Tech Desk
Sep 04, 2024
The best free stock photo sites make it easier and simpler to download free high-quality stock images to utilise in all your projects, various tasks, etc.
Searching for the best free stock photos might look impossible with everybody charging for every social media post and content nowadays. However, it’s generally easier than you think.
Gadinsider has compiled the best free stock photo websites to help you search for the pictures you require for various tasks.
All the images on these sites are free for personal, editorial or commercial purposes (and are great paired with our pick of the best free photo editors), but there are still a couple of restrictions to remember.
Adobe Stock free collection
Earlier October 2020, Adobe made over 70,000 stock photos, videos, illustrations and templates available for personal, business and creative use. According to a blog post, its focus is to "make the means to create accessible images to all."
The photos are offered in the high-quality format, while the artists are paid for their contributions. There's a flawless selection of filters that you can utilise to find exactly the right stock photo, and you can even upload an existing image to find relatable pictures.
Unsplash
Unsplash is a well-turned collection of beautiful photos donated by skilled photographers and has been utilised to create some incredible work. There are some images that you’ll find on Pixabay, but the quality is more consistent.
Read more: TikTok algorithm explained — Tips for creators to increase reach and engagement
Unsplash’s search tool is the fastest way to search for an image, but if you have a little time on your hands — groups of photos are sorted by other users into themes like Light and Shadow, Street Life, and the Wild.
However, you can create your collections after signing up for an account. They’re flawless for inspiration, or collecting resources for a project.
Vecteezy
Vecteezy offers the user features and search results, along with plenty of high-quality images to help your projects.
There are countless photos available, with a helpful 'trending' bar below the search menu to receive the right photo you need.
Pixabay
Pixabay is integrated with over a million public domain images, not only photos, but also illustrations, vector graphics, and even a handful of videos.
Its selection of landscape photography is specifically strong, and the editor’s choice is well worth a look if you don’t have something specific in mind.
Pexels
Pexels is a good choice for web or app designers, with an excellent set of device pictures for showcasing interface mockups. A couple of images stray close to stock photo cheesiness, but the vast majority are creative and original.
Pexels has a category dedicated to space photography, which looks stunning, but remember that some of the material is from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – one of the organisations whose images should only be used in specific contexts.
