Websites, e-commerce, social media—all these places are brimming with content and images. These days, it's hard to find a website without a photo or graphic. When creating your first website for your business, do you need to hire a photographer? Is it possible to get high-quality graphic design for free?
Of course there is! You can create a few of them now and use them on your website. Free photo, vector, and video resources are here to help!
From this post you will learn:
- Where to place graphics in blog posts to get up to 50% more shares and links to the content.
- What are the types of licenses? and when you need to tag the author of a photo when downloading it from free sources.
- Where to get stylish and unconventional (but still free) photos and videos for publication in social media.
Stock photos – what is it?
Wondering if free photos are right for you? Will their style meet user expectations? Does the fact that they're free mean they're low-quality?
(The rest of the article can be found below the form)
Know that even the most renowned graphic designers often use photos from other artists . And you can easily find these on websites that gather their community and offer free (or tagged or registered) photos. It would be a shame not to take advantage!
Stock photos are images available to the public for free, including for commercial use and editing. Anyone can download and use them free of charge, for example:
- on the website,
- in the blog section or in articles,
- on social media,
- in internal company materials such as presentations, banners, graphics, posters,
- w shop (e.g. as category photos).
There are proven photo banks where you can count on both quality and a huge selection, so there is little chance that you will find the same photos from your competitors.
Before we move on to the topic of reliable sources of free photos and graphics (and we have 25 examples for you!), let's present a few tips on how to use free materials to make your website, blog, or social media more attractive.
Enrich your content with free photos – it pays off! 3 proofs
To begin with, we decided to tackle the question of whether it is worth enriching the content on the website with graphic materials such as icons, graphics, photos or infographics?
If you've ever posted something online (even a photo of your pet sleeping counts!), you'll probably agree that a post becomes even more compelling when you add an image to the text . After all, a picture can be worth a thousand words. However, we don't want to spread information that isn't based on facts, so as always, we're presenting irrefutable evidence. 😎
Exhibit 1: The Magic 75-100 Words
The well-known marketing tool Buzzsumo analyzed over a million blog posts. Which ones do you think received the most likes, shares, and links online? Of course, those posts that included images.
Moreover, articles with an image every 75-100 words received twice as many shares as articles with fewer images and at least 30 more shares than articles with more image additions.
The bottom line? Feel free to include images and photos in your blog content (and beyond). However, remember to be moderate, and if you can't find a suitable graphic to complement your content, don't force it. Stick to the good old adage, "less is more."
Proof 2: Only 100 milliseconds! 😱
During study conducted by Google and the University of Basel, Researchers have found that users evaluate a website's aesthetics and functionality in an average of 100 milliseconds! Considering that the human eye blinks approximately every 300-400 milliseconds, Your website has very little time to make a good first impression.
Additionally, there's the halo effect , where users, based on their first impression of your post, perceive and evaluate the rest of it or other subpages of your website. Just look at how a single product photo can transform the perception of an entire page, and consequently, your store!
The method, composition, and context in which you present products on your website are important. The style in which you present content and images will influence users' perception and clearly indicate the target audience for your offer. You can read about how to describe products in an online store here . Remember that the product title is crucial for online store positioning.
Evidence 3: Obraz muss sein!
According to Jeff Bullas, named a top influencer for marketing executives by Forbes, 60% of consumers are more likely to contact a business when an image appears in local search results.
Moreover, according to the same source, 63% of online store customers agree with the statement that the quality of a product photo is more important than product information or its long description (54% of respondents) and ratings and reviews (53%).
The bottom line? Image must be present in your messages.
Why use stock photos?
Free stock photos offer materials in a variety of styles, configurations, and sizes. Quality is also increasingly emphasized. Many free downloadable photos are provided by professional photographers, and designs are submitted by experienced graphic designers or simply those passionate about artistic shots! So, if you don't have a photographer in your company and want to focus on other aspects of business development, free stock photos are sure to be a success!
Many companies use the most popular free stock image banks. They are proven and reliable sources of graphic materials. Their major advantage is the constant updating of their stock photo database and their wide variety. Available materials include:
- landscape photos,
- flatlay photos,
- product photos,
- mockups,
- macro photography,
- portraits,
- vector graphics,
- icons,
- illustrations,
- and music or video files.
Many free image banks allow you to download materials even without prior registration. Some require attribution or a link to the source from which the material was downloaded. What you can do with the photo is dictated by the license indicated on the website. Depending on the license type, you can use the material in its original form, incorporate it into your own project, or completely change it and keep only certain elements. How can you tell which modifications you can make under a given license? We'll answer that at the end of this article!
And now, we're moving on to the cherry on top: our list of 25 free stock photos. Ready? Let's get started!
List of 25 reliable and free image banks
Pexels
You'll find a wealth of original, atmospheric, and artistic shots here! The photos are provided by various creators who are happy to share their work and make it free for commercial use. Many of them include landscapes, scenery, nature, and portraits.
It's fair to say that the content on Pexels has a unique atmosphere. So if you're looking for natural and unconventional photos, this is the place to go.
Pro tip: if you need photos in a specific color, just enter the name of the color in English in the search engine and you will see suggestions for various shots in that color.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Utility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pixabay
Pixabay boasts that the stock photos available on its platform are copyright-free and can also be used commercially. You can download as many materials as you like without any qualms and use them in any way you like. Not only photos but also illustrations, vectors, videos, music, and sound effects are available.
Pixabay allows you to use materials downloaded from its site for virtually any purpose. No pun intended! But, there are a few situations Pixabay doesn't allow:
- distributing or selling content on other stock photo platforms,
- using and selling copies of the content as a poster, print or on a physical product,
- presenting identifiable people in photos in a negative or offensive way,
- using content featuring identifiable people or brands in order to create a misleading association with a product or service.
These rules apply to most downloadable photo sites. So if you spot such inappropriate practices, for example, at a competitor or another company, you can report them.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Unsplash
Unsplash is more than just a free stock photo library. It's a community. It's a place where every artist has a profile and can showcase their work to attract clients. This allows you to find and hire an artist for your own commission based on the work posted on your profile.
Brands also create profiles on Unsplash , allowing them to share photos of their products. For example, here you go! Here's Wasa's profile (crunch!).
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Burst
Burst is a stock photo database created by Shopify. Its creators understand the needs of online store owners and, in addition to the photos themselves, they present best practices and tips for starting your online business (using free stock photos to get you started).
>> Where to set up an online store? <<
Burst is a great resource for product photography inspiration. There's even a dedicated "Products" section where you can find ideas for showcasing your product or download a free set of photos, for example, for category descriptions.
Source: Burst
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gratisography
This pop culture-themed website offers unconventional photos for commercial use. The materials collected on Gratisography stand out from other free stock photo sites for their originality and dynamism. Here, you'll find photographs and illustrations in vector format.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
Freepik
A modern platform and community of creators. In addition to free photos, Freepik also offers tools such as:
- flat icon – for downloading (only some are free) and editing icons,
- slidesgo – with ready-to-download presentation templates,
- storyset – a bank of free illustrations with the option of editing them,
- video – with free videos in 4K and Full HD resolution,
- wepik – allowing you to edit any project from Freepik.
What's more, Freepik also makes life easier for web and app designers in Figma by offering downloadable image and illustration plagins.
Photo sources: senivpetro , storyset , bristekjegor
Remember! Even when downloading free content from Freepik, you must attribute the author. If you don't want to (or can't) do this, simply purchase the image rights or a premium package starting at €9/month.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kaboompics
French elegance – beautiful, high-quality, free, and highly Instagrammable photos from Kaboompics ! If you're looking for original, stylish, and somewhat artistic photos to spice up your social media graphics or add character to your website , be sure to check out Kaboompics. The site, and many of the free photos posted there, belong to Karolina Grabowska, who, along with a host of other artists, shares her work. As a result, many elements are photographed from different perspectives, so you can easily find the arrangement that best suits your website or publication.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
Adobe Free Stock Photos
One of the most well-known and recognizable stock photo banks , Adobe , is now available for free! It's a place full of creative photos, illustrations, fonts, videos, and 3D animations. There's definitely something for everyone here. The available files are fresh and innovative. Unlike other stock photo banks, you'll find many photos of people here that you can use as avatars for your potential clients (see example below).
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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>> Check the current dimensions of graphics on Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, Instagram ! <<
Littlevisuals
At first glance, the photos available for free download on Littlevisuals appear to have a somewhat colder, more gritty style. This makes them ideal for blogs or reportage. These photos belong to Nic Jackson, whose family decided to make them available for commercial use after his death. As such, the database is quite limited and may be one of the few sources of free stock photos.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐
PicJumbo
PicJumbo's free stock photo library is perfect for both websites and online stores . It offers a rich free library and premium collections, allowing you to completely "frame" your website with eye-catching and stylishly tailored photos.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
RawPixel
After registration, you'll gain access to over a million free images. However, the free version is limited to five downloads per day.
RawPixel offers a variety of product photos licensed for commercial use and editing. Furthermore, you can download the images in PSD format , meaning your graphic designer can easily adapt them to your website, online store , or social media.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
libreshot
Libreshot is a must-have! It offers thousands of stunning photos taken by SEO consultant and photographer Martin Vorel. His images are of excellent quality and cover a wide variety of topics. It's worth checking out the photos from around the world (Asia is our favorite 🍚🥢). What's more, all photos are free for commercial use.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
Magdalene
Artistic shots from Magdeleine . Perfect for collages, ebooks, and social media graphic design, it offers a wealth of photos in seven different categories. Importantly, before searching for images, it's worth choosing whether they should be licensed for commercial use or require attribution.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
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NegativeSpace
NativeSpace offers a mix of images for use across various marketing channels. It's one of several image databases. Although the images are CC0 licensed, meaning they can be used commercially, many are also user-uploaded, so it's worth double-checking permissions before downloading and using them on your site.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
PikWizard
While the website features photos on a variety of topics, PikWizard is definitely a business photo bank. Images of offices, employees in discussions or during brainstorming sessions, computer equipment, and other attributes reflecting various types of work (doctors, lawyers, IT, and more) are plentiful!
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐
SplitShire
A lesser-known image bank that certainly deserves a little more attention, especially among social media specialists. SplitShire the prevailing style is the so-called Instagram style, that is, many of them show beautiful views and interiors, or people in various fashion styles. What's more, Most of the available photos have already been given a subtle "Instagram" filter and have undergone prior graphic processing.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
Life of Pics
This open-source website, owned by the Canadian web application design company Leeroy, is dedicated to users seeking lesser-known, free stock photos. All of the collected photos are uploaded by professional photographers, who share their work with the public free of charge and without attribution.
Tip: As befits professional photographers, the photos have a bit of artistry, so they can work great in vintage or glamour projects, or on websites and online stores presenting products with a 60s vibe.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
ReShot
A great database of illustrations and icons. If you're looking for materials to create a sales presentation, website, or app, ReShot should allow you to fully fill any empty spaces with illustrations or icons to better present the final project to clients or colleagues.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
Jaymantri
A relatively small database of photographs that can be an ideal source for unique projects . Ones with character and history! Mountains, wild beaches, foggy forests – if that's what you're looking for, you won't be disappointed with Jaymantri!
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐
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Travelcoffeebook
Another site you simply can't ignore. The photos shared on Travelcofeeebook will take you on a journey around the world! Hong Kong, Bangkok, Croatia, Amsterdam, Switzerland, the USA – you can download photos from these places (and many more) for free, for commercial use.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐
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Skuawk
The advantage of skuawk is definitely its macro photography. If you're looking for high-quality photos that capture things from a truly close-up perspective, this site is worth checking out. Such close-up shots can help emphasize the importance of a given topic and draw attention to important details (both for service and e-commerce websites ) that you want to highlight in your design.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety: ⭐⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
Freeimagies
The photos on Freeimagies are organized into collections, making it easy to find ones that fit your website's theme . There are a multitude of categories, including: baby, pet, inbox, backgrounds, money, food, textures, panorama, and much, much more! Unfortunately, some of the photos may be of poor quality.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐
Variety of photos: ⭐⭐
Utility: ⭐⭐
Startup Stock Photos
Startup Stock Photos is full of office shots. You'll find many photos of employees in meetings, working on computers, and giving presentations. If you're looking for a more business-oriented vibe, it's definitely worth checking out for some unique shots.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐
Variety of photos: ⭐⭐
Utility: ⭐⭐
foodiesfeed
Oh , oh ...
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Variety:⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Stock Photos
My Stock Photos offers over 1300 different shots . They're divided into five categories: people, architecture, animals, flowers, and landscapes.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐
Variety:⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐⭐
death to stock
Death to Stock is our “last but not least” collection of stock photos.
Here you'll find high-quality, original photos submitted by professional photographers and artists. By signing up for our newsletter, you'll receive 20 photos delivered to your inbox each month.
Photo quality: ⭐⭐⭐
Variety:⭐⭐
Usability: ⭐⭐
License Types: Which Images Can You Download for Commercial Use? Infographic
If you are wondering whether you can use a particular photo on your website, please make sure you meet the following requirements:
source: own study based on Hootsuite
The infographic above will help you quickly determine when a given photo can be used on a website, in an online store, or on social media . If the website states that the materials are available under a Creative Commons license, it's a sign that you can use the photos. However, it's worth familiarizing yourself with several different types of licenses.
Where can you find information about the current license?
Most likely, the image will be marked directly on the website, but if you cannot find any information on it, look in the "License", "Terms of use" or "FAQ" tab.
CC License – Creative Commons – what is it?
The Creative Commons license is one of the most popular licenses used by free image banks. It allows authors to determine the terms under which they grant access to their work. What are the benefits of a Creative Commons license? We asked our expert and lawyer, Mateusz Mielczarek, for a comment.
There are several types of Creative Commons licenses:
- CC0 in this case the author waives all copyrights. We can therefore freely use, copy, share and modify his work without attribution.
- CC-BY – the works marked with this license may be copied, modified and distributed, but author attribution is required.
- CC-NC – in the case of this license, we have consent to all the above activities, but on the condition that the author's work will not be used for commercial purposes, i.e. in one that will bring us any profit/remuneration.
Stock photos – disclaimer at the end
Photo ratings
We evaluated all 25 free image banks in terms of:
- quality (sharpness of the shots, professional framing and graphic processing),
- diversity (number of photos in given categories, number of categories, application)
- general utility for service page and online store (possibility of using photos in various formats and channels).
However, these are subjective opinions, so we encourage you to check out the above websites and evaluate them for yourself. 😊
Frequently asked questions about free image banks
Free image banks are online portals that offer vast databases of photographs, graphics, vectors (and sometimes even video footage) that can be downloaded and used in projects free of charge. They are an invaluable tool for marketers, bloggers, graphic designers, and website owners.
The CC0 license is the most popular and secure type of license found in free stock media. It signifies that the author has waived their economic rights to the work. Images with this license can be freely copied, modified, distributed, and used—including for commercial purposes (e.g., in advertising or on a company website)—without asking for permission or attributing the author's name.
Most recommended banks offer stock photos that allow commercial use. However, you should always be vigilant and check the licensing terms for each individual photo. Some photos (especially those featuring famous buildings, brand trademarks, or recognizable faces) may require additional permissions or be intended for editorial use only.
The “big three” of the most well-known and most frequently recommended free stocks that work well in almost any industry include:
- Pixabay: A huge database of not only photos, but also vector graphics, illustrations and videos.
- Pexels: A portal offering high-quality, highly aesthetic photographs and videos, often highly personalized and lifestyle-oriented.
- Unsplash: A website known for beautiful, artistic and unconventional shots that rarely look like artificial and posed "stock photos".
The most popular stock images are used by millions of people and companies worldwide. This results in the same photographs often being repeated across many different websites and articles. Using smaller or more thematically focused image databases allows you to find original, less common shots, helping your brand stand out from the competition.
Yes, lists of free stock photos often include thematic portals. A great example is Foodiesfeed – a site entirely dedicated to incredibly appetizing food photos, frequently used by restaurants, food bloggers, and dietitians. Designers, on the other hand, often turn to sites like Freepik, which specializes in providing vectors and ready-made graphic templates (some of which are free).
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Stock photos are publicly available materials for free commercial use and editing.
- Articles with an image every 75-100 words get twice as many shares.
- Free stock photos offer high-quality content from professional photographers in a variety of styles.
- The article presents 25 free stock photos, including Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, Burst, Freepik and Foodiesfeed, evaluating them in terms of quality, diversity and usefulness.
- Creative Commons licenses define the terms of use of photos, where CC0 allows any use without attribution, CC-BY requires attribution of the creator, and CC-NC prohibits commercial use.
