Top Free Image Stocks for a Graphic Designer
In the current environment where content creators, brands and media outlets compete to grab an audience’s attention, visual images are key. Images carry the weight of not only attracting the eye, but more critically, communicate the message of a brand or storyteller. Images and artwork are no doubt the most important piece of a graphic design project. If you don’t get the images right, you can lose audiences, users and customers.
The constant need for fresh visual images puts small teams and freelance graphic designers in a challenging position. Designers and creators want to use unique, high quality images, but often lack the budget that large design firms have to hire the best professional illustrators and photographers. In the past, designers with a smaller budget had to sacrifice quality or creativity to be able to use affordable or free images that were available to anyone.
Why a Designer Needs Stock Images
Access to stock images is a necessity for any designer. With a short timeframe, there isn’t always the chance to create artwork from scratch. It takes time and talent resources and often teams are tight for both. A stock image library allows designers to have thousands of images at their fingertips. At a moment’s notice, a graphic designer can locate a hand-drawn illustration, a color photo, or a bold digital design to complete their project.
In the past, the options for low cost images were very limited. And this meant smaller teams didn’t have the same access to cool, unique art. For example, often using a free image meant that a designer may not own exclusive use of that image, so it could end up being used in other ways and by other brands. And with free artwork typically, the art and images may not be ideally suited to the message a freelancer wants to convey, since the options are much more limited.
Today, stock image sites have leveled up: they have recently equalized the playing field between small design teams and large graphic design firms, and the prospects are exciting. No longer does it require deep pockets to have access to the same kinds of unique, thoughtful artwork to use in designs that major players have. In fact, you can even earn by adding and selling your own graphics on image stocks. The free options now rival what used to be locked behind expensive subscription plans, so your agency of one, or your small team can access the same quality of images that large design firms use in their projects. So without further ado we present you with the top image stocks for any graphic designer out there:
Unsplash
Unsplash offers high-resolution images with excellent artistic quality. The site has garnered popularity within the design community, which continues to attract a lot of design talent to post their images there.
One advantage users like is the attribution-free licensing, so it’s up to you whether you credit the original creator. This makes Unsplash easy to use since you can drop in an image without worrying about violating any licensing agreements.
Pexels
Pexels is a collection of thousands of images uploaded from around the world. The Pexels team curates the photos to ensure quality control, and clear licensing agreements.
Pexels covers both photos and videos, adding a new dimension of creative possibility. This site offers loads of art that is ideal for commercial or personal design projects.
Pixabay
Pixabay is a library of illustrations, vectors, and videos in addition to photos. For design mockups and mixed-media projects, this site is a go-to. There are over 5 million images, but be sure to check the attribution requirements for any artwork you decide to use.
Freepik (Free Section)
For designers who are looking for vectors, icons, and already made templates, Freepik is a solid choice. You’ll find illustrations and graphic elements that save hours of creative time and effort. For this site, designers have to credit Freepik in the final work, so make sure this aligns with your project.
Burst by Shopify
Say you’re working on a branding project or a new e-commerce website. Burst by Shopify is an ideal site with imagery for every niche. The photos look as professional as any commercial stock site, and work well for landing pages or marketing material.
These are offered as an asset to a Shopify store, so though you don’t have to use these in e-commerce, they certainly work well for any online marketplace.
Kaboompics
Browsing Kaboompics makes you feel like you’re scrolling through a cool, artsy Instagram site. These images are curated by colors or orientation, which is a huge help for working on branding or editorial layouts. There are thousands of usable, high quality photos worth exploring for any graphic design project.
Reshot
Reshot is one of the newer platforms, so check out this site for fresh images you aren’t likely to see elsewhere. The designs lean contemporary and authentic, so Reshot is worth a look when your project calls for originality. There are SVGs, PNGs, icons and all sorts of illustrations, all attribution free.
Picjumbo
Picjumbo offers a ton, but stays user-friendly as it’s organized into themed collections. You’ll find everything from lifestyle shots to backgrounds of all types. The site makes it easy to search by category.
Picjumbo offers high resolution quality, so it’s great for your print projects and digital work.
Life of Pix
Life of Pix seems like an art gallery, rather than a common stock photo site. This site has kept artistic quality high, thanks to photographers who aim for variety and visual impact. Check out this site for photos that feel natural, and not immediately recognizable as “stock photos.”
ISO Republic
ISO Republic covers all bases, presenting a wide range of photography and video content. This site stands out with abstract and conceptual images, which can be helpful for editorial projects or storytelling in a more subtle way. If you’re looking for a resource that may help define a creative direction when you’re not committed to one yet, check out ISO Republic.
Find Images Fast: Stock Photos Within Your Amadine App
It’s also easier than ever to access these free, curated stock images while working in a design app. Many of these stocks have their own libraries of images integrated directly into design applications. And editors have done the work of curating these to showcase the best images of each type, including free vector resources.
Take the Amadine app, for example. Users can search for and select high quality images from platforms like Unsplash, Pexels and Pixabay without ever leaving the app. This stock image library integration allows users to save time and have a more streamlined creative process. Other programs, like Linearity Curve, also offer this feature. Figma offers libraries through plugins that give users access to stock image sites.
When working with stock image resources, it’s important to ensure that the images you use are not subject to restrictions that could limit your intended usage. Some stock providers prohibit commercial use, others require attribution, and some impose limits on the number of impressions or views. We strongly recommend reading the license agreement for each image carefully before using it.
Also, note the best stock photo libraries offer designs with a higher photo resolution, making these more flexible for any type of project. Be sure to check the resolution so it matches what you need in your design. Some images are bitmap (raster), so you’ll have to vectorize them prior to using in a vector app like Amadine. And, it’s worth noting that the best sites will present a large variety of images, so designers can find exactly what fits their project, no matter how niche.
In addition, AI has added a new dimension to a designer’s ability to create and use images. If you’re interested in AI, you’ll want to play with Art Text, with its new AI Wizard. This is a text to artwork generator that takes your typography and makes it more unique with text input.
Frequently Asked Questions About Image Stocks
Where can I get a 100% free image?
You can get such images from websites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay. These platforms offer high-quality, royalty-free photos that can be used for personal and commercial graphic design projects with no cost or registration required. Note that reading license agreement previously to using any stock image is highly recommended in order to avoid any issues with rights.
Where is the best place to sell images?
Top platforms to sell stock images include Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Alamy. These sites have a global reach, allowing photographers and designers to monetize their work through high-traffic marketplaces that serve both individual creatives and large design teams.
Are Unsplash images royalty free?
Yes, the standard images on Unsplash are royalty-free and can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes without attribution under the Unsplash Free License. However, Unsplash also offers a paid Unsplash+ subscription with access to exclusive, higher-quality content that comes with additional usage rights and legal protections—ideal for professional graphic designers and businesses seeking premium visuals.
Where can I find copyright free images?
You can find copyright-free images on platforms like Pixabay, Public Domain Archive, and Wikimedia Commons. These sites provide access to public domain or Creative Commons-licensed images, making them safe and convenient for global use in digital and print design.
Visual Impact: Why Images Are Everything
After browsing these ten sites above, you’ll see that free image platforms are game changers for those of us with small creative budgets, limited time or pressing deadlines. Instead of hunting through expensive stock art libraries for a unique and affordable photo or design, these free stock image sites give you the advantage of using eye-catching and creative designs for free. The possibilities are enough to fuel your creative projects for a lifetime!
You will want to bookmark a few of these for the next time a client needs a project concept finalized “yesterday”, or for when inspiration hits and you’re on the go, or short on time to create your own. With these libraries of art, icons, video and illustrations fully at your disposal, you’re ready for any design challenge without spending loads of cash or sacrificing creative quality.