Can I use images from Pixabay?

Pixabay is a well-known image platform with freely available images and videos. Unless otherwise stated, all images are licensed under the platform's own Pixabay license. This license is not associated with the CC licensing system. If you would like to use Pixabay images, please read carefully whether the use you are planning is permitted.

A remix (= merging) of Pixabay content with CC-licensed content would be a violation of the Pixabay license. CC licenses are not compatible with the Pixabay license. In addition to commercial use (similar to CC-NC licensing), the Pixabay license provides for other restrictions that CC licenses do not. For example, according to the Pixabay license, it is forbidden to depict people in an offensive manner. Because of these special license provisions, Pixabay-licensed images may not be relicensed.
A remix is when the materials can no longer be used independently of each other, but only as a complete work (e.g. collage, possibly video).

However, it is permitted to incorporate Pixabay-licensed images alongside other licensed content in a complete work (e.g. a graphic in a slide presentation). If Pixabay content is incorporated into an OER, the Pixabay content must be identified as third-party material (with a Pixabay license). It is also best to include a reference to the source (not mandatory according to the Pixabay license, but still recommended for the reasons mentioned above).

If you use the Pixabay search, images from iStock are displayed in a bar above the results. These are subject to a fee and do not fall under open resources. There is also CC-0 licensed content that was posted before 2019. These can be reused without restrictions.

You can find further information on this in the following article by iRights e.V.: https://irights.info/artikel/pixabay-wechselt-von-creative-commons-freigabe-zu-selbstgestrickter-lizenz/2941