Unlock Free Images for Your Business: Top Resources

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

Mastering YouTube Music: A Step-by-Step Audio Download Guide

The Stunning Guide on YouTube Audio Download

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Extracting audio from YouTube videos or YouTube audio download is a fairly common practice, and the desire to make the process simpler has inspired the production of countless software and websites.

We’ve framed a stunning guide for YouTube converter video to MP3 format.

Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.

Part 1 Something You Need to Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube

Before we proceed on the ultimate procedure for YouTube audio download, we’d like to take you through a set of questions defined below.

01What is an online YouTube music downloader?

A YouTube to MP4 converter online allows downloading music or audio from YouTube’s video format. For example, let’s suppose you are using keepv.id to download music from YouTube. Here, you’re only required to paste the video link and hit the Go tab to see your YouTube videos converting to MP3 format.

02Why use an online YouTube MP3 Downloader?

The answer is simple as you’re involved in any hassle of downloading the software beforehand in an online version of YouTube MP3 downloader. However, you must look for security concerns in online websites as they have malware or other viruses.

03Is it possible to convert YouTube videos to other formats?

You can convert a YouTube video into different formats such as MOV, MPEG, MP4, FLV, and more.

04Is downloading YouTube videos illegal?

It’s not illegal to download YouTube videos but somewhat immoral for personal use.

05Is it safe to use YouTube MP3 Music Downloader?

Yes, the answer is quite partial here; as already discussed, online websites can be scams or injected with viruses, etc. So, research appropriately before using any online source for YouTube audio download.

Part 2 How to Download YouTube Audio

Now, let’s dive into a detailed guide on downloading video YouTube MP3 via different ways, as mentioned below.

01How to Utilize Mp3 Audio YouTube Downloader Feature?

Addoncrop is one of the most famous browser extensions available to download video YouTube MP3. The extension assists in downloading all the YouTube videos without any complexity.

Its interface is also quite intuitive, and you need to follow the steps mentioned below to download and convert YouTube to MP3:

Step 1: Go to addoncrop.com website and search YouTube to MP3 audio converter.

Step 2: Select the option from the search list, and there, you can select the browser name for which you want this extension.

Step 3: To add this to your browser, click the Download button and follow the on-screen instructions to add it.

Step 4: Once installed, go to YouTube and look for the song you want to download.

Step 5: When you click on the song, you will see the ‘Download MP3’ option right above the ‘Subscribe button. Click it.

Step 6: There’s an option to trim the audio and choose among different bitrates. You can choose up to 320Kbps of quality.

Step 7: You can download the song once you have trimmed and chosen the audio quality.

The fantastic part of this extension is that it does not spam with ads or take you to other websites. All in all, its entire procedure is pretty simple.

02Tutorials on Downloading YouTube Audio on Windows for Free

4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader software program specifically designed for extracting audio from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Flickr freely. It helps in downloading and saving it in different formats, including M4A, MP3, and OGG, without any hassle of ads. We can keep and download a complete playlist to our PC using a 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader.

To download music, follow the below-given steps:

Step 1: Launch 4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader to your system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) .

Step 2: After successfully installing the setup on your computer, open YouTube on your computer.

Step 3: Search for the music video or playlist that you want to save to your computer as shown below:

Step 4: Copy the video URL from the address bar, as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 5: Now, open 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader on your computer, and it will open, as shown below:

Step 6: Click on ‘Paste URL’ at the top-left corner.

Step 7: The software will recognize and start retrieving the information of the particular pasted URL.

Step 8: If you are downloading a complete playlist, it will ask whether to download the entire playlist or download one. A snapshot is below:

Step 9: Select accordingly and wait for a minute or seconds for the audio to download to your PC:

Step 10: After the successful download, it gets saved to your computer, and you can enjoy it whenever you want.

03Tutorials on Downloading Audio Files from YouTube on Mac for Free

Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader.

Step 2: Go to YouTube and find a video, playlist, or channel that you would like to upload into iTunes.

Step 3: Copy the video link from your browser.

Step 4: Click Paste Link in Video Downloader.

Step 5: Select the Extract Audio category, choose M4A format, and click Extract.

Step 6: Once you finish the audio extraction, click the right on the mouse button and choose the Show in folder option. The files directory that downloaded will open.

Step 7: Launch iTunes, go to File > Add to Library tab. Then, locate the folder and select the files.

Alternatively, you may drag and drop the downloaded content to the iTunes window from the folder.

Step 8: That’s it! Now you can enjoy the audio on iTunes on your Mac or transfer YouTube music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

04How to Download Audio from YouTube Using Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox offers a single robust application that helps you to download your favorite audio online, including YouTube.

Step 1: Open the Parallels Toolbox on your screen’s top toolbar.

Step 2: Click Audio under the Library window to access the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Select Download Audio; a pop-up will appear on the screen with a download icon.

Step 4: Open YouTube, search for the video, and drag the URL to the download pop-up.

Step 5: Once the download finishes, a list of all your downloaded audio content will be there on the Parallels window. Unmark them all, and only tick the audio content you wish to download.

Hit the Download Selected button.

It will automatically save your audio to PC.

Bonus Tip: The Most Recommended Audio Editor-Wondershare Filmora

The Wondershare Filmora Video Editor ‘s latest version has various audio editing features worth considering.

We can add the audio downloaded from YouTube as a background using Filmora audio editor and transform the tone.

Filmora also provides a free music library, you can also split the audio by using the timeline’s playhead, adjust the volume, pitch, or the video’s length or even mute the audio in a particular video clip.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

Filmora also helps to add real-time voiceovers by just hitting the record button, and you will also have 3 seconds before the recording begins, and once done, hit the stop button to end it.

There are various other audio editing features that Filmora provides, such as adding and customizing multiple tracks in a clip, fade in and out audio, an audio equalizer for changing frequency, audio speed adjustment, and many more.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Some FAQs on YouTube to MP4 Converter Online

● 4 Main tutorials on YouTube audio download

● Bonus tip for the best audio editor to leave you with creativity