How to Cancel iStock (by Getty Images) in 2026

iStock charges $12-34/month for stock photo downloads that don't roll over. If you don't use all 10 downloads this month, they're gone. Meanwhile, Unsplash and Pexels offer millions of free stock photos.

Cancel iStock Subscription

Go to istockphoto.com and sign in
Click your profile icon (top right)
Go to "Account settings"
Click "Subscription plan"
Select "Cancel subscription"
They'll offer discounts — decline if you want to fully cancel

Use Remaining Downloads First

⚠️ Before canceling: Use all your remaining downloads this month — they don't roll over and are lost on cancellation. Download images for future projects even if you don't need them now. Images you've already downloaded are yours to keep and use forever under the license.

iStock Pricing

Basic ($12/mo): 10 photos/month
Premium ($24/mo): 10 photos/month (access to premium collection)
Premium + Video ($34/mo): 10 photos + video clips
Credits: Pay-per-download alternative (1-3 credits per image)

Free Stock Photo Alternatives

Unsplash (free) — 4+ million high-quality photos. Used by Apple, Google, and Squarespace. Free for commercial use
Pexels (free) — millions of free photos and videos. No attribution required
Pixabay (free) — 4+ million images, vectors, videos, and music
Canva (free) — includes millions of stock photos in the free design tool
AI image generation (free-cheap) — Midjourney, DALL-E, Ideogram create custom images. No licensing issues

When Paid Stock Makes Sense

Free stock sites cover 90% of needs. Consider paid only if:

You need very specific niche images (medical, industrial, etc.)
You need exclusive images competitors can't use
Your brand requires consistent, premium aesthetic
You need commercial video footage (free options are limited)

💡 Pro Tip: If you still need occasional premium stock, buy credit packs instead of a subscription. Pay only when you need an image, no monthly waste. iStock credits never expire.

🔍 Not sure what you're paying for? Upload your bank statement to JustCancel — we'll find all your subscriptions and show you how to cancel each one.