No-Cost Commercial Images: The Ultimate Resource List

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

‘S Best Video Editing Apps for Windows Users

Whenever a film or video is created, it always needs editing. Even pictures after a photoshoot are edited and finalized before any further action is taken. The same is the case with movies. Movie clips are filmed firstly. Then they are edited and finalized before compiling everything. There are various movie editors for Windows in the market.

This article will talk about 6 different and best movie makers for Windows. Although the market is flooded with editing tools, only a few are worth trying. We will be sharing the editors that will bring epic transformation to your movies.

Part 1. 6 Best Movie Editor for Windows in 2024

Who doesn’t want their movie to stand out and shine among other movies? For such a unique and classic movie, the most important factor after the content and composition is the movie’s editing. As mentioned earlier that not all movie editors are worth the try. Only a few movie editors can do the magical editing to your content.

In this section of the article, we will talk about the best Win movie maker 2024. The following movie editing software for Windows has proved to be the best and topmost movie editor for the year 2024. Let’s discuss the editors without any further delay.

1. Wondershare Filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

When we talk about movie editing, the first classic editor that comes to mind is Wondershare Filmora. No movie editor can compete for its editing level. The software has a whole new and different editing world to offer its users.

With Filmora, you can do stunning editing to your ordinary movie. Wondershare Filmora is a Mac as well as a Windows movie editor. It offers a lot of editing features. Using Filmora, you can trim your movie, split the screen, rotate the content.

The most brilliant thing with Filmora is to create freeze frames and do motion tracking. You can also join various movie clips together using Wondershare Filmora. Filmora has its own media library, which can be accessed and used.

The stock media library of Filmora has a wide range of editing effects, transitions, and whatnot. You can create a high-quality movie by adding text and titles from Filmora. Using Wondershare Filmora, you can create an amazing movie that will stun everyone.

2. Lightworks

After Filmora comes Lightworks. The movie editing software for Windows is free to download and great to work with. Lightworks is the best option for someone who wants to make stunning movies without spending a penny on it.

Lightworks promises to deliver the final product while maintaining its quality. It never compromises on the footage quality as it matters the most. You can also upgrade the version of Lightworks, and with its upgraded version, you can export the project in different formats. You can also create 3D movies.

Lightworks is a non-linear movie editor. The movie editor offers a variety of features that expensive editors mostly offer. A few of its features are.

Lightworks supports multitrack movie editing.
Along with Windows, the movie editor is also available for Linux and macOS.
You can drag numerous editing windows and create as many layout variations as you want to.
With Lightworks, you can import and also render footage in the background.

3. Adobe Premiere Elements

The next best movie maker for Windows is Adobe Premier Elements. This software is great for beginners and experts to edit their movies at a professional level. The amazing thing about Adobe Premiere Elements that most software lacks is the ease of usability. This movie editing software is very easy to understand and simple to use.

Although Premiere Elements is a simplified version of Premier Pro, the software has some classic high-end features that make it worth using. Adobe Premiere Elements is relatively cheap, and you can learn it very easily. The software is very capable and strong when it comes to movie editing.

Adobe Premiere Elements contains a variety of soundtracks and audio effects. The software has a wide range of movie editing effects that include various transitions, opacity, and chroma-key. You can also motion tracking along with smart toning. Some more fascinating features of Adobe Premiere Elements are shared below.

The craziest feature that Adobe Premiere Elements offers is that it lets you select one subject from the movie, and then it will focus on the subject throughout the movie.
With Adobe Premiere Elements, you can also view animated GIFs within the interface.
A classical feature offered by this software is Face Detection.
Adobe Premiere Elements is available for both Mac and Windows.

5. Adobe After Effects

The next movie editing software that should be discussed is Adobe After Effects. The platform is well known for its simple and easy-to-understand interface. Adobe After Effects is known to be used by professionals to add class and uniqueness to your classical videos.

The movie making software is non-linear with a multimedia transcoder. With Adobe After Effects, you can improve graphics quality throughout your video, thereby making it attractive and interesting. A few of its features are mentioned below.

Adobe After Effects supports the quick conversion of movies.
The biggest feature of Adobe After Effects is its integration with other Adobe products.
With this movie editing software, you can create animations, visual effects, etc.
Adobe After Effects allows you to create and combine 2D layers into 3D space.

6. Studio

The last editor in the list of best Win movie makers 2024 is Studio. The movie editor is one of its types. No one but Studio has a 30-day money-back policy. The editing software is available for Windows.

The best thing about is that it offers more than 1500 effects, various text and title templates, etc., at a very reasonable price. By using Studio, you can do HD editing of your movie. Some other attractive features of this editor are mentioned below.

With Studio, you can do smart object tracking.
The editor also supports 8K import and keyframe groups.
If we talk about Studio’s interface, it has a very simple, user-friendly, and understandable interface.
Studio offers you color correction as well as time remapping, and a lot more.

Final Words

As promised in the beginning, the article is a complete pack of information about the best movie maker for Windows. If you have been wandering around and looking for suitable movie editors, then this article is all you need. We have discussed the 6 finest and leading movie maker software for Windows in detail.

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