Best Stock Photo Sites for Creative Professionals and Businesses

High-quality photos are not hard to come by. Thanks to reliable stock photography sites, you can fill your creative projects with kaboom pics that can capture your viewer’s attention. Your social media and blog posts deserve high-resolution photos. Don’t settle for the limited choices that Creative Commons offer. The best stock photo sites boast extensive collections of stock imagery for every style and theme.

Stock image websites allow you to purchase an image under the right license. Royalty-free photos can be used in any project for as long as you like, while rights-managed give you specific rights to use the image. You don’t need to hire photographers to create beautiful photos for your projects. Simply look for microstock agencies that fit your needs and budget. Read more list here.

To help you with your pursuit, here are some of the top stock image websites for creative professionals like you.

  • STOCK PHOTO SECRETS SHOP

    Stock Photo Secrets Shop is a budget-friendly stock photography site that specifically caters to small and medium-sized businesses. It is also an excellent resource for creative professionals who are looking for high-quality photos at affordable prices. The website has over 4 million image files in their collection under flexible plans and image packs. They also feature the famous 99 Club plan that allows you to download 200 hi-res photos for only $99.
  • ISTOCK

    As one of the first microstock agencies, iStock sells royalty-free photos with high commercial potential. You can find exclusive stock imagery in their highly-curated library. All images are divided into two collections: Essentials and Signature. The Essentials collection hosts budget-friendly photos for every need. It allows you to buy a picture with both credits and subscriptions. On the other hand, the Signature collection offers only the best photos. Some of them are even exclusive to the stock site.
  • SHUTTERSTOCK

    If you are looking for a more extensive library to browse, Shutterstock is the stock photo site for you. It has over 190 million files in various themes and styles. You can buy an image through an image pack or subscription plan, whichever suits your needs and budget. You can also save money with awesome coupon codes from reliable affiliates, such as Stock Photo Secrets.
  • ADOBE STOCK

    Adobe Stock is home to high-quality photos for commercial and non-commercial use. Owned by design software giant Adobe, the stock site is fully integrated into any Creative Cloud platform, allowing you to access over 80 million images within your favorite design app. It also works as a standalone website, so you can still access their content even without a CC application.

The above stock photo websites offer high-quality photos for your social media and blog posts. They are also budget-friendly, so you don’t have to break your bank. If you are looking for premium collections, you can download from the image websites. They provide high-end photography, also known as the best stock photos.

  • PHOTOCASE

    Photocase is home to unique stock photography. You can find the best authentic stock photos in their curated library. The stock image site has super tight curation and strict review standards, so you can expect only very high-quality images. If you want unique premium photography, this is the best option for you.
  • GETTY IMAGES

    Getty Images is the most prestigious stock photo agency in the industry. They have a varied catalog filled with first-class photography for commercial and non-commercial purposes. They have a great selection of royalty-free images. You can also buy stock photos under Rights-managed license. Furthermore, you can find an extensive collection of editorial content in the library.
  • ISTOCK SIGNATURE

    For a more affordable premium offer, iStock has a Signature collection that contains royalty-free images you cannot find in other stock photo agencies. You can download the photos you need with on-demand credit packs and subscription plans. They are an excellent fit if you are looking for high-resolution images at affordable prices.

The best stock photo sites do not always have to be expensive. Many of them offer high-quality photography at affordable prices. You just have to choose one that fits you and your needs the most. For social media and blog posts, we recommend downloading from Photocase. They have a unique collection of premium images that you won’t find in other stock image websites.

 

 

What are the Best Stock Photo Sites for your Website?

Having the right stock images in your website is important to its success. Stock photography spices your page and converts visitors into avid readers and customers. Since conducting your own photo shoot and hiring a photographer can be really expensive, buying royalty-free images has become a popular choice. Many creative professionals use them in their projects, including web design. Its growing fame has led to the rise of many stock photo websites, making it more difficult to choose the best.

To help you save time and effort from searching your next image source, here are five of the best stock photo sites in the market. You can find a full list of best stock photo sites here:

  1. Shutterstock: With over 210 million royalty-free images in their library, it is hard not to include the stock site in the list. Over 1 million are added every month, so you get plenty of fresh choices regularly. Their huge collection of stunning content comes at straightforward prices, too. Furthermore, as soon as you sign up for Shutterstock, you get free high-quality photos every week.
  2. iStock: If you want to do less searching and more finding, iStock is the stock site for your personal and commercial purposes. They’re easy to navigate website and advanced search tools allow you to save time and energy. Aside from royalty-free stock photos, they also offer various assets that will make you stand out. These include vectors and illustrations. Free stock files are also available for subscribers.
  3. Adobe Stock. Adobe’s pride, the stock photo site offer the most inspiring high-quality images in the market. To date, they have over 80 million royalty-free images that you can license, access and manage directly within your favorite Creative Cloud application. Yes, that’s right! You don’t have to spend so much time on reworks. You can show clients your work with the watermarked images and get their approval before you finish them.
  4. Getty Images. Although on the high-end side, Getty Images has always been one of the best stock photography sites for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Their collection includes stunning curated creative stock images that cover all topics and genres. The stock agency boasts spectacular royalty-free stock images at flexible pricing. You can even mix and match the images with videos.
  5. Stock Photo Secrets. SPS do not only offer coupons to their avid readers. They also have millions of handpicked premium royalty free stock photos. Their 99 Club promo allows you to download 200 super high-resolution images per year with no monthly download limits. Wait, there’s more! The agency is a one-stop shop. You can find all information, news, updates and tutorials on everything stock in the website, too.
  6. PixelRockstar.com: Easy and fast solution if your website runs on WordPress and you need photos for your blog.

If you wish to take a deeper dive on the best stock photography sites listed, visit www.stockphotosecrets.com and read detailed reviews about each one of them. You can compare them and decide which will be the best for your project. All information about the stock photo websites is available in one place. Just hover over the Stock Agencies menu, click Stock Agencies Reviews and choose a stock site you want to read about.

When it comes to creating a successful website, remember to stay away from free photos in the internet. If you cannot afford a photographer, get stock images from paid stock agencies. They include a royalty free license that is suitable for personal and commercial purposes. Free photos come with a high risk that could damage your reputation and empty your pockets.

What are you waiting for? Find the royalty-free stock photos from one of the best stock photo agencies in the market. Ditch the free images from the web, creative commons, and public domain, and get stock imagery with the right license.

 

Adobe Stock Extended License Strategies For Beginners

Have you ever come across an item that you didn’t realize you needed until after you had it? For many, extended licenses on stock photos do just that. People don’t realize what an extended license is and, therefore, don’t purchase it.

Every Photo Comes with a Royalty-Free License.

 

Every image you purchase comes with the royalty-free license. As the name implies, you need to pay extra royalties every time you use the picture. The image isn’t free – it is royalty-free. In other words, it is free from royalties.

This allows you to use the image as many times as you need to as long as you need to. There are some limits on how many times you can use the image on a single medium for a single purpose, but there is no limit on how long you can use the image. Once you have an image tied to your account with a royalty-free license, it will never expire.

If you need more, you get an extended license. Check out here.

When You Need More, You Get an Extended License.

An extended license gives you freedoms that a royalty-free license does not. An extended license lets you print the same image on a specific medium more than 500,000 times.

If you look at the terms of service that comes with the royalty-free license offered by Adobe, you are allowed to make “499,999 impressions.” Every time you print that photo on a medium, whether it be on a piece of paper, on a ceramic mug, or even a T-shirt, you use one of those “impressions.”

For the most part, people are free to use royalty-free licenses and many commercial aspects, such as enhancing a blog post, enhancing an article, or using it in an ad to help you sell something. However, in each of these instances, you’re not selling the photo to someone as if you were selling a T-shirt to someone with the photo printed on it.

If your purpose is to take a stock photo and use it on your merchandise to sell, you need an extended license. This includes gift cards, calendars, ceramic mugs, or any piece of physical merchandise that photo that you sell, look at more info.

Adobe Directs You to Fotolia.

When you need an extended license, Adobe directs you to Fotolia. Back in December 2014, Adobe bought Fotolia for $800 million cash. This enabled Adobe to enter the stock photo market. In June 2015, they came out with Adobe Stock free trial. That means that Adobe’s library and Fotolia’s library are the same. In fact, when you go to the Fotolia website, you’ll notice that, in the upper left corner, you’ll see the Adobe logo – indicating that they’re owned by them. If you need an extended license, Fotolia has the mechanics to make it happen – Adobe does not. In fact, when you inquire about an extended license, Adobe will direct you to the Fotolia website to complete the transaction.

 

Why We Love the DepositPhotos Promotional Code (And You Should, Too!)

Recently, we were able to negotiate a deal with one of the best (in our opinion) stock photo agencies online. Stock Photo Secrets obtained a DepositPhotos promotional code that can blow others out of the water. Our exclusive arrangement can easily save you over $100 of your marketing budget.

As you’re looking into the best value for your money, stock photos are at the top your list. If it isn’t, it should be. Even if you’re under the impression the stock photos are expensive, they are far more affordable than having your own photo shoot. Moreover, you get access to millions of images so you can take just the right one that fits what you’re trying to convey. After all, images are designed to enhance your message. Images give you a method of relating to your audience, thereby engaging with them. Most marketing strategies are enhanced with the acquisition of stock photos.
What you don’t want to do is waste money. No budget has money to waste. We understand that – that’s why we brought to this promotional code. Here’s why we love it. We try to examine every stock photo agency available. We contact them directly to negotiate exclusive offers to create a win-win situation. The agencies get business, and you know what you’re getting before you ever spend a dime. That’s our business model. It’s very straightforward.

 
The exclusive offer we bring you works like this. When you sign up for a DepositPhotos account through us, you instantly get a seven-day free trial. In those seven days, you’re given five free credits per day. That is the equivalent of 35 high definition images that you can use on your blog, website or to enhance your articles. Furthermore, our offer brings you a 15 percent discount on your first purchase. You can use them on credits, or you can sign up for one of their monthly subscriptions. Either way, you can be saving a massive amount of money.

The beautiful thing about these credits is that they don’t expire for a full 365 days. That means you can download what you want when you want. Once you choose a photo, it’s licensed to you – whether or not you continue to be their customer or not. You can always return and download the picture again and again. Their gift is the reason we love DepositPhotos – and you should too!

What Makes Stock Photo Secrets a Great Thinkstock Alternative?

With Thinkstock closing, it’s important that you find a good alternative fast. Many stock photo agencies are available in the market, making it more difficult to find a Thinkstock alternative. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will talk about Stock Photo Secrets and what makes it a great alternative for your closing stock photo source.

Stock Photo Secrets or SPS is a stock photo agency founded by industry expert Amos Struck. It has been in the stock photo industry for more than a decade, providing professionals with everything they need at the lowest prices.

Here are six reasons why SPS makes a good Thinkstock alternative:

  • Vast collection of images. The stock photo site has over 4 million high quality royalty free images. Organized in various categories, you will surely find what you are looking easy and fast. All images are handpicked by editors, so you can be sure that you are getting only the best.
  • Lightboxes are a great way to save the images you like for later download. They can help you compare images, so you will get only the best for your next creative project. SPS allows you to curate and share your own lightboxes.
  • The best contributors. Do you have a favorite artist in the stock site? You can now follow them to get updates on their latest contributions. You don’t have to search for the artist just to find out if they have a new work of art.
  • Super high resolution. At Stock Photo Secrets, you can download any photo with the highest resolution at the same price. Their famous 99 Club allows you to download 200 XXL images per year, without monthly limits.
  • Royalty free license. All images in the stock photo site comes with a professional royalty free license. This means you can use them in any project for as long as you like, with few restrictions. Just be sure to check out the terms and conditions of the agency to find out what these limitations are.
  • Keep your image downloads forever. At SPS, the images you download are yours to keep forever. You can use them in your upcoming projects. You don’t have to download the stock images again if you want to use them in the future.

Stock Photo Secrets allow you discover millions of handpicked premium royalty free images and download them at the lowest prices. Create a free browsing account and check out some of the best images for your creative projects. Find a plan that suits your creative needs and budget, and take advantage of the great deals that only SPS can offer.

There are many other alternatives for Thinkstock if you want to check out other stock sites. Some of the great replacements include iStock, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. Getty Images, which is the parent company of Thinkstock, is also a great substitution. Check out www.stockphotosecrets.com to read detailed reviews of the aforementioned stock photo websites and help you decide the next stock photo source for you!