As a web designer, high-quality visuals are essential for creating engaging and aesthetically pleasing websites. However, finding the right images can often be challenging, especially when you’re working with a limited budget. Fortunately, there are numerous free image resources available that offer high-quality, royalty-free images that can be used in both personal and commercial projects.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best websites for free images, covering a range of styles and categories, so you can find the perfect visuals for your next project.
1. Unsplash
Unsplash is one of the most popular platforms for free images. It offers a vast library of high-quality, royalty-free photos contributed by photographers around the world. The images on Unsplash are known for their creativity and high resolution, making it an ideal resource for web designers who need professional visuals without licensing fees.
Key Features:
- High-resolution images
- Creative and artistic photography
- Completely free for commercial and non-commercial use
2. Pexels
Pexels provides free stock photos and videos that you can use for any purpose. The platform features a diverse collection of images ranging from abstract backgrounds to lifestyle photography. Pexels’ easy-to-use search function and curated collections make it simple to find exactly what you need for your web design project.
Key Features:
- Free images and videos
- High-resolution photography
- Easily searchable categories and curated collections
3. Pixabay
Pixabay offers over 2.6 million high-quality images, videos, and vector graphics, all released under Creative Commons CC0, meaning they are free to use for any purpose, without attribution. Pixabay’s library includes everything from illustrations and icons to photography and video, making it a versatile resource for web designers.
Key Features:
- Photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos
- Completely free, with no attribution required
- Large variety of media types
4. Burst by Shopify
Burst is a free image library created by Shopify that’s designed to help entrepreneurs and designers create better websites. The collection is tailored for online stores but is also an excellent resource for any web designer looking for clean, professional images. Burst offers both high- and low-resolution downloads, making it suitable for both web and print projects.
Key Features:
- High-quality stock photos
- Focused on business and e-commerce
- Free for both personal and commercial use
5. Gratisography
Gratisography offers a collection of quirky, unique images that are different from the typical stock photo fare. If you’re looking for fun, unconventional visuals that stand out, Gratisography is a great place to start. The site is updated weekly with new photos that are free to use in both personal and commercial projects.
Key Features:
- Fun, unique, and creative images
- High resolution and completely free
- Regularly updated with new content
6. Reshot
Reshot is a community-driven platform that offers free stock photography aimed at startups, freelancers, and web designers. Reshot prides itself on providing authentic images that don’t have the typical stock photo look. The collection is curated to ensure high quality, and all images are free to use commercially with no attribution required.
Key Features:
- Authentic, non-stocky images
- Perfect for startups and creatives
- Completely free for commercial use
7. StockSnap
StockSnap is a platform that curates thousands of high-quality images, adding new content daily. StockSnap is particularly known for its vibrant and clear photos, perfect for use in web design. The images are free to use under Creative Commons CC0, so they can be used for any project without worrying about licensing.
Key Features:
- Thousands of free, high-resolution images
- New images added daily
- No attribution required
8. Rawpixel
Rawpixel offers a diverse selection of high-quality images, illustrations, and PSD mockups, many of which are free for commercial use. Rawpixel is great for designers looking for creative assets that go beyond just photography, such as graphic design elements, templates, and vectors.
Key Features:
- Free images, PSD files, and illustrations
- Focus on creativity and design
- Free and premium collections available
9. Life of Pix
Life of Pix is a collection of high-resolution, free images submitted by photographers from around the world. The site offers a variety of categories, from landscapes to cityscapes, making it a solid resource for web designers. The photography here often has a professional, polished look.
Key Features:
- High-resolution photography
- Curated images from photographers
- Free for personal and commercial use
10. ISO Republic
ISO Republic provides free stock photos and videos with a focus on professional and high-quality visuals. The library is filled with a wide range of images suitable for business, technology, and creative projects, making it ideal for designers working on corporate websites or digital portfolios.
Key Features:
- High-quality, professional images and videos
- Focus on business, tech, and creative industries
- Free for personal and commercial use
Tips for Using Free Images
- Check the license: While most of these platforms offer images that are free for commercial use, always double-check the licensing requirements. Some images may still require attribution.
- Optimize for web: Before adding images to your website, ensure they are optimized for the web to avoid slowing down page load times. Tools like TinyPNG can help compress image files without losing quality, or just use the image optimiser in MAMP PRO.
- Avoid overused images: Many free image sites are popular, so you might see the same image on multiple websites. To keep your design unique, dig deeper into the libraries or consider editing the images to give them a fresh look.