This section covers services that provide fonts, images, and icons you can download and use without paying, without creating an account, and without entering a credit card. The key detail on each service is the license, because the license, not the price, is what decides whether you may use the asset in your project. Every service listed here is legal to use.
The most useful legitimate free destinations for fonts, images, and icons are Google Fonts, Wikimedia Commons, Open Clip Art Library, Pixabay, Pexels, Creative Commons, and Font Awesome Free. Each is ranked below in the order a reader should consider them, based on how easy they are to use and how clearly their licenses are stated.
1. Google Fonts
Google Fonts carries free licensed font families, including the Noto fonts, and also mentions icons on the site. Free use is the point of the service, and each font page has its own license section. The full font library includes over 1,300 free licensed font families. No account or payment card is required to download the fonts. The service works worldwide. The fonts are free because they are licensed, and the site documents a license section for each font.
2. Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons carries free images, illustrations, maps, videos, sounds, and other multimedia files. All content is Creative Commons licensed, GNU Free Documentation licensed, or in the public domain, with the license shown on each item. No account or payment card is required to download files. The service works worldwide. The content is free because of its Creative Commons, GNU Free Documentation, or public domain status.
3. Open Clip Art Library
Open Clip Art Library carries high-quality public domain vector graphics. All graphics are submitted under the CC0 Public Domain Dedication, so they are free to use and modify. No account or payment card is required to download the files. The service works worldwide. The graphics are free because of their public domain / CC0 dedication.
4. Pixabay
Pixabay carries copyright-free images, videos, and audio files. All content is released under Creative Commons CC0, and attribution is not required. The service works worldwide. The content is free because of its CC0 / public domain status.
5. Pexels
Pexels carries images licensed under the Pexels License. The free tier includes images that are free to use commercially. The service works worldwide. The images are free because of the Pexels License, not public domain.
6. Creative Commons Downloads
Creative Commons carries CC, BY, NC, SA, ND, Public Domain, Zero, Share, Remix, and All icons in SVG, EPS, and PNG formats. These are downloadable license and public-domain icon assets. The service works worldwide. The assets are free because they are official Creative Commons brand and license assets.
7. Font Awesome Free
Font Awesome Free carries icon fonts and icons. The free license applies to icons packaged as web and desktop font files. No account or payment card is required to download the free font files. The service works worldwide. The fonts are free because they are licensed under the SIL OFL license for the free font files.
How to Choose Between Them
If you need fonts, start with Google Fonts, it has the largest collection with clear licenses. If you need images, start with Wikimedia Commons for the widest variety of media types, or Pixabay or Pexels for photographs. If you need vector icons, start with Font Awesome Free for icon fonts, or Open Clip Art Library for individual vector graphics. If you need license icons specifically, use Creative Commons Downloads. None of these services require an account or a card, and all work worldwide. The license is the only thing that matters: check it on each asset before you use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to create an account to download anything?
No. None of the services listed in this guide require an account to download their free assets. You can browse and download immediately.
Do I need to enter a credit card?
No. None of the services listed require a payment card. All assets are free to download and use.
Can I use these assets for commercial projects?
It depends on the license of each specific asset. Google Fonts, Wikimedia Commons (for public domain or CC-licensed works), Open Clip Art Library, Pixabay, Pexels, and Font Awesome Free all allow commercial use, but you should check the license on each file. Creative Commons Downloads are for license icons and are not a general stock library.
Do I have to give attribution?
It depends on the license. Pixabay and Pexels do not require attribution. Wikimedia Commons and Open Clip Art Library may require attribution depending on the specific license of the file. Google Fonts and Font Awesome Free do not require attribution for use of the fonts themselves, but check the license page for each font family.
Where do these services work?
All the services listed work worldwide. They are accessible from any country with an internet connection.
Free tools for this: Pngimages.com, Pngpix.com.
The guides in this section
- Where to Download Free Fonts You Can Use Commercially
- Where to Find Free Transparent PNG Images
- Where to Get Free Stock Photos, With and Without Attribution
- How to Check Whether You May Use an Image
Back up a level: Where to Download Files Safely: Software, Apps, Games and Books.
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