Unsplash and Pexels
If you typed "where to" into a search box because you need a free, legal image right now, with no account and no card, go to Unsplash or Pexels. Both let you download, modify, and use their photos for any purpose, including commercial work, without asking for a login or a payment method. You do not have to credit the photographer, though the sites appreciate it.
The destinations and who each suits
Unsplash
Unsplash's own license says you can download, copy, modify, distribute, and use images for free, including commercially, without permission or attribution. The one restriction: you cannot compile the images to replicate a similar or competing service. The license page does not mention an account or a card requirement for free access. This suits anyone who needs a polished, editorial-style photo fast, blog headers, social media posts, presentation backgrounds. The collection is curated, so the quality is consistently high, but the selection is smaller than a paid library.
Pexels
Pexels says all photos and videos can be downloaded and used for free, attribution is not required, and you can modify the content. You may not redistribute or sell the files on other stock photo or wallpaper platforms, and you may not use them as a trademark or imply endorsement. Again, the license page does not document an account or card requirement. Pexels suits the same audience as Unsplash, with a slightly larger library and more video content. Both are safe first stops.
Openverse
Openverse is not a single photo collection; it is a search engine that finds content under Creative Commons licences or in the public domain. You do not need an account or a card to search and download. The catch: you must check the licence of each individual work you find. Some require attribution, some forbid commercial use, some allow both. Openverse suits someone willing to read a licence for each image rather than trust a blanket permission.
National Archives still pictures
The National Archives still pictures collection contains works created by U.S. federal agencies or by federal employees as part of official duties. Those works are not eligible for copyright protection in the United States and are treated as public domain. No account or card is documented as required for access. This suits anyone who needs historical or government-related imagery, maps, military photos, presidential portraits, scientific illustrations. The limitation: the public-domain status is based on U.S. law; international treatment is not documented on the retrieved page.
Public Domain Image Archive
The Public Domain Image Archive offers a collection of out-of-copyright works that are free to browse, download, and reuse. The basis for free use is expired copyright or public domain. No account or card requirement is documented. This suits anyone looking for very old illustrations, engravings, or photographs, think Victorian-era prints, antique botanical drawings, or early 20th-century postcards. The selection is niche and the quality varies.
The thing a reader gets wrong about this subject
The mistake people make is assuming "free stock photo site" means "no legal risk for any use." The licences on Unsplash and Pexels are generous, but they do not cover everything. The biggest trap is the model-release problem that nobody mentions. A model release is a legal document in which a person photographed agrees to let their image be used commercially. Neither Unsplash nor Pexels guarantees that every photo of a recognisable person has a signed model release on file. Pexels does include usage restrictions concerning identifiable people in its terms, but the retrieved page does not provide a full model-release policy. Unsplash's license page likewise does not document a full model-release rule. If you use a photo of a stranger on a product package, a billboard, or any commercial advertisement, that person could sue you for using their likeness without permission, even if the photo itself was free and legal to download. The free licence covers the copyright; it does not cover the subject's right of publicity.
A second common misunderstanding is about attribution. Unsplash and Pexels do not require it, but many other free image sources do. If you use an image from Openverse that carries a Creative Commons Attribution licence, you must credit the creator in a specific way, usually name, title, source URL, and licence name. Skipping that credit is a copyright violation, even if the image was free to download.
What to check before committing to one
Before you use any image from a free library, check three things. First, read the licence on the site you are using, not a summary from a third party, but the actual licence page. The links above go directly to those pages. Second, if the photo shows a recognisable person, ask yourself whether your use is commercial. If it is, either find a photo that explicitly states it has a model release, or use an illustration, a silhouette, or a subject whose face is not visible. Third, if the site says "attribution appreciated" but not "attribution required", treat that as optional, but note that "appreciated" is not a legal requirement, so you can skip it without violating the licence.
None of the retrieved official pages document a country list or geographic availability for free use. The public-domain status of U.S. government works applies within the United States; other countries may treat those works differently. If you are outside the U.S. and using National Archives images, you may want to confirm local public-domain rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Unsplash or Pexels photos on a product I sell?
Yes. Both licences explicitly allow commercial use, including on products for sale. You cannot, however, use the photos as a trademark or imply that the photographer endorses your product.
Do I need to create an account to download from these sites?
The official licence pages for Unsplash, Pexels, Openverse, the National Archives still pictures, and the Public Domain Image Archive do not document an account requirement for free access. In practice, you can download without signing up on all of them.
What happens if I use a photo of a person without a model release?
If the person is recognisable and your use is commercial, advertising, merchandise, promotional material, you could face a lawsuit for violating their right of publicity. The free photo licence does not protect you from that claim. Use images of people only when you are certain a model release exists, or avoid faces in commercial work.
Are there any free stock photo sites that require attribution?
The retrieved official pages for Unsplash and Pexels do not require attribution. Openverse contains many images under Creative Commons licences that do require attribution. If you need a source where attribution is mandatory, search Openverse for images marked CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) and follow the credit instructions on each work.
Where this fits
This is one guide from Where to Download Free Fonts, Images and Icons.
