Get Stunning Images for Free: Commercial Use Made Easy

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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Video Freedom on Chromecast: Playing Any File Type

How to Stream Any Video Format to Google Chromecast

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Google Chromecast is a digital media player that allows you to stream MP4, WebM, MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video formats on your High Definition Television (HDTV). It requires a wireless connection using the Internet or a network-connected computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can play various multimedia content, but only Google Cast-supported formats can be streamed directly.

If you would like to play unsupported formats, such as MKV, VOB, FLV, and AVI, you will need to get a video format converter to stream movies, TV shows, and music videos with unsupported formats. We’ve picked some best video converters that you can use which also support 4K footage. Check the list of thebest 4K video converters here. In this article, you will learn about supported and unsupported video formats and how you can stream them using your Chromecast media player.

This article contains:

Part 1: Chromecast Supported and Unsupported Video Formats
Part 2: Three Ways to Stream Supported Videos
Part 3: Comparison Methods for Streaming Supported Videos
Part 4: Three Ways to Stream Unsupported Videos
Part 5: Comparison Methods for Streaming Unsupported Videos

Part 1: Chromecast Supported and Unsupported Video Formats

The default Chromecast video formats are MP4 and WebM. It also supports MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video files. All other video formats are unsupported. The following information provides a brief introduction of supported and unsupported formats.

Standard supported Chromecast video formats include:

MP4 - MPEG 4 or MP4 video files use the standard .mp4 extension. It is most commonly used to store video and audio files.
WebM – An open video format for the web that allows everyone to stream video and audio codecs.

Some unsupported video formats include:

AVI – AVI (Audio Video Interleave), the most common format for audio/video data on the PC, is a multimedia container format with video and audio.
MKV – The Matroska Multimedia Container holds video, audio, picture, or subtitle tracks in one file.
FLV – Flash video formats are video files that are streamed over the Internet using the Adobe Flash Player.
MOV – MOV is a multimedia file format that contains one and more tracks of data, such as audio, video or text.
VOB – VOB (Video Object) files are DVD-Video file formats that contain digital video audio, audio, and subtitles relevant to DVDs.
3G2 – This is a video container file for audio, video, and text that is an extension of MP4.

What are the differences between each format? Check What’s Video Format?

Since Chromecast only supports few video formats, it is recommended that you get avideo streaming application that allows you to stream unsupported formats, such as M2TS, 3GP, DIVX, RM, RMVB, ASF, TS, DV, F4V, OGV, TOD. Wondershare Video Converter for example allows you to use Chromecast to stream unsupported formats through your Windows computer to your television.

Part 2: Three Ways to Stream Supported Videos

There are various ways that you can stream supported videos using your Chromecast media player, but here you will learn three of the most commonly used methods. You will learn how to connect using a computer, mobile device, and through the YouTube app.

1.Connect with your Mobile device

To stream videos using your mobile device, you will need to download and open the Chromecast app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet using Google Play or the App Store. The Chromecast app is available for Android tablets and smartphones through Google Play and for iPhones and iPads in the App store.

Note: You should ensure that your mobile device is connected to your Wi-Fi and not your mobile network. Also, you must have the latest app installed and be on the same network as your Chromecast digital media player.

2.Connect with your Computer

Chromecast allows you to stream videos on your TV using your Mac or PC running the Chrome browser. This is the only browser that Chromecast is compatible with. Follow the instructions below to connect with your computer.

Step 1. Open the Chrome browser on your computer and then set up Chromecast.

Step 2. Download the Chromecast app to your computer.

Step 3. Select the instruction below that is applicable to your computer.

i. On your Windows computer, Save the file, run the Chromecast app and follow the prompts to complete setting up Chromecast.
ii. On your Mac OS X computer, drag and drop the Chromecast app into your Applications folder. You will need to open the folder, run the application, and then select the Chromecast device. Follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

3. Connect with YouTube

Follow the instructions below to download and set up YouTube to watch videos on your TV using your Chromecast device.

Step 1. Connect your Chromecast device to an available HDMI slot on your HDTV.
Step 2. When your Chromecast digital media player is securely connected to your TV you will see the Chromecast Home screen with your Wi-Fi name at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Now, download the YouTube app on your Android or Apple tablet or smartphone.
Step 4. Connect your Android or Apple device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast device.
Step 5. Open the YouTube app on your Android or Apple device and click the Cast button to start streaming videos.

Part 3: Comparison Methods for Streaming Supported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming supported videos using a computer, YouTube, and a mobile device.

Part 4: Three Ways to Stream Unsupported Videos

Wondershare Video Converter – It provides a powerful plugin called “Media Server” which allows you to directly stream both supported and unsupported audio and video formats to Chromecast.

Wondershare DreamStream Application - DreamStream allows HD streaming from PC and tablet to TV through Chromecast. It allows you to stream TV shows, movies, and music videos with any video format to your TV.

RealPlayer Cloud– The Real Player Cloud app allows you to stream unsupported videos to your TV with your computer or mobile device.

Part 5: Comparison Methods for Streaming Unsupported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming unsupported videos to your TV using iDealShare video converter, RealPlayer Cloud app, and Wondershare DreamStream.

At the end of the day, streaming supported and unsupported video formats to your TV with Chromecast are easy to accomplish with any of the methods and tools discussed.

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison