Stock Photo Websites
Stock photo websites are platforms that offer a large collection of images, videos, illustrations, and other visual assets that can be used for personal or commercial purposes. Most of these websites offer two types of licensing for their assets: royalty-free and licensed.
Royalty-free images are images that can be used multiple times, without having to pay any additional fees or royalties each time they are used. The user pays a one-time fee for the image, and can then use it for an unlimited number of projects without any further costs. However, the user may still be required to abide by certain usage restrictions, such as using the image for non-commercial purposes only, or not using the image in a way that suggests endorsement by the original photographer.
Licensed images, on the other hand, require the user to pay a fee each time they are used. The fee varies depending on the intended usage of the image, and the user must comply with the licensing agreement, which may include restrictions on the number of times the image can be used, the type of projects the image can be used for, and the geographic region in which the image can be used.
It’s important to note that while these websites offer images that are technically royalty-free, it’s still important to carefully review the licensing agreement for each image before using it in your projects. Some images may have usage restrictions that you need to be aware of, such as restrictions on commercial use, or restrictions on modifying the image. Failing to comply with the licensing agreement can result in legal consequences, so it’s important to take the time to understand the terms of the agreement before using any images from these websites.
There are several large websites that offer royalty-free images, including Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay, Getty Images, and Shutterstock. Each of these websites has its own collection of images, and the quality and selection of images vary from site to site. Some of these sites offer images for free, while others charge a fee for their images.
Popular Stock Photo Websites
Pexels
Pexels is a community-driven platform that offers a vast collection of high-quality stock photos, all available for free under the Pexels license. The platform features images from a variety of categories, including nature, cityscapes, and technology. In addition to free stock photos, Pexels also offers free videos.
Unsplash
Unsplash is a popular website that offers a wide range of high-quality images, including those related to nature, urban life, and technology. All images on Unsplash are licensed under the Unsplash license, which allows for commercial and non-commercial use with no attribution required.
Pixabay
Pixabay is a site with over 2 million free stock photos, illustrations, and videos that are all available under the Creative Commons CC0 license. This license allows for unlimited use, including commercial use, without attribution. Pixabay’s images come from a variety of categories, including nature, technology, and travel.
Getty Images
Getty Images is a professional stock photo agency that offers a large selection of royalty-free images, as well as licensed content. The platform has a vast collection of high-quality images, covering a wide range of categories, including nature, people, and architecture. Getty Images’ royalty-free images are available under the Getty Images Royalty-Free license.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a leading provider of royalty-free images, video clips, and music tracks, with over 300 million assets in its collection. The platform offers a variety of licensing options, including standard and enhanced licenses, with flexible pricing options for individuals and businesses. Shutterstock’s images come from a variety of categories, including nature, technology, and business.
In Summary
There are several large royalty-free image websites that offer a vast collection of high-quality images, videos, and other visual assets for personal or commercial use. Each of these websites has its own licensing agreement, which can vary in terms of the intended usage of the images, the number of times the images can be used, and any usage restrictions that may apply.
By selecting images from one of these websites, you can easily access a large collection of high-quality visual assets that can help to enhance your projects and bring your ideas to life.
Read our article 8 Websites for Royalty Free Stock Videos