Images make posts more attractive and easier to understand. But grabbing a picture from Google Images is risky: most are copyrighted, and photo agencies actively send bloggers invoices for unlicensed use.
The safe way is to use royalty-free images from sites that let you use photos for free, including on commercial blogs, usually without attribution. Here are 35+ of the best sites in 2026. Updated October 2026: sites that have closed or now redirect to unrelated content were removed, and Burst and Openverse were added.
Understand the License First
“Royalty-free” does not always mean “anything goes.” There are three common types:
- Public domain / CC0: no copyright restrictions; use however you like.
- Site licenses (Unsplash License, Pexels License, Pixabay Content License): free for commercial use with no attribution required, but you cannot sell the photos unchanged or use them to build a competing stock site, and you should be careful with recognizable people, brands, and logos.
- Creative Commons with conditions (CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC BY-NC): you must credit the creator, and some forbid commercial use.
Always check the license on the specific image before you use it.
Best Free Stock Photo Sites
1. Pixabay
One of the largest free libraries, with millions of photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos under the Pixabay Content License. No attribution required. Visit Pixabay.
2. Unsplash
Beautiful, high-resolution photos from a huge community of photographers, free under the Unsplash License. Some images are marked Unsplash+ and require a paid plan. Visit Unsplash.
3. Pexels
Millions of high-quality free photos and videos under the Pexels License, with no attribution required and excellent search. Visit Pexels.
4. StockSnap
Run by the Snappa team, StockSnap adds hundreds of CC0 photos every week, sorted by trending and popular. Visit StockSnap.
5. Burst by Shopify
Shopify\’s free library of 20,000+ photos, especially strong for business, ecommerce, and lifestyle topics. Visit Burst by Shopify.
6. Morguefile
A long-running free photo archive with images free for commercial use. Visit Morguefile.
7. Picjumbo
Stylish free photos and backgrounds created by photographer Viktor Hanacek, with an optional premium membership. Visit Picjumbo.
8. Public Domain Pictures
A large collection of public domain photos and illustrations, free for personal and commercial use. Visit Public Domain Pictures.
9. Gratisography
Quirky, whimsical high-resolution photos that stand out from typical stock images. Visit Gratisography.
10. SplitShire
Free photos and videos with no copyright restrictions, great for creative projects. Visit SplitShire.
11. Life of Pix
Free high-resolution photos donated to the public domain. Visit Life of Pix.
12. Kaboompics
Lifestyle and interior photos with handy color palettes for each image, ideal for bloggers and small businesses. Visit Kaboompics.
13. Negative Space
Free CC0 photos with plenty of space for adding text, useful for featured images. Visit Negative Space.
14. Magdeleine
Hand-picked free photos for inspiration. Some require attribution, so check each license. Visit Magdeleine.
15. Rgbstock
More than 100,000 free photos and graphics shared by photographers and artists. Visit Rgbstock.
16. Freerange Stock
Free photos and illustrations for commercial and non-commercial use (no redistribution). Visit Freerange Stock.
17. New Old Stock
Vintage photos from public archives, free of known copyright restrictions. Visit New Old Stock.
18. Public Domain Archive
Vintage and modern public domain images for creative projects. Visit Public Domain Archive.
19. Picography
Free high-resolution CC0 photos you can use however you like. Visit Picography.
20. Startup Stock Photos
Free tech and office photos made for startups, bloggers, and tech writers. Visit Startup Stock Photos.
21. Freestocks
Free photos of animals, cities, fashion, food, nature, technology, and people for personal and commercial use. Visit Freestocks.
22. ISO Republic
Free and premium photos and videos, with new additions every week. Visit ISO Republic.
23. Foodiesfeed
The best free resource for realistic food photos, perfect for food bloggers. Visit Foodiesfeed.
24. Skitterphoto
Public domain photos you can use for any purpose. Visit Skitterphoto.
25. Shutterstock (paid)
Not free, but when you need a very specific image, Shutterstock\’s library of hundreds of millions of photos, vectors, and videos is hard to beat. Useful for premium content. Visit Shutterstock.
More Free Image Sites
- Good Free Photos
- FOCA Stock (formerly MMT Stock)
- JESHOOTS
- LibreShot
- FreePixels
- Rawpixel (free and premium)
- 1 Million Free Pictures
- ImageFree
- Flickr Creative Commons (check each license)
- Wikimedia Commons (check each license)
- Openverse, a search engine for openly licensed images
What About AI-Generated Images?
AI image tools such as Adobe Firefly, Canva, and ChatGPT can create custom images in seconds. They are useful for illustrations and concepts, but check each tool’s terms for commercial use, avoid generating real people or brands, and remember that real photos (including your own) build more trust, especially for reviews and tutorials.
After You Download
- Resize and compress images before uploading; see these online image optimizers or optimize images with Smush.
- Add descriptive alt text: how to add alt text in WordPress.
- Follow our image SEO tips.
- Need screenshots instead? Try these screenshot tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Google Images on my blog?
Not safely. Most images in Google results are copyrighted. Use the Usage rights filter for Creative Commons licenses, or better, use the sites above.
Do I need to credit free stock photos?
On Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, and CC0 sites, credit is not required but appreciated. Creative Commons BY licenses require credit.
Can I use free stock photos for commercial blogs?
Yes, on the sites above, as long as you follow each license’s restrictions, such as not reselling the photos unchanged.
Do you use other sites for free images? Share them in the comments.
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