The Ultimate List of Completely Free Images: 43 Handpicked Services
Completely free images can be very useful. Unfortunately, they’re hard to find as you’re often confronted with fees or abstruse licenses. If you don’t follow the license terms, you might receive a cease-and-desist letter sooner than you'd wish to. And who'd ever wish for one?! That’s why, we searched the web for the best sources of completely free images which can be used without naming the author or source, being also suitable for commercial purposes, including customer projects. This is especially important for bloggers and writers as articles are almost unthinkable without images; at the same time, they don’t justify high follow-up costs. So, have a look at our list of images that are royalty-free and completely free of any charge or duty.
Dreamstime offers commercial images as well as free royalty-free ones which don't require to name the author. Registration is required to download the images.
FreePhotosBank offers royalty-free photos which don't require to name the author or source. Registration is not required. The images can be downloaded in high resolution.
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Pixabay is one of the best resources for free royalty-free photos. We often use photos from Pixabay.com here on Noupe. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Public Domain Pictures is searchable and offers decent high-resolution images. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Titania Foto is another good resource for photos of the following categories: landscapes, cities, nature, food and beverages. Registration is not required to download the images.
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SplitShire offers outstanding photo quality in usually high resolution. Registration is not required.
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Kaboompics can be used without registration. Images are in high resolution.
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CreativeCommonsPhotos offers a search by categories and a free text search. Most photos are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Photos can be searched by categories and downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Registration at PicJumbo is not required to download the images. The images are of good quality and in high resolution.
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Pexels offers beautiful photos - especially technique and smartphone related photos - most of them in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Lebensmittelfotos is a photo database for food only. The photos can be downloaded in high resolution without requiring a registration.
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FreeRangeStock offers thousands of good photos in high resolution. However, a registration is required to download the images.
This provider specializes on photos that can be attributet to a certain color. You can search by colors which is handy for web designers. The photos are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Foodie's Feed is another platform specialized on grocery photos. A registration is not required. The images can be downloaded in different resolutions.
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Free Nature Stock is a database for nature photos only. A registration is not required. The images can be downloaded in high resolutions.
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Free Stock Image Point offers some really good and useful photos - some of them not in high resolution, though. Registration is not required.
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ISO Republic also offers several outstanding high-resolution photos. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Jéshoots offers a small database of nice photos which can be searched by category only. Registration is not required to download the images.
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If you're after vintage/retro images, don't look further. Most images are in high resolution, and registration is not required to download them.
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Pickup Image offers mainly nature images in different resolutions. A membership is required to download the images. You can, however, download the images via "View" button without registration. Click on "View", then right-click on the image, and choose "Save as".
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Picography is another small database; however, they're offering valuable photos in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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re:splashed has access to the image database of Unsplashed (see tip 31). The only difference between these two providers is the searchability of re:splashed. Good images can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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RGBStock offers an extensive database of photos in different resolutions. A registration is required to download the images.
Skitterphoto is, compared to others, a small photo database which can be searched by categories. Nice images can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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The Smithsonian Institution offers about 3,000 free royalty-free retro/vintage photos in different resolutions. Registration is not required to download the images.
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With more than 52,000 photos, Stockvault is one of the big databases for free royalty-free photos. Most photos are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Stokpic is one of the best resources for free roalty-free photos. Nice photos can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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UPICM is one of the small providers. Good images are in high resolution. Not all images are fit for a king, though. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Gratisography is probably one of the best sources for free royalty-free high-resolution photos in the web. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Unsplash offers 10 new images every 10 days. You can view and download older images. New images can be sent to your email address. All images are of superb quality and offer high resolution. Registration is not required.
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Little Visuals offers 7 new photos in high resolution every week. These can be downloaded as .zip file or sent via email. Older photos can be listed and downloaded without registration.
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Camarama offers patchy photo quality. Nevertheless, it's worth a search. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Crow the stone is a small provider, very similar to Unsplash; however, the photo quality is not as good. Photos can be downloaded in high resolution without registration. Though, only a few of them are of good quality.
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The photographer Jonas Nilsson Lee offers some of his high-resolution photos as a free royalty-free download. A registration is not required.
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Epicantus is a provider for high-resolution photos designed for landing pages and hero backgrounds. There are plenty of good and interesting photos. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Free Refe is a small provider offering some good photos; however, not all of them are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Every thursday this website is updated with 7 new images. Most images are of very good quality and can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Life of Pics is a continuously updated image database offering some outstanding photos. As of late, you can roughly search the database via the menu item "Gallery". All images are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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MMT offers every week new images. There are some good ones, especially nature and landscape images. They can be downloaded in high resolutions without registration.
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Moveast offers high-resolution images of travels as a free royalty-free download with travel destinations from Istanbul to Kathmandu. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Snapographic is a small provider with interesting photos for certain scopes. The landscape photos suit well for hero backgrounds as they can be downloaded in very high resolutions. A registration is required to download the images.
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This small provider offers a really interesting selection of photos relating to startups. All images can be downloaded in high resolutions without registration.
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Short Introduction
In my opinion, free-to-use images are only free if they don’t require a backlink to the author or the website you got them from. There are situations where you easily forget about the copyright, may it be because you got the pictures the day before you use them, or simply because of stress. A forgotten backlink drastically increases the danger of facing unwanted consequences. This is exactly what we want to spare you. None of the following image providers requires a backlink. They can be used freely and without source link. You may miss this or that provider with big names. This is simply because you can’t use their photos without backlink. But that’s what this list is about. By the way: Of course, the author or website operator would appreciate a link to their website. You can, of course, do so, you just don’t have to.Searchable Image Database
The following providers offer comfortable access to all images because of a more or less sophisticated search function which allows you to search, for example, by categories, tags, or a free text search. We added sample photos from websites which don’t require a registration to give you an idea of the quality. For SEO reasons, the images are cut to size and reduced to 80% of the quality.1. Dreamstime
Dreamstime offers commercial images as well as free royalty-free ones which don't require to name the author. Registration is required to download the images.
2. FreePhotosBank
FreePhotosBank offers royalty-free photos which don't require to name the author or source. Registration is not required. The images can be downloaded in high resolution.
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3. Pixabay
Pixabay is one of the best resources for free royalty-free photos. We often use photos from Pixabay.com here on Noupe. Registration is not required to download the images.
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4. PublicDomainPictures
Public Domain Pictures is searchable and offers decent high-resolution images. Registration is not required to download the images.
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5. Titania Foto
Titania Foto is another good resource for photos of the following categories: landscapes, cities, nature, food and beverages. Registration is not required to download the images.
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6. SplitShire
SplitShire offers outstanding photo quality in usually high resolution. Registration is not required.
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7. Kaboompics
Kaboompics can be used without registration. Images are in high resolution.
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8. CreativeCommonsPhotos
CreativeCommonsPhotos offers a search by categories and a free text search. Most photos are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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9. DesignersPics
Photos can be searched by categories and downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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10. PicJumbo
Registration at PicJumbo is not required to download the images. The images are of good quality and in high resolution.
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11. Pexels
Pexels offers beautiful photos - especially technique and smartphone related photos - most of them in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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12. Lebensmittelfotos
Lebensmittelfotos is a photo database for food only. The photos can be downloaded in high resolution without requiring a registration.
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13. FreeRangeStock
FreeRangeStock offers thousands of good photos in high resolution. However, a registration is required to download the images.
14. Find a Photo
This provider specializes on photos that can be attributet to a certain color. You can search by colors which is handy for web designers. The photos are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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15. Foodie´s Feed
Foodie's Feed is another platform specialized on grocery photos. A registration is not required. The images can be downloaded in different resolutions.
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16. Free Nature Stock
Free Nature Stock is a database for nature photos only. A registration is not required. The images can be downloaded in high resolutions.
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17. Free Stock Image Point
Free Stock Image Point offers some really good and useful photos - some of them not in high resolution, though. Registration is not required.
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18. ISO Republic
ISO Republic also offers several outstanding high-resolution photos. Registration is not required to download the images.
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19. Jéshoots
Jéshoots offers a small database of nice photos which can be searched by category only. Registration is not required to download the images.
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20. New Old Stock
If you're after vintage/retro images, don't look further. Most images are in high resolution, and registration is not required to download them.
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21. Pickup Image
Pickup Image offers mainly nature images in different resolutions. A membership is required to download the images. You can, however, download the images via "View" button without registration. Click on "View", then right-click on the image, and choose "Save as".
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22. Picography
Picography is another small database; however, they're offering valuable photos in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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23. re:splashed
re:splashed has access to the image database of Unsplashed (see tip 31). The only difference between these two providers is the searchability of re:splashed. Good images can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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24. RGBStock
RGBStock offers an extensive database of photos in different resolutions. A registration is required to download the images.
25. Skitterphoto
Skitterphoto is, compared to others, a small photo database which can be searched by categories. Nice images can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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26. Smithonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution offers about 3,000 free royalty-free retro/vintage photos in different resolutions. Registration is not required to download the images.
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27. Stockvault
With more than 52,000 photos, Stockvault is one of the big databases for free royalty-free photos. Most photos are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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28. Stokpic
Stokpic is one of the best resources for free roalty-free photos. Nice photos can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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29. UPICM
UPICM is one of the small providers. Good images are in high resolution. Not all images are fit for a king, though. Registration is not required to download the images.
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Non-Searchable Providers with Appealing Photos
Not every photo database out there is searchable which doesn't mean, however, that the providers don't offer great images. Sometimes the search takes a bit longer but you'll be rewarded with first-class photos.30. Gratisography
Gratisography is probably one of the best sources for free royalty-free high-resolution photos in the web. Registration is not required to download the images.
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31. Unsplash
Unsplash offers 10 new images every 10 days. You can view and download older images. New images can be sent to your email address. All images are of superb quality and offer high resolution. Registration is not required.
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32. Little Visuals
Little Visuals offers 7 new photos in high resolution every week. These can be downloaded as .zip file or sent via email. Older photos can be listed and downloaded without registration.
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33. Camarama
Camarama offers patchy photo quality. Nevertheless, it's worth a search. Registration is not required to download the images.
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34. Crow the Stone
Crow the stone is a small provider, very similar to Unsplash; however, the photo quality is not as good. Photos can be downloaded in high resolution without registration. Though, only a few of them are of good quality.
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35. Cupcake
The photographer Jonas Nilsson Lee offers some of his high-resolution photos as a free royalty-free download. A registration is not required.
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36. Epicantus
Epicantus is a provider for high-resolution photos designed for landing pages and hero backgrounds. There are plenty of good and interesting photos. Registration is not required to download the images.
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37. Free Refe Real Life Photos
Free Refe is a small provider offering some good photos; however, not all of them are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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38. Jay Mantri
Every thursday this website is updated with 7 new images. Most images are of very good quality and can be downloaded in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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39. Life of Pics
Life of Pics is a continuously updated image database offering some outstanding photos. As of late, you can roughly search the database via the menu item "Gallery". All images are in high resolution. Registration is not required to download the images.
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40. MMT
MMT offers every week new images. There are some good ones, especially nature and landscape images. They can be downloaded in high resolutions without registration.
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41. Moveast
Moveast offers high-resolution images of travels as a free royalty-free download with travel destinations from Istanbul to Kathmandu. Registration is not required to download the images.
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42. Snapographic
Snapographic is a small provider with interesting photos for certain scopes. The landscape photos suit well for hero backgrounds as they can be downloaded in very high resolutions. A registration is required to download the images.
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43. Startup Stock Photos
This small provider offers a really interesting selection of photos relating to startups. All images can be downloaded in high resolutions without registration.
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Conclusion
This extensive list should help you finding the right photo. It shows that you don't have to spend money on really good images. All you need is a little bit of time for the search. I've already saved my favorites from this list. Anyway, all 43 providers offer decent photos.Additional Related Links
We've already covered some of these providers in detail (Pexels, Titania, Gratisography, etc.). Other articles are just an addition or another free source of good images. Some providers are not listed in this article (e.g. Magdeleine) because some of their pictures require to name the author.- Noupe Magazine: Pexels and Travel Coffee Book: Two New Sources for Completely Free Photos
- Noupe Magazine: Public Domain Archive: High-Res Photos for Free
- Noupe Magazine: Titania Foto: Free Photo Collections, Made in Germany
- Noupe Magazine: SkitterPhoto: One Free Commercial-use Photo per Day
- Noupe Magazine: Picjumbo: A New Collection of High-quality, Commercial-use Photos for Totally Free
- Noupe Magazine: Gratisography: Fresh Service for Free Photos
- Noupe Magazine: Free Download: Trey Ratcliff’s 500 Best Photos in Full Resolution
- Noupe Magazine: 55+ Amazing Commercial Use Photos of Urban Life
- Noupe Magazine: Totally Free: Unsplash.com delivers Hi-Resolution Photos To Your Inbox
- Noupe Magazine: More Free Photos: 10 Fresh Hi-Res-Images From Unsplash.com
- Noupe Magazine: Free Photos: 10 Freshly Shot Hi-Res-Images From Unsplash.com
- Noupe Magazine: September 2013: 10 Best Free Hi-Res Photos by Unsplash
- Noupe Magazine: October 2013: 10 Best Free Hi-Res Photos by Unsplash
Great Post.. Really ultimate list for free images.
Camarama is my all time favourite.
Hi, good list. You can check out/add also my website: http://freepix.eu/
Another great free stock: http://barnimages.com/
One awesome source is http://negativespace.co, we post 20 photos each monday, You can search photos and sort them by category, colors and copy space position.
And finally we join the raw file with each photo we post so you can play with it.
Thank you for the free pictures.
Great list Andreas, recently I have been going to AllTheFreeStock.com for my image needs.
Hi,
Please also remember http://www.goodfreephotos.com for thousands of unique public domain photos. The image you have for publicdomainpictures.net is actually from goodfreephotos. Appreciate it if you could add it to your list.
This is a great list! Would you consider adding one more to it? Goodstock Photos has hundreds of searchable and original images free to use for personal and commercial sites. A new photo is added daily. Thanks!