21 Websites with free, high-quality images in 2024

21 Websites with free, high-quality images in 2024

Reading Time: 3 minutes

At Fetch, we understand that finding perfect social media images, blog or website images can be a challenge, especially if professional photography isn’t your forte. Too often, we settle for mundane, overused stock images that not only lack originality but also come with a hefty price tag. The good news? There’s a whole range of websites out there that offer an expansive collection of stunning, free images, and we’re here to guide you through them.

Before we get going though, lets take a quick look at the main image licensing and copyright types so you can be sure to keep within the law.

Creative Commons

Creative Commons, a nonprofit entity, facilitates the sharing and utilisation of creativity and knowledge through legal tools offered at no cost. They provide a range of licenses, from those permitting unrestricted use without the need for attribution, to more restrictive ones that limit usage types and disallow modifications.

Public Domain Works

Public domain works refer to materials where copyright protections are no longer in place, have been relinquished, or never applied.

Royalty-Free Images

Contrary to what the name suggests, royalty-free images often aren’t free of charge. Generally, they require a one-time payment, granting the user permission to use the image.

Non-Copyright Images

Non-copyright images are free from any copyright restrictions. These images are available for use by anyone and are considered communal property.

Here’s our top recommendations for websites where you can find a variety of engaging, free social media images and more:

Unsplash:
Renowned for its vast collection and free use license. A great source for social media images.

Pixabay:
Offers over 320,000 photos, art illustrations, and vectors, all under the Creative Commons license.

Canva:
Known for its design platform, Canva also boasts 1.7 million free stock photos, perfect for designing social media banners or flyers with added flair.

Pexels:
A reliable source of high-quality, Creative Commons Zero licensed images, Pexels is a go-to for enhancing your online presence.

Burst (by Shopify):
Burst provides high-definition, public domain images ideal for both personal and commercial use.

Reshot:
This platform offers unique, free stock photos, catering especially to freelancers and startups.

Gratisography:
For whimsical and humorous images, Gratisography is your destination, offering free images without copyright restrictions.

Free Images:
With over 300,000 images under its own license, Free Images offers a diverse range of visuals.

Life of Pix:
High-quality, public domain photographs perfect for social media and websites.

Kaboompics:
Unique for its color search feature, Kaboompics is ideal for creating aesthetically pleasing content.

Shutterstock:
While known for its vast paid library, Shutterstock also offers free images, enriching your visual content.

Getty Images:
Offers a limited range of free images, suitable for non-commercial use via their Embed feature.

iStock:
A part of Getty Images, iStock provides a selection of free stock images.

Freepik:
A valuable resource for creators, offering millions of free assets from illustrations to vectors.

Picjumbo:
Adds fresh, high-quality images daily across a wide range of topics, ideal for bloggers and web designers looking for up-to-date visuals.

Skitterphoto:
Run by three Dutch photographers, this site offers a range of free photos and encourages contributions from other photographers.

Freerange:
A diverse library of images covering various topics, updated daily with photos from in-house and external photographers.

StockSnap:
Known for its high-resolution images and user-friendly search function, StockSnap.io adds new photos weekly.

Picography:
A popular choice for finding free images across numerous categories, suitable for various business needs.

Shot Stash:
A creative professional’s haven, offering 7,000 images under a Creative Commons license, free of restrictions.

Libreshot:
Features images by photographer Martin Vorel, covering categories like architecture, business, nature, and technology, available for commercial and private use without attribution.

The abundance of websites offering free social media images and more means you’ll never be short on choice, and armed with the above websites you’ll be well-equipped to easily find compelling and engaging free images that align perfectly with your marketing goals. Need help with your content marketing and more? Get in contact with us today.