11 Best Stock Image Sites for Your Website (Free, High-Quality)

Finding the right stock images for your website is essential for creating engaging and visually appealing content. This article lists the 11 best stock image sites offering free, high-quality photos without the hassle of complex licenses. Each site has unique image offerings from contemporary visuals to vintage snapshots. Read on for our recommendations.

1. Unsplash

Unsplash is a stock image platform that offers 3 main types of free stock images: photos, illustrations, and AI-generated visuals. The images are available under the Unsplash License, which permits both personal and commercial use without the need for attribution, although credit is appreciated. Users are able to download images in high resolutions, with quality options extending up to 8K. 

All the basic offerings on Unsplash are free, but the platform also offers a premium subscription known as Unsplash+. It includes members-only content, unlimited royalty-free downloads, high-quality illustrations, and enhanced legal protections. Users only need to pay RM18 per month to unlock all features. 

2. Pixabay

Pixabay is a stock image platform that offers 4 main types of free stock content: photos, vectors, illustrations, and video clips. The content is covered by Pixabay’s own license that does not require attribution. Users are able to download them in various resolutions, with high-quality options (up to 8K) suitable for both digital and print media. Pixabay doesn’t have a premium plan. This means that all resources are equally accessible to everyone.

3. Pexels

Pexels is a stock image platform that provides a wide selection of free stock images and videos under the Pexels License, which permits unrestricted use. You’re allowed to use their content for both personal and commercial purposes without requiring attribution. Users have access to high-resolution downloads (up to 8K) to ensure that the image or video is sharp and clear for all types of media usage (e.g. websites, print materials). All resources on Pexels are available for free. They don’t have a premium plan. This means their high-quality visuals are accessible to everyone without any cost.

4. Burst (By Shopify)

Burst, powered by Shopify, is a stock photo platform specifically designed for entrepreneurs and developers. It offers a variety of high-quality photos and HD images (up to 4K) under a royalty-free license that permits unlimited commercial use without attribution. They offer  images ranging from modern web visuals to classic print-ready photos. 

The platform ensures that all images look great across all devices, from mobile screens to large banners. This makes it ideal for use in online stores, marketing materials, and advertisements. Burst does not offer a premium plan. They focus instead on providing free, high-quality resources to enhance the online presence of its users.

5. Flickr

Flickr is a platform that offers 3 main types of images: photos, illustrations, and vectors sourced from users worldwide. Flickr is renowned for its extensive and diverse community of photographers from amateurs to professionals. Image licensing on Flickr varies, with options ranging from Creative Commons licenses that allow commercial use and modifications to more restrictive agreements.

Flickr provides access to images in resolutions up to the original upload quality (up to 8K), suitable for both digital and print applications. Many of Flickr’s images are free, but they also offer a premium service called Flickr Pro. Flickr Pro is available at RM26.96 per month. It includes ad-free browsing, advanced photo stats, unlimited uploads, and priority support, and more, which makes it worthwhile for serious photographers and enthusiasts alike.

6. Rawpixel

Rawpixel is a platform that offers 3 main types of images: photos, vectors, and illustrations. Rawpixel markets itself as the all-in-one graphic design tool catered to designers, marketers, and business owners. Their images fall under Rawpixel’s own licensing, which permits both personal and commercial use. Attribution is required for certain images, especially those not included in the premium plan. Rawpixel notably also provides PSD mockups, which enhances its selection of creative assets.

Rawpixel provides high resolution (up to 8K) content ideal for both digital and print media. They also offer a variety of subscription plans for different needs. The free plan allows up to five daily downloads and provides access to over a million professional assets and 50,000 templates, plus unlimited public domain downloads. The Creative Plan is available for RM269.96 per year and offers unlimited downloads and full access to Rawpixel’s Creative Studio. The Business Plan costs RM539.96 per year and includes all the features of the Creative Plan with additional benefits like 50 GB of cloud storage and priority support. They also have a Premium Lifetime Membership for a one-time fee of RM1795.50, which grants all the benefits of the Business plan forever.

7. Vecteezy

Vecteezy is a platform that specializes in vector art, stock photos, and video clips. They’re known for their high-resolution (up to 8K) vector graphics ideal for both small web icons and large banners. It offers 2 types of image licensing: free content that requires attribution and has commercial use limitations, and premium content that allows broader use without attribution.

Vecteezy’s Pro plan gives you access to millions of resources, an editing tool, and additional features like faster downloads and no ads. The Monthly Unlimited Subscription is priced at RM31.50 per month. It’s tailored for individual users but they also have subscriptions available for teams and enterprises.

8. Picjumbo

Picjumbo is a stock photo platform known for its high-quality images (up to 8K) tailored for bloggers, graphic designers, and marketers. The site offers a diverse range of photos covering nature, business, technology, and fashion. These images are available under Picjumbo’s own licensing system, which allows both personal and commercial use without the need for attribution.

Picjumbo also offers a unique Premium Membership with a one-time payment of RM805.50. This lifetime access includes new photo collections sent monthly, unpublished and upcoming images, instant access to all 200+ photo collections, and easy download of all free photos from Picjumbo.com. This plan is designed to cater to users who need a consistent supply of fresh and unique stock photos for their projects.

9. New Old Stock

New Old Stock is a stock photo platform that offers vintage photos sourced from public archives (e.g. government archives, public collections). These historical photographs capture various scenes, people, and events. They are ideal for creators seeking a retro or classic visual style.

Most of the images on New Old Stock are available under the public domain, which allows unrestricted use in both personal and commercial projects without copyright restrictions. All images are free and there is no premium plan, but users must note the specific details of each image as some require attribution or carry minor restrictions.

The resolution of these vintage photos varies since they are often scans of old photographs. They don’t always meet modern standards for high resolution, but the quality is generally good enough for digital use and certain types of print media. This depends on the condition of the original photograph.

10. 123RF

123RF is a digital media library that offers a broad range of stock photos, vectors, video clips, and audio files, complemented by powerful AI tools. This platform caters to digital creators and businesses of all sizes with professional-grade visuals (up to 8K) and AI-generated content to enhance projects across various media.

123RF offers 2 types of image licensing: standard and extended. The standard license is available with the PLUS (RM67.50 per month) and PLUS Business (RM265.50 per month) plans. It allows unlimited downloads and usage across digital media, print advertisements, and commercial applications, with certain limitations such as a cap on print runs. The extended license is acquired through purchasing credits. It permits broader usage, including products for resale and large-scale distribution without print run limits.

11. Morguefile

Morguefile is a free photo archive that focuses on providing high-quality stock photos primarily for creatives and educators. The site offers a variety of images ranging from everyday scenes to more specific subjects, all contributed by a community of photographers who support open-source imagery.

The platform has a very flexible license which enables both personal and commercial use without mandatory attribution. Morguefile’s emphasis is on images that are able to be used directly or as reference materials for other creative work. It’s particularly valuable for students, teachers, and professional creatives looking for accessible, high-quality visual resources.

Morguefile’s images come in various resolutions (up to 8K) suitable for both web and print applications. They do not have a premium plan, and instead provide easy access to stock photography without complex licensing or fees.

Are Stock Images Free to Use?

Most stock images are free to use, but the ability to use them depends on their usage rights. There are 3 primary types of usage rights for free stock images: Creative Commons, Royalty-Free, and Public Domain. Understanding these rights is essential to ensure legal and appropriate use of free stock images for your website.

What Are Creative Commons (CC) Images?

Creative Commons (CC) images are those that creators have licensed under various terms that dictate how others can use them. These images do not require payment to use, but often need attribution depending on the specific type of Creative Commons license. Commercial use and adaptation or modification of the image are possible under certain CC licenses. For instance, licenses like CC BY and CC BY-SA allow for commercial use and modifications, while CC BY-NC and CC BY-ND restrict these activities. Reuse across different projects is typically allowed.

What Are Royalty-Free (RF) Images?

Royalty-Free (RF) images are those that require a one-time payment which then permits the user to use the image multiple times without further royalties. These images do not usually require attribution, and are able to be used for commercial purposes. Users are also free to adapt or modify these images as needed, and reuse them in multiple projects.

What Are Public Domain (PD) Images?

Public Domain (PD) images are those whose copyrights have expired or have been forfeited, so they’re able to be used freely by anyone. There is no need for payment or attribution when using public domain images. They’re used for commercial purposes, and users are free to adapt and modify these images. There are also no restrictions on the reuse of public domain images.

Can I Use Free Stock Images on My Website?

Yes, you can use free stock images on your website. Using stock images is a common practice that helps enhance the visual appeal and effectiveness of your website content. They provide a professional look, fill in content gaps, and illustrate blog posts or articles without the need for custom photography. Learn how to ensure a cohesive look and feel for all your website images in our guide on how to create effective website content.

Can I Use Free Stock Images for My Business?

Yes, you can use free stock images for your business. It’s a common practice to incorporate stock images in various business applications, such as marketing materials, websites, presentations, and social media. Just ensure that the images are used in accordance with their usage rights. Verify that it is labeled for commercial use, especially if it’s a free resource. 

What Types of Stock Image Can I Find on Image Sites?

There are 5 main types of stock images you can find on image sites. They are Photos, Illustrations, Vectors, AI Generated Images and Video Clips.

Photos

Photos are real-life images captured by photographers. Common photo subjects range from landscapes and cityscapes to portraits and lifestyle shots. They are used extensively across all types of digital and print media to add authenticity and visual interest.

Illustrations

Illustrations are drawings or artworks created by artists. They’re used for more stylized or conceptual visuals. Illustrations vary in style from realistic to abstract, which make them versatile for thematic or branded content.

Vectors

Vector images are created using vector graphics software and are composed of paths rather than pixels. This makes them scalable without loss of quality. They’re ideal for logos, diagrams, and graphics where precision and scalability are important.

AI Generated Images

AI Generated images are created using artificial intelligence based on specific parameters or prompts. AI generated images are highly customizable and are useful for creating unique visuals that don’t exist in traditional photography or illustrations.

Video Clips

Video clips are short, high-quality video segments that capture various scenes, actions, or concepts. Stock video clips come in resolutions up to 4K which ensures compatibility with various media needs.

Can I Find High-Quality Stock Images on Image Sites?

Yes, you can find high-quality stock images on image sites. Platforms like Unsplash, Pixabay, and Pexels offer image resolution up to 8K for download. Platforms like Pixabay, Pexels, and Vecteezy offer high-quality stock video clips in 4K.