Stock photos are professionally taken photographs that are available for purchase or licensing. They are often used by businesses, marketers, and designers to add visual interest to their content, without the cost of hiring a photographer. There are many websites that offer stock photos, but some are better than others in terms of selection, quality, and pricing. In this article, we will outline the top 10 best stock photo sites.
10 Best Stock Photo Sites
1. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the largest and most popular stock photo sites, with over 350 million images, videos, and music tracks. It was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in New York City. Shutterstock offers a wide range of affordable plans for individuals and businesses, with options for monthly or annual subscriptions, as well as on-demand downloads.
Shutterstock’s library includes images, videos, and music tracks in various categories such as animals, food, travel, business, and more. They also have a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
In addition to the stock photo library, Shutterstock also offers editorial images, which are photos of real people, places, and events. These images are licensed for editorial use only and cannot be used for commercial purposes.
Overall, Shutterstock is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for a large selection of affordable stock photos and other media.
2. Pixabay
Pixabay is a stock photo site that offers a large library of over 1.8 million high-quality, royalty-free images and videos, contributed by a community of photographers and artists from around the world. Pixabay was founded in 2011 and is based in Germany.
One of the unique features of Pixabay is its large library of free images and videos, which can be downloaded and used for both personal and commercial purposes without attribution. They also offer a premium membership that provides access to additional features and benefits, such as a wider selection of images and videos, exclusive content, and priority support.
Pixabay’s library includes a wide range of categories, including nature, business, technology, and more. They also have a collection of curated collections, which are hand-picked groups of images and videos that are organized around a specific theme or topic.
In addition to their stock photo library, Pixabay also offers a variety of design features, including a built-in image editor and a range of graphics and illustrations.
Overall, Pixabay is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for a large library of high-quality, free stock photos and videos, as well as premium content for those who need additional features and benefits. Its user-friendly interface and design features make it easy for anyone to create professional-looking designs.
3. Getty Images
Getty Images is a well-known and reputable stock photo site that offers a vast library of high-quality images, videos, and music tracks. Founded in 1995, Getty Images is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and has offices around the world.
Getty Images offers both rights-managed and royalty-free licenses for their content. Rights-managed licenses allow for specific and limited use of the image, while royalty-free licenses allow for more flexible use of the image. They offer a range of pricing options, including individual downloads, subscriptions, and custom pricing for larger projects.
Getty Images’ library includes a wide range of categories, including news, sports, entertainment, business, and more. They also have a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
In addition to their stock photo library, Getty Images also offers editorial images, which are photos of real people, places, and events. These images are licensed for editorial use only and cannot be used for commercial purposes.
Overall, Getty Images is a great option for businesses and individuals looking for high-quality, professional stock photos and other media.
4. Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock is a stock photo site that is integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud, which makes it a popular choice for designers and creatives. Founded in 2015, Adobe Stock has a library of millions of high-quality images, videos, and illustrations, with new content added daily.
Adobe Stock offers a variety of pricing plans, including monthly or annual subscriptions, as well as the ability to purchase individual assets on-demand. They also offer discounts for students and educators.
One of the unique features of Adobe Stock is its integration with Adobe Creative Cloud. This allows users to search and license stock images and other media directly from within Adobe’s design software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Adobe Stock’s library includes a wide range of categories, including business, travel, lifestyle, and more. They also have a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
In addition to their stock photo library, Adobe Stock also offers a variety of video content, including motion graphics, templates, and 3D assets.
Overall, Adobe Stock is a great option for designers and creatives who use Adobe’s design software, as well as anyone looking for a large selection of high-quality stock photos and other media.
5. iStock
iStock is a popular stock photo site that has been around since 2000. It offers a vast library of royalty-free images, videos, and illustrations, with new content added daily. iStock is owned by Getty Images, which ensures the quality and authenticity of its content.
iStock offers a range of pricing plans, including monthly or annual subscriptions, as well as the ability to purchase individual assets on-demand. They also offer discounts for bulk purchases and credit packs.
iStock’s library includes a wide range of categories, including business, travel, lifestyle, and more. They also have a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
One of the unique features of iStock is its exclusive content. This content is only available on iStock and includes high-quality images and videos that are not available on other stock photo sites.
In addition to their stock photo library, iStock also offers a variety of video content, including motion graphics, templates, and 3D assets.
Overall, iStock is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for a wide range of high-quality stock photos and other media, with the added bonus of exclusive content.
6. Unsplash
Unsplash is a stock photo site that offers a library of over 2 million high-resolution, royalty-free images that are contributed by a community of photographers from around the world. Unsplash was founded in 2013 and is based in Montreal, Canada.
One of the unique features of Unsplash is its community-driven approach. The photographers who contribute to the platform are passionate about their craft and offer their images for free. This allows Unsplash to offer its users high-quality images that can be used for personal or commercial projects without the need for licensing fees.
Unsplash’s library includes a wide range of categories, including nature, people, technology, and more. They also have a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
In addition to their stock photo library, Unsplash also offers a variety of editorial content, including articles, interviews, and stories that showcase the photographers who contribute to the platform.
Overall, Unsplash is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for high-quality stock photos without the need for licensing fees. The community-driven approach also allows users to support and connect with photographers from around the world.
7. Pexels
Pexels is a stock photo site that offers a library of over 3 million high-quality, royalty-free images and videos. Pexels was founded in 2014 and is based in Germany.
One of the unique features of Pexels is its focus on quality over quantity. The platform carefully curates its library of images and videos to ensure that they meet its high standards for quality and authenticity. This results in a library that is smaller than some of the larger stock photo sites, but with a higher level of quality overall.
Pexels offers a range of pricing options, including free downloads and premium subscriptions that offer additional features and benefits. They also offer a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
Pexels’ library includes a wide range of categories, including nature, people, business, and more. They also have a collection of curated collections, which are hand-picked groups of images that are organized around a specific theme or topic.
In addition to their stock photo library, Pexels also offers a variety of video content, including stock footage and motion graphics.
Overall, Pexels is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for high-quality, curated stock photos and videos. The platform’s focus on quality and authenticity ensures that its users have access to the best content available.
8. Stocksy
Stocksy is a stock photo site that offers a library of high-quality, authentic images and videos that are contributed by a community of artists and photographers from around the world. Stocksy was founded in 2013 and is based in Canada.
One of the unique features of Stocksy is its focus on authenticity. The platform curates its library to ensure that its images and videos are authentic, diverse, and representative of a wide range of people and cultures. This results in a library that is smaller than some of the larger stock photo sites, but with a higher level of quality and authenticity overall.
Stocksy offers a range of pricing options, including individual downloads and subscriptions that offer additional features and benefits. They also offer a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
Stocksy’s library includes a wide range of categories, including lifestyle, travel, business, and more. They also have a collection of curated collections, which are hand-picked groups of images that are organized around a specific theme or topic.
In addition to their stock photo library, Stocksy also offers a variety of video content, including stock footage and motion graphics.
Overall, Stocksy is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for high-quality, authentic stock photos and videos that represent a diverse range of people and cultures. The platform’s focus on authenticity ensures that its users have access to the best content available.
9. Canva
Canva is a graphic design platform that offers a wide range of tools and features for creating designs, including a library of over 75 million stock photos, illustrations, and videos. Canva was founded in 2012 and is based in Australia.
One of the unique features of Canva is its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop design tools, which make it easy for anyone to create professional-looking designs without any previous design experience. Canva also offers a range of pre-designed templates for a variety of design projects, including social media graphics, flyers, and presentations.
Canva’s library of stock photos, illustrations, and videos is integrated into the design platform, which makes it easy to find and add the perfect image or video to any design project. They also offer a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
Canva’s library includes a wide range of categories, including nature, people, business, and more. They also have a collection of premium images and videos, which are available for purchase with credits or a subscription.
In addition to their stock photo library, Canva also offers a variety of design features, including text and font tools, photo editing tools, and a range of graphics and illustrations.
Overall, Canva is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for a graphic design platform with a wide range of tools and features, including a large library of stock photos, illustrations, and videos. Its user-friendly interface and pre-designed templates make it easy for anyone to create professional-looking designs.
10. Depositphotos
Depositphotos is a stock photo site that offers a library of over 200 million high-quality, royalty-free images, vectors, and videos. Depositphotos was founded in 2009 and is based in the United States.
One of the unique features of Depositphotos is its large library of images and videos, which includes a wide range of categories, including nature, business, lifestyle, and more. They also offer a search function that allows users to search for specific keywords or browse by popular categories.
Depositphotos offers a range of pricing options, including individual downloads and subscription plans that offer additional features and benefits. They also offer a range of licensing options to suit different needs, including standard and extended licenses for commercial use.
In addition to their stock photo library, Depositphotos also offers a variety of video content, including stock footage and motion graphics.
Overall, Depositphotos is a great option for individuals and businesses looking for a large library of high-quality stock photos, vectors, and videos at affordable prices. Their licensing options make it easy to find the right fit for your specific needs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a variety of great stock photo sites available, each with their own unique features and benefits. Some, like Shutterstock and Getty Images, offer a wide range of high-quality images and videos, while others, like Unsplash and Pexels, provide access to free, high-quality content. Platforms like Canva and Adobe Stock offer both a design platform and a stock photo library, making it easy for users to create professional-looking designs with the right images and graphics.
Ultimately, the best stock photo site for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. It’s worth taking the time to explore a few different options to find the one that works best for you.