Great images matter! Even more so, using images that you have the rights/permissions to use matter! Stock photo corporations now use technology to scan websites for illegally used images, and you do not want to be one to receive their correspondence once they find you. Just because you found it on Google, does not mean it is free for you to use.
Whether you write blog posts, email newsletters, social media adverts, Instagram posts, slideshares, ebooks or presentation decks… great images matter. Great images can also cost – a lot. But there are ways to build up your own image library, at little to no cost, so you can draw from it as needed. Many subscriptions websites will post free images each week AND there is a growing list of free image sites as well. So to help you save time and money in finding stock image resources – below is a list of my favourite stock image websites (after 20 years of use). Check them out, bookmark them, download their free images and start building your library – but always check the licensing requirements before you use them.
SUBSCRIPTION Stock Image Websites
- www.depositphotos.com **favourite**
- www.123rf.com
- www.istockphoto.com **favourite**
- www.dreamstime.com
- www.shutterstock.com
- www.graphicriver.net
- www.photodune.net
FREE Stock Image Websites
- www.pikwizard.com **NEW**
- www.focusfitness.net/stock-photos/
- www.goodfreephotos.com
- www.freeimages.com
- www.pixabay.com
- www.freerangestock.com
- www.splitshire.com
- www.morguefile.com
- www.gratisography.com
- www.publicdomainarchive.com
- www.picjumbo.com
- www.lifeofpix.com
- www.picography.co
- www.pexels.com
- www.pickupimage.com
- www.thepatternlibrary.com **favourite**
- www.littlevisuals.co
- www.deathtothestockphoto.com **favourite**
- www.freestockphotos.org
- www.unsplash.com **favourite**
DID YOU KNOW? Some suppliers will have different licenses depending on how you plan to use the image. An image may be free for commercial use in website projects but require payment if you plan to use it on something you sell – like a book cover for instance. It really is important that you look at the terms of use before you use.
Note that some of the free websites allow for commercial use without any attribution required – while some do require it.
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