Finding great stock photos can be a daunting task. Add in trying to find free ones and the challenge gets even more difficult. Now, try finding a free stock image that is not used over and over again…you may want to give up.
Don’t throw in the towel yet! We’ve summed up our top five picks of the best free stock photo websites. These are not trial sites – they are FREE with no sign up required.
Pexels
Pexels is our first stop when we are on the hunt for free stock photos. They have a massive library that great photographers and graphic designers add to daily. Pexels was acquired by Canva in May 2019, so you might see some familiar images if you’re using Canva. What we like:
- Attribution not required.
- All photos are free to use.
- You can photoshop the images.
- A lot of options to filter by.
- Offers stock videos.
Read Pexels’s license here: https://www.pexels.com/license/
Pixabay
This platform is very similar to Pexels, but Pixabay offers a wider variety of downloads. In addition to free stock photos, they also have Vector images (used with Adobe Illustrator), videos, music, sound effects, and GIFs.
One of our favorite features of Pixabay is the ability to sort by publish date. With so many free stock photo sites offering the same images, this is a great tool to ensure your marketing looks fresh.
Canva also acquired Pixabay in May 2019, so you may see familiar images here as well if you use Canva.
What we like:- Attribution not required.
- All photos are free to use.
- You can photoshop the photos.
- A lot of options to filter by.
- Offers stock videos, images, photos, vectors, music, sound effects, and GIFs.
Unsplash
Unsplash is one of our top picks for free stock photos because they have free and premium images available. Premium photos will be marked with “Unsplash+” and do require a monthly subscription. However, we’ve searched many terms on their site and have always found great photos without using the premium option.
If you’re looking for something different than what you see on Pexels and Pixabay, Unsplash.com is a great resource and option.
What we like:- A lot of free image options.
- Premium options available, if desired.
- No attribution required.
- Commercial use.
Vecteezy
Our favorite thing about Vecteezy is its vector images, but the biggest downside is the usage limitations on images compared to other free stock photos websites.
However, their paid subscription really stands out! For $9.99 per month (billed annually), you have access to unlimited image downloads. This is an incredible bargain when you compare this to other sites like Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.
What we like:- A lot of free image options.
- Large library of vector images.
- Video, photo, PNG and vector images.
- Affordable premium program with unlimited downloads.
Here’s a screenshot of Vecteezy’s license.
Freepik
Freepik is similar to Vecteezy but what makes it stand out is its filter options. In our experience, it rivals the filters you see on premium websites. You can sort by the number of people who appear in the image, demographic, file type, image style, and more.
Freepik allows three downloads per day without an account, and ten images per day with an account. Their premium accounts are the way to go to get the most out of them.
What we like:
- Extensive filter options.
- A lot of free image options.
- Premium option available, if desired.
- Vectors, photos, PSDs, and icons.
You can see their free and premium comparison here: https://www.freepik.com/pricing
