What I like best about Unsplash is the way it has truly democratized creativity and visual storytelling. I joined Unsplash back in 2021, and at that time, it wasn’t just a photo sharing platform it was a movement. There was a real craze around Unsplash, especially among designers, creators, developers, marketers, and even small business owners who needed high quality visuals without worrying about licensing or cost.
One of the biggest things I love about Unsplash is the freedom it offers. The platform provides high resolution, professional quality images that are completely free to use. For someone like me, who works with digital content, design, 3D visuals, and creative projects, this was a game changer. Back in 2021, finding good images usually meant paid stock websites, watermarks, or complicated usage rights. Unsplash removed all that friction and made creativity accessible to everyone. Another thing that really stands out is the community driven nature of Unsplash. It never felt like a typical stock photo website. It felt more like a global creative community where photographer from all over the world shared real, authentic moments. The photos didn’t look staged or artificial they felt natural, human, and story-driven. This authenticity made Unsplash images perfect for websites, social media, presentations, and branding.
I also appreciate how Unsplash gave recognition and exposure to photographers. For many creators, Unsplash became a launchpad. Photographers could showcase their work to a global audience, build their personal brand, and even get professional opportunities through their visibility on the platform. As a user, it felt good knowing that behind every image there was a real creator being credited and appreciated. The search and discovery experience is another major plus. The way Unsplash categorizes images, shows related visuals, and recommends content makes it very easy to find exactly what you’re looking for or even discover something better than what you had in mind. In 2021 especially, this smooth user experience made Unsplash stand out compared to other platforms.
Lastly, what I like best about Unsplash is its impact. It inspired creativity. It encouraged people to experiment, design, and build without limitations. For me, Unsplash was not just a resource it was a source of inspiration. Even today, when I think about platforms that truly changed the creative ecosystem, Unsplash is definitely one of them. In short, Unsplash represents freedom, creativity, community, and inspiration and that’s why it continues to hold a special place for me since I joined in 2021. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
What I dislike about Unsplash at the moment is that, despite being such a powerful and influential creative platform, it hasn’t fully evolved with the latest Ai driven features, especially for contributors. Considering how fast the creative ecosystem is moving today, AI support could have made the contributor experience much more efficient and rewarding.
One major drawback is the lack of easy Ai -assisted tools for contributors. For example, features like Ai-based image tagging, smart keyword suggestions, auto generated descriptions, or quality improvement suggestions would save a lot of time. Currently, contributors have to manually manage many of these things, which can be time consuming especially for creators who upload content regularly. If Unsplash introduced AI tools to simplify uploads and optimize discoverability, it would greatly benefit the community. Another issue is that the contributor workflow could be much smoother. Compared to modern creator platforms, Unsplash still feels a bit rigid. AI-powered insights such as which type of images are trending, what users are searching for, or how to improve reach are missing. These features would help contributors align their work better with demand and grow more effectively on the platform.
I also feel that Unsplash could do a better job of supporting contributors in monetization or recognition, using AI analytics. Even basic AI dashboards showing performance predictions, audience engagement, or content recommendations would add huge value. Right now, contributors mostly rely on limited stats, which don’t provide actionable insights. Lastly, as Ai-generated content becomes more common, Unsplash needs clearer and smarter AI content policies and tools. Contributors should have transparent guidance and AI-assisted checks to ensure compliance, originality, and quality. In short, while Unsplash remains an amazing platform, the lack of advanced AI features and a more contributor-friendly, intelligent workflow is something I genuinely dislike. With the right AI enhancements, Unsplash could once again set the benchmark for creative platforms. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Our network of Icons are G2 members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to helping others through their expertise.
The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user.
Validated through LinkedIn
Invitation from G2. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review.
