Best Stock Photos Websites
Stock photo websites contain libraries of images that can be used by any business looking to enhance a project visually. Users can browse the image libraries and then license and download images. Many stock photo websites also offer downloadable free and royalty-free images for commercial purposes. These websites often have a separate license, allowing images to be downloaded, modified, and distributed without the artist's permission or credit. In addition to images, many stock photo websites offer videos, vectors, mockups, and illustrations within their selection.
Designers and marketers primarily use stock photos, but stock photos can be leveraged to enhance any commercial, artistic, publishing, or editorial experience. Professionals often opt to license high-quality stock photos to avoid the costs and time associated with conducting photo shoots. For businesses that use many stock photos, photo management software is a practical solution to keep the photos stored and organized.
To qualify for inclusion in the Stock Photo Websites category, a product must:
Best Stock Photos Websites At A Glance
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- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
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Vecteezy is an online marketplace where users can license stock photos, vector graphics, and stock footage directly from artists. Basic features are free but include ads and limitations. Pro subscribe
- Owner
- Graphic Designer
- Graphic Design
- Design
- 78% Small-Business
- 3% Mid-Market
247 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Shutterstock, Inc. is a leading global creative platform for transformative brands and media companies. Directly and through its group subsidiaries, Shutterstock's comprehensive collection includes hi
- Owner
- Marketing Manager
- Marketing and Advertising
- Graphic Design
- 62% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
265,326 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Storyblocks empowers creators and businesses to produce better videos faster than ever. Our stock media library includes high-quality video, audio, and imagery that is crafted by 800+ highly accom
- Video Editor
- Owner
- Media Production
- Marketing and Advertising
- 80% Small-Business
- 15% Mid-Market
2 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Free stock photos for websites and commercial use. Burst is a free stock photo platform that is powered by Shopify.
- Health, Wellness and Fitness
- 76% Small-Business
- 17% Mid-Market
440,583 Twitter followers
- Overview
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Depositphotos is a global marketplace for stock photographs, vector images and video.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Information Technology and Services
- 89% Small-Business
- 9% Mid-Market
14,954 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Freepik is redefining content creation with cutting-edge generative AI. Its platform offers seamless, AI-powered tools that transform ideas into high-quality audiovisual content in seconds. With over
- Graphic Designer
- Graphic Design
- Marketing and Advertising
- 74% Small-Business
- 20% Mid-Market
69,910 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Pixabay is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images and videos. All contents are released under Creative Commons CC0, which makes them safe to use without asking for permission
- Graphic Designer
- Consumer Services
- Marketing and Advertising
- 60% Small-Business
- 36% Mid-Market
64,074 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
World's largest community of designers and artists, Dreamstime has been a trusted world leader in professional royalty-free stock photos, illustrations, video footage and audio clips. Launched in 2004
- Owner
- Arts and Crafts
- Design
- 96% Small-Business
- 4% Mid-Market
32,569 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Unsplash is a marketplace for high resolution images.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Information Technology and Services
- 78% Small-Business
- 18% Mid-Market
88,990 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
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Pexels is a free photo and video library that helps creative people bring their stories and ideas to life. From small businesses to nonprofits, marketers to designers, millions of people all over the
- Marketing and Advertising
- Design
- 73% Small-Business
- 21% Mid-Market
25,826 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Flaticon is world #1 destination for icons (still or animated), stickers, and logos lovers ! Assets made by and for designers. Includes many formats: PNG, SVG, EPS, PSD and CSS formats. Streamline y
- Design
- Marketing and Advertising
- 70% Small-Business
- 27% Mid-Market
69,910 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
VistaCreate (ex-Crello) is a graphic design platform where anyone can quickly create engaging projects for any industry or occasion — design skills are optional. Start with selecting from 150K+ profes
- Graphic Designer
- Community Manager
- Marketing and Advertising
- Design
- 79% Small-Business
- 16% Mid-Market
14,954 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Find millions of awesome royalty-free stock photos and vectors. Affordable high-res stock photography.
- Marketing Specialist
- Marketing and Advertising
- 67% Small-Business
- 28% Mid-Market
265,326 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
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Preview watermarked images inside your designs first. Then license, access and manage them directly within Photoshop CC, InDesign CC, Illustrator CC, and other Adobe desktop apps.
- Graphic Designer
- Marketing and Advertising
- Graphic Design
- 71% Small-Business
- 19% Mid-Market
962,159 Twitter followers
- Overview
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
123RF has helped a wide clientele of individuals and businesses tell their stories using creative imagery, sounds and motion contributed by talents from around the world.
- 95% Small-Business
- 5% Mid-Market
22,566 Twitter followers
Learn More About Stock Photos Websites
What are Stock Photo Websites?
Stock photo websites help businesses quickly and easily retrieve images without needing a photographer or designer. These images are available for free or a fee, and businesses can download and use them commercially. However, before a business starts using stock photos, it should be aware of the crediting and licensing rules stated on the website to avoid infringement penalties.
In addition to the ease of access, stock photo websites often have a large library of images, making it simple for businesses to locate the pictures they need quickly. Users can type a keyword related to what they are looking for within the search bar and sift through the available images. For granular, specific searches, it’s advised that a business chooses a stock photo website with a vast image repository instead of a smaller one, which is less likely to offer distinct image ideas.
What are the common features of stock photo websites?
While stock photo websites have few features, they provide strong baseline benefits that help users find and download images.
- Search: Stock photo websites allow users to locate content within their repository of images via a search bar. By using keywords, tags, or a general idea of an image, stock photo websites help users locate the exact image they are looking for.
- Download: In most cases, these websites require the user to create an account to download any image, illustration, or other offerings. By doing so, images are free to download at the press of a button, depending on the website's requirements. Some common requirements include payment or artist crediting.
- Tag: Users can narrow down their search using tags, typically organized by the artists or the website, for visibility.
- Saved collections: Businesses that choose not to use file storage and sharing software or another image-storing tool can use a stock photo website’s collection tool. Many websites offer ways for users to save images they like or plan on using again to ensure the image doesn’t get lost.
- Trending searches: Users can see trending searches to understand what is popular. Choosing more popular images can increase content engagement.
What are the benefits of stock photo websites?
From published content to marketing campaigns to a business’s website, stock photos are used everywhere and have plenty of use cases.
- Versatile: Stock photo websites provide a wide range of images suitable for various purposes, including published content, marketing campaigns, and website design. It caters to a wide range of themes, styles, and industries, allowing businesses to find images that perfectly align with their brand and messaging.
- Accessible: Businesses without a dedicated photographer find stock photo websites to be a valuable alternative. Particularly beneficial for startups, these smaller enterprises can enhance their visual content without the overhead of maintaining an in-house creative team.
- Time-efficient: Searching and downloading images from stock photo websites is easier and quicker than coordinating a photoshoot or designing custom graphics. This helps teams meet tight deadlines for content creation and marketing campaigns.
- Cost-effective: The expense of purchasing a stock photo is considerably lower than hiring a professional photographer or a designer.
- Professional quality: Many stock photos are professionally shot and edited, ensuring the highest quality standards. This professionalism enhances the visual appeal and contributes to a polished business image.
- Free search: Multiple websites allow users to search and browse their collections for free, reducing the initial cost of finding suitable project images.
Who uses stock photo websites?
Stock photo websites are widely used in every industry, but some professionals may benefit from them more than others:
- Content creators: Writers and other content creators may use stock photos to enhance their work visually. Newspapers, magazines, and blogs benefit from adding a stock photo to the written piece.
- Marketing and branding departments: Stock photos may be used in marketing campaigns such as email marketing campaigns and slideshows to make them more visually appealing.
- Graphic designers: These professionals use stock images in their design projects, like posters, website layouts, brochures, and other creative materials. These images also serve as a valuable inspiration resource.
- Web developers: Stock photos are particularly useful during the development phase of a website or when creating templates for clients.
- Small businesses and startups: Businesses with limited resources often rely on stock photos to obtain high-resolution images without needing a dedicated creative team.
Stock photo website pricing
There are two types of stock photography sites: premium and free. Businesses should consider the pros and cons when choosing where to find and download images.
- Premium: Premium stock photo websites host high-definition images with a payment requirement. Sometimes, payment can be administered through a subscription service, which often allows a specific amount of downloads per month. In most cases, the website requires users to purchase specific photos separately. Premium stock photo websites may also offer free images alongside premium images. However, premium libraries tend to have more high-resolution, high-quality images. Two well-known paid stock photo sites are iStock (by Getty Images) and Shutterstock.
- Free: Royalty-free stock photo websites do not require payment for the photos within its library. Photos are free to download and distribute and do not require the user to credit the artist. While this option is ideal for businesses on a tight budget, these websites may not have as large of a library as a premium option. Pexels, PixaBay, Freepik, Unsplash, Stocksnap, Reshot, Gratisography, and Vecteezy are some websites that provide free stock images.
Challenges with stock photo websites
- Intellectual property issues: While most stock photo websites are clear about licensing and crediting requirements, businesses should tread carefully when using stock photos for commercial projects. Any business using stock photos should be aware of legal restrictions and infringements that apply to identifiable people, trademarked products, or exposed personal property information within photos. To avoid legal issues, businesses should simply ensure their photos are obtained legally and credited as necessary.
- Lack of relevant photos: Some businesses may require hyperspecific photos of a niche topic that the stock photo website may not have. It’s best to keep searches as broad as possible when looking for photos. If the issue persists, businesses should resort to a stock photo website with a larger repository of images for more options.
- Overuse of images: Popular photos used across various platforms cause the risk of business materials looking generic or unoriginal.
- Limited customization: While stock photos can be edited to a certain extent, customization options are limited compared to original, custom-created visuals.
- Cultural relevance: Stock photo collections may not always reflect diverse cultural perspectives. Finding images that resonate with specific audiences or regions can be challenging.
How to choose stock photo websites
Choosing the right stock photo website involves ensuring the platform meets the business’s specific needs and preferences. Here are some guidelines to help make an informed decision:
- Identify specific creative requirements: Businesses should take time to comprehensively analyze their needs and select a tool that aligns with their creative needs and budget constraints. Clearly define the desired outcomes, whether enhancing brand identity, supporting marketing campaigns, or improving overall visual communication.
- Explore search and licensing features: Buyers should dig deeper into the search function and filtering options. A user-friendly interface with advanced search capabilities can significantly simplify image selection. Also, a buyer should carefully examine the licensing terms to ensure they align with the intended use, such as commercial use, social media, or other specific applications.
- Consider pricing and user reviews: Companies must evaluate each platform's pricing structure, considering the budget and usage frequency. Some stock photo websites offer a mix of free and premium content. Additionally, buyers must read user reviews and testimonials to gauge the reliability of each platform, learning from other’s experiences.
- Assess compatibility and customization: Buyers must consider whether the stock photo website integrates well with other tools and software. Users should check compatibility with graphic design software, website builders, or content creation platforms. Additionally, companies should explore the level of customization allowed for the images.
- Ensure legal and ethical standards: Buyers must verify that the website adheres to legal and ethical standards, including proper attribution for free images, compliance with copyright laws, and considerations of cultural sensitivity.
Create a detailed comparison matrix that includes these criteria to facilitate the final selection, keeping in mind the organization’s creative projects' unique needs and preferences.
