As a creative, having access to free stock photos will go a long way in improving your craft. If you are like most people you may enjoy taking pictures and using images on your websites and blogs. If you cannot capture the perfect image on your phone you can purchase a stock photo. However, purchasing stock photos adds to the cost of your operation.

There are some free stock photos that you can use. There are many sites that offer stock photos and all you need to do is take the time and find what you are looking for. The best part is that these stock photos are free to use.

What are free stock photos?

Free stock photos are pictures that have been shared by photographers and others so that people can use them without a charge. There are so many different images that can be found. These photos include everything from people to animals, to food. There are many pictures of nature, close up, and images that will showcase the talent of the photographer or the artist behind the work.

How to choose a great stock photo site.

When looking for a stock photo site there are some things that you want to look for. The photos should have attention to detail and they should be stunning to look at. The website should be user-friendly and it should be easy to search by topic and image. The site should also be updated often as artists and photographers are adding new photos. You should make sure the images that you are using are not copyrighted. If you violate copyright then you can be in a lot of legal trouble

The following sites are some of the best for using free stock photo content.

1. Visme.co

Visme.co site has over 1,000,000 stock photos that have been made with high resolution. There are also free infographics and other information that can be used to make presentations. There are millions of photos on so many different subjects and topics. The pictures are in both landscape and portrait modes. These are royalty-free and can be licensed for both commercial and non-commercial use.

2. Unsplash

Unsplash is a huge source of free images. Creators all over the world. This is one of the most popular photo-sharing sites on the internet and is there to help photographers from all over the world share their pictures. Anyone can join the site for free and post their pictures. There are over one billion images that can be found on this site. This is great for academic and creative purposes. . The pictures are under Creative Common License.

3. Depositphotos

Depositphotos uses AI power to help find images online and allow a user to find what they are looking for. There are over 70,000 files that are used for free. This is one of the leading platforms for stock photos and graphics. There are more than 222 million free files on this site. New pictures are uploaded weekly and there are also seasonal and visual trends. The pictures are high resolution and they can be searched by keywords. . They are royalty-free and licensed for both commercial and noncommercial use.

4. Flickr

Flikr has been around since 2004 and now has over 10 billion pictures to use and over 2 million different groups. This is a way anyone that needs a picture can find what they are looking for. This is good for both individuals and organizations. In addition to using the pictures, they can also be downloaded and edited. The pictures are under a creative commons license. There is free storage of up to 1000 GB and editing functions.

5. Pixabay

There are over 1 million high-quality images on Pixabay and they are shared by photographers with a lot of talent. This site is used by over a billion people. This site has many stock images and all pictures are free to use. This site has over 40,000 photographers that post their pictures on the site. There are plenty of pictures for both academic and corporate uses. These pictures can even be used for eCommerce purposes.

6. Pexels

Pexels has free images that are under the Creative Commons license. There are over 100,000 pictures and it is easy to search through them. There are even pictures in black and white. This is great for presentations, commercials, and personal use. All the photos on this site are free. Attributions are appreciated but they are not required,

7. Scatter Jar

ScatterJar is great for many different things including free food pictures. This site has pictures of food and other culinary items. People take pictures of their foods and upload them to the site each week. There is everything from caviar to cake on this site. All pictures can be used free of charge but they are not allowed to be used for redistribution purposes.

8. PicJumbo

PicJumbo was created by a designer and a photographer. Images from this site can be used for personal or commercial purposes. You are not mandated to credit the author but you are encouraged to. You can also appreciate the author via Donate/Buy me a Coffee button. PicJumbo site uses only high-resolution images and collections. The image can be viewed from different angles to see how it will turn out on a personalized project.

9. Getrefe

Getrefe is free to use and has high-quality pictures. This company wants to take the beauty of real life and turn it into photos. Getrefe’s mission is to help organizations and individuals bring ideas to life in a memorable way. Getrefe provides high-quality images of people interacting with technology for your projects. There are many categories including home, nature, and travel. This site has free images that can be used by those looking to enjoy the beauty of nature and the world.

10. Gratisography

Gratisography is for those that are looking to get creative. It presents images in several categories including whimsical, animals, people, urban, nature, business, etc All the images are free to download without worrying about copyrights. Each picture is unique and has something new to offer.

11. Grallim

Grallim specialized in 14 categories to select from. It is easy to search and recommended for people looking to conduct some research. Categories include animals, drinks, fitness, garden, men, spring, winter, automobile, fall, food, nature, object, summer, etc. A person can even use editing options to add text or to change the size of the pictures. They are easy to install in Powerpoint presentations.

12. Splitshire

Splitshire has over a thousand free photos to download without having to register. The images are high quality and they can be used for many different purposes. This is great for those that want to have quality pictures that can be used commercially. Reselling is not allowed with these pictures.

13. Life of Pix

Life of pix is a popular website due to the high resolution of the photos that are featured here. There is also an editing tool that can allow the pictures to be personalized. If you find a photographer that you like you will be able to follow them and see when they post new images.

14. Stocksnap.io

Stocksnap offers images in lots of categories. If you are looking for an image and have a specific theme in mind this is the site for you. There are over 10,000 images on this site and it is designed to fit specific needs. While reselling is not allowed these images can be used for commercial and personal uses.

15. MorgueFile

Morguefile offers over 400 thousand free stock photos. While this is a good site for stock files it does specialize in photos of homes and home-related products. This is also a good site for professional illustrators and those looking for hard-to-find images. This is a free site to use and has some photos that cannot be found anywhere else.

16. RGB Stock

RGB Stock has over 120,000 free stock photos here and they are managed by photographers and those that have an interest in graphics. As a creative, you can create accounts to upload your own image gallery and you can also create an account to use other people’s images for commercial and personal purposes.

17. Pikwizard

Pikwizard is a site with over 1 million royalty-free stock photos which can be used for commercial work without attribution. Photographers are adding new images and photos all the time. this is great if you are picky and want something very specific and high quality.

18. Death to Stock Photos

Death of Stock is a membership photography site that provides new and fresh photos. There are unlimited downloads of these photos and they will showcase the latest trends. You will need to become a member of a job but you will not pay for the pics.

19. StockVault

StockVault has many photos that are easy to search for. New photos, textures, and illustrations are added every day. There is just about anything that a person can imagine. All you need to do is type in the topic that you want and many photos will come up.

20. Kamboompics

Kaboompics offers free stock photos and colour palettes. If you are looking for the latest pictures this is the site to be on. These pictures are updated often and it is something that you need to check out. The photos are also new and exciting.

21. New Old Stock

New Old Stock are vintage pictures from the archives. For those looking for some classic pictures, this is the site to check out. They have images from olden times as well as modern images. If you are looking for some classic stock photos this is the site you want to check out.

22. Libre Shot

LIbreShot is a passion project by a photographer named Martin Vorel. The pictures on this site are scanned online and they are divided into categories. They are free for both personal and commercial use and you will not be charged to use these pictures.

23. ISO Republic

ISO Replublic offers thousands of free stock images. When you visit this site you will get high-resolution photos. There are over 7,000 images in many different categories. They are free for both personal and commercial use. when using the pictures you will need to download them and then you can begin to use them.

24. Freerange

Freerange is a site that has many photos of all different categories. Anything that a person is looking for can be found on this website. There are so many different pictures to choose there is a free range of photos.

25. Styled Stock

Styled Stock is created to offer feminine-styled images. It is a place where stock photos are taken to a new level. They have many modern images and will fit into a blog, or presentation, or they can be used for inspiration for those that are looking to get in touch with the modern look and feel.

26. SkitterPhoto

SkitterPhoto is free to use for both posting and uploading pictures. This will allow amateur photographers to showcase their work and it will allow those looking for pictures to use them for free and without violating copyright laws.

27. Good Stock Photo

Found on this site are only the highest quality stock photos. They are high resolution and need to meet quality standards to be posted here. These photos are good for both commercial and personal use and there are some very creative images to be found.

28. Negative Space

For those looking for something specific, this is the site to be on. Negative Space offers images that can be used completely free to use. All you need to do is type in the type of picture that you are looking for and it will be found on this site. There are new photos being added often so if you do not see exactly what you are looking for be sure to check back at least once a week.

29. Startup Stock Photo

Startup Stock Photo allows those that are beginning their work to post their photographs. Up-and-coming photographers and showcasing their talents. The site is free to use for commercial and personal purposes. There are many different images and it is even a great place to find pictures if you are trying to start your own business and need photos to represent what you stand for.

30. FreePhotos.cc

FreePhotos, as the name implies, offers free stock photos. If you are looking for free photos for just about any purpose this is the place to be. There is a wide selection of pictures and the best part is there is free use and free to use for any purpose besides resale.

31. Dreamstime

Dreamstime claims to be the world’s largest dictionary of royalty-free photos with over 45 million users. It is a robust platform of 19 million stock photos. There is hardly any category of the picture you are looking for that you won’t be able to find here. The best part is you will not have to pay to use these pictures.

32. Bigfoto

Bigfoto categorizes stock photos by continent and country. It has a massive amount of photos that can be downloaded for free. They are used for commercial and personal reasons. There is even a category of miscellaneous pictures for those that do not belong to a specific group. You can find just about anything you are looking for on this site.

33. Shopify Burst

Shopify Burst is a site that is known to many people. This site has been known to allow people to have their photos made. Now, this is an option for those looking to share their pictures with the world. This is the part o the site that allows stock images and personal pictures to be posted for the purpose of sharing. They are free to use and there are thousands of images to search from.

34. Shutterstock

Shutterstock is a leading global provider of high-quality licensed stock photographs, vectors, illustrations, videos, and music. It is a well-known photo-developing site that will take pictures and develop them into images. There is now a selection where people can share their personal photos as well as stock images. Shutterstock is not free to use. It is a paid platform but is arguably the stock photo portal on the internet.

Note: Shutterstock is not free.

35. Getty Images

Getty Images has pictures from all around the world. Getty Images is not free to use. It contains photos from editorials, beautiful eye-catching content tailored to your brand, trendy and immersive footage in 4K. They are royalty-free allowing you to use them for any purpose you see fit by resales. There are so many images from talented photographers that can be found here.

Note: Getty Images provides royalty-free images but you have to buy a plan to use the images.

36. Canva

Canva is a site that is for those looking to make a presence on social media. There are photos and graphics that are posted for use on social media platforms and they can also be used to document and visual aids. There are many different images found on this site and they are great if you are looking to make your presence known on social media. Keep in mind if you are using these images others can use the image as well since they are free and not copyrighted.

37. iStock

iStock is a provider of microstock photography that can be used in different forms. All of the pictures and images are royalty-free. There are millions of photos, illustrations, and even clip art on this site that can be used for commercial as well as personal reasons.

38. Freepik

Freepik features high-quality images that are designed for those looking for top-of-the-line photos. This site is easy to use and all of the images can be found with a simple scroll. There are also graphics that can be used and they are all found here .everything on this site is high quality.

39. FreeImages

FreeImages, as the name implies, offers myriads of free stock photos. When looking for free images this is the site to check out. There is a large selection and they are free to use. just like the name states the images can be used without restriction. The images cannot be resold but other than that there is no charge and no laws preventing the use of the images on this site.

40. Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is not free but there is access to high-quality pictures on this site. They are royalty-free and operated by the Adobe company which has been used for many years. There are millions of photos, graphics, and even presentations that can be found on this site and can be used for free.

41. Stocknap.io

Stocknap.io is one of the best sources for stock photos. This is also known as Free Travel Photos where stock photos are grouped by continent and country. This site says that people can do what they want with the images. There is everything from images involved in technology to food that can be found here. There is also a free selection of training pictures and images that are updated often.

42. Stockvault

Stockvault, just like the name states, there are many photos to select from and use for stock images. There is one of the biggest selections on the internet which will allow you the opportunity to find exactly what you are looking for in this large collection.

43. FoodiesFeed

FoodiesFeed is a free stock photo site for food bloggers. If you are looking for pictures of food this is the place to be. This stock photo site specializes in food pictures. You can find freshly made dishes and there is a huge variety to select from. This can be used for commercial and personal use to show off some great dishes.

44. FOCA Stock

There are more than 4 million images on FOCA Stock. This will allow you to search for everything from travel to hiking. These images can be used for any purpose. There is everything from classic nature pictures to those who enjoy the outdoors. There are even some cool travel destination pictures on this photo site.

45. Vectezzy

Vectezzy is a royalty-free site that has graphics, photos, and illustrations. There are some specializations found here including nature images, lifestyle, and even images for backgrounds and banners.

46. Reshot

Reshot will allow you to download any illustrations and vectors that you need. You can then them for many purposes. All you need to do is search, select, and download and you are good to go. Take what you need, worry-free. Simply grab, go and use with Reshot’s commercial license, applicable to both commercial and non-commercial projects

47. FreeStock

Freestock – just as the name implies has many free stock photos. There are thousands of images that can be searched and used for any purpose ranging from animals, travel, business, and landscape. There are so many images to be found here but you need to take the time to search this site.

48. Picography

Picography makes it easy to search for just about any photo in its large database. There are both professionals and those that enjoy taking photos for fun that share their work on this site. This has to be one of the largest sections of free images to use online.

49. Little Visuals

Little Visuals started as a passion project of Nick Jackson who died in 2013. All images on this site are available for free. It has lots of unique images. It has about 3.4 million users and about 15 million viewed images and 130 thousand subscribers. You will often find close-up images of different things giving you a unique perspective. For example, it looks at a door and will focus on the doorknob. This site is worth taking the time to check out and see things from a different perspective.

50. Jay Mantri

Jay Mantri is a photographer who has many free images on the site. He is looking to showcase this talent and wants others to see the creative pieces. These images are free to look at and they are free to use. There are some very nice pictures that can be posted and used on this photography site.

51. Picpree

If you can think of the image it can be found on this site. There is everything from pictures of people to spring flowers in bloom. The images here are colorful and there are enough to meet just about anything that you can be looking for. There are thousands of photos in each category. If you cannot find a stock image on this site then you will need to adjust your qualifications.

52. Styled Stock Society

Styled Stock Society was started by a group of women that were looking to make their mark on the world of photography. There have images that can be used for stock purposes. They will offer these images free and there is a membership for those that want to join and be part of this startup to empower women in the world of photography.

53. Icon8

Icon8 has free icons, graphics, clip art, and even illustrations. There are some cool designs that can be used. They are free to use and they can be used on smartphones as well. If you do not see something that you are looking for there is a feature that will allow you to request a specific icon.

Frequently asked questions on Free Stock Photo

There are some common questions that people have when it comes to free stock photos.

Are these images free?

These images are free when you follow the license agreement. In some cases, you will need to site the artist. When you click on an image it should tell you what you can and cannot do.

Can these photos be used for commercial purposes?

These images can be used commercially. . If the photo does have a copyright, you are going to need to give credit to the artist or the designer.

Can I use images with a logo or trademark?

You are responsible for how you are going to use the pictures. If you are not sure you can find another photo or you can credit the owner.

Can I use the photos in presentations?

Yes, you are able to use the picture for presentations such as PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Can I resell the photos?

No, you are not allowed to use free stock photos for resale purposes.

Can I sell my images of free stock photo sites?

You are not allowed to sell your images on free sites. If you want to earn money with your photos you need to check out the paid sites.

How do I search for images?

You can search based on a topic, artist, or genre.

Free Image License Types

There are different types of images and rules you will see when you are using free stock photos. Here are some common terms and their meanings that you may come across.

Royalty-Free

Photos that are royalty free can be used without paying a license or royalty fee. They are free to use without paying the creator or artist.

Creative Commons License

This is a license that is public copyright. This means that the photos can be used for free. This is used when an artist wants to share with others and allow them to use their photos. They may also build upon the work.

Attributions

This is the act of giving a photographer credit for their work and their pictures.

Commercial Use

This is where the photos will be used that will allow a person to make money. This can include selling the photos or making a collage or other goods for marketing and other purposes. They will be making a profit.

Membership

This is where a person will be a member of the photo site. They may have to pay for the membership or they may be able to join for free. This will allow them access to the content that is featured on this site.

Conclusion

These are some of the best sites to get free stock photos. You can search these sites and find the images that you are looking for.

You can find everything from photo icons to pictures, to illustrations. With the millions of pictures and images that can be found online for free, you can get exactly what you are looking for.

You will not be charged to use these pictures and they are available for both commercial and personal use.

Do you know any free sites for stock photos that are missing in this post? Please mention it in the comment section.

Do you find any of the free stock photo sites very useful? Please let me know in the comment section. I read and reply to every comment personally.

Muyiwa Felix