Roughly how much should I budget for stock photos on a blog?
Free and low-cost photo sources
Free photo libraries offer large collections, but licenses vary. Read whether attribution is required and whether commercial use is allowed. Some sites charge per image or offer a subscription with a monthly download allowance.
Your own photos, screenshots, and simple graphics often perform as well as stock images. A consistent visual style may matter more than an expensive photo. Images that match your topic closely usually do more for readers than generic stock shots.
Planning the spending
Set a per-post budget before you buy anything. Spend more on cover images, since those appear in search results and social shares, and use free or original images for supporting visuals. Track each purchase so you can see whether the images help traffic. Collect your favorite sources in one place with their license notes, so you can grab a suitable image quickly when a post needs one.
Avoiding costly mistakes
Using an image without a license can lead to takedown demands or fees, which cost more than a subscription. Save license receipts and note the source of every image. Prices and terms change, so check the current rates on each provider's site. Keep a short written policy so every post follows the same rules.
Common mistakes
- Pulling images from a search engine without checking the license.
- Subscribing to a large plan before you know how many images you will actually need.
