Larissa Jaster Graphic Design Studio|

There are so many stock photography websites on the internet now with varying quality of images and different pricing models. All of these microstock sites are not created equal. I thought I would post my favorite sites that are the easiest to use, return the best search results, and are reasonably priced. These websites feature files that have been inspected for quality and legal integrity.

1. www.istockphoto.com

Has over 5 million royalty free photographs, vector illustrations, video footage, audio tracks and Flash files. This is one of the only sites to get audio and flash files. They have a very clean website design that is easy to navigate through. I have found Istockphoto to be the easiest website to use in searching for images. They have continuously returned the best quality search results, and have the best collections of quality photos. Files can be purchased based on a subscription plan, or by a credit system that lets you use your credits when you want. Prices start at 1 credit for a web res images, and range up to 20 credits for a larger image.

Other features: Free photo of the week, free vector of the month, referral fees, design spotlights, photography spotlights, great educational articles, and the website is offered in several languages.

2. www.fotolia.com Has over 6 million royalty free photos, video, illustrations and vectors. Fotolia has a great selection of quality files. The Fotolia website user interface is very much like Istockphoto, and is clean and easy to navigate. There prices are a little lower the Istockphoto, which is a bonus. I don’t like their search results page because as much as Istockphoto because there is so much text and info, but the trade off is that you can often get the same photos as Istockphoto for a cheaper price.

Other features: Recommends similar files as you search, affiliate program, free photo section, and the website is in many languages.

3. Veer.com Is a little different than the other two sites. It offers photos, illustrations, and fonts. I have found that they offer a different selection of photographers than Istockphoto and Fotolia. They offer files that have different price category ranges. So, if you aren’t able to find a cheap ($1-8) image, you can look at some of their more expensive collections (from $9 to $655.) Purchase images by credit or through subscription.

Other features: Purchase fonts, ideas & inspirational articles section, browse for files by category, buy merchandise.

Are there other sites you like to use? What are their strengths?