Images are a significant marketing element. They boost engagement and evoke emotions, which words alone can never do. That is why marketers are always hunting for high-quality and impressive pictures.
Though real photos are the best option, not every business has the budget for them. Hiring a photographer for customized images is heavy on the pocket and time-consuming. Therefore, stock images are always in demand as they are ready to use immediately. Plus, getting access to them is not difficult as many free and affordable stock photo websites fulfill this business need tremendously.
In this post, we will share ten of the best stock photo sites to fulfill your marketing needs.
- Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the biggest names in the stock photo industry. Its database offers more than 360 million images and a search option to save your time. There is also a curated collection option that displays images of all the latest trends and events. You can even show your creativity as the site integrates online editing tools.
To avail Shutterstock membership, customers can choose between subscription plans and an offer to download limited images at a flat price. A one-month free trial is also available to help you make up your mind.
- Adobe Stock
When it comes to the best stock photo sites, Adobe Stock is favored by many. It is owned by the well-known software giant Adobe and has over 80 million well-defined selection of photos. The site is fully integrated with the Creative Cloud app, making things easier for your design team.
Apart from picturePixabays, Adobe boasts a wide array of vectors, videos, illustrations, and templates. A small package option for $29.99 allows you to download three images. Apart from that, you can opt for a yearly or monthly subscription plan according to your needs.
- iStock
If you want to get images from the most affordable sites, visiting iStock is a must!
Like others, iStock also offers an extensive library with millions of photos. But what makes it stand apart is the availability of fantastic discount coupons.
Not just this, the site is also integrated with Creative Cloud and WordPress plugins. Through the android and iOS apps, you can download royalty-free images directly on your smartphones. Besides this, iStock makes things easier by categorizing the photos into several categories like science, landscape, holidays, nature, and more.
The site is also an excellent hub for videos. And its video editing tool is beneficial in video customization.
- Stock Photos
Paying as low as $1 is almost free. It is what Stock Photos offers! The platform is packed with 7 million images and illustrations. It also connects you with other paid stock photo agencies. Apart from it, you can get some free photos too.
Have a look at the latest discount codes and offers to enjoy their commercially ready pictures at a low cost! They have a subscription model as well. In short, the site offers something for almost everyone!
- Unsplash
If affordability is your issue, visit Unsplash to get free photos. Having more than 50,000 contributors, Unsplash keeps updating its photo library with something new almost every day.
Unsplash features a very user-friendly website. There is a search bar for your convenience. Just type a keyword and get related photos within seconds. You can also find photos of a similar category under the “Collection” tab. Creating your separate collection is also possible. Group photos to save them for the future and do all this without paying a penny. Isn’t it wonderful?
- Alamy
Alamy is another good option for diverse photos. Photographers from 173 countries make it home for pictures on every subject. Surprisingly, the site uploads around 100,000 images every day. Amateur photographers cannot try their luck here as Alamy has stringent guidelines to maintain its quality. For this reason, you will find pictures of exceptional quality in their database.
You can also head over to the platform for short videos, vectors, and illustrations. Various discount deals are present, and a live chat option is there to help you make an optimal selection.
- Pixabay
Like Unsplash, you can get free photos from Pixabay. Users consider it a fantastic option for business and marketing-oriented images. You will also find compelling illustrations, graphics, and vectors on this platform.
Though the collection is vast, the easy search option makes getting the photo you want convenient. You can also look at the editor’s choice and get some suggestions for the new projects.
- Pexels
Pexels can provide you with exceptional options from their stock photo collection. The website is intuitive, and everyone can easily find photos, from beginners to experts. They have contributors from various parts of the world, and the quality is impressive.
Their landscape photos are famous, and users often pick them up for background images. The site’s search option lets you select emotion, location, genres, etc. Most importantly, they offer all these fantastic images at no charge!
- Envato Elements
You cannot just purchase the best images from Envato Elements but also learn how to make the most of them. The site provides eBooks and video courses to teach how to use digital assets efficiently. The entire collection comprises over 630,000 items, enough to satisfy your visual needs.
Marketers often use their monthly subscription offer for unlimited downloads starting from $16.50/month. This offer gives you access to images, videos, music, graphics, plugins, and more! Thankfully, a 7-day free trial is also available. You can look at their individual, team, and enterprise plan for more details.
- Pikwizard
Pikwizard is another fantastic name on our list. The platform has a broad collection that caters to almost every situation and scenario. The site is famous for providing ideal business finance images. Their cityscape collection also has some breathtaking shots from day and night.
Besides images, tons of videos are present. A design wizard option is also available, allowing users to modify pictures according to their branding before hitting the download button. Above all, most of their photos are free. A premium option is also there, where you only need to spend a few bucks for an improved collection.
Wrapping It Up
Though many options are available to get stock images, marketers cannot trust every resource. Images play a vital role in displaying business identity. Therefore, only the reliable sources mentioned above are the right option.
Depending on your budget, you can opt for the free or paid sites. You might find some limitations in the free photos as the paid ones give you more freedom and liberty. The choice is yours! Just find the best option for your marketing needs and budget. Good luck!
It’s a great list! I love Shutterstock and Pexels, in the past, I used to upload artworks on Shutterstock. Now I decided to offer my vector illustrations for free.
For my blog, I mostly use Pexels, as they have a ton of high-quality CC0 photos and videos. I also like to use Pixabay, as they have a ton of vectors and illustrations for free. But Pxhere or Unsplash are amazing too!
Ron.