Top 10 Sites to Find Royalty-Free Images for Your Website

The Ultimate Guide to Finding Royalty-Free Images for Your Website

 

High-quality visuals are essential for any website, but not everyone has the budget to hire photographers or purchase stock photos. Fortunately, there are many websites where you can find royalty-free images that won’t break the bank (or violate copyright). Here’s a roundup of the best places to find royalty-free pictures, with links and some tips on using these resources effectively.

 

—

 

1. Unsplash

 

What it offers: Unsplash has a vast library of high-resolution, professional-quality images submitted by talented photographers worldwide. The photos are completely free, and there are no copyright restrictions.

 

Best for: High-quality images across various categories like nature, people, technology, and more.

 

2. Pexels

 

What it offers: Pexels provides thousands of royalty-free stock images and videos that are free to use, with no attribution required. The site also has a section for popular searches, making it easy to find trending content.

 

Best for: Professional images and videos with an artistic touch, suitable for personal or commercial use.

 

3. Pixabay

 

What it offers: With over 2 million royalty-free images, illustrations, vectors, and videos, Pixabay is a great resource. While attribution is not required, it’s appreciated.

 

Best for: A diverse range of media types, including vector graphics and illustrations.

 

4. Burst by Shopify

 

What it offers: Burst offers free, high-quality images specifically aimed at e-commerce businesses. Shopify photographers curate images with themes around retail and online sales.

 

Best for: E-commerce themes, such as products, lifestyle, and seasonal images.

 

5. StockSnap.io

 

What it offers: StockSnap.io has a user-friendly search feature and an extensive library of high-resolution images with no copyright restrictions.

 

Best for: General use; the site includes a range of categories like food, people, and landscapes.

 

6. Reshot

 

What it offers: Reshot provides handpicked, high-quality images that are free to use without attribution. The site is known for its unique and artistic selections.

 

Best for: Quirky, creative images for use on blogs, social media, or websites looking for a unique vibe.

 

7. FoodiesFeed

 

What it offers: As the name suggests, FoodiesFeed focuses on food photography, providing free high-quality images for food bloggers, recipe websites, and restaurant marketing.

 

Best for: Food and drink images, especially helpful for food bloggers and businesses in the food industry.

 

8. Gratisography

 

What it offers: Known for its playful and imaginative photos, Gratisography offers high-resolution images that are free to use. The collection is smaller but very unique.

 

Best for: Creative and fun images, ideal for blogs or projects looking for unconventional imagery.

 

9. Life of Pix

 

What it offers: Life of Pix provides high-resolution photos without copyright restrictions, contributed by photographers worldwide.

 

Best for: Aesthetic shots and nature photography.

 

10. Kaboompics

 

What it offers: Kaboompics provides a mix of lifestyle, interior, and abstract photos. The platform also includes a color palette for each image, which is great for designers.

 

Best for: Lifestyle and interior photography, with a stylish, modern look.

 

—

 

Tips for Using Royalty-Free Images

 

Double-Check the License: Even on royalty-free sites, licensing can vary. Read each site’s terms to make sure your usage aligns with their guidelines.

 

Give Credit When Possible: Although it’s often not required, crediting photographers is a nice way to acknowledge their work.

 

Customize to Stand Out: Adding filters, cropping, or adding text overlays can make these widely-used images feel more unique to your brand.