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I have the honor of teaching graphics, PowerPoint and solutioning around the world. In my workshops, participants and I share our favorite free and low-cost stock image websites. The following is a list I compiled from recommendations and from my experience with the sites. So if you have a website of your own and are in need of some low-cost images, you may want to check out some of these options. If you’re looking for a hosting service, hostgator or bluehost are good options.
Futhermore, if you’re only in the beginning stages of designing your website, you may want to look at somewhere like HostiServer for good web hosting that can make the running of your site much easier.

Photographs

Infographics

Quantitative Graphics

Symbols and Icons

Pexels.com (free) Yes No No No
FreePik.com (free) Yes Yes Yes Yes
MMTstock.com (free) Yes No No No
FreerRangeStock.com (free) Yes No No No
FlatIcon.com (free) No No No Yes
TheNounProject.com No No No Yes
iStockPhoto.com Yes Yes Yes Yes
DreamsTime.com Yes Yes Yes Yes
ShutterStock.com Yes Yes Yes Yes
BigStockPhoto.com Yes Yes Yes Yes
ThinkStockPhotos.com Yes Yes Yes Yes
Stock.Adobe.com Yes Yes Yes Yes
GetMyGraphics.com* Yes Yes Yes Yes
PresentationLoad.com* Yes Yes Yes Yes
SlideShop.com* Yes Yes Yes Yes

*Includes PowerPoint graphic files.

To save time, money and ensure there are no potential copyright issues, use a low-priced stock image website instead of a free site. Finding the perfectimagery fastis key for me because time is money. The more time I spend searching for what I need, the more money is “spent” on that graphic. Traditional fee-based sites contain a better selection of professional content and offer worry-free usage rights.

There are amazing free graphic sites. However, the image selection on free websites is relatively limited and the rights do not always accommodate commercial use. Additionally, free sites are often linked to fee-based websites. When I find the perfect picture, I may be required to pay because it is offered through a partner, which defeats the purpose of using this time to search through the free resource. I sometimes start with a free site that I trust and, if I don’t quickly find what I’m looking for, switch to a traditional stock image site.

Do you have a favorite website for images, videos, sound files, PowerPoint, or other assets you use in presentations and marketing materials? Please share, and I’ll make it available to help others.

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