Royalty Free and Its Main Features

Royalty free is a type of license granted to a copyrighted, patented or trademarked materials.  This type of license is commonly used on obtaining rights f or photography and illustration industry. It is widely used by stock photography agencies to sell images.

This license type does not mean that it is free and does not cost a cent. Royalty free license requires a one time license fee and that the use of the material is free from future additional payment for to the copyright holder every time the material is used. Upon the settlement of the license fee, the material can be used for as many times and for as long as the user likes, provided that it goes by the terms and conditions agreed between the agency and the user. The use of royalty free images means to duplicate, copy, distribute, reproduce, modify, edit, synchronize, display and published.

The following are the main features of royalty free images:

  1. Perpetual – the use of the image does not have an expiration date and the buyer can use the image for as long as he needs to. That is why royalty free is also called as licensing image for perpetuity, meaning it is valid for a very long time.
  2. Worldwide – the image can be used in any part of the world, without geographic limitation.
  3. Unlimited – this means that the image can be used for an unlimited number of times
  4. Any and all media form – Royalty free allows any form of media, may it be in print, in digital or in any form of media.
  5. Non-exclusive – Royalty free images are distributed widely. Since it is available to many buyers, it is generally less expensive and chances are there are more than one users or buyers that are also using the same image.

With royalty free, you can use the images in any project for as long as you like. Understand its features and determine if this is the best option for you.