Do you own a blog, a business website, or are simply someone in need of some awesome images? Well, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 websites to download royalty-free images.
Visual images are always a vital component for any type of content. However, if the image is copyrighted, it can land you in legal trouble.
There is a growing requirement for brand-aligned pictures that are 100% royalty free. Royalty-free images can come in handy for bloggers and website-owners as they can source these photos and feature them.
Why download royalty-free images?
You may be tempted to make a quick Google search for your blog, and pick some good images from the search results. But, you’ll find out that Google now restricts you from downloading images directly. Why, you ask? Because using these images for commercial purposes is restricted.
A single rogue image can give you a setback of thousands of rupees for copyright infringement. Therefore, you should make sure you always download royalty-free images. A vast majority of websites that host royalty-free images share photos under the Creative Commons license. This means they’re free to use without any permissions.
Let’s get on with listing the top 10 websites to download royalty-free images.
1. Pixabay
There’s a reason Pixabay claims the top position in the list. It has one of the largest collections of royalty-free images with upto 1.7 million photos. What makes it stand out even more is that its images come with a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) licensing. This enables you to utilize the images personally as well as commercially without any copyright violations. You can also look for high-quality vector-based graphics, videos and illustrations at Pixabay. Does it get any better than this?
2. Pexels
One of the most efficient tools, the images on Pexels are properly tagged. They are easily discoverable and searchable through their discovery page. Pexels is most popular among web designers because of its professional collection of interface mockups.
3. Unsplash
Unsplash adds 10 new unique high-quality images to its database everyday. It has a never-ending stream of beautiful stock images under the Creative Commons license.
4. Flickr
You must have heard of Flickr from your social network. It is a veteran website where you have to setup your search to look for images within the Creative Commons license. You can filter a lot of options to sync the search according to your preferences. And how cool is that? Some might think Flickr needs too much of a workaround, but there’s also lots to explore on this platform. It is one of the most known websites to download royalty-free images.
5. Life of Pix
Life of Pix is a platform where people can share their photos. It is a go-to for professional photographers to share their shots. Its best functionality is that it provides you with quality photos along with a dedicated page for photographers to help you search your favorite photographers’ pictures. This is a rare feature which is yet to be seen in other websites to download royalty-free images.
6. StockSnap.io
Similar to Unsplash, StockSnap has a vast collection of stunning images. You can find almost any type of image here. All the images are under Creative Commons licensing. You can also browse through the library and see what’s trending, the most download pictures, and much more.
7. Gratisography
Don’t crack your head pronouncing the name. Looking into the website is completely worth it. Gratisography provides you with unique pictures with stock photo vibes. Its pictures are clicked by the founder of Bells Design, Ryan McGuire.
8. Snapwire Snaps
Snapwire Snaps is a unique website with a motto: ‘7 free beautiful photos every 7 days. You can sign up and receive the latest website additions in your mail.
9. ISO Republic
ISO Republic consists of a collection of 3000 royalty-free images. Although their collection is not as big as other websites, they host a good collection of pictures with enough variety.
10. Shot Stash
Shot Stash divides its photos into categories such as business, fashion, technology and more. It keeps updating its database to meet your regular needs. It comprises of a wide collection of royalty-free images that are trending. You can download live wallpapers, lockscreens and illustrations too.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of top 10 websites to download royalty-free images.
There’s no need to specifically pay for images that you can easily find on these websites. Well, unless you have a specific business requirement. If you’ve gone through our list, you’ll easily find not only what you need but several options to choose from.
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