Review Summary
The Bottom Line
With vague licensing terms, uncompetitive prices, and below-average image quality, we think you shouldn’t download stock images or videos from Pixta. Instead, we recommend you pick one of the numerous trustworthy alternatives, including Shutterstock and Adobe Stock.
Pros
- Good variety of buying options.
Cons
- Vague terms and conditions that can be exploited against you.
- More expensive than much better options.
- Subscriptions renew 3 days in advance.
| Website | pixta.co.jp |
| Images | 54.3 million |
| Pricing | $0.27–$50/image |
| Extended license | $26.79–$30 |
| Free trial | No |
| Licenses | Royalty-free |
| Founded | August 25, 2005 |
Pixta Review Introduction
Pixta is one of Japan’s largest microstock agencies, licensing images and videos on a subscription and on-demand basis at average prices. The site is also an English-language version aimed at the US and European markets.
Although prices are comparable to those of reputable agencies like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock, Pixta’s collection includes many more images (54 million). It is a bit more expensive than the better alternatives if we want to be picky.
Overall, the image quality is satisfactory but not great. Combined with the relatively small selection and less-than-optimal artistic and technical execution, there is no reason to buy images from Pixta since there are many excellent alternatives at the same or better prices.
Image Pricing
Pixta sells images and videos with subscriptions and on-demand. Subscriptions are much cheaper but require a monthly or yearly commitment, while on-demand packs offer the most flexibility but are more expensive.
Image subscriptions for 1 person
| Images/month | 3 | 10 | 50 | 350 | 750 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | $30/month | $49/month | $125/month | $199/month | $249/month |
| Yearly plan | $15/month | $29/month | $99/month | $169/month | $199/month |
| Number of downloads you can carry over | 33 | 110 | 550 | 3,850 | 8,250 |
Image subscriptions for 2–5 people
| Images/month | 100 | 350 | 750 | 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | $218/month | $258/month | $348/month | $588/month |
| Yearly plan | $168/month | $218/month | $278/month | $418/month |
| Number of downloads you can carry over | 1,100 | 3,850 | 8,250 | 16,500 |
Prepaid credits
Using credits, you can buy any content on Pixta. Images are priced based on size and resolution as follows:
- S: 5 credits
- M: 15 credits
- L: 30 credits
- XL: 50 credits
- V (vector): 35 credits
The more credits you buy, the more you save. In other words, the price per credit gets lower with bulk purchases:
- 10 credits: $10
- 30 credits: $30
- 50 credits: $50
- 103 credits: $100 (Save 3%)
- 315 credits: $300 (Save 5%)
- 535 credits: $500 (Save 7%)
- 1,100 credits: $1,000 (Save 10%)
- 2,240 credits: $2,000 (Save 12%)
Yet, the savings are smaller than at Adobe Stock (25%), Shutterstock (36%), or Depositphotos (80%).
Single purchase
Single purchases are the most expensive and best used when you need only one image.
- S: $5
- M: $15
- L: $30
- XL: $50
- V (vector): $35
Video Pricing
Like images, videos can also be bought on-demand, and subscriptions come for 1 person or 2–5 people.
Video subscriptions for 1 person
| Videos/month | 3 | 10 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | $117/month | $349/month | $598/month |
| Yearly plan | $72/month | $210/month | $360/month |
| Number of downloads you can carry over | 33 | 110 | 220 |
Video subscriptions for 2–5 people
| Images/month | 10 | 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | $399/month | $658/month |
| Yearly plan | $225/month | $384/month |
| Number of downloads you can carry over | 100 | 220 |
Single purchase
Single purchases are the most expensive and best used when you need only one video.
- Web(S): $15
- Web(L): $25
- NTSC/PAL: $50
- HD720: $70
- HD1080: $90
- 4K: $180
Licensing
Pixta license all of its content under a royalty-free (RF) license, which means that you may use all content you download perpetually without paying additional royalties. There are two RF licenses available: the Standard and the Extended.
While the Extended license is cheaper at Pixta (~$30) than at other agencies (~$70), you may need to buy it more frequently than elsewhere since the Standard license isn’t as comprehensive. The most notable difference is that the Standard license of Pixta allows only 300,000 reproductions of an image, while most other agencies allow up to 500,000 reproductions.
The Standard license is included with every image and footage download with subscriptions or credits. When you need an Extended license, you can buy it with cash for $30 or with 30 credits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pixta trustworthy?
We don’t think Pixta is a trustworthy source of stock images. The main red flags are the vague licensing terms and the recurring subscription payment, which occurs three days before the end of the subscription, potentially tricking you into paying for longer.
Sources
- Company, Pixta. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- Image subscription plans, Pixta. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- About licenses, Pixta. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
About your guide
Matic Broz is a multifaceted creative professional, with experience as a photographer, graphic designer, and business owner. He has a decade of experience in helping other creatives improve their craft and start their own businesses. His writing and research have been featured in notable publications such as The Guardian, PetaPixel, and USA Today. Additionally, his scientific research has been recognized with a cover feature in the prestigious MDPI-owned journal. In his leisure time, he enjoys photography, hiking, and spending time with dogs. Read more
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