Images and design elements add visual appeal and professionalism to any blog post. However, not everyone has the skills or resources to create original visuals. Fortunately, there are several platforms that offer high-quality royalty-free images that you can use without restriction.
Here, I’ve listed the top websites where you can download royalty-free images for commercial and personal use, with no attribution required. These stock images can be used freely in your projects. While giving credit to the creator or platform is not required. But, proper attribution encourages photographers to keep sharing quality content.
What Is Royalty-Free?
Royalty-free means you can use copyrighted material without paying ongoing royalties or licensing fees. These assets can be used for both commercial and non-commercial purposes.
1. Pexels – Free Stock Photos & Videos
Pexels is one of the top platforms offering high-quality, royalty-free stock photos and videos across various categories. It’s a go-to source for marketers, and content creators. Pexels operates under its own license, clearly outlining what you can and cannot do with the content.
Ideal for:
- Blog posts and websites
- Product promotions
- Print marketing
- Social media sharing
Allowed:
- All photos and videos are free to use
- No attribution required
- Content can be modified freely
Not Allowed:
- Do not portray people in a bad light or offensive manner
- Do not sell unaltered copies (e.g., posters, prints, or physical products)
- Do not resell content on other stock or wallpaper platforms
- Do not imply endorsement by individuals or brands featured in the content
2. Pixabay – Stunning Free Images to Use Anywhere
Pixabay offers a vast library of high-quality images under the Creative Commons license, allowing free use without attribution. In addition to photos, it also provides vectors, and illustrations.
Allowed:
- Free for commercial and non-commercial use in both print and digital media
- No attribution required
- Images and videos can be modified as needed
Not Allowed:
- Do not resell content on other stock or wallpaper platforms
- Do not sell unaltered copies (e.g., as posters, prints, or physical products)
- Do not depict people in a negative or offensive manner
- Avoid using images with identifiable brands in a misleading way
3. Unsplash – Beautiful Free Images & Pictures
Unsplash offers a large collection of high-quality, royalty-free images contributed daily by talented photographers from around the world. The platform is known for its visually striking and creative imagery. According to Unsplash License a few things are allowed and not allowed.
Allowed:
- Free for commercial and personal use
- No attribution required
Not Allowed:
- Reselling photos is not permitted
- You may not use images to create a competing stock photo platform
4. Freerange Stock – Free Stock Photos – Totally free Images and Illustrations
Freerange Stock offers a vast collection of high-quality images and illustrations for free. However, you must sign up for a free account to access downloads. A unique feature of Freerange is its contributor program, where artists can earn a share of Google AdSense revenue. As per Freerange license all images are free, and Attribution is not required.
Allowed:
- Free use for both commercial and personal projects
- No attribution needed
Not Allowed:
- Reselling or relicensing images
- Using images in a way that portrays subjects negatively
5. Life of Pix – Free high resolution photography
Life of Pix offers a rich collection of high-resolution, royalty-free images contributed by a global community of photographers. All images are released into the public domain, meaning you can use them according to Life of Pix License for personal and commercial purposes without attribution.
Allowed:
- Free use for both commercial and non-commercial projects
- No attribution required
- Modification is allowed
Not Allowed:
- Redistribution or resale of unaltered images may be restricted by partner platforms
- Misuse of images in offensive or harmful contexts is discouraged
6. Burst by Shopify
Burst provides a vast library of royalty-free images covering categories like technology, lifestyle, and food. All images are free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes without attribution. You may modify or use them directly under the terms of the Burst license.
Allowed:
- Free for commercial and personal use
- No attribution required
- Images can be modified
Not Allowed:
- Reselling the images
- Using images to create a competing stock photo platform
FAQ
Yes, you can use royalty-free images for commercial purposes. However, each platform has its own license terms, so always review them before use.
Using copyrighted images without permission can lead to legal consequences from the copyright owner. Your website may also be penalized by search engines like Google.
No, modifying a copyrighted image without permission still violates copyright law. There’s a risk the creator could take legal action.
Attribution is not required under their licenses, but giving credit is a respectful way to support the creators.
Ex: Photo by creator_name on website.
Wrap Up
These sites consistently deliver professional-grade images and videos, making them go-to resources for marketers, and creators. I personally use them for my own content needs. If this guide helped you discover reliable sources for royalty-free images, feel free to share it.
