Find Free Images for Your Business: A Beginner’s Guide

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.

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Best Free Subtitle Editing Software for Mac (Subtitle Edit Alternatives)

Subtitle Edit for Mac: Download Alternatives

Max Wales

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Subtitle Edit is a free, open-source subtitle editor that allows users to create, adjust, sync, and translate the subtitle lines seamlessly. But one of the significant drawbacks of Subtitle Edit is that it is available only for Windows users. Nevertheless, it does not mean that Mac users cannot utilize the same function and feature set. There exists some software that is almost similar to Subtitle Edit. And given that there is no option to download Subtitle Edit for Mac users — you can use its alternative and utilize the same features on a macOS environment.

Read on to find the best Subtitle Edit Alternative to download on Mac.

Part 1: Top 3 Subtitle Edit Alternatives
Part 2: Edit Subtitle And Video With Filmora

Part 1: Top 3 Subtitle Edit Alternatives

After reviewing the tons of subtitle editors on the internet, we have composed a short but best list of the best alternatives of Subtitle Edit software for Mac users. And if you are used to Subtitle Edit and looking for a software that is likely comparable to mighty Subtitle Edit, you can ignore looking at this software. That said, here’s the list:

1. Aegisub

Free, open-source, and cross-platform program, AegiSub is the best alternative of SubtitleEdit because the software is comparable in most standards to the software. In fact, by comparison, AegiSub is substantial compared to the one in question. Including a built-in real-time video preview option, Aegisub allows users to see the look of the text on the videos while editing them. There are multiple options to edit the subtitles; for instance, you can change the size, font, and language based on preference and set it to video with exact timestamps. And given the fact it is a free platform; it is definitely worth a look regardless of whether you like the software or not. For the most part, if you like Aegisub, you will love Subtitle Edit and will not find it tough to utilize Aegisub to edit the subtitles.

Pros:

Free of costs — you can donate if you like the program
Cross-platform — sign in with a single credentials on across all your devices and work anytime, anywhere
Multiple style, size, and font options
Built-in video preview to view the added subtitles

Cons:

Interface needs improvement — instead of downloading the original version, try a version from Github that includes developed and enriched version of the software

Price: Free software; no hidden fees

2. Jubler

Another free software, Jubler, is also a viable alternative to Subtitle Edit. Having all the features same as Subtitle Edit, Jubler has enough functions and capability to stand against it with its head held high. One of the most lovable qualities of Jubler is syncing text to match video features that allow users to sync the text to exact timestamps and avoid problems like latency. But that is not it: Jubler also includes an ‘Audio Wave’ feature to let you target different parts of the video and add subtitles conveniently and easily. In all, if you need a simple Subtitle editor for a Mac — Jubler is worth looking at and trying it out. Still, given that it has limited options when it comes to Formats, collaboration, and conversation options, Jubler stands next to AegiSub in our list of best alternatives of Subtitle Edit for Mac.

Pros:

Simple and navigable tool for Mac users to edit the subtitles, sync and match to video conveniently

Cons:

Limited subtitles options available
No online editor — downloading is must

Price: Free software; no hidden fees

3. Subtitle Workshop

Supporting all the subtitle formats and incorporating all the tools that is ever expected from a subtitle editor, Subtitle Workshop accumulates the finest features into a simple and workable interface that allows users to add subtitles, edit, and sync & match to video easily. For instance, Subtitle Workshop allows you to handle both time and frame-based subtitles and edit them to perfection. The user-friendly, multi-lingual, and customizable interface is another likable trait that you will rarely find in the subtitle-editors realm. Not only this, but you can also utilize functions like Bold, Italics, and underline to add those subtle details and make the transcript look like a professional-edited one.

Pros:

Numerous customizable tools and functions for automatic timing and text manipulations. For instance, you will find automatic durations, spell checking, smart line adjusting, FPS conversion, search and replace, and many more!

Cons:

No cross platform supports

Price: Free to use; no hidden fees whatsoever

Part 2: Edit Subtitle and Video with Filmora

If you are looking to edit videos and apply subtitles on a Mac computer, another considerable option is Wondershare’s Filmora. Including multiple edit options, Filmora allows you to add beautiful titles, subtitles, and text to a video or movie conveniently. Including all the features, Filmora allows video-editing novices to edit a video like a professional. The interface is straightforward and utilizing the application to its full extent will not be difficult for anyone, regardless of the fact whether they are experts or just starting out. And although a simple tool, Filmora includes all the powerful tools, including the Chroma Key, to work on a blue-or-green screen, add transitions, effects, and filters to the videos. Plus, you can add up to hundred layers of video and audio and create the most desirable video that tells the story exactly as you want it to.

If you are looking for a perfect video cum subtitle editor that allows you to add tons of styles, font, and animation features to the text present on the videos, Filmora is worth looking at.
It is a free-to-use application (premium available), you can try it out if you are looking for something along the lines of a subtitle editor.
It includes other features to edit the video too and not just sync and match video to text (like the ones mentioned above), Filmora is the app that you need on Mac.

Conclusion

Counting tons of other features Subtitle Edit includes in the program, it is not tough to see why it is one of the most popular subtitle editors in the Windows realm. Nevertheless, the above list of best alternatives that, as you have seen, includes everything that Subtitle Edit offers to the Windows users. If you are a user who is looking for a simple tool - then AegiSub should do the job. For collaboration projects — the Jubler is the best option. And for professional individual subtitle editing - Subtitle Workshop is the way to go.

Max Wales

Max Wales is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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