Business

20+ Resources for Free Stock Photos in 2020

Published

5 years ago

February 5, 2021

Photos help us better understand the concept of a product or service. When we see the relevant photo, we understand what we can count on. Therefore, you should be extremely careful when picking up the right photo for your article or website. If you prepare a to-the-point photo, it will help you attract more clients and boost sales.

But how do we get beautiful stock photos with the relevant design? Nowadays, there are a lot of services that provide free stock photos of high quality. In this article, we will share the 20 best resources for free stock photos in 2020. They are easy to use so every user will handle the process unaided. Without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Pixabay

We think this resource is the most generous as it contains more than 1 million free stock photos. You can get free images in several categories such as photos, artwork, vectors, and videos. Also, you can opt for computer illustrations. To put it another way, Pixabay is a database of non-copyrighted photos that are distributed under the Creative Commons license.

Pixabay allows you to use different filters and change the size, color, and orientation of the photo. If you want to use a search feature, we recommend choosing an English version of it. Overall, this resource is worth your attention.

2. Unsplash

This resource provides you with 300 000+ stock photos from different photo-communities all over the world. Unsplash offers high-resolution stock photos of several categories. For example, you can browse through photos on the topic of technology, cooking, or traveling. If you sign up and create an account, Unsplash will be sending you dozens of free relevant stock photos every 10 days.

This resource is convenient and easy to use, so we recommend every user to try it. The good thing is that you can search the Unsplash library in the PicMonkey editor add pics to your designs seamlessly.

3. Pexels

Although this service contains only 40 thousand free stock photos, they are all worth your attention. You can use a search function to pick up the relevant photo from a particular category. Portraits, photos of individual objects, landscapes, and fashion photographs – you will be surprised by a wide choice of stock photos.

The website is made in a minimalistic design so that it is convenient to use. We recommend you to use the page in English the way it is to avoid mistakes in translation.

4. Burst

The first thing you need to keep in mind is that Burst has different licenses for every image. So, make sure to check it before using a photo. If you work in e-commerce and do online sales, this service will help you find the right photos.

You can find folders of pictures distinguished by the type of business all available to download as either high or low resolution. This resource is quite good in its category.

5. Dreamstime

To use this resource, you have to sign up and create an account. Dreamstime has 150 million stock photos which make it the world’s largest stock community. There 33 million users who have signed up. Although not all of the photos are free, the service has a separate section with free content that is constantly updating.

Dreamstime has not only stock photos but also editorials, illustrations, videos, and audios. However, makes sure to check if the piece is free to use.

6. Flickr

A lot of people think of this service as the first one among free stock photos resources. It is really huge: it seems like Flickr contains billions of photos. It has a convenient search feature so that you can find the relevant photo by entering a keyword, color, size, or even a license type of a photo. Be careful with this website: it might be overwhelming. For instance, you will get more than a million examples by typing a simple keyword.

7. Picjumbo

The benefit of this resource is that you don’t have to sign up if you need to download a stock photo. Although the service does not have a search function, you can explore different categories to find the right piece. The website was created in 2013 and it has more than 5 million downloads by now.

8. Visionpic

Visionpic.net provides you with high-resolution free stock photos from a community of professional photographers who travel all around the world. This service is recognized as one of the best among free stock photo websites. It shares lots of attractive high-quality photos without watermarks which makes it suitable for social media and businesses.

The website has a comfortable search feature and more than 20 categories of materials. This makes Visionpic convenient and easy to use. Also, it is worth noting that you will not have any problems with loading the pages because the website is perfectly optimized.

9. Stock Up

This resource shares free stock photos from other online services that gave permission on taking their materials. Stock Up makes collections of beautiful high-quality stock photos. Therefore, you can choose the appropriate image from more than 20 thousand pieces.

10. Free Range Stock

To use this resource of free stock photos, you have to sign up and create an account. This service is convenient to select images to illustrate abstract concepts. Overall, this free stock photos resource is quite simple and easy to use.

11. Stockvault

This is another photo stock for photographers and designers that allows you to both publish your work and use other people’s pictures for personal purposes. The advantage of the resource is that registration is not required to use stock photos. The website also offers a selection of suitable photos from collections such as “Merry Christmas”.

12. Kaboompics

This service offers a rather interesting option: you can search for pictures with a dominant color. Looking for images in a specific color palette? Just set up the filter and you will find something suitable in a few minutes. You will immediately appreciate the feminine atmosphere and sophistication of each photo. Bloggers and freelancers will love it!

13. Life of Pix

This site contains photos of a wide range of professional photographers. All photos are free for both personal and commercial use. Landscapes, architectural objects, and portraits – here you will find photos for every taste. The base of materials of the site is updated every week, and the administration selects the photos manually.

14. Foter

Foter is a search tool for Flickr that helps you quickly select images with licensing options of interest. This site contains thousands of atmospheric photographs on various topics. You can search for photos by keywords by entering them in English. Filter “All Creative Commons” to select free photos.

15. Negative Space

Negative Space is not very large, but it only helps to make the viewing more positive. You will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of smartphone layouts presented. Photos are CC0 licensed.

16. Free Digital Photos

This resource contains a large database of stock photos, divided into categories. All images are free for both educational and personal or business purposes. This service is simple and straightforward to use.

17. Skitterphoto

SkitterPhoto presents a selection of lovely cute photos from three Dutch photographers. Landscapes, animals, individual objects – everything you need is here. Keep in mind that the service regularly adds new photos.

18. Barnimages

Although this site was created by a couple of photography friends, it bypasses many famous resources in quality. You can use their free, non-attributed stock images for any purpose, but the site’s creators would appreciate it if you like their work. Also, they have a pretty helpful blog to help you get your head around stock photography.

19. AllTheFreeStock

This is another service that collects snapshots of other free stock resources. Free stock images, icons, and videos – what else do you need to be happy?

All photos, videos, and icons are collected in one place. The service offers different licenses, but we recommend that you check the terms of use of the photos on the original site before downloading materials.

20. DesignersPics

This free stock service adds new photos every month. Users can use all the images for both personal and commercial purposes. A small collection of beautiful modern stock photos on various topics. These are mainly separate items, but there are also some pretty good landscapes. The site collects only high-resolution photos. And yes, they are absolutely free. There is a general feed of updates and a separate section where pictures are divided into categories.

Overall, that’s it for now. These were the 20 best resources for free stock photos in 2020. We recommend you to check out at least a few of them to find your favorite one. Feel free to spend some time browsing through the service to evaluate its design and optimization. Also, make sure to subscribe to our social media to stay tuned with the latest updates.

Business

Why Multi-Province Payroll Compliance Is the Hidden Challenge Canadian SMBs Face and How Folks Solves It

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Photo courtesy of: Folks

Byline: Shem Albert

Running payroll in Canada can feel like crossing a country stitched from many different fabrics. Each province weaves its own pattern of tax rules, leave policies, and benefit requirements, creating a landscape where a single misstep can ripple through every paycheck. For small and mid-sized businesses, the challenge often remains hidden until growth pushes hiring beyond provincial borders or brings remote workers into the fold. What seems like a routine back-office task quickly becomes a test of accuracy, timing, and local knowledge. This is the gap that Folks set out to close, offering a way for employers to navigate Canada’s regulatory patchwork without slowing their momentum.

Provincial Rules Add Complexity

Canada’s payroll environment varies sharply by province. Federal rules set the foundation, but provincial tax rates, deductions, statutory leave entitlements, and benefit premiums add layers of complexity that employers must monitor carefully. Small and mid-sized businesses with staff across provinces or remote employees face different tax tables, reporting deadlines, and leave calculations that directly affect pay accuracy and remittance schedules.

Folks built its payroll module to address these differences. The platform calculates the correct provincial tax rates and deductions for each employee, applying updates automatically so employers avoid misapplied withholdings or late filings. Multi-location tax management allows a company with workers in Ontario, Quebec, or several other provinces to process payroll without creating separate accounts for each jurisdiction. Bilingual functionality in English and French and secure Canadian data hosting support compliance while keeping employee records accessible across language and regional boundaries.

Unified Records Improve Accuracy

Payroll errors often stem from mismatched employee data. Changes in pay rates, banking details, or benefits eligibility may not align between HR and finance systems, creating incorrect deductions or delayed payments. Smaller teams juggling separate platforms spend valuable hours reconciling information instead of focusing on strategic work.

Folks resolves these issues by combining HR and payroll in one platform. Updates to wages, hours, or tax information entered on the HR side flow directly into payroll without re-entry. This single, verified record strengthens the accuracy of every payroll run and ensures employees receive the correct pay and deductions. By removing the need for repetitive administrative work, HR staff can redirect their time to tasks that support growth and employee engagement.

Automation Keeps Provinces in Step

Each province sets its own requirements for holiday pay, pay frequency, and statutory benefits, making manual calculations both time-consuming and error-prone. Businesses that expand or hire remote employees must keep pace with shifting provincial regulations or risk penalties and audit issues.

Folks address these demands with automation designed for Canada’s regulatory landscape. Pay statements, deduction calculations, and custom pay schedules follow the applicable provincial rules without extra configuration. The system’s automated updates mean that a company hiring staff in British Columbia or Quebec can meet local payroll standards without adding new layers of setup or monitoring. Employers gain the ability to expand into new regions while maintaining accurate, on-time pay.

Reporting Strengthens Compliance

Changing tax rates and reporting requirements require ongoing attention from HR and finance teams. Companies that rely on disconnected systems risk missing a provincial update or submitting incorrect remittances, which can lead to fines and interest charges.

Folks provides detailed reporting tools that compile payroll, deductions, and benefits information across all locations. Employers can generate clear remittance and deduction summaries, simplifying the process of meeting provincial filing requirements. For organizations that want additional guidance, Folks also offers a payroll management service that brings in-house specialists to assist with configuration, compliance, and regular updates. These reporting features help companies stay audit-ready and avoid costly compliance gaps.

Scalable Payroll for Expanding Businesses

Many small businesses begin in a single province, where local tax and payroll demands can be learned over time. Growth into new provinces or the decision to hire remote staff adds a level of complexity that manual processes cannot handle efficiently. Errors multiply, compliance risks rise, and payroll teams spend more time correcting mistakes than supporting expansion plans.

Folks provides payroll that scales with company growth. Provincial tax logic, automated deductions, bilingual support, and secure Canadian data storage are built directly into the platform. By maintaining an accurate employee record and applying province-specific rules automatically, the system allows Canadian SMBs to expand with fewer administrative surprises and more predictable payroll operations. Companies gain the stability of compliant payroll across provinces while controlling the time and costs that typically accompany multi-jurisdiction growth.