Where to Find Free Images for Commercial Purposes

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.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

6 Best Movie Intro Maker to Create Your Intro Videos

It is a very common practice that they generally skip the introduction of any movie. People rarely watch the intro because they think it’s a waste of their time. However, movie intros are essential to watch because it guides you properly about the video’s content.

It is very important to make precise yet very interesting intros so that your audience gets bound to watch it. Today there are several movie intro makers in the market based on the struggle required to retain your viewers’ interest in your intros. In this article, we will discuss in detail 6 movie intro makers.

Part 1. 6 Best Movie Intro Maker to Custom Your Intro Videos

As mentioned earlier that movie intros are very important. Intros have a significant role in attracting an audience whereas, using a good intro maker to make a movie intro is essential for retaining the interest of your audience. We automatically lose interest in something with poor graphics, weak conceptualization, and inadequate information.

To avoid all such situations and make attractive movie intros let’s discuss 6 movie intro makers with you. Without any further delay, let’s get started.

1. Wondershare Filmora

The first movie intro maker that offers editing world to you is Filmora by Wondeshare. Filmora has earned this spot on the top because of its countless features. The editing software is best for creating unique movie intros.

Not everything you film can be added to the intro. For such scenarios, you can trim your movie intros with Filmora. Sometimes different clips make a great intro together. For such cases, Filmora lets you join different clips. When we talk about attractive movie intros, the splitting screen is one of the key factors to make your movie intro stand out.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

With Filmora Movie Intro Maker, you can create phenomenal intros. Using these features to make a movie intro lets you easily retain your viewers’ interest. Filmora also has a variety of text templates that could be used in your intro to make a little explanatory movie introduction. Some more features of Filmora are added below.

Wondershare Filmora has various effects, filters, elements, transitions. It owns a massive asset library.
Filmora is a very strong editor. You can make very impressive and strong movie intros with it.
It has a very simple interface that everyone can easily understand.
Wondershare Filmora is available for both Windows and macOS.

2. Renderforest

So, the movie intro maker that makes it to the list after Filmora is Renderforest. This intro maker is the most popular and widely used movie intro maker, with over 5 million intros created by far on it. With Renderforest, you can create high-quality, attractive, and unique movie intros.

The best thing about Renderforest is that it has a free intro maker package. With this package, you can create unlimited 360p intros with an intro length of three minutes. Renderforest is device-independent. You don’t need any specific operating system as this intro maker is web-based. Some of the features of Renderforest are shared below.

Renderforest offers a great collection of various templates.
The intro maker lets you do more than make a movie intro.
With Renderforest and its complete customization feature, you can create attractive and unique movie intros.
You can modify the lighting, speed, and animation with Renderforest.

3. Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro X is yet another movie intro making software. The editor is widely used because of its free subscription. Compared to other effective intro makers, Final Cut Pro X is a feature-rich movie editor that allows movie editing at a professional level.

The software is a leading editor in the industry today. Unlike other makers, you don’t have to pay a penny for this editor because Final Cut Pro X is not subscription-based. This intro maker has a lot to offer. Let us share its features with you.

Final Cut Pro X is perfect for large Apple ecosystems. It is optimized for Mac Pro.
With this maker, you can do intelligent Smart Conform Cropping.
Final Cut Pro X comes with a 90-day trial which is fairly enough to play with it and learn about it.
A key feature of editors that either make or break it is their interface. The Final Cut Pro X case has a very intuitive interface.

4. Biteable

Now let us talk about Biteable, which is another movie intro maker. If you ever plan to make a movie intro, you should first consider Biteable as the best available option. Biteable claims that it can make a masterpiece within a few seconds.

Biteable has a text editor. As well as the editor holds a bunch of stock footage that could be used to make classic movie intros. Everything in Biteable is customizable, so you can also customize the text and fonts. You can get professional results if you make a movie intro with Biteable. You can make the best movie intro here as it also has a music stock.

Biteable offers a wide range of movie intro templates from which you can select your favorite as templates are grouped in themes.
The intro maker is completely free to use until you upgrade it.
The best part about Biteable is its speed and the level of ease. It has a simple interface that helps beginners understand things easily.
Biteable has 2D intros that have very good quality that can attract anyone.

5. Panzoid

Another amazing movie intro maker is Panzoid. The best thing about Panzoid is that it is a 3D intro maker. You can make stunning movie intros by using this intro maker. This movie intro maker is an amazing platform for beginners to learn and sharpen their skills. This intro maker is very convenient and simple to use for any beginner.

Panzoid has an online community with which its users create custom content. With Panzoid, you can get the best of the best intro for your movie. Panzoid has a lot more features. In the coming part, we will talk about them.

Panzoid offers several filters and graphic types.
You can easily modify and customize any of its templates and work with them.
Panzoid is completely free along with that the tools are also free.
It lets you add your favorite graphic, image, and music to make interesting movie intros.

6. LightMV

Last but not least movie intro maker to be discussed is LightMV. The movie intro maker is well known for its high-quality output. The intro maker is cloud-based that creates and delivers movie intros of professional level. With this intro maker, you can easily make HD intros, and you are a click away from uploading them.

It doesn’t matter if you are not an expert for intro and videos because this software is the deal-breaker. LightMV will guide you to make a movie intro that is worth watching. There is some reason that the software is famous and is widely used. Let us share a few of its features here.

LightMV is a movie intro makerthat is available for both mobiles as a mobile app and desktop software.
With LightMV, you can add your soundtracks as background music to your movie intro.
The intro maker has a variety of bold, sharp, bright, and impactful templates that matches the professional standards.
The best part about LightMV is that it supports the drag and drop option.

Bottom Line

If you want to make a movie intro and are confused, this article is all you need. The information shared in this article is sufficient for any person to learn about the best movie intro maker. After reading and learning from this article, we hope that all your doubts will be cleared, and you will be able to create interesting movie intros with these tools.

Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora has various effects, filters, elements, transitions. It owns a massive asset library.
Filmora is a very strong editor. You can make very impressive and strong movie intros with it.
It has a very simple interface that everyone can easily understand.
Wondershare Filmora is available for both Windows and macOS.