They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but finding the right stock photo can be challenging, especially on a budget. High-quality images are essential for your website as studies show users respond to pictures. Images break up text, add visual interest, and help Google categorize your content. Constantly paying for them can quickly add up.
Taking a photography class isn’t feasible for most business owners due to time constraints, and hiring a professional photographer might be more expensive than purchasing stock photos. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the 12 Best Stock Photo Websites that are FREE. Enhance your website with quality visuals without breaking the bank.
Some clients prefer paid stock to avoid “I’ve seen this before” reactions and maintain branding quality, while others opt for free stocks. It depends on your preference.
Discover the Top Stock Photo Websites
High-quality images are essential for your website. Studies show users respond to pictures, which break up text and add visual appeal. But buying images can be costly.
That’s why we’ve found the best free stock photo websites. Search using keywords, download, and edit using free tools like Canva or PicMonkey.
Upload the images to your site, adding alt text and titles. We recommend downloading the “medium” size to save resources. Some sites allow optional donations to photographers if you wish.
Here are our top 12 free stock photo websites to enhance your business’s online presence.
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1. StockSnap.io
https://stocksnap.io
Beautiful Free Stock Photos (CC0)
The top destination for stunning, high-quality, and high-resolution stock photos. All images are free from copyright restrictions (CC0) – no attribution needed.
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2. Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/
Unsplash | Free High-Resolution Photos
Explore · History · Made with Unsplash · Tag photos · API/Developers · Local · Unsplash Book · Hiring · LoginJoin. Unsplash. Free (do whatever you want)
3. Gratisography
https://gratisography.com/
Free High-Resolution Photos
Access free, high-resolution stock photos for personal and commercial projects. Use them as you please without any restrictions.
4. Little Visuals
https://littlevisuals.co/
Free High-Resolution Images
Access free, high-resolution images for personal and commercial use.
Little Visuals was a passion project started by Nic Jackson. Sadly, Nic passed away suddenly in November 2013. Though he didn’t get the chance to develop Little Visuals further, his family has kept the website accessible. All images remain free for commercial use, continuing Nic’s vision.
5. New Old Stock
https://nos.twnsnd.co/
Vintage Photos from Public Archives
Access vintage photos from public archives, free of known copyright restrictions. These images beautifully recapture history.
I hope these free stock photo websites are valuable resources for your business. There are many free options available, which can be a great cost-saving measure. However, keep in mind that easily accessible images are often used by others too, which may lead to a “I’ve seen this before” reaction from your audience.
Reach out to ME DeZign now and watch your business thrive!
About the Author: Miki Sparks
Miki Sparks is an entrepreneur in design and marketing, specializing in idea development and programming. Motivated by career advancement, she pursued an MBA.
On the side, Miki works as an AI trainer, ensuring model responses are appropriate. Since 2018, she has taught Japanese in Denver.
She visits Japan annually to spend time with her family. Additionally, she loves Japanese food and onsen.