Whether you’re looking to add images to your blog or simply putting a project together, stock photos can be really useful if you don’t have time to create your own images. There are hundreds of sites on the web for helping you find these stock images, but only a few that will help you find them without breaking the bank. While high-end stock image sites like Shutterstock are tempting to use, you may want to check out some of these alternative sites to save you some money:
8 best places to find copyright-free images
8. Visual Hunt
A free stock image site that focuses on quality over quantity. They curate images so that only the highest quality are featured. But the real benefit of this site is how the search bar works. While most stock image sites are category restricted when it comes to searching, Visual Hunt broadens their categories so that similar words can still produce the same results. This may seem like a simple thing, but many sites struggle to produce content with words that are synonyms of their categories but don’t actually fit them directly.
7. Gratisography
Gratisography was created by visual artist Ryan McGuire, specifically to become “the world’s quirkiest collection of high-resolution free stock images.” They are far less focuseds on quantity compared to other stock photo sites, and instead, are dedicated to producing unique and original photo concepts to be used for personal and commercial purposes. This is the site to go to if you’re looking for something a little out of the norm.
6. Pexels
Pexels is probably the most popular free stock image site. The main reason for this is their content is mostly created for bloggers and other sites that use images to go along with their writing. It also has one of the best organizational systems for finding an image that fits the criteria you need. This site also features free stock videos as well.
5. Pikwizard
One of the trickiest things about stock imagery is finding pictures of people. That’s where Pikwizard comes in. The site offers more pics with people than you’ll probably find elsewhere. Another bonus is the free Design Wizard software. Once you’ve chosen your image, Design Wizard allows you to resize it and add shapes, text, or templates. Think of it as your one-stop shop for images.
4. StockSnap
With one of the largest selections of free stock images, StockSnap has a lot going for. Probably its biggest benefit is the extensive number of categories it offers, which can really help you search for the exact image that will fit your project perfectly. They also update their site on a weekly basis, so even if they don’t have what you’re looking for now, they may have it in time.
3. Pixabay
Another one of the largest stock image sites, Pixabay lets you customize your search results so that you can find exactly what you’re looking for. With hundreds of thousands of images on their site, all of which are published without the need for attribution, you won’t have to go anywhere else. Finding the image that fits for your project is really easy through this site.
2. Burst
The perfect free stock photo site for anyone looking to enhance a business site. They have a large selection of entrepreneurial stock photos. This makes them an easy choice for marketing campaigns, and unique business ventures that may struggle to find images that fit their site properly. Many of their stock photos come from their parent company, Shopify.
1. Unsplash
One of the best sites for free stock images in all areas: it has a huge selection, great categorization, and no attributions required. Unsplash features tens of thousands of contributors that encompass all ranges of photography and image creation. You can find many professional sites that have used images from Unsplash, even when they are willing to pay for other sites. No matter what, you’ll probably find something that works for you on this site.
Bonus: Nappy
It’s 2019 and representation matters more than ever. Nappy offers “beautiful, high-res photos of black and brown people” for free. If you need an image of a businessperson or a model, pause before making caucasian your default image. Stock photography rarely represents the world around us, so your editorial choices can help right that wrong.
Aside from these sites, there are a few others for finding free stock images, but be aware that some require attribution to be added to the images you use. Either way, good luck and enjoy your free stock photos!
