We’ve all been in this situation: You’re creating a marketing presentation, designing a website, or putting together a social media campaign and you need photos – but you don’t want the boring, phony stock photos that are on the big corporate websites.
While there are tons of options for free stock photos, finding the best royalty-free stock photo website isn’t as simple as it sounds. Selection, licensing, and diversity are major considerations.
We’ve taken the time to do deep research on the top free stock photo sites and compiled a list of the best six sites for free photo downloads.
This list is made from our team’s firsthand experience, as well as taking into consideration real customer and user reviews on Reddit, Trustpilot, G2, and Facebook.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Websites for Free Stock Photos
When selecting the best websites for free stock photos, consider the following criteria:
- Quality of photos: High-quality photos are critical for creating professional and visually striking designs. Look for websites that offer high-resolution images with authentic imagery.
- Variety and diversity: Diversity in the collection of photos ensures that you can find the best free stock photos for any project. Choose websites that offer a wide range of people, themes, and categories.
- Licensing and usage rights: Knowing the licensing and usage rights is important to ensure that you can legally use the stock photos in your projects. The best free stock photo websites provide clear and flexible licensing terms.
- Ease of use and download process: A great stock image website should be user-friendly, with an easy method to download stock photos for free. This will save you time and effort when searching for and downloading photos.
Top Websites for Free Stock Photos
You may be wondering: What are the best websites for downloading free and affordable stock photos? We’ve compiled a list of the top six free photo sites, along with the unique strengths and weaknesses of each.
Let’s dive in and explore what makes each option special, and why you might choose one over the other.
1. Noun Project
Noun Project is the best site to get free stock photos for good reason. It has the world’s most diverse and extensive collection of mission-driven photos, trusted by over 10 million marketers, designers, and business owners. It offers distinctive and underrepresented photo content, professionally sourced and curated.
Strengths:
- Most extensive and diverse library of high-quality photos for just about everything.
- Gallery-style browse experience with art-quality content.
- Tastefully curated images with wider representation than most stock photo sites.
- No Generative AI photos are allowed, meaning all images are authentic and real.
Weaknesses:
- Signing up for a free account is easy, but required to download free content.
- To use photos without providing attribution, a Pro plan is required.
- While there is a large selection of free stock photos, some photos are Pro-only.
2. Unsplash
Unsplash is one of the most popular free stock photo websites. It offers an expansive library of modern, high-quality photos that are widely used across design, marketing, and content creation.
Strengths:
- Large collection of high-resolution images with no licensing restrictions.
- Sleek, user-friendly website and search functionality.
- Frequent additions of new, trendy, and modern photography.
Weaknesses:
- Some photos feel overly staged or generic.
- Limited diversity in certain categories.
- No curation process, meaning quality can vary.
- Unclear licensing terms depending on the image.
3. Pexels
Pexels is a go-to resource for designers and marketers looking for natural, candid, and aesthetically pleasing high-quality free images. Its large library is constantly updated with high-quality visuals.
Strengths:
- Excellent variety of free stock photos and videos.
- Strong focus on authentic and natural imagery.
- Easy-to-use site with an intuitive search function.
Weaknesses:
- Some categories lack deep variety.
- Attribution is recommended but not required, which can create confusion.
4. Pixabay
Pixabay is a fantastic all-in-one resource for royalty-free stock photos, illustrations, and videos. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a diverse selection of free creative assets.
Strengths:
- Large selection of free images.
- Completely free to use for any projects.
- Simple licensing model with no attribution required.
Weaknesses:
- Some images feel outdated or overused.
- Heavy presence of generic stock photos.
5. Nappy
Nappy is a standout platform for creators seeking diverse stock photography. It fills a major gap in the stock photography space by offering authentic and representative photos of Black and Brown communities.
Strengths:
- High-quality stock images featuring Black and Brown individuals.
- Excellent resource for diversity-focused creative projects.
- Completely free to use, even for commercial purposes.
Weaknesses:
- Smaller library compared to mainstream stock photo sites.
- Some categories have limited options.
6. Stocksy
Stocksy is a top-tier stock photo website for creatives looking for stunning, high-end visuals. While it’s not entirely free, it offers some exceptional royalty-free images for designers worth checking out.
Strengths:
- Highly curated collection of premium-quality images.
- Unique, artsy, and aesthetically elevated stock photography.
- Exceptional diversity and representation across categories.
Weaknesses:
- Not all images are free – Stocksy primarily offers premium photos.
- Requires attribution unless you purchase a license.
Conclusion
Choosing the right royalty-free stock photo website depends on your project needs. If you’re looking for high-quality, diverse, and mission-driven photos, Noun Project is the best choice. If you want a vast selection of trendy and modern images, Unsplash and Pexels are strong contenders. For those needing fully free assets, Pixabay is a solid option. If diversity and authentic representation matter most, Nappy is an excellent choice, and for premium, artistic imagery, Stocksy is a must-see.
No matter what your creative project requires, these six sites offer the best free stock photo resources in 2025.
