On January 26, 2022, iStock introduced a new free trial. Although it was first available only in certain countries, you can now get it almost anywhere. Getting iStock free trial is super-easy so that you can do it yourself in 2 minutes here:
iStock free trial at a glance
If you want more information on how to get iStock free trial keep reading. But first, we’ll answer a few of your questions:
- Is iStock free trial safe to use? Yes, if you cancel before the trial ends, you will pay nothing. Your payment information is also safe with iStock.
- What’s included with the free trial? Active iStock free trial grants you 10 downloads from their Essential collections that contains over 100 million stock images (photos, vectors, illustrations).
- What can you do with the images you download? You can use images for personal and commercial projects within the scope of the iStock standard license.
- Do I have to give images back if I cancel? No, the images are your to keep even if you cancel the iStock free trial.
Step-by-step guide to iStock free trial
Step 1: Go to iStock
You can click here to get instantly redirected to iStock free trial page. Note that the link will take you to “istockphoto.com”, although the company is called “iStock”. That is because iStockphoto rebranded to iStock years ago.
Step 2: Click on the “Start your free trial” button.

If you cannot see the free trial button, try scrolling to the bottom of the page. You may find the free trial banner there. If it is not present, the free trial may not be available in your region at this time.
Step 3: Create a free account.

To sign up, enter your email address and choose a password. Please note that the free trial offer is only available to new customers, so you must use an email that has not previously been registered with an iStock account.
Step 4: Enter your billing information.

To start the iStock free trial, you will need to provide your country and your full name, address, postal code, and city. If you are signing up as a company, you will also need to enter your VAT.
Step 5: Verify that the free trial worked.

At the top of the checkout page, make sure that the free trial has been applied properly. You should see that the total cost is $0.00 (or the equivalent in your currency) and that Today’s total is also $0.00.
Step 6: Complete the checkout

To finish setting up your free trial, click the “Complete checkout” button.
iStock free trial terms
Before you start the free trial, it’s important that you first familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions.
- The free trial is only available to new iStock customers. However, we’ve found that this restriction can be easily bypassed by creating a new account with a different email address. If you don’t qualify for the free trial, you’ll receive the following message:
- You get 10 free images from the Essentials collection. This collection contains generic images best suited for social media, websites, and individual use. You don’t get access to the Signature collection with the free trial, which costs $0.44-$9.90/download.
- The first month is free, followed by 11 payments of $29/month. If you cancel before the free trial expires, you pay nothing.
- You can cancel the free trial at any time, risk-free. This means that there are no hidden fees or charges. If you cancel before the free trial ends, you pay nothing.
- You get to keep the images. Even if you cancel, you get to keep all the images you downloaded during the free trial.
How to cancel iStock free trial?
To cancel your iStock free trial, follow these steps:
- Go to your account panel on the iStock website by clicking “Account” in the top right corner.
- Click on “Account details” and then select “Address and billing details.”
- From there, you can choose the option to cancel your subscription.
Do you still get charged?
No, if you cancel the free trial before the 30-day period expires, you will not be charged. However, if you forget about the trial, your account will be billed the next day. You can sometimes get a refund by contacting iStock’s customer support.
You can also consciously let the free trial expire without canceling if you like using iStock. In that case, you can keep using the subscription as before.
Frequently asked questions
What can I download with the iStock free trial?
The iStock free trial gives you access to the Essentials collection with millions of photos, vectors, and illustrations. You can download 10 images with a royalty-free license during the 30-day free trial and keep the images even if you cancel.
What can I use the images for?
The 10 images you download with the iStock free trial are licensed with a royalty-free license. This allows you to use them for commercial and non-commercial purposes, including marketing, usage on social media, websites, and any personal project.
Is iStock’s trial free?
Yes, the iStock free trial is completely free. However, if you do not cancel before the trial expires, you will be charged a monthly fee of $29 until you cancel.
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