Commercial Image Solutions on a Shoestring Budget

Did you know that some of the world’s most iconic advertisements use stock images for commercial use? For example, AlamapBBDO, a Brazilian ad agency, used stock photos from Getty Images to create their Endless Possibilities campaign in 2016. The advertising campaign combined photos of random people’s faces to recreate portraits of famous people such as the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis.

Most creative agencies prefer altering stock images in most of their work. This is because it allows them to create campaigns for different companies much faster at affordable costs. Keep reading to find out how to get free images for commercial use in your next project.

Part 1: Download images in loyalty-free sites

Several sites offer free images for commercial use as part of their services. In addition, you do not need to register an account to download the images. The sites typically rely on user contributions and content teams to ensure their databases are fresh and maintain consistent quality. Furthermore, all creative assets they offer fall under the creative commons zero license or a variation of it. Here are some of the sites that offer you images for commercial use for free.

1. Pexels

Pexels.com is a free-to-use provider of high-resolution photos and videos for aspiring creators. The German-based website was started in 2014 by two brothers and has been under the Canva umbrella since 2018.

Currently, the website hosts over 3.2 million images and videos from over 250,000 active contributors. In addition, all the material you find in its library is under the Pexels license, which slightly varies from the creative commons zero license model. Some of the restrictions it enforces include:

You can only use pexels images for commercial use after making alterations to the original image. For example, you can use part of an image to create a collage for your commercial branding.
Furthermore, you cannot use any of the website’s content to promote political ideologies and explicit content, especially if the images contain identifiable subjects.

Pexels is available through the following channels:

Your web browser by typing the URL pexels.com.
The Android and iOS app.
A plugin for other content creation software such as Google Slides and MS Office.
An extension on your Chrome browser.
You can also access the database using the official Canva app.

2. Unsplash

Another website that offers free images for commercial use is Unsplash, a subsidiary of Getty Images since 2021. The website is a favorite among creators boasting over 16 billion photo impressions monthly. In addition, the database consists of over 3.48 million photos from more than 265,000 unique contributors, all under the Unsplash license.

The Unsplash license restricts the sale of its creative assets without incorporating new creative elements, including using them in print media and physical goods such as mugs and caps.

You can access Unsplash from your web browser or request API integration for your application from the site’s owners. In addition, the site also hosts photo walks across different cities, where Unsplash guides show you the best photo locations around the city and the best camera techniques for your work. Some cities to host the event include Boston, Montreal, Tokyo, and Toronto.

3. Freerange

Freerange Stock is an online resource for photos, illustrations, and textures you can download and use for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Since 2007, the site has continued to provide high-quality images to its community of over 800,000 registered users.

Unlike the previous examples, all content on Freerange falls under the website’s Equalicense. It grants you broad commercial rights of its stock images while allowing the contributors to retain control of their copyright, image resale, and distribution. As such, you cannot use the images for bulk distribution or print-on-demand works.

Freerange Stock maintains its steady supply of images for commercial use via the following methods:

It has an in-house team of professional photographers who upload images across the different categories on the website.
Freerange Stock also purchases image rights or directly commissions photos from independent creators.
You can also contribute to the website’s library by voluntarily submitting your work to the platform. Kindly note that you will need a verified account to enable this function.
The website also works directly with photographers through a licensing and distribution model, providing them extra exposure on the site.
Finally, Freerange stock aggregates public domain images from other sources, including similar sites and government institutions. It does so by acknowledging the image owner and sometimes lists the image source when the owner is unknown.

Freerange Stock is accessible through your web browser or as an API integration on your app.

4. Vecteezy

Vecteezy is an extensive online library of free stock images for commercial use. Some of the site’s highlight features include the following:

A best-in-class search engine that incorporates multiple filters to ensure your results are extremely accurate. For example, you can sort images by color, style, number of people, and age of the subjects, something other free stock websites do not provide.
All images, videos, and vector illustrations are free for personal and commercial uses. It does so through a property sign and release model with its extensive network of contributors, which protects users from any legal liabilities.
Finally, it employs a content team that manually reviews each photo submission to ensure consistent quality standards for its offerings.

In addition, you can also purchase design resource bundles by subscribing to its Vecteezy pro for as little as $9 monthly. Some of the resources available include the Ultimate Text Effects Layer Styles Bundle for Photoshop, which costs $39 stand-alone or $4.50 when you subscribe to pro.

Part 2: Buy from stock providers

Another way to get images for commercial use is by buying them from stock providers. Some of the benefits of buying images from stock providers include:

You get a wide selection of unique photos from top-tier photographers. Stock providers always seek collaborations with the industry’s finest to edge out the competition.
You receive exemplary customer service with your purchase. Selecting the right image can be confusing for amateur creators. As such, stock image providers have customer support channels to help you throughout your creative process.
Stock images reduce your delivery times significantly. Buying images from a stock provider eliminates the need to invest in photography equipment and the time you need for post-production. As such, you can deliver projects in a fast and cost-effective way.

Despite the above positive, here are some challenges that buying stock images may present:

Not all stock image providers will have the creative assets you need.
Image overuse is likely since every creator will rush for the most popular contributor.

Below are some of the stock image providers you should consider.

1. iStock

iStockphoto.com is an online database of creative resources, including royalty-free photos, videos, audio, illustrations, and clip art you can use in your creations. The website is a Getty Images subsidiary based in Calgary, Canada. In addition, contributors earn royalties depending on how often users download their content.

2. Alamy.com

Alamy.com is a British-owned stock image provider with contributions from photographers and agencies in 173 countries. It compensates its contributors by offering higher than average payouts every time users download their creations. Some popular brands to use Alamy’s services include M&C Saatchi, Microsoft, and The Economist.

Part 3: Shot a Photo by yourself or create one with editing tools

Alternatively, you can get images for commercial use by shooting them yourself or creating them with editing tools such as Figma and Wondershare’s Filmstock. Here are some benefits of using this method:

You get exactly what you want, provided you have the required skills and equipment. Sometimes, getting the right image for your commercial purpose can be challenging. As such, shooting an original photo may be the only option.
You have full ownership of the image.

Unlike obtaining images from stock photography websites, you are free to use the image in whatever capacity you please without any restrictions. For example, sites such as Unsplash do not allow you to use their images in political statements, a restriction you can bypass when using your own creations.

However, you should also consider the following factors when using this method.

It requires a substantial investment

Getting high-quality images for commercial purposes requires specialist equipment. For example, the Panasonic LUMIX GH6 camera, which has 4K resolution capability, costs $2,197 on Amazon. This makes it extremely expensive for amateur creators.

There is a steep learning curve

Becoming a professional photographer takes time and effort. Unless you are creating as a hobby, it will be a while before you can start generating income from your creations.

Part 4: FAQs

1. Do you need a contributor account to get images for commercial use?

Not necessarily. Stock image sites like pexels.com allow you to download images from their website without creating an account. You will only need one if you want to showcase your work on the platform.

2. Can you use your smartphone to get images for commercial use?

Yes. Most stock image providers have device-specific apps that allow you to access their databases from your mobile device. For example, UnsplashPhotoPicker allows you access to the Unsplash library from your Android device.

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Unlock MP4: 10 Best WebM to MP4 Conversion Software

10 Best WebM to MP4 Converters

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Reaching the widest audience possible is the goal of every video content creator, but achieving this goal might be impossible if the videos you share online are not saved in the right file format. MP4 is probably the most common video file there is, because it is compatible with a broad range of media players , as well as online video hosting and social media platforms.

WebM, on the other hand, is perfectly suited for videos that are viewed from Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, but only a handful of desktop-based media players offer support for this video file format. That is why in this article we are going to take a look at the 10 best WebM to MP4 converters on the market.

The 10 Best WebM to MP4 Converters

Changing the format of a video file is never a complicated process, regardless of the software or the web-based application you are using. However, the duration, speed, and quality of the conversion process depend on the converter you’ve selected for this task. Here are the ten best WebM to MP4 converters that make the file conversion process swift and smooth.

1. UniConverter

Price: Subscription plans start at $2.95 for the online version of UniConverter

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, web-based

This is a powerful file converter that is available both online and on desktop computers. You can choose from more than a thousand conversion formats, which enables you to convert your video files into virtually any format you want.

So, in order to convert a WebM video to MP4 you just need to add one or more WebM files to UniConverter and then set MP4 as the output file format. The amount of time you will have to wait for the conversion process to be completed varies on the desktop and online versions of UniConverter, and you can only convert two WebM files to MP4 at the same time with the online version of this file converter.

2. VLC

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android

Even though VLC is primarily a media player, you can still use it to convert WebM videos to MP4. Head over to the Media menu after you launch VLC and select the Convert/Save option or use the CTRL+R keyboard shortcut to bring up the Open Media window.

Afterward, you should click on the Add button and proceed to import the WebM file into the media player, and then click on the Browse button in order to specify the location on your hard drive where the converted file is going to be saved. When done, you should click on the Convert/Save button to initiate the file conversion process.

3. Any Video Converter

Price: Free, $69.95

Compatibility: Windows

As its name suggests, you can convert any video file with this software regardless of the format in which it is saved. Converting WebM files to MP4 with Any Video Converter is a simple three-step process that can be completed in just a few moments.

To import the WebM video files into Any Video Converter you must click on the Add Video button and then set MP4 as the output format. The software also allows you to adjust the Bit Rate, audio, and video codec settings, so once you are done fine-tuning these settings you should click on the Convert button. After the conversion process is completed, your files will be accessible from the Output Folder.

4. Online Converter

Price: Free

Compatibility: Web-based

This online file conversion platform enables you to convert a broad range of documents for free. It also supports nearly all commonly used video file formats, including the WebM format, which makes it a perfect choice if you want to convert WebM videos to MP4.

In order to convert a WebM file with Online Converter you just need to upload it to the platform either from an online source or from a local hard drive. Optionally you can set the frame size or cut a video clip before clicking on the Convert button. Uploading a WebM video file can be time-consuming, especially if your file is larger than a few hundred MB.

5. Convertio

Price: Free, pricing options start at $9.99 per month

Compatibility: Web-based

Changing the format of an image, audio and files or presentations is an effortless process that can be completed in just a few clicks. Convertio lets you upload WebM videos from a local hard drive, a URL or cloud storage platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive.

After the upload is completed you just have to change the output format to MP4 and click on the Convert button. The size of the files you can convert with the free version of the platform cannot exceed 100MB and you must opt for one of the available subscription models if you want to convert video files that exceed this limit. What’s more the number of concurrent conversions you can make depends on the subscription model you select.

6. Zamzar

Price: Free, pricing options start at $9.00 per month

Compatibility: Web-based

The fact that 480 million files have been converted with Zamzar since 2006, shows you just how popular this file conversion platform really is. Converting a video with this platform requires you to go through a simple three-step process, so you just have to upload a WebM video file, select the output format and click on the Convert Now button.

You cannot convert files larger than 150MB with the free version of Zamzar. Moreover, this file conversion platform doesn’t allow its users to convert videos that exceed 2GB limit even if they purchase the Business subscription plan. In addition, the maximum online storage capacity you will have at your disposal varies from one subscription plan to another.

7. CloudConvert

Price: Free, pricing options start at $9. 52 per month

Compatibility: Web-based

With the support for over 200 file formats, CloudConvert is easily one of the best file conversion platforms on the Internet. That is why it is hardly a surprise that converting a WebM video file to MP4 requires a minimum amount of effort. However, the platform also enables you to fine-tune the conversion settings by choosing video and audio codecs, setting the constant frame rate or selecting the resolution of the output video.

Trimming the WebM videos is yet another option you will have at your disposal if you choose to convert your files with CloudConvert. In case you’re planning on using this file conversion platform on a regular basis, you can choose how many conversion minutes you’re going to have every month.

8. Video2Edit

Price: Free, $15.00 per month

Compatibility: Web-based

Video2Edit offers a quick way to convert a WebM video to MP4, since you just have to upload a file, either from Google Drive, Dropbox or your hard drive and click on the Start button. Optionally, you can adjust the frame rate, choose a video codec or select a new resolution for the video you’re converting. What’s more, the Video2Edit platform lets you disable a video’s audio track or change the audio codec.

Creating a profile on this file conversion platform will enable you to convert WebM video files that are smaller than 400MB. Purchasing the premium version of Video2Edit will enable you to convert WebM files that don’t exceed a 1GB size limit.

9. Onlineconvertforfree

Price: Free, pricing options start at $6.99

Compatibility: Web-based

You don’t need any previous experience with the file conversion process to convert a WebM video to MP4 with the online file conversion platform. Simply upload a file from your computer or from an online source, choose MP4 as the output file format and then download your file after the conversion.

The platform offers batch conversion options, which can be quite useful if you are looking to convert multiple video files quickly. It is worth noting that converting a video larger than 500MB with this platform isn’t possible, regardless of the subscription model you choose. The number of daily conversions, however, is not limited.

10. Aconvert

Price: Free

Compatibility: Web-based

This is a simple online file conversion tool that lets you convert WebM videos that are stored locally on your computer or on the cloud. You just have to select the source from which you want to import the video, select the output format and decide if you want to change the video’s frame rate , aspect ratio or size.

When done, simply click on the Convert Now button and then after the conversion process is completed, proceed to download your video to your computer. The only downside is that you cannot convert WebM video files that are larger than 200MB with Aconvert.

WebM vs MP4: Which Video File Format is Better?

The file format in which a video is saved determines its compatibility with different media players. So, if your videos are only going to be played in web-browsers like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, then it is better to save your video in WebM file format.

However, you should keep in mind that this file format isn’t used often outside of the online context and that finding a media player that is compatible with the WebM format can be a challenge. MP4 video files, on the other hand, can be played in virtually any macOS or Windows-based media player or uploaded to YouTube or any other video hosting service. That’s why MP4 is a more appealing option to video content creators who want to ensure that their videos can be played anywhere regardless of the device or the media player that is being used to open them.

Conclusion

Changing a video’s file format in 2020 no longer requires you to have access to a professional video editing software, because there are countless online file conversion platforms, that enable you to complete this process in just a couple of clicks. Even so, most online solutions limit the maximum size of the video files you can convert with them, which is why it is better to choose one of the desktop-based options if you are working with large video files. Which WebM to MP4 converter do you like to use the most? Share your opinions with us in the comments.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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