Free Stock Images for Commercial Use: 11 Resources Compared
Free stock image sites differ in attribution requirements, paid collections and restrictions on commercial use. Unsplash and Pexels offer free downloads without compulsory credit, while Magnific’s free stock content generally requires attribution.
Before using a photograph in an advertisement, check the image licence for restrictions involving recognisable people, trademarks or artwork because permission to reuse the photograph does not automatically clear rights associated with everything pictured.
1. Unsplash
Unsplash’s free collection permits commercial and personal use without attribution. Unsplash+ is a separate paid collection, so check the download label before selecting an image.
The free licence prohibits selling images without significant modification or collecting images to build a competing service.
2. Pexels
Pexels offers free photographs and videos for websites, advertising, social media and print materials. Attribution is optional.
Editing is allowed, but using a recognisable person or brand to suggest endorsement of your product is prohibited, even when the photograph itself is available for commercial use without a download fee.
3. Pixabay
Pixabay includes photographs, vectors and illustrations alongside video and audio. Its content licence allows free use and modification without compulsory attribution.
Do not sell or distribute images as standalone files. Images containing recognisable logos or brands have additional commercial-use restrictions, which matters when choosing photographs for packaging or merchandise.
4. Burst by Shopify
Burst groups photographs into collections including retail, products, fitness and working from home. These categories provide a starting point for ecommerce pages and business marketing.
Images are offered under either CC0 or Shopify’s Burst licence. Follow the licence attached to the photograph rather than assuming every download has identical terms.
5. Magnific, formerly Freepik
Freepik adopted the Magnific name in 2026. The platform still includes stock photographs, vectors, icons and illustrations alongside its AI tools.
Free stock content generally requires attribution to the platform and any named contributor following the supplied instructions. Premium content requires an appropriate subscription. Avoid assets marked for editorial use when creating advertisements.
6. StockSnap.io
StockSnap.io is another source of stock photographs, with browsing by subject and theme. Review the image’s download page and linked licence before including a photograph in commercial work.
7. Rawpixel’s public-domain collection
Rawpixel’s public-domain section offers artwork, photographs and illustrations under CC0. The collection includes material sourced from international museums as well as Rawpixel’s own works.
Use the dedicated public-domain section. Its CC0 description does not apply automatically to every asset elsewhere on Rawpixel.
8. Kaboompics
Kaboompics offers individual photographs and coordinated photoshoots across subjects including interiors, food, beauty and business. Related shots are useful for several pages needing a consistent photographic style.
Commercial use and editing are allowed without compulsory attribution except for images marked Editorial Use Only. Those images are excluded from advertising, packaging and branding.
9. Life of Pix
Life of Pix is a photography resource to browse alongside the larger stock libraries. Read its licence and the selected image’s terms before downloading for a business website or campaign.
10. ISO Republic
ISO Republic offers photographs and videos under CC0 without compulsory attribution. Its licence page also explains a practical limit: photographs containing identifiable people are not necessarily model-released.
If you plan to use a portrait in an advertisement, a free copyright licence alone does not confirm permission from the person pictured, so obtain suitable release information before publishing the campaign.
11. Foodiesfeed
Foodiesfeed specialises in food imagery for projects such as recipe articles, hospitality websites and social posts. Its licence allows free commercial use without attribution, subject to restrictions on unaltered resale and redistribution.
The library also includes AI-generated food images. For a restaurant menu or product listing, use photographs of the actual dish rather than presenting a stock or generated image as your own product.
What happened to Reshot?
Reshot was retired by Envato in January 2026. New downloads are no longer available, but previously downloaded assets retain their original free commercial licence. Rawpixel’s public-domain collection provides an alternative for illustrations and artwork.
