Free Stock Image Websites: 17 Best Picks Tested for Blogs

Free stock image websites save you real money, because a single image subscription can run $10 to $20 a month and buying licences one by one adds up fast.

Finding good free images is the hard part. Many sites mix free and paid photos, and some free images still need attribution. Get that wrong, and you risk a copyright claim.

This post covers what to know before using free stock images, the 17 best sites I use, a quick comparison table, how to use images legally and ethically, and the common mistakes bloggers make.

You need images for your blog, website, or social media.

Paying for stock images gets expensive fast. A single image subscription can run $10-20 monthly. Licensing images individually costs $5-15 per image.

But free stock image websites solve this. You get quality images without paying anything, and most allow commercial use.

The challenge is that not all free stock sites are created equal.

Some have limited collections. Some require attribution. Some have outdated images. Some have poor search functionality. Some shut down without warning (losing your site’s images).

Images are one part of a lean toolkit. See my full list of free blogging tools, and try a free animation video maker when a still image is not enough.

What You Need to Know Before Using Free Stock Images

There are different types of stock websites. They are as follows:

Types of Free Stock Sites

Free with attribution required

• Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash
• You can use freely, but must credit the photographer
• Perfect for blogs, social media

Free for commercial use

• Most modern sites allow commercial use (including selling products with images)
• But some restrict certain uses (reselling the image itself, building a competing service)

Free but limited

• Free plan has limitations (low resolution, daily download limits, watermarks)
• Paid version removes limits

Free permanently

• No paid tier, genuinely free forever
• Less common, but they exist

License Types Explained

Creative Commons 0 (CC0)

• Completely free, no attribution required
• Can modify, commercialise, any use

Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)

• Free but must credit the photographer
• Can modify and commercialise

Standard Commercial License

• Free for commercial use
• Must follow specific terms (varies per site)

Limited Commercial Use

• Free but restricted
• Can’t resell image, can’t use for competing service
• Good for blogs, bad for designers reselling work

17 Best Free Stock Image Websites to Get Free Images

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Let us see the list of websites to get copyright-free images for your blog. Using photos from these sites will not trigger any copyright issues.

Unsplash

Best for: High-quality photography, modern aesthetic

Collection size: 200,000+ photos

Commercial use: Yes, unrestricted

Attribution required: No (optional)

Resolution: High (up to 4K)

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Curated collection (no low-quality images)
• Beautiful interface
• Strong mobile app
• Collections organised by category
• Weekly featured photos

Downsides:

• Popular images overused (see the same photo on many sites)
• Search can be limited (try multiple keywords)
• No advanced filtering

Best for: Blog headers, website design, social media

Verdict: Top choice for photography. Quality is consistently high.

Pexels

Best for: Diverse photography with good search

Collection size: 150,000+ photos

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: No (optional)

Resolution: High (up to 4K)

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Better search than Unsplash
• Mobile app available
• Multiple download sizes
• Good categorization
• New images daily

Downsides:

• Some overlap with Unsplash
• Photo quality varies (not all curated)

Best for: Blogs, websites, general use

Verdict: Excellent alternative to Unsplash. Better search functionality.

Pixabay

Best for: Largest free collection

Collection size: 4,000,000+ images (photos, vectors, illustrations)

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: No

Resolution: High (multiple sizes)

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Huge collection
• Photos, vectors and illustrations in one place
• Advanced search filters
• API available (for developers)
• Community contributions

Downsides:

• Wide quality variation (some images are low quality)
• Need to filter carefully
• Less curated than Unsplash

Best for: Bloggers who need variety, developers

Verdict: Best for volume and variety. Quality requires screening.

Stockvault

Best for: Free library with commercial use

Collection size: 200,000+ images

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: No

Resolution: Good (multiple sizes)

Download limits: Limited free (up to 5/day), unlimited with membership

Best features:

• Oldest free stock site (established 2005, still active)
• No account required to browse
• Reliable (unlikely to shut down)
• Good organization

Downsides:

• Outdated interface
• Daily download limit on free plan
• Less curated than modern competitors
• Smaller community

Best for: Budget-conscious users who want reliability

Verdict: Dependable but dated. Works for basic needs.

Using images properly matters as much as finding them. My guide on how to avoid plagiarism covers image credits, and this process for writing a blog post shows where visuals fit.

500px (Free Section)

Best for: Photographer community, quality photography

Collection size: 50,000+ free images

Commercial use: Photographer-dependent (check per image)

Attribution required: Usually yes

Resolution: High

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Community-driven photography
• Photographer bios and portfolios
• Beautiful interface
• Quality vetting (community-rated)

Downsides:

• Attribution usually required
• Smaller collection than competitors
• Search could be better
• Commercial use not guaranteed

Best for: Premium-looking photos, photographer portfolios

Verdict: Great if you prioritise aesthetic quality and don’t mind attribution.

Undraw

Best for: Customizable illustrations

Collection size: 50,000+ illustrations

Commercial use: Yes, unrestricted

Customisation: Yes, change colours live

Download formats: SVG, PNG

Best features:

• Illustrations are very modern and consistent in style
• Unique color customization (change colours before downloading)
• Consistent character designs
• Perfect for web design
• No attribution required

Downsides:

• Illustrations only (no photos)
• Limited to one art style
• Not suitable if you need photorealism

Best for: Web design, app design, blog graphics

Verdict: Best free illustration site available. Perfect for modern web design.

Magnific

Best for: Vectors, illustrations, photorealistic combined

Collection size: 5,000,000+ (but most paid)

Commercial use: Yes (with attribution on free)

Free collection size: 100,000+ (searchable)

Download limits: 10/day free tier

Best features:

• Huge collection across types
• Good search
• Premium upgrades available
• Regular new additions

Downsides:

• Daily download limit on free tier
• Attribution required on free
• Must download account-free items carefully (paid items mixed in)
• Free collection smaller than competition

Best for: Designers wanting occasional free resources

Verdict: Good if you don’t mind attribution and want variety. Better as paid service.

Flaticon

Best for: Icons with perfect organisation

Collection size: 1,000,000+ icons

Commercial use: Yes (with attribution on free)

Formats: SVG, PNG, PDF

Customisation: Yes, colour and size

Download limits: 10/day free

Best features:

• Icon search is excellent
• Perfect for websites needing consistent icons
• Can customise colour before download
• Multiple formats
• Collections organised by style

Downsides:

• Daily download limit
• Attribution required on free tier
• Best icons locked behind paywall

Best for: Blog icons, UI design, website graphics

Verdict: Best free icon site if you accept the attribution requirement.

Big images slow sites down. Follow these tips to speed up WordPress and use one of the best caching plugins.

Font Awesome

Best for: Web icons and symbols

Collection size: 2,000+ free icons

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: Not required for Font Awesome icons (link appreciated)

Formats: Web fonts, SVG

Customisation: Yes

Best features:

• Web font (no image download needed)
• Perfect integration with websites
• Very reliable (Automattic owns it)
• MIT license
• Easy CSS/HTML integration

Downsides:

• Smaller collection than Flaticon
• Icons only (no illustrations)
• Requires code integration

Best for: Website developers, technical implementations

Verdict: Best for web developers. If your site needs icons, Font Awesome is standard.

Openclipart

Best for: Open source vector graphics

Collection size: 300,000+ vectors

Commercial use: Yes, public domain

Formats: SVG, PNG

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Public domain (completely free)
• Community contributions
• SVG native (scalable)
• Organized categories
• Very reliable (SFPL owned)

Downsides:

• Older graphics (some dated)
• Quality inconsistent
• Search could be better
• Less professional than competitors

Best for: Open source projects, community work

Verdict: Good for non-commercial or specific open source needs. Quality varies widely.

Sketchfab

Best for: 3D models for designs

Collection size: 500,000+ models (mixed free/paid)

Commercial use: Check per model

Formats: Multiple 3D formats

Download limits: Unlimited for free models

Best features:

• Largest 3D model repository
• In-browser preview
• Professional 3D models
• License filter available
• Community-driven

Downsides:

• Requires 3D knowledge to use
• Free models mixed with paid
• Commercial use must be verified per model
• Steep learning curve

Best for: 3D designers, product visualisation

Verdict: Essential for 3D work if you know how to use 3D software.

Placeit

Best for: Mockup templates for product photos

Collection size: 10,000+ mockups

Commercial use: Yes (check terms)

Download limits: Limited free

Customisation: High

Best features:

• Perfect for showing products in context
• Phone mockups, laptop mockups, etc.
• Easy-to-use interface
• High-quality results

Downsides:

• Free tier limited
• Requires account
• Best features behind paywall
• Watermark on free versions

Best for: Affiliate marketers, product reviews

Verdict: Useful if you need mockups, but paid plan is better value.

StockSnap

Best for: Modern photography for web

Collection size: 200,000+ photos

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: No

Resolution: High quality

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Beautiful, modern photos
• Good for web design
• Regular new additions
• Clean interface

Downsides:

• Smaller than Unsplash/Pexels
• Less organized

Best for: Web design, modern blogs

Verdict: Solid choice, excellent quality.

Gratisography

Best for: Quirky, unique photography

Collection size: 500+ unique photos

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: No

Resolution: High quality

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Unique, unusual photos (not generic stock)
• Professional quality
• Curated by photographer
• Regular updates

Downsides:

• Smallest collection (500 vs. thousands for competitors)
• Quirky style not for everyone
• Limited categories

Best for: Creative blogs, artistic projects

Verdict: Great if you want to avoid generic stock photos.

Life of Pix

Best for: Lifestyle photography for blogs

Collection size: 2,000+ photos

Commercial use: Yes

Attribution required: No (optional)

Resolution: High quality

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Curated lifestyle photography
• Beautiful, magazine-quality images
• Well-organized
• Regular updates

Downsides:

• Smaller collection
• Less search functionality
• Lifestyle-focused (not all use cases)

Best for: Lifestyle blogs, wellness content

Verdict: Excellent for lifestyle niches.

OpenDoodles

Best for: Hand-drawn style illustrations

Collection size: 100+ illustrations

Commercial use: Yes

Formats: SVG, PNG

Customisation: Yes, colour

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Unique hand-drawn style
• Very distinctive
• Perfect for a friendly, casual brand

Downsides:

• Small collection
• Limited to one art style
• Only illustrations

Best for: Friendly brands, casual blogs

Verdict: Perfect if hand-drawn aesthetic matches your brand.

Humaaans

Best for: Human figure illustrations

Collection size: 1,000+ combinations

Commercial use: Yes

Formats: SVG, PNG

Customisation: High (mix and match body parts)

Download limits: Unlimited

Best features:

• Create custom people illustrations
• Mix and match parts
• Diverse representation
• Perfect for web design
• MIT License

Downsides:

• Only human figures
• Requires some design knowledge

Best for: Diverse character illustrations, web design

Verdict: Best for creating diverse character illustrations.

Pinterest loves good visuals, so read my Pinterest marketing guide. Photographers on the other side of the deal can learn how to sell photos online or read my SmugMug review.

Quick Comparison Table: Best Free Stock Image Sites

How to Use Free Stock Images Legally & Ethically

Commercial Use Rules

All sites listed allow commercial use. This means:

• Blog posts (monetised) → Allowed
• Affiliate content → Allowed
• Products you’re selling → Allowed (check individual image license)
• Building a competing service using images → Not allowed (violates most ToS)

Rule: Use images in your own content/products. Don’t resell images or use them as your primary product.

Attribution Requirements

Most free sites don’t require attribution. But best practice:

• Credit the photographer (goodwill)
• Link to their profile (helps the photographer)
• Optional but appreciated

When attribution is required:

• Freepik free tier → Must credit
• Flaticon free tier → Must credit
• CC-BY licensed images → Must credit

Always check the individual image license before downloading.

Image Modification

Most free stock sites allow:

• Cropping
• Resizing
• Color adjustment
• Adding text
• Incorporating into designs

Not allowed:

• Claiming you took the photo
• Reselling the unmodified image
• Removing watermarks (if present)

Common Mistakes When Using Free Stock Images

Mistake 1: Using the same popular image as everyone else

Unsplash’s most popular images appear on thousands of websites.

Solution: Browse beyond the homepage. Search specific terms. Use less popular images.

Mistake 2: Low-quality images hurting your credibility

Using obviously fake or low-quality photos damages trust.

Solution: Test 3-4 options per topic. Choose the highest quality. Sometimes paid stock is worth it.

Mistake 3: Commercial use violation

Using an image with a license that prohibits commercial use on a monetised blog.

Solution: Always check the license. Filter for commercial use allowed.

Mistake 4: Image doesn’t match brand aesthetic

Mismatched images feel unprofessional.

Solution: Create a visual style guide. Use consistent colors/themes. Avoid randomly mixing styles.

Mistake 5: Ignoring mobile appearance

Image looks good on desktop but crops wrong on mobile.

Solution: Test images on mobile. Adjust crops as needed. Use square/portrait formats when possible.

Mistake 6: Overusing the same image source

Using 10 images from Unsplash in one article.

Solution: Mix sources. Unsplash + Pexels + Pixabay. Provides variety.

Mistake 7: Not crediting photographers

Even when not required, credit is appreciated.

Solution: Add photographer credit below images. Profile link.

Conclusion

That’s all about the list of free stock image websites.

You now have 15+ verified free stock image resources for any need.

Start here by use case:

• Photographs: Unsplash or Pexels (quality over quantity)
• Illustrations: Undraw (modern design) or Illustrations.co (variety)
• Icons: Font Awesome (developers) or Flaticon (designers)
• Vectors: Pixabay Vectors (huge collection)
• Mockups: Placeit (free tier available)

Download images immediately and save locally. Free stock sites sometimes remove content without warning.

Most importantly, don’t let “free” mean “low quality.” Use good judgment, test options, and pick images that match your brand aesthetic and quality standards.

Your website’s visual appearance matters more than most bloggers think. Invest time in selecting quality images, even if the images themselves are free.

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