3 of the best free stock photo sites

Access to stock photos helps visually communicate your brand and complements the copy your content team publishes. A reputable stockpile of images allows your design team to get creative and avoid image copyrighting hassle. Here we look at three leading stock photo websites and several features that give teams the freedom to get creative without fear of legal recourse.

Unsplash

Unsplash is a go-to website for busy marketing teams looking for swift access to photos. Creators from all over the world can upload free-to-use content. This has created a diverse and accessible array of images for you to access. Sub-categories, a trending header and simple search functionality make finding what you’re looking for straightforward.

Unsplash features:

• Commercial and non-commercial usage granted
• No permissions required
• A large stockpile of photos

Gratisography

Gratisography is the quirky free stock website that delivers one-of-a-kind photos and one-off looks. The website’s creator, Ryan McGuire, takes great pride in having a unique stockpile of personality-driven images. This means you’ll probably find photos that feel much more original compared to rival websites. At Gratisography you can sign up to receive a newsletter that will let you know of new stock photo releases. The trending section keeps you up-to-speed as to what is currently popular.

Gratisography features:

• High-resolution photos
• Unique visual content
• Image modification capabilities

Picography

Picography promotes itself as delivering gorgeous images that will always be free to use. This is certainly true when you browse the stockpile of high-quality photos on offer. A fun feature of the website is a hashtag option at the bottom of the landing page. This helps categorize images and photos into searches that specify your hunt for a perfect kind of visual.

Picography features:

• CCO licensed for modification rights
• Hashtag search functionality
• Simplified categorization and layout

Free stock photo websites give you access to content that is reusable and removes the concern of legal recourse. Having a database of your favorite places to search for engaging content helps creative teams deliver blogs, newsletters and website content on time. However, do keep in mind that this content is available to anyone and the originality of your content may be affected if sourcing the most popular photos.