Are stock photos still free to use in 2024? Yes, you can still find high-quality images for free on stock photography sites.
As always, using them may have some limitations, and not all are completely free.
In this article, I’ll explain how stock photos work and where to get free photos, so don’t worry!
Please know that the information in this article is meant to be an introductory guide and is not intended to serve as legal advice.
Do You Need Permission to Use Stock Photos?
Credit: Fotios Photos
Yes, all photographs except public domain images require permission to be used.
However, by uploading their work to stock photography websites, photographers are granting permission within the terms of the licensing agreement of the specific site.
So, you’re not required to ask permission each time you download images from it.
Are Stock Images Copyrighted?
Yes, stock photos are copyrighted. Stock photos are royalty-free images, meaning you get a license to use them under certain conditions. This doesn’t remove the copyright.
Is It Illegal to Use Stock Photos Without Paying?
It is possible to use stock photos legally without paying. However, not all stock pictures work this way.
There are free stock photo websites such as Pixabay or Stocksnap. Here, you can download and use free stock images in a perfectly legal way. Of course, you need to use them as stated in the terms and conditions.
However, if the stock photo agency sells licenses, like Adobe Stock or Shutterstock, then it’s illegal to use their pictures without paying.
What Is Copyright (& How Does It Apply to Stock Photos)?
Copyright and other legal terms related to it are quite complicated. This simplified explanation will introduce you to these concepts, but it’s in no way a substitute for legal advice.
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What Is Copyright?
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that can be applied to all creations. It states that the person who created the work is the copyright holder.
After a certain period after the author’s death, the copyright expires, and the work falls into the Public Domain. Please note that this period may vary depending on the country.
Authors may also choose to place their work in the Public Domain before that period. Once this happens, you can legally use and modify images without asking for permission – this includes commercial use.
How Does Copyright Apply to Stock Photos?
Copyright applies to stock media in the sense that the image creator is still the copyright holder.
However, the author gives permission through a license agreement for a website or agency to distribute their photos.
This permission can be free or paid, and depending on the distributing platform, it may come with different limitations.
Creative Commons
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Creative Commons is a non-profit that created different royalty-free licenses to distribute and use creative work.
Since it’s a non-profit, all its licenses are free. A Creative Commons license allows the copyright owner to easily control what people can do with its royalty-free images.
A Creative Commons license is identified by the letter CC followed by a series of numbers and letters identifying the license type. Each use also has an icon, so it’s easier to know what you can or cannot do.
All CC licenses require attribution except for CC0 1.0, which stands for Public Domain and identifies copyright-free images.
The Fair Use Doctrine
Fair Use is the legal concept that allows for parts of a copyrighted work to be used without permission on certain occasions. Some of these may be for critical pieces or news reviews.
However, establishing whether something falls under fair use can be tricky and is usually examined case-by-case.
Types of Stock Photo Licenses
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1. Royalty-Free Image License
Most stock media online is handled with a Royalty-Free license (RF) – it can be free or paid. Regardless of the cost, it means that you’re granted permission to use a stock image.
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You can use the photo multiple times, but consider that royalty-free photos aren’t exclusive. Anyone can use the same photo as you as long as they have the license.
However, owning an RF license doesn’t mean that you can do everything you want with the picture – each website sets its own terms and conditions.
There are two types of RF licenses: editorial and commercial use.
Editorial licenses don’t allow you to use the photos in commercial projects. You can use them to illustrate blogs or articles, for example.
Commercial licenses allow commercial use of images, hence the name – for example, you can include them in marketing materials. Commercial stock pictures can’t have logos. Plus, they require a property release (if applicable) and a model release (if people are in the picture).
2. Rights-Managed Image License
Rights Managed (RM) is a more restrictive type of stock image license. Here, you pay for one use and have very clear limitations negotiated at the time of purchase.
A Rights-Managed license is usually purchased for high-end campaigns, as it allows exclusivity and control. The price often depends on the duration of the license and the scope of use.
3. Enhanced Image License
An Enhanced or Extended license is a type of commercial royalty-free license that allows more flexibility than the standard one.
Each seller may set a different set of conditions. However, they usually include unlimited print runs, permission to use them in templates and merchandise, etc.
What Are the Rules for Using Stock Photos?
The seller sets the specific rules for using stock photographs – whether this is the photographer, a website, or a physical agency.
These are a few things you should check before use:
When to Attribute Stock Photos
Authors always appreciate it if you credit them for their work, and it’s the most ethical approach. So, I encourage you to do it whenever possible.
In some cases, attribution is mandatory. You should review the terms and conditions of use to be sure.
Be Aware of Use Restrictions
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Stock image websites have their own terms of use, which you should review carefully before using their photographs to avoid any legal problems.
One of the most common restrictions regards the type of use – editorial or commercial purposes. When commercial use is allowed, you can use the photograph to sell a product.
Where Can I Legally Use Stock Photos?
You need to review the license conditions of an image to understand where you can legally use it.
For example, most sites allow unlimited web use but limited printed copies unless you buy an extended license.
It also depends on whether it’s a commercial or an editorial license. Editorial licenses can’t be used in business brochures or on websites because they are meant for non-commercial, informational purposes.
Are You Allowed to Edit Stock Images?
You may be allowed – again, it depends on the image licensing. The free stock site Pexels, for example, allows you to modify its photos and videos as you want.
Other sites like Shutterstock allow you to modify their content under certain limitations. With an Enterprise license, you can use photo editing software to make minor edits to photographs labelled for editorial. However, you can’t make any alterations that impact the photograph’s content.
Please read the licensing terms on the website before modifying any of the images you download.
Do Stock Photography Sites Offer AI-Generated Images?
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More and more stock agencies are including AI generators on their websites – this is the case with Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images.
However, not all of them allow contributors to upload AI-generated images. Shutterstock, for example, doesn’t allow it, but Adobe Stock does.
Before using AI-generated images, here are a few things to consider.
Are AI-Generated Images Copyright Protected?
Copyright laws regarding generative AI are still being discussed and may change and evolve. As of today, human authorship is required to be copyrightable.
However, each platform may apply restrictions of use.
Shutterstock, for example, states that creating an image using its generator does not give you the copyright of that image.
Instead, you would get a license as if you had chosen a photo from the library. Therefore, they could offer the same image to their other subscribers.
It also explains that they generate revenue for the contributors who trained the AI and that copyright can’t be attributed to a single individual. So, an AI-generated image from their site may be attributed to Shutterstock.AI.
Can I Use AI-Generated Images Commercially?
Whether you can use an AI-generated image commercially depends on the agency. Shutterstock offers a Standard and Enhanced license for AI images just as it does for photos. Therefore, you can get a license that allows you to use the image commercially.
Adobe Stock, generally speaking, allows commercial use. However, if you use a Beta version or it states somewhere that the image cannot be used commercially, you must use it only for personal projects.
Getty Images also promotes its AI-generated images as commercially safe.
Is Shutterstock AI free?
You can create an image using the Shutterstock AI generator for free. It will give you four variations generated from your prompt. Once you choose which one you want, you must buy a license. So, no – it’s ultimately not free.
FAQs About the Legality of Using Stock Photos
Can you use stock photos commercially?
Only some stock photo licenses allow commercial use. Please read the licensing terms carefully. Also, beware that there can’t be any logos on the picture. Plus, you need a property release and a signed model release to use the image commercially.
How do you use stock images without copyright?
Images without copyright can be used for personal, editorial, and commercial purposes.
Are stock images license free?
Not necessarily. While some free sites and some paid stock photography websites offer a few free images, licenses are often sold.
Are there any truly free stock photo sites?
Yes, there are free photo sites such as Pexels, Pixabay, or Stocksnap.io. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t restrictions on how you can use a photo – please check the licensing terms before using it.
How do I know if an image is free to use?
The safest way to know if and how to use a photo is by using stock photography sites. You can also search for copyright or Creative Commons icons, attributions, captions, etc. Check out our guide to learn more ways to check an image’s copyright status.
How to get permission to use a stock photo?
You can use stock photos legally by acquiring a license. There are free stock photos, others where you pay the license as you download the images, and others that require a subscription.
Do you need to pay for stock photos?
A free stock photo site like Stocksnap.io offers plenty of free stock photos. Plus, most stock photo sites, such as Unsplash and Depositphotos, have a limited collection available for free.
Do I need to credit free stock photos?
This depends on the license. Most free image sites, such as Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay, or Stocksnap, encourage you to credit the authors, but they don’t make it a requirement. Please review the terms of use to be sure.
Can I use free stock photos for my business?
With the appropriate license, yes. However, you can’t use a stock photo in a way that implies the person in it endorses your business or products.
Can you get in trouble for using stock photos?
If you have a license for it and follow the terms and conditions, you should be OK. However, paid stock images offer more assurances. For example, you can be sure that the agency has the model and property releases, etc.
What happens if you use Shutterstock images without paying?
If you use Shutterstock images without paying, you are committing copyright infringement. This action may lead to a lawsuit, and you may be required to pay a fine.
Can I use stock photos on my social media?
As long as you have a license for such images, you may use them on social media. Keep in mind that you need a commercial license if you use social media for marketing purposes.
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