21 Free Stock Photos Sites for a Stunning Website Design in 2024

Best royalty free stock photos & images to use for your web design

At Build An Online Business, a common question I get from clients is, “Where did you find such incredible images for our website?” Whether I’m designing a professional site for a small business or a blog for personal use, high-quality visuals make all the difference. So today I’m going to share some of my favorite stock photos sites and resources with you.

Below is my personal list of 21 go-to websites where you can find free, high-resolution stock images for your website. These stock photos are perfect to use social media, and other online projects. In fact, many of my clients also use these images for marketing materials in their Canva designs.

From modern office shots to breathtaking landscapes, this curated list is sure to have what you’re looking for. And the best part? They’re all free to use! So whether you’re working on a personal project or your business site, you can find free stock photos from the platforms below.

21 Best Free Stock Images & Photos

1. Envato Elements

Envato Elements is a powerhouse for creative professionals, offering not only stock photos but also templates, fonts, and graphics. While they do provide free files every month, their true value comes from a paid subscription that grants access to over 50 million high-quality assets.

For anyone building websites or marketing materials, Envato’s extensive collection of royalty-free stock photos is a game changer. You’ll easily find the perfect visuals without running into licensing issues.

`With diverse categories covering everything from abstract textures to corporate shots, Envato Elements is a go-to resource for premium stock photos.

Why I Use Envato?

At Build An Online Business, my clients benefit from access to my $16.50 a month Envato Elements subscription. This means I can provide you with premium photos and design elements without you needing to purchase your own subscription. I understand that budget is important because I’m committed to delivering the highest value—without high-end costs.

2. Unsplash Free Stock Photos

Launched in 2013, Unsplash is one of the most popular platforms for free, high-quality photos. With over 3 million images available, it’s a favorite among designers, bloggers, and marketers for its diverse categories. With a community of contributors worldwide, Unsplash adds fresh content daily, making it a great source for everything from blog visuals to web design.

Unsplash’s easy-to-use interface allows users to quickly find the perfect image for any project. Whether you need visuals for social media or a high-impact homepage, their extensive collection ensures you’ll never run out of options.

• Free to use for personal and commercial projects.
• No attribution required, though always.

Visit unsplash.com to see the full license details.

3. Pexels

Founded in 2014, Pexels offers a dynamic and ever-growing library of free stock photos and videos. It’s the perfect resource for finding modern, eye-catching visuals for websites, presentations, and digital marketing campaigns. With its easy search functionality and well-organized categories, finding the right image on Pexels is quick and straightforward.

What makes Pexels stand out is its focus on community-driven content, with photographers from around the world contributing their work. This results in a rich variety of high-quality images, from candid lifestyle shots to vibrant cityscapes, suitable for any project you’re working on.

Visit www.pexels.com to see the full license details.

4. Pixabay

Pixabay is another old and trusted sources for free stock photos, vectors, and even videos. With over 2.7 million assets in its database, it’s a one-stop shop for designers, marketers, and content creators. Whether you’re designing a brochure, building a website, or crafting a social media post, Pixabay offers an extensive selection of visuals that cater to almost any niche.

Pixabay stands out not only for its variety but also for its supportive user community. Many of the platform’s contributors are seasoned photographers, ensuring that you have access to high-resolution, professional-grade images.

Visit pexels.com to see the full license details.

5. StockSnap.io

With its clean, modern interface, StockSnap.io has quickly become a favorite for creatives looking for free high-quality photos. The platform was designed with simplicity in mind—no clutter, just a massive library of visually stunning images.

From breathtaking landscapes to minimalist flat-lay photography, StockSnap excels in providing images that feel authentic and curated for today’s aesthetic needs.

One of the things I love about StockSnap.io is its trending section, which showcases the most popular images on the site, making it easier to discover fresh, relevant visuals for your website or blog.

Visit stocksnap.io to see the full license details.

6. SplitShire Free Stock Images

SplitShire started as a passion project by Italian photographer Daniel Nanescu, who wanted to give his unused photos new life.

What began as a personal outlet has evolved into a well-respected platform offering free stock photos that have been featured on global websites like CNN and Forbes. SplitShire is perfect for finding eye-catching photography, with a particular strength in vintage, moody, and artistic visuals.

Nanescu’s goal was to create a space where photographers and creatives could find beautiful, free photos that didn’t feel generic, and his personal touch resonates throughout the entire site.

Visit www.splitshire.com to see the full license details.

7. Picjumbo

Created by Viktor Hanacek in 2013, Picjumbo is the result of a photographer’s frustration with stock photo platforms that repeatedly rejected his work. Rather than give up, Hanacek launched his own site, and today, Picjumbo features thousands of vibrant, free images in a variety of categories—ranging from travel to business, and even food photography.

Picjumbo is known for its colorful, high-resolution photos that work beautifully for web design, marketing materials, and social media. It’s a hidden gem in the stock photography world, offering both free and premium options.

Visit picjumbo.com to see the full license details.

8. Life of Pix

Life of Pix was created by LEEROY, a creative agency based in Montreal, as a way to showcase professional-quality photography. The site is a photographer’s dream, featuring high-resolution images that are free to use for personal and commercial projects.

Its growing community of photographers contributes stunning free stock images, and with new images uploaded weekly, there’s always fresh content to discover.

The artistic focus of Life of Pix makes it ideal for those looking to add a unique visual flair to their web designs or marketing campaigns.

Visit www.lifeofpix.com to see the full license details.

9. Negative Space

If you’re looking for free photos with a creative edge, Negative Space has you covered. From abstract art to modern architecture, this site specializes in high-resolution images with plenty of, well, negative space—perfect for overlaying text or graphics.

Negative Space is simple and to the point platform, offering a wide variety of categories and regular uploads from talented photographers.

Visit negativespace.co for free stock photos and images.

10. Kaboompics

Run by Polish photographer Karolina Grabowska, Kaboompics is known for its chic and stylish photography. With a focus on lifestyle, interiors, and product photography, it’s an ideal resource for bloggers, social media influencers, and small business owners. Karolina shoots all the photos herself, ensuring the collection remains cohesive, trendy, and always on-point with current design aesthetics.

What I love about Kaboompics is its color palette feature, which allows you to search for photos by specific colors—a dream for anyone working on cohesive brand designs.

Visit kaboompics.com to see the full license details.

11. Gratisography

If you’re searching for quirky, fun, and downright unique photos, Gratisography is the site for you. Created by Ryan McGuire, a talented and creative photographer, the site offers free high-resolution photos with a whimsical twist. Expect to find everything from playful animal shots to surreal scenes that are perfect for adding personality to your project.

Unlike many stock sites that focus on standard categories, Gratisography’s niche lies in its ability to deliver images that surprise and delight, making it ideal for brands with a playful or unconventional tone.

Visit gratisography.com to see the full license details.

12. Freerange Stock

Freerange Stock is all about quality and accessibility. Founded with the mission of offering completely free, high-resolution images to creatives everywhere, the site is supported by a community of photographers who contribute their best work.

From landscapes to food photography, Freerange provides designers, marketers, and bloggers with an extensive library to choose from, ensuring your project never looks generic.

Visit freerangestock.com to see the full license details.

13. ISO Republic

For those in need of crisp, high-quality free stock image for commercial use, ISO Republic is a fantastic resource. Established with the goal of helping creatives around the world, the site features a collection of thousands of free stock photos and videos. Perfect to meet the needs of web designers, bloggers, and marketers alike.

ISO Republic focuses on modern, sleek imagery that works perfectly for corporate projects, startups, and tech-related content. The site is updated frequently, making it a reliable go-to for fresh and relevant visuals.

Visit isorepublic.com to see the full license details.

14. Reshot

Reshot is the new kid on the free stock photo block, but it’s quickly making waves in the stock photo world. Unlike most free stock platforms, Reshot’s mission is to offer handpicked, non-stocky images that feel fresh and authentic. The site is a favorite for startups, freelancers, and creatives who want visuals that stand out from the traditional, overly polished stock photos.

Whether you’re looking for candid lifestyle shots or unique angles, Reshot’s contributors deliver high-quality visuals that are free to use, helping brands avoid that “stock photo” feel.

Visit www.reshot.com to see the full license details.

15. Jay Mantri Free Stock Photos

Jay Mantri is a personal collection of breathtaking and artistic photographs from the site’s namesake photographer. Each Thursday, new images are uploaded for free use, with a focus on nature, travel, and creative cityscapes.

What else is there to say? If you’re after artistic, high-resolution images that carry a personal touch, Jay Mantri’s free stock photos are an excellent resource.

Visit jaymantri.com to see the full license details.

16. New Old Stock

New Old Stock is a dream for history buffs and vintage lovers. The platform offers a collection of vintage photographs from public archives, all free to use in personal and commercial projects. The site is filled with black-and-white photos, old postcards, and images that capture historical moments, making it an excellent choice for retro-themed designs or nostalgic content.

These royalty-free images bring a sense of history and timelessness to any project, adding a layer of depth that’s hard to achieve with modern stock photography.

Visit nos.twnsnd.co to see the full license details.

17. FoodiesFeed

If you’re working on food-related content, FoodiesFeed is the go-to source for high-resolution, mouth-watering food photography. With thousands of food photos from across the globe, this site is perfect for bloggers, restaurant owners, and social media influencers in the culinary space.

Whether it’s vibrant close-ups of fresh ingredients or beautifully plated meals, FoodiesFeed has you covered.

Visit www.foodiesfeed.com to see the full license details.

18. Burst (by Shopify)

Burst is a free stock photo platform powered by Shopify, created to help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and e-commerce stores find professional-grade imagery.

With collections ranging from business setups to fashion and lifestyle photography, Burst is a one-stop-shop for anyone needing polished visuals that resonate with online shoppers.

Visit shopify.com/stock-photos to see the full license details.

19. Skitterphoto

Founded by a group of photographers from the Netherlands, Skitterphoto provides a rich collection of free, high-resolution photos that anyone can use for personal or commercial projects.

The photos are released under a public domain license, which means you can freely use them for any purpose without restrictions, making Skitterphoto an excellent resource for diverse projects.

Visit skitterphoto.com to see the full license details.

20. Morguefile

Morguefile has been a trusted source for free stock photos since 1996. With millions of user-uploaded images, it offers an eclectic mix of visuals for any project. Whether you’re designing a website, creating blog content, or marketing materials, Morguefile has plenty of high-resolution, free images to choose from.

The platform is especially useful for finding unique, real-world photos you won’t see on every other site. It’s great for small business owners and marketers who want authentic, non-generic visuals.

Visit morguefile.com to see the full license details.

21. FreeImages

Formerly known as Picspree, FreeImages is backed by Getty Images and offers a vast library of free, high-quality stock photos, illustrations, and vectors. It’s perfect for business owners, designers, and marketers looking for professional imagery without worrying about licensing issues.

Whether you need visuals for websites, blogs, or social media, FreeImages provides a versatile collection suited for both personal and commercial use.`

Visit www.freeimages.com to see the full license details.

Royalty Free Stock Images are the Fantastic

Stock images provide an affordable and convenient solution for businesses of all sizes. They offer access to high-quality visuals without the need for an expensive professional photoshoot.

However, as much as I love free stock photos, nothing beats real-world photos of you, your team, or your office to give your business a more personal and authentic feel. Custom photos help potential clients connect with your brand and see the true faces behind the business.

But beyond just the visual appeal, images play a vital role in SEO. Properly optimized images, with relevant alt text, file names, and compression, can boost your search engine rankings, helping your website rank higher in local search results and even image-based searches. But when a full photoshoot isn’t feasible, stock images are an excellent, cost-effective back up plan.

At Build An Online Business, I know how important the right visuals are for a business’s success. When you work with me, you’ll not only get a stunning website, but I’ll also help optimize your content for local SEO. So what are you waiting for? Let’s build a website that attracts more customers to your business!