If you’re running a business, you need good visuals. And unless you’ve got a photographer on speed dial (or a library full of perfectly aesthetic photos), stock photo websites are your best friend.

But not all stock sites are created equal. Some are free, some are paid, and some are packed with the same LinkedIn marketing bro photos everyone’s seen a hundred times. I rounded up a few of my personal favs for you. Today I’m sharing both free and paid options to choose from to make your brand look stunning.

Let’s get going!

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Table of Contents

• What Are Stock Photos?
• What Do Entrepreneurs Need Stock Photos For?
• Can You Use Pinterest Images for Free Stock Photos?
• The Best Free Stock Photo Websites
• The Best Paid Stock Photo Websites

What Are Stock Photos?

Stock photos are images that other people have taken and put on the internet for you to use. Instead of hiring a brand photographer or taking the pictures yourself, you can just browse stock photo libraries and download what you need.

One quick thing to know though: not every stock photo works the same way. Some are free, some are paid, and all of them have licensing rules about how you’re permitted to use them.

For example, some photos are totally fine for personal use but not for business, and others might ask you to credit the photographer.

So before you go download a bunch of photos, please make sure to check the licensing on each one!

What Do Entrepreneurs Need Stock Photos For?

Running a business means you need visuals. A lot of visuals. Brand photos are great if you’ve got them, but not everyone has a folder of professional shots ready to go (or the budget to book a shoot right away). That’s where stock photos come in. They’ll give you visuals to help you show up online like the cool girl you are. 💁‍♀️

Here are some places entrepreneurs can use stock photos to market their business:

💻 Website images

✍️ Blog posts

📌 Pinterest Pins

🤳 Instagram Carousels or Reel covers

💌 Email marketing

Basically anywhere you need a visual, a stock photo can do the job. The trick is finding pictures that don’t scream corporate slop, (which is exactly what I’m here to help with).

Can You Use Pinterest Images for Free Stock Photos?

You may be thinking, “Okay, Emily’s a Pinterest manager so she’s going to start us out with Pinterest!” But nope, this is actually the one time I’m going to tell you to stay away from it.

It’s definitely tempting. Pinterest is the aesthetic holy grail for a reason. But it isn’t a stock photo site, and pins aren’t free for you to use.

Basically every image on Pinterest belongs to someone. A photographer, a brand, a blogger, another business owner, an ✨aesthetic girly✨. So what’s allowed and what’s not?

• Pinning something and linking back to the source? A-okay! ✅
• Downloading that image and using it to market your business? Hard pass. ❌

Saving an image to a Pinterest board is a totally different thing from having permission to use it for your own business.

Even though they’re easy to download, it’s not worth the risk. You could end up using someone’s work without their permission, and that’s a potential legal mess you don’t want.

The good news? There are so many stock photo websites made specifically for this. Let’s get into them!

The Best Free Stock Photo Websites

Dupe

Dupe takes the number one spot because it’s my absolute favorite. 😍 They are basically Pinterest, but their images are actually free to use.

Quick Rundown:

• Frequently updated fresh content
• Personal iPhone-style pics
• Offers UGC brand collabs for creators
• Search by keyword or vibe
• Download both photos & videos

Why I Love It:

I use Dupe a lot for my business because they’re a little more casual than your typical stock photo websites. You can search by vibe, and the vibes are actually relevant: cottagecore, vintage, foodie, and my personal favorite, granola.

Just sign up and start downloading (or uploading your own!).

Check out Dupe.

Kaboompics

Kaboompics is a free stock photo site that I recently discovered, and I’m already obsessed. It’s not one you typically hear about, but let me tell you more…

Quick Rundown:

• Offers photoshoot collections
• Search by keyword, color, or category
• Download photos individually or by batching
• See the hex code color palette for each photo

Why I Love It:

Kaboompics has such a wide variety of images and vibes. They’ve got both higher-end luxury images and casual colorful images. There are a lot of really great textures to choose from too, which would work for background layering.

Plus, these stunning photos are free!

Check out Kaboompics.

The Best Paid Stock Photo Websites

Élevae

Élevae is a luxurious, highly-curated stock photo site offering a wide variety of images for any type of business—especially more elevated businesses.

Quick Rundown:

• Updated seasonally
• Offers curated collections
• Search by keyword, vibe, color, or category
• Download both photos & videos

Why I Love It:

Élevae is my favorite stock photo site for wedding vendors. They have so many dreamy, high-end images that work for luxury brands. If you’re just getting started in the industry and don’t have a lot of your own real weddings to pull from yet, try Élevae!

Great For:

Élevae notes some businesses that frequently use their products:

• Social Media Managers
• Business Coaches
• Health & Wellness Pros
• Graphic Designers
• Virtual Assistants
• Life Coaches
• Real Estate
• Interior Designers
• Lifestyle Creators
• Beauty Industry Pros

Cost:

The cost is fairly steep, at $499/year for the annual subscription. However, you can check it out first by trying a quarterly subscription for $199 (and just cancel after 3 months).

Check out Élevae.

Haute Stock

Haute Stock is filled with luxurious, editorial-style images for high-end brands.

Quick Rundown:

• Offers curated mood boards
• Search by keyword, color, or category
• Download both photos & videos
• Customize Canva templates
• Choose from stickers and graphics

Why I Love It:

Haute Stock serves when it comes to luxury visuals. And it’s really a one-stop shop for content. You have access to plug-and-play Canva templates, how-to content guides, and content prompts with caption ideas.

Great For:

Haute Stock notes some businesses that frequently use their products:

• Coaches & Course Creators
• Social Media Managers
• Graphic & Web Designers
• Digital & Physical Product Sellers
• Health & Wellness Practitioners
• Interior Designers & Realtors
• Fashion & Beauty Brands

Cost:

The cost is almost the same as Élevae. Annual memberships are $499, but quarterly memberships are $50 cheaper at $149/quarter. Steep, but there are also a ton of extras that come with Haute Stock.

Check out Haute Stock.

Give These Stock Photo Websites a Try

And there you have it: my favorite stock photo websites for entrepreneurs, both free and paid.

You really can’t go wrong with any of these. If you’re just starting out or working with a tighter budget, the free options will more than get the job done. And if you’re ready to invest in a more polished, curated look, the paid sites are great options too.

Happy downloading! 🙂

P.S. Did I miss any of your favorite stock photo websites? Let me know in the comments and we’ll help out everyone reading this post! 👇

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