When it comes to creating blog posts, websites, social media campaigns, ads, presentations or editorial content, the right stock photo platform can make all the difference. The top platforms offer a large selection of photos, an intuitive search, flexible licensing, competitively priced, and high-quality photos.
None of the stock photo sites are perfect for all projects, but a few stand out. Here are some of the top stock photo sites you should look for:
1. Vecteezy
Vecteezy is a one-stop solution for creators in need of stock photos and other visual elements. Free and premium creative resources make up its library, and it has millions.
One of the top features of Vecteezy is the fact that it can do more than standard stock photos. Additionally, users can access vectors, videos, templates, PNGs, and other design elements, making it convenient for projects that need various kinds of visual content.
Vecteezy also features a range of editorial photography images on real-life themes including sports, news and entertainment. This is helpful for sports and lifestyle websites, bloggers, and publishers that require more than standard lifestyle stock photography.
If you’re someone who frequently uses various kinds of visual assets, Vecteezy is a good overall option, offering photos, editorial content, vectors, and video.
2. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the largest commercial stock photo sites around. It has a vast collection of books on all important topics, be it business, technology, travel, food, lifestyle, entertainment etc.
It’s an excellent choice for businesses and publishers requiring a large collection of traditional “commercial stock” photography. It also has search and filtering options that can help you to narrow down a lot of results.
Shutterstock is more appropriate for those who require professional, visual content over time, rather than users who need just a single free image.
3. Adobe Stock
For designers and creatives, especially those accustomed to the Adobe environment, Adobe Stock is a good choice.
It provides photos, illustrations, vectors, videos, templates and more creative assets. There’s also a significant amount of free images in Adobe Stock, and a much greater selection of paid images.
Making integration with Adobe’s creative applications a great benefit to designers looking to find and utilize stock elements without the disruption of leaving their workflow.
4. Getty Images
One of the most well-known companies for professional photography is Getty Images. It is especially renowned for its high-quality editorial images such as sports, entertainment, news, and big events.
When authenticity and editorial treatment are paramount over price, Getty is a good option. It has a library of images that aren’t always easy to obtain on regular commercial stock photo sites.
The only downside is the price. Highly paid-up editorial and commercial pictures may actually cost a lot more than alternate pictures.
5. Unsplash
Unsplash is one of the most popular websites for gaining free photos. It is especially good for lifestyle, travel, nature, architecture, and visually-oriented creative projects.
It has a more natural and artistic look than the traditional corporate stock photography. This makes Unsplash a great resource for websites or social media accounts needing up to date and sleek pictures.
Unsplash also has a paid $15/month Unsplash+ collection for more content and functions.
6. Pexels
Another great site for free stock photos is Pexels. It has a vast library of photos and videos of popular topics like business, people, technology, travel, fitness and food.
Pexels is especially great for bloggers, small businesses, social media managers, and all others creating who don’t wish to sign up for a paid stock subscription.
Another bonus is its library of videos, which is also useful for creators that require both still photos and shorter video content.
7. iStock
Between the free image sites and the more expensive editorial agencies, there is a sweet middle ground and that’s iStock, a subsidiary of Getty Images.
This platform features royalty-free photos, illustrations, vectors, videos and more. For businesses that require professional photos but aren’t necessarily looking to spend as much as some Getty images collections, it can be a good choice.
Additionally, iStock can prove handy in projects where something more refined than free stock photos can be seen.
8. Envato Elements
If you’re working on a project that involves other creative elements besides photography, then Envato Elements might be a consideration.
While Envato Elements primarily sells stock images, it also offers a wide selection of graphics, templates, video, audio, fonts, presentations and more for all your creative needs.
This is particularly helpful for marketers, designers, agencies, and content teams that frequently require various creative materials.
9. Pixabay
Another well-known free source of images and other media is Pixabay. It has a library of photos, illustrations, vectors, videos and more.
If you’re looking for an image that’s simple to find, but not wishing to buy a subscription or credit package, Pixabay may be ideal.
There can be more variations in the quality and consistency of the overall experience when compared with some more premium platforms, however its large selection makes it a beneficial resource to include in your toolbox.
10. Alamy
One of the most interesting features of Alamy is that it provides users with authentic photographs that can be used by publishers, journalists, and organizations.
There is a significant proportion of editorial imagery found in its collection, which is helpful for topics that are not best suited to ‘stock imagery’. It’s also a useful archive for historical, travel, documentary and news related photographs.
When using an image for an editorial project, it’s more valuable to find an image that really captures that specific event or location rather than just a nice generic stock photo.
Selecting the best stock photo site
The ideal stock photo site is determined a great deal by what you’re constructing.
Vecteezy is a good place to begin if you’re looking for a comprehensive library of images and other creative elements. It comes with a library of stock photos, editorial images, vectors, videos, and templates, making it versatile for various types of content creation.
For large commercial libraries, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are good options. If you are looking for top-tier editorial photos, then you should consider checking out Getty Images and Alamy. When you’re looking for free photography, you can use Unsplash, Pexels and Pixabay.
To sum up, having a number of platforms is better than just one. Each library offers a different level of imagery; comparing multiple sources can lead you to the right mixture of quality, licensing, content and costs for each project.
