Royalty-free images: Image databases for companies
The most important sites for royalty-free images
Companies always need royalty-free images that they can use commercially for their purposes. This is because visual and pictorial representations appeal directly to the viewer on an emotional level and, on average, are grasped more quickly than text content.
However, the term "royalty-free image" can be somewhat confusing at this point. In principle, image databases do not provide royalty-free images, but photos with licenses for commercial or editorial use. As a user, I can purchase this license and thus use the images commercially - they are then not royalty-free. Even free image databases do not offer royalty-free images for download, but only images with a free-to-use license.
Which image databases offer companies photos for commercial use?
To help you quickly find the right images, graphics and videos for your company, we present some of the largest image databases here. We have researched both paid and free image databases and summarized the most important facts for the commercial use of photos and other media.
Special rights of use for social media
Would you also like to use the purchased images in social media? Social networks often have their own terms of use and license models. You can find information on this topic and an overview of the individual social media usage rights in our blog article Using royalty-free images from image databases for social media.
Paid image databases
Adobe Stock (formerly Fotolia)
The US image agency Adobe Stock offers many different media from all subject areas. The images come from professional photographers and are available in high-resolution quality. The platform was founded in 2004 under the name Fotolia and has been part of Adobe since 2015. The name was officially changed from Fotolia to Adobe Stock on November 5, 2019.
- Volume: approx. 100 million
- Media: photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, audio, animations, etc.
- Licenses: three different license types for commercial use
- Costs: Credit packs from €39.95 for 5 images, subscriptions from €29.99 per month for 10 images
Shutterstock
The American stock provider Shutterstock offers a huge selection of media from all subject areas. Since its foundation in 2003, Shutterstock has acquired several image databases - most recently the online service Flashstock. The images on offer can be purchased in high-resolution quality and can therefore be used in all areas without any problems.
- Scope: approx. 530 million
- Media: Photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, audio, animations, etc.
- Licenses: various license types for commercial use
- Costs: Image packages from €49 for 5 images, subscriptions from €29 for 10 images per month
Getty Images
The photo agency Getty Images was founded in 1995 and employs around 2,000 people worldwide. Professional and semi-professional photographers, videographers, illustrators and audio artists offer their international products in high quality via this platform.
- Volume: approx. 80 million
- Media: photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, audio, animations, etc.
- Licenses: three license models for commercial use
- Costs: individual images from € 175, packages from € 625 for 5 images, individual subscriptions
iStock
The international photo agency iStock (formerly iStockphoto) was founded in Canada in 2000 and has been part of Getty Images since 2006. iStock provides a large selection of different media from all subject areas. The images can also be purchased in very high quality for large print products. The higher the resolution, the more expensive the license to be purchased.
- Volume: no official figures, estimated at 65 million
- Media: photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, audio, animations, etc.
- Licenses: two different license types for commercial use
- Costs: Credit purchases from €24 for 3 credits (small images from 1 credit), subscriptions from €29 per month for 10 images
123RF
Headquartered in Malaysia, the 123RF photo agency has been offering a wide range of media and comparatively low prices since 2005. With its high-quality images, the platform appeals to both professional companies and private individuals.
- Volume: approx. 170 million
- Media: Photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, audios, animations, etc.
- Licenses: up to five different licenses for commercial use
- Costs: Credits from 24 $ for 30 credits (images often from 2 credits), subscriptions from 29 $ per month for 20 images
Paid vs. free image databases
The time and financial budget available plays a key role in deciding whether to use a paid or free image database. Paid image databases always offer their customers a large selection of high-quality images and videos. However, free databases also offer many media from different subject areas. They are a good alternative for small companies or private individuals with limited financial resources. However, more time often has to be invested in searching for the right image with the right resolution.
When using paid and free databases, a thorough review of the corresponding license model should always be carried out. In the case of free providers in particular, it is also advisable to conduct your own brief web search. This is because most providers of free image databases accept no liability if an image that is actually licensed has been uploaded incorrectly by an unauthorized user. In exceptional cases, warnings and subsequent demands for payment have already been issued.
Tip: The reverse Google image search can be used to search for duplicates of the desired image. With a bit of luck, you may find a reference to the author on a website. The reverse Google image search works by uploading the relevant image. If there are duplicates of the image online, Google Images will display them (if Google Images is aware of them).
Free image databases
Unsplash
Unsplash was only founded in 2013 and offers a huge selection of images from many lifestyle areas in varying quality. Until 2017, the photos could be used under the Creative Commons Zero license. Today, there is an in-house license that still allows many types of commercial use. The resolutions of the photos vary. The images make a very high-quality impression and appear young and authentic. With a paid upgrade to Unsplash+, additional, exclusive content can be used. Unsplash has been part of Getty Images since March 2021.
Pixabay
Pixabay was founded in Germany in 2011 and became an interactive online community in 2012. Since the beginning of 2019, a separate Pixabay license has replaced the previous Creative Commons Zero license. The platform is financed by advertising from Shutterstock. The quality of the photos ranges from low resolutions for use on the web to high-resolution printable images. In addition to classic stock photography, you will also find authentic images and amateur photography. Pixabay has been part of the Australian company Canva since 2019.
Pexels
Pexels offers a large selection of photos and videos from many different subject areas. The platform was founded in 2014 and offers authentic modern photos from many different subject areas. The images have a high-quality and individual look. With its content, Pexels aims to provide creative media professionals with free access to high-quality photos and videos.
- Scope: over 3 million
- Media: Photos, illustrations, videos
- Licenses: free private and commercial use without photo credits, resale of unaltered copies is not permitted, persons may not be portrayed negatively, no suggestion of recommendations by the persons depicted, no distribution on other image databases
- Costs: free of charge, no registration required
Flickr
Flickr is a commercial online service that enables the presentation and exchange of photos and short videos among community members. Among the various licenses that Flickr offers, some also allow commercial use of the media. Many of the photos are provided by amateurs, but professionally created images can also be found.
- Volume: over 8 billion
- Media: photos, illustrations, videos
- Licenses: various licensing models based on Creative Commons: commercial use and modifications allowed, no known copyright restrictions, US government works (provided by official US government agencies)
- Costs: free of charge, no registration required
Canva
Canva is a graphic design platform that makes it easy to create all kinds of visual content. The many free images and design templates can be used privately and commercially. With the upgrade to the premium version, numerous additional images and templates can also be used with a simple license - the license can be extended for a fee. The image selection is extensive and ranges from authentic images to professional content of the highest quality. Canva has proven itself for the creation of social media content, but print products and presentations can also be created in a few simple steps.
- Scope: several hundred thousand free images and graphics
- Media: photos, videos, audio, vector graphics, etc.
- Licenses: free private and commercial use without photo credits for all free images
- Costs: free of charge, registration required. Upgrade to Pro version possible for 110 €/year, with the upgrade 100 million more premium images with a simple license and more than 600,000 design templates
We do not provide legal advice
We have researched all information with the utmost care. Nevertheless, our information is to be understood as non-binding advice and does not replace legal advice. We therefore recommend that you seek professional advice before using images and videos commercially and check the terms and conditions or support of the image database to ensure that the image may be used for the relevant purpose. This is because license-free images are not made available by the image databases. Every image is subject to a license. Free providers also do not offer royalty-free images, but rather the free use of images under corresponding license agreements. Especially when using content in social networks or photos from free providers, the terms of use should be checked carefully, as warnings may be issued in individual cases.
More information on the use of images and videos online
Here you will find further helpful articles on the topic of images and videos in social networks. In addition to separate license models for social media, the right size and the right file format should be used for the optimal display of the media, for example.
You need help with image research?
As a content marketing agency, we support and assist you in the creation of professional content. Our marketing expert Matthias Kampmann looks forward to hearing from you!
Image databases for companies - license-free images for commercial use
By selecting the right images, companies can create moods and stories that customers will remember for a long time. If your own photos or videos are not available or cannot be used due to poor quality, digital image databases are a good alternative for commercial use. Online image databases offer companies and private individuals photos, illustrations, videos, animations and even audio files for commercial use. The images are generally not royalty-free and may not always be used for every purpose due to different license models. The term royalty-free images can be somewhat misleading at this point, as even free image databases do not provide royalty-free images. In this case, photos may only be used free of charge.
Keeping an overview and finding the right image for your company can be time-consuming and not so easy. We therefore offer you a summary of the largest paid and free image databases as well as the most important facts about the individual providers.
