing needs. Flaticon excels at single-purpose, volume assets. iStock gives you comprehensive multimedia assets. Choose Flaticon if your work is web or app development. Select iStock for marketing, publishing, or multimedia production requiring diverse formats.

Flaticon pricing is transparent, starting as low as $8.25 monthly for the annual commitment. You pay a set fee for unlimited access (up to 2,000 daily downloads). This fixed cost model is predictable for budgeting. iStock pricing starts higher at $29/month, dependent on download volume (e.g., 10 downloads). The monthly fees are higher per asset, reflecting the cost of premium photos and videos. Flaticon offers better value if your workflow requires downloading thousands of icons per month routinely. iStock offers better value for high-value media, but watch the monthly limits. iStock allows unused monthly downloads to roll over up to 250 assets. Flaticon does not offer any download rollovers.

Flaticon provides essential professional formats like SVG, EPS, PSD, plus Base 64 encoded data. Developers can integrate Flaticon icons directly into CSS or HTML instantly. iStock includes editable vectors but its focus is on rapid image modification using the integrated Editor. You can instantly crop, resize, and apply filters to larger images. Flaticon’s built-in editor handles minor icon adjustments, like rotating or flipping elements. iStock’s editor manages graphical layout modifications for complex photos and illustrations. For dedicated UI asset preparation and quick web deployment, Flaticon provides superior format options. iStock is better for final-stage photo optimization and editing.

Flaticon's editing is limited to simple utility adjustments like rotation, flipping, and precise movement controls. The platform does not currently include advanced generative AI creation. iStock includes complimentary access to advanced AI generation and modification tools in all plans. Users receive unlimited generations and unlimited modifications to any iStock image. iStock uses advanced AI to enhance content clarity and detail, maximizing the utility of every download. Flaticon remains an extensive asset provider with simple modification tools. If integrated generative AI is critical for rapid content creation, iStock provides a huge technological advantage.

Flaticon provides over 18.1 million icons and stickers completely free of charge. Free users can download great quality PNGs up to 512px, requiring clear attribution. The free plan is robust. iStock offers a rotating collection: one free Signature photo weekly plus free illustrations/videos monthly. These limited assets serve primarily as samples to promote subscriptions. Flaticon’s free tier is fully operational for students and personal projects requiring high icon volume. iStock requires immediate payment for any sustained use. If your budget is zero and you need thousands of non-vector icons, Flaticon provides exceptional value.

Flaticon offers simple monthly or annual commitments and provides a clear 30-day refund policy (if no assets are downloaded). User satisfaction is exceptionally high (4.9 rating). iStock users report serious issues with forced annual contracts and extremely difficult cancellations. The Trustpilot rating sits at a distressing 1.7 overall. While iStock offers high-value content, the negative customer feedback is a major liability. Flaticon's positive reviews suggest straightforward billing practices. For peace of mind regarding unexpected charges and responsive customer service, Flaticon is the far safer choice. Use extreme caution before subscribing to iStock.

Flaticon’s strength is in specialized content like Animated icons or curated Style Packs. This ensures visual consistency across massive icon sets and interfaces. Flaticon serves focused design needs best. iStock boasts the Signature collection, featuring premium images and videos from exclusive global artists. This professional content cannot be found on rival stock sites. iStock explicitly prohibits contributor-submitted AI assets, focusing on content integrity and high quality. Flaticon focuses on icon volume and variety. If unique, high-end stock photography and video are essential for brand differentiation, iStock is the clear winner for exclusive media.

Flaticon requires mandatory attribution for all assets used on its Free tier. You must be a Premium subscriber to obtain a full commercial license and skip credit. Attribution management can be time-consuming for large projects. iStock provides robust, clear commercial licensing automatically with all purchases. You can use their high-end assets across all commercial projects with confidence. iStock's licensing is backed by industry-leading coverage. For immediate, stress-free commercial use licensing backed by coverage, iStock provides a simpler, less restrictive solution for paid users. Flaticon requires careful handling of attribution on the Free plan.