License-Free Images for Business: Where to Find Them

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

Best Free & Paid Glitch Video Editors for Windows/Mac [Online/Desktop]

The Best Glitch Video Editors

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

We live in the digital age, which is the reason why the topic of malfunctioning electronics is close to us. Most of us have seen TV static, a monitor glitch, or some other fault of a display more than once, and it is hardly surprising that a growing number of filmmakers and video content creators refer to glitches in their work.

Glitches can be used in the opening titles, as transitions or effects that are applied to an entire video, but you need to fit them into the right context since glitches don’t match all styles of videos. You are at the right place if you want to find out more about glitch video editors because in this article we are going to introduce you to some of the best glitch video editors on the market.

The Best Glitch Video Editors [Online & Desktop]

Virtually any video editing software can be used to create a glitch effect, but you should keep in mind that only some video editors feature glitch effects in their effects libraries. Choosing a video editing software that already has preset glitch effects will make it easier for you to use these effects in different projects. Let’s take a look at some of the best glitch video editors.

1. Filmora

Filmora is a versatile video editor that enables you to do much more than just apply glitch effects to videos. In fact, it allows you to manipulate your footage in virtually any way you want by giving you access to huge titles, effects, and transitions libraries and allowing you to use a broad range of video editing tools. Filmora let’s use glitch effects in all of your projects, so here’s how you can use glitch effects in videos you edit in Filmora.

1. How to create a glitch transition with Filmora?

If you are using Filmora X V10.5 and the later versions, you can now find the glitch transitions in the program. To locate the glitch transition, type glitch in the transition search bar and you will find all glitch-related transitions in the library, such as VHS and glitch effect, retro game intro pack transition, and VFX cyberpunk pack transition.

However, there are no glitch transitions in Filmora’s transition library if you are running versions before V10.5, you can use the Chromatic Aberration effect for this purpose.

All you need to do is to place two different video clips onto the timeline and then go to the Effects tab. Expand the Filters menu and click on the Distortion submenu. The Chromatic Aberration effect is located near the top of the tab, so just drag and drop it to the video track that is directly above the one to which you added the footage.

You should then reduce the effect’s duration to six or eight frames, and you can enlarge the timeline to perform this task with more precision. Once you’ve adjusted the duration of the effect, you should place it above the cut, so that it covers the last four frames of the ending video clip and the first two frames of the video clip that is starting.

Adding a sound effect that matches the glitch transition you created is going to draw the viewer’s attention to the transition and make it more realistic.

You can watch the video tutorial below to get the step-by-step video tutorial or read this article to find out how to add glitch effects to video .

Want to make a VHS video including glitch effect? See this article: Easy Ways to Do VHS Effect with Final Cut Pro.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

2. How to add the glitch effect to text in Filmora?

The process of adding a glitch effect to text is simple, although you need to go through several different steps. You should start by choosing one of the available titles from Filmora’s Title tab and placing it on the timeline.

Double-click on the title you added, then click on the Advanced button and insert the text into the textbox. Proceed to set the text color to white, adjust its size and select a new font and then make sure that the No Animation option is selected in the Animation tab.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Click OK to confirm the changes you’ve made, then lock the video track on which the title is located, copy the title to the video track above and unlock the video track you locked. Once you’ve created the second title, you should double-click on the first title and change the text color to black.

Make a cut at two seconds on the title you copied and then head over to the Transition tab to locate the Deposit Up transition. Drag the Deposit Up transition from the Transition tab and drop it over the beginning of the title you copied. Export this title from Filmora as a video and then import it back into your project.

Remove the titles you added to the timeline and proceed to place the footage on the timeline. Afterward, you should place the video clip you created directly above the first video and match their durations. Double-click on the video clip that contains text and change the Blending Mode to Lighten from the Compositing menu.

Proceed to add the Shake, Flip, and Chromatic Aberration effects to the overlaying clip and then go to the Video Effects menu that is located in the Video tab to adjust the settings of the effects you applied.

3. How to apply a glitch effect to a video with Filmora?

The fastest way to apply a glitch effect in Filmora to a video clip is to add the Chromatic Aberration effect to it. Combining the Chromatic Aberration effect with filters, 3D LUTs and audio effects will help you sell the effect better.

Which combination of Filmora’s visual effects you are going to use, ultimately depends on the type of glitch effect you want to create. Optionally, you can also use keyframes to introduce the changes you make more gradually. Filmora offers you plenty of ways to get creative with glitch effects, but it is up to you to find the best way to incorporate glitch effects into your videos.

If you are using the Filmora V10.5 and later version, you can add the Human Glitch effect under AI Portrait category, which will leave the video background without glitch effects.

2. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS

Unfortunately, iMovie doesn’t have any preset glitch effects in its effects library, but you can still use it to create a glitch effect from scratch. The Video Overlay settings, Clip Filter options as well as the Split Screen feature enable you to overlay video clips and simulate the glitch effect.

Creating a glitch effect with iMovie requires you to have excellent video editing skills, and quite a bit of creativity as you have to plan the entire effect in advance. Even so the video editing tools you will have at your disposal are going to be limited so you shouldn’t expect to achieve breathtaking results. Adding an audio effect that accompanies the glitch effect may make this effect look more realistic.

3. Veed.io

Price: Free, pricing options start at $15 per month

Compatibility: web-based

Veed.io is an online photo and video editor aimed at social media content producers that lets you apply preset glitch effects to your videos. You don’t even have to create an account in order to start working on a new project, and you can simply upload a video clip of any length to this platform.

As soon as the upload is completed, you will be taken to the editor window where you can adjust the video’s settings, add text overlays or change the video’s playback speed. Click on the Effects tab that is located in the Filters menu and then proceed to choose between VHS, Glitch, and RGB Split effects. All you need to do in order to apply one of these glitch effects is to click on it and you can see the results immediately in the Preview window. However, all videos you create with the free version of Veed.io are going to be watermarked.

4. Photo Mosh

Price: Free

Compatibility: web-based

This online platform is entirely dedicated to the creation of glitch videos. Besides being incredibly fun to use, Photo Mosh is also completely free, so you just have to upload a video clip and start experimenting with different effects.

Bad TV, Duo Tone, or Pixelate are just a few among numerous glitch effects you can choose from. Simply expand the effect and click on the ON checkbox to apply an effect and then proceed to adjust its settings. Optionally, you can click on the Mosh button that is located below the Preview Screen if you want to combine two or more random glitch effects. The only downside is that you can only save your creations as JPEG, GIF, or WEBM files, and the videos you record in the WEBM format can last for a few seconds.

5. Biteable

Price: Free, pricing plans start at $19.00 per month

Compatibility: web-based

Bitable is an online content creation platform that helps digital marketers and all other types of content creators to edit their videos quickly. The platform features a huge selection of video templates that can be used for a wide variety of purposes that range from employee onboarding to business to customer messages.

Unsurprisingly, Bitable features a Glitch template that is composed out of eight scenes that can be used to promote a concert or a nightclub. This template is customizable which enables you to upload the images you want to use and your tailored promotional message or alter the theme colors. You can also choose the soundtrack for the glitch video by simply uploading the song you want to use. However, if you opt for Biteable’s Starter pack you won’t be able to export more than one video per month.

6. Renderforest

Price: Free, pricing options start at $9.99 per month

Compatibility: web-based

In case you are looking for an online platform that enables you to build websites, edit videos, create animations, and design logos, then Renderforest is the right choice for you. Like Biteable, Renderforest grants you access to a huge collection of video templates you can use to create videos quickly.

The Glitch Slideshow template can be used for video portfolios, party highlights, or virtually any other occasion. You just have to upload the footage you want to include in the glitch slideshow, add the text and choose the song for the soundtrack and Renderforest will generate the new video for you. You can only create three-minute videos at 360p resolution if you decide to use the free version of this platform, and all videos you export from Renderforest are going to be watermarked if you don’t purchase one of the available subscriptions models.

7. Shotcut

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux

Creating glitch videos with Shotcut is easy because this open-source video editor allows you to choose from several different glitch effects. The effect named Glitch is located in the Filters menu and you just have to drag and drop it to the timeline in order to apply it to a video clip. In addition, you can adjust the Frequency, Block height, Shift intensity, and Color intensity options if you want to customize the effect to the project’s demands.

The RGB Shift is yet another effect you can use to create glitches in your videos. After you apply it to a video clip you can adjust the vertical and horizontal values, but keep in mind that setting both of these values to 50 is going to align them perfectly and render them invisible. Moreover, filters such as Shake, Old Film Projector, or Old Film Technicolor can all be used to simulate glitches in a video.

8. VSDC

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

PC owners who want to add glitch effects to their videos can install the VSDC video editing software for free. This non-linear editing application supports nearly all common video file formats, so you don’t have to worry about the format in which your video was captured.

After you create a new project and add the footage to the timeline, you should click on the Video Effects button and select the Glitch option from the Special FX submenu. There are eight glitches presets to choose from, and you can either use one of them or create your own glitch presets. You can adjust the Glitch effect’s settings from the Properties Window. Click on the Properties drop-down menu in the Glitch Effect Settings submenu and choose one of the available options or pick the Custom option if you want to create a new glitch effect preset.

FAQ About Glitch Video Editors

1. What is a glitch effect?

A glitch effect can be any intervention you make on a video clip that makes that video look like it was recorded by a faulty camera or displayed on a malfunctioning display device. That’s why you don’t necessarily have to use a glitch effect in order to make the video clip look damaged since a color effect or a camera shake effect can also be used for this purpose. Moreover, combining several effects to create a glitch in a video is also an option, although this task may be overwhelming for inexperienced video editors.

2. How to apply a glitch effect to a video in Filmora

Filmora allows you to use glitches in a variety of ways, so besides adding the Chromatic Aberration effect to a video clip, you can also use it to create a transition or apply it to text. In addition, you can use a camera shake effect or filters to make glitches in your videos. Including the sound effect that accompanies the glitch can help you create a more realistic glitch.

Conclusion

Glitch effects have become very popular in the last few years, which is the reason why a growing number of content creators is using them in their videos. Each of the glitch video editors we featured in this article allows you to create glitches in your videos effortlessly, although using some of them requires you to have advanced video editing skills. Which glitch video editor are you going to choose? Leave a comment and let us know.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison