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Finding quality images to use for personal or commercial projects can be complicated, especially if you want to avoid legal problems related to copyright. Fortunately, there are numerous platforms that offer truly free royalty free images, which can be used even without attributing the source. In this article, you will discover the best sites where you can find ready-to-use images, at no cost and without citation obligations.
What Does "Really Free Images" Mean?
When talking about free images, it is important to distinguish between "free to download" and "free to use". Many sites offer images that are free to download, but require attribution or have limitations on use in commercial projects. Instead, truly free royalty free images can be:
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Freely used for personal and commercial purposes
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Modified, adapted and distributed
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Used without attribution
Please note: even if attribution is not required, it is still good ethical practice.
1. Pixabay
URL: https://pixabay.com
Pixabay is one of the best known royalty free image archives. All content published on the site - photos, illustrations, vectors and videos - are released under the Pixabay license, which allows free use even for commercial purposes without obligation of attribution.
Strengths:
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Over 2 million files available
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Section also dedicated to videos and music
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Clean and intuitive interface
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No registration required to download
2. Pexels
Pexels offers high-quality photos and videos from a global community of photographers. The images are free even for commercial use and attribution is not required, although appreciated.
Strengths:
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Wide variety of modern and lifestyle themes
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Very rich video section
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Excellent visual quality and curated editorial selection
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Plugin for Adobe, Canva and other platforms
3. Unsplash
URL: https://unsplash.com
Unsplash is famous for its high qualityaesthetics of his images. While attribution is recommended, it is not required. Images may be used for any purpose, except in contexts involving defamation or deceptive use.
Strengths:
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Artistic and very professional photos
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Large community of talented photographers
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Modern and easy to navigate interface
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API integrations for developers
4. StockSnap.io
URL: https://stocksnap.io
All images on StockSnap are licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 license, which allows commercial use and modification without attribution. Ideal for those looking for high-resolution photos for blogs, social media or promotional materials.
Strengths:
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Constantly updated with new photos
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Great search system by tags and popularity
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No restrictions of use
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Instant download without registration
5. Burst (by Shopify)
URL: https://burst.shopify.com
Burst is a free image platform created by Shopify, designed to help entrepreneurs and content creators find high-quality photos. All images can be used without attribution, even for commercial projects.
Strengths:
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Images designed for e-commerce and marketing
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Thematic collections for specific sectors
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Ideal for those who manage online stores or create digital content
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Free to use for advertising purposes
6. LibreStock
LibreStock is not an image archive per se, but a search engine that aggregates royalty-free images from over 40 sites (including Pixabay, Pexels, StockSnap, and more). All indexed images are free for commercial use and do not require attribution, based on the sources they come from.
Strengths:
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Centralized search in one site
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Simple and effective interface
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Great for saving time when searching for images
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Only includes sources with images that can be used without attribution
Conclusion
Using truly free royalty-free images is essential to working safely and professionally, without legal risks and without having to manage complicated licenses. The sites listed in this article are a valuable resource for anyone who creates visual content: bloggers, marketers, designers, developers and companies. Just one click is enough to find the perfect image — free and worry-free.
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