Free Stock Search is a free Creative Cloud extension that lets you search unsplash.com, pixabay.com and pexels.com for free stock photos and import a selected image into After Effects or Premiere Pro with one click.
Developed by Thomas Zagler – pixelsucht.net.
About Free Stock Search
Free Stock Search is a Creative Cloud extension created by Thomas Zagler (pixelsucht.net). It integrates a search for free stock photos from unsplash.com, pixabay.com and pexels.com directly inside After Effects and Premiere Pro. When you choose a result, the extension downloads the image and imports it into the open project in a single step.
The photos from these three sites are offered under licenses that allow both commercial and non‑commercial use. The developer recommends using English keywords for the most relevant matches. A recent update added the ability to search across the full catalogs of all supported agencies, which can include assets from Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. A Pro mode can hide results from those paid agencies.
According to the metadata, the extension works with After Effects version 15.0 or newer and Premiere Pro version 12.0 or newer, corresponding to Creative Cloud 2018 and later releases. The listed version is 1.6.0, and the price is free.
Features
- Searches unsplash.com, pixabay.com, and pexels.com for free stock photos
- One-click download that imports the photo directly into the app
- Photos usable for both commercial and non-commercial purposes
- Search across all available files on all stock agencies
- English keywords recommended for the best results
- Runs in After Effects and Premiere Pro on Creative Cloud 2018 and newer
Best for
Finding and importing free stock photos directly into After Effects or Premiere Pro projects.
Frequently asked questions
Does Free Stock Search work with After Effects 15.0 and Premiere Pro 12.0?
Yes. The extension supports After Effects 15.0 and newer as well as Premiere Pro 12.0 and newer, which correspond to Creative Cloud 2018 and later.
Can I use photos from Free Stock Search commercially?
Photos sourced from unsplash.com, pixabay.com and pexels.com are provided under licenses that permit commercial use, so you may use them in commercial projects without additional purchase.
How do I install Free Stock Search if automatic installation fails?
If the automatic install through the Creative Cloud app does not work, a .zxp installer file is available from the developer’s page. You can install it manually with a compatible ZXP installer tool.
Why do some Free Stock Search results come from Adobe Stock or Shutterstock?
A recent update enables the extension to search the full catalogs of all supported agencies, which can include assets from Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. Those results appear unless the corresponding agencies are unchecked; purchasing such assets generates a small commission for the developer.
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