With the rise of digital marketing, the demand for stock photos has reached new heights. Stock photos don’t need credits when they get uploaded on a website or blog.
People put up stock photos in their blogs, websites, landing pages, etc., to make them look attractive and eye-catching. You can find these stock photos on stock image websites such as Pixabay. Pixabay is one of the most popular stock image websites available on the internet.
Pixabay is a famous website, and when it comes to stock images, most digital marketers always prefer to use Pixabay. You can find almost 4,00,000 distinct stock images on this site.
All the images that are uploaded on this platform are under the license of Pixabay, so you don’t need to worry about giving credits for each picture you use. You can just simply visit Pixabay’s site, download whichever image you like, and use it in your work.
However, even after getting so many advantages from Pixabay, some people are still searching for alternatives for a change.
Every time, using the same site isn’t the best way to work, so many people search for Pixabay alternatives. So if you are one of them, you are at the right place because we are going to list out some of these alternatives.
Best Pixabay Alternatives: Our Top Pick 👌👌
1. Unsplash
First on the list is Unsplash; this stock image website has quite a reputation on the internet. Many e-commerce entrepreneurs have used it for fulfilling their stock image needs.
One thing that’s new on this website is that they allow you to upload your images. This uploading feature is not available on every stock image website, which is why it makes Unsplash unique.
The best thing about Unsplash is that they consistently upload ten royal free images every ten days; these new additions to their collection every ten days attract a lot of users.
You can find tons of high-quality images here, which are perfect for getting used in marketing campaigns and e-commerce stores.
Unsplash comes with an inventory where you can find tons of stock images. They present before you a large variety of stock images so that you can make your choices appropriately.
If you want, you can subscribe to their plan, where they will notify you when ten new photos get uploaded to their site, and they upload these photos every ten days. So you can get access to new photos within a small interval of 10 days, many users appreciate this feature of Unsplash.
Photos that are published on this platform come under Creative Common Zero License. This license allows the users to use the photos uploaded on this platform for both commercial and personal use.
No one can claim copyright on these photos because they fall under this license. You can edit, distribute and copy these photos without giving any credit to the photographer and the website.
You can find over 1 million images on the Unsplash website. On top of that, they add 60000 more images every month. The platform is the base for a community of over 100000 photographers.
These are some massive numbers, and Unsplash has achieved it all. They are planning to grow more in the future and increase these numbers as well.
This is the reason we consider Unsplash as one of the best Pixabay alternatives available on the internet. You can blindly trust this site for your stock image requirement.
The images that are uploaded on the Unsplash website are of high quality. The color production of every image is good. These images are capable of making anything look good, no doubt in that. These images are suitable for any type of website, irrespective of its niche.
Well, you might be thinking that searching out the right photo from some 1 million photos seems quite impossible. However, there is no need to worry because Unsplash has sorted the images into different categories.
So you only need to search the category you are interested in, and Unsplash will show all the images that come under that category. It makes the searching process faster.
Some of the categories of Unsplash include health, fashion, architecture, pattern, wallpaper, nature, animals, and a lot more than that.
Pricing:-
The website is absolutely free, and anyone on the internet can use it. However, there are some pricing plans offered by Unsplash, but their prices change in regular intervals, so if you want to check them, you can visit their website, where you can find all the required information regarding the pricing.
Advantages:-
- Free images
- You don’t need to have an account for downloading images from the site
Disadvantages:-
- Photographers registered on this site do not get credit for their photography.
2. StockSnap
The next stop in our list of Pixabay alternatives is StockSnap; this website is also known for offering stock images on the internet. Like Pixabay and Unsplash, the images you will find on this website are also copyright-free and don’t need any attribution.
The one thing that makes StockSnap unique from Unsplash and Pixabay is that it uploads new photos on its site daily. This really makes the users happy because they get offered new photos daily by the platform.
All the photos that StockSnap offers are of high quality and have the potential to make your site or blog look beautiful and attractive. Those who always search for new photos should use this platform.
In StockSnap, you will get the access to filter the images by the date they got uploaded or by the number of views they had since they got uploaded.
On this website, you will find the images that are on-trend because they keep updating their database daily. This platform offers the best sought-after photos to its customers.
Like Unsplash, the images uploaded on StockSnap come under the CCO license that clearly states that the photos available on this platform can be used for personal and commercial use.
The main objective of this site is to be able to build a massive community of photographers. By building a massive community, this platform wants to showcase the art of different photographers to the world so that they can get the appreciation they deserve.
This site has helped many photographers in their early stages to build up their careers. The exposure a photographer gets from this site is no doubt productive.
The images that are uploaded on the StockSnap platform come from photographers who are part of their community.
Also, StockSnap collects photos from all over the internet that is copyright-free and uploads them on their website. They aim to provide the customers with as many photos as they can.
StockSnap has also categorized all the photos that are uploaded on their site so that users can easily find the photo they are looking for instantly.
There are many categories on this website; some of them are love, business, wallpaper, and much more. You need to select the category that matches your requirement; after that finding, the right photo will not be that difficult.
Price:-
The website is absolutely free, and just like Unsplash, the pricing plans of these keep changing in regular intervals, which is why we didn’t mention them in this article.
If you want to check the pricing plans, you can just take a look at their website, and you will find all the information you want.
Advantages:-
- StockSnap images are eligible to be used in online publications.
- The site gets updated with new photos daily.
Disadvantages:-
- Limited features in the free version.
3. Flickr
If you are in search of stock images, then Flickr is another reliable source where you can find plenty of stock images.
Flickr is one of the well-known stock image websites, which is why it is considered one of the Pixabay alternatives. Flickr has the potential and resources to compete with stock image websites like Pixabay and Unsplash. Many bloggers and digital marketers use this platform for creating their designs.
Unlike Pixabay, Flickr comes with eight different license categories. This is why you can’t use all the images present on the site for the same purpose.
Before selecting a photo, you must check under which CC license it comes to avoid any future problems. A professional always check the license category before moving forward with a particular photo. Don’t ever ignore the license because that can put you in trouble.
As we all know, Flickr comes with eight license categories which is why you can’t use every photo uploaded on this platform the way you like. However, they have introduced a Free Use Photo section that is accessible to everyone.
In this section, every photo is free of copyright, and you can use them anywhere without taking the burden of giving credits. Many users who are registered in Flickr upload photos on this section for free use.
The free photos which are uploaded on this platform are created by artists and creators. Flickr has appointed a team responsible for inspecting the photos uploaded and selecting the ones that will go live on the platform.
These images are found on the creative common page under the explore section. Under this section, you can find plenty of photos from different categories.
Flickr also comes with an Attribution license section where you can find plenty of images that anyone on the internet can use.
However, the one using the image that is under the Attribution license is required to attribute the creator’s credentials, name, and ID with the image whenever it is used.
There are plenty of image categories on this website, and each category comes under different restrictions and conditions, so before using any of these images, you must identify the category to know the restrictions put upon it.
You can use a creator’s credentials or ID to find images that are uploaded by that particular creator; this makes the user’s work easy.
Pricing:-
Just like other stock image websites, Flickr is also free; you can register and download images for free from this website. However, for those who want to enjoy premium services by paying money, Flickr introduced three pricing plans that include:
- Monthly Plan: $6.99 per month
- Annual Plan: $5 per month (Billed Yearly)
- 2 Year Plan: $4.92 per month (Billed Every Two Years)
Pricing plans keep fluctuating, so it is better to check them on the website before coming to any conclusion.
Advantages:-
- Flickr Pro account has unlimited storage
- Resize image option comes with Flick
Disadvantages:-
- Need to contact photographers directly for purchasing their photos
4. Pexels
Pexels is another stock image website that offers high-quality free images that comes with a CCO license. On this website, you will have access to search the images and tag them wherever you want.
Unlike Pixabay, whose only focus is on providing stock images, Pexels also comes with a discovery page where users can find different videos.
We have considered Pexels as one of the Pixabay alternatives because it has the potential. Even with this discovery page, they have the upper hand over Pixabay.
Pexels gives you access to a wide range of stock photos that are of high quality and can fit anywhere. The photos that are uploaded on this platform come from a wide range of topics and niches.
The website of Pexels comes with a search bar which makes it easy for users to search photos as per their requirements. On top of that, Pexels offers its users a dedicated library of pleasing photos which are suitable for getting used as backdrops for different e-commerce stores.
At present, the platform probably has a total of 30000 photos, and every day ten new photos get uploaded to the platform. The photos that are uploaded on the platform are inspected and selected by a dedicated team assigned by Pexels.
The assigned team handpicks the photos from a massive pile of photos that are collected from free image sites, and many are also uploaded by users.
The platform has a section on the homepage where it showcases the leaderboard. In this leaderboard, you will find the images that are searched the most and are popular on the website.
This is a good way of telling the customers what’s in trend. The platform also gives you access to follow some of the creators. This way, you can find the images that are recently uploaded by the creators you follow on your homepage.
Pricing:-
This website is free for users; you can download images from this platform without having the worry of getting charged. However, there are some paid plans offered by Pexels.
The prices of these paid plans keep changing and fluctuating, which is why we didn’t mention the prices here. If you want to look at their prices, you can simply visit their website and check the same.
Advantages:-
- Searching for videos is possible with Pexels.
- The interface of Pexels gives an intuitive vibe.
Disadvantages:-
- Limited when it comes to representations.
5. Gratisography
The next free stock image website, which is considered as one of the Pixabay alternatives, is Gratisography which was developed and launched by Ryan McGuire.
On this website, you can get access to royalty-free images that are captured or created by the founder himself. This really makes this website unique from other stock image websites.
This site is totally different from Pixabay because, along with images, this site also supports music and audio content.
Entrepreneurs use the contents uploaded on this site for different purposes, such as for online stores and other commercial purposes. You can use the images of this platform as backdrops on your online shopping website.
The database of Gratisography is filled with images that are creative and quirky. On top of that, the site comes with a strict curation process which only allows high-quality photos to get uploaded on its platform.
You will never see low-quality photos on this site because of the strict curation process. This process has really helped the platform to gain popularity on the market.
Gratisography also showcases some selected images that a professional team assigned by Gratisography handpicks.
Hence, you can get access to some of the wittiest images from a huge pile of photos. On this platform, you can also find some images that are sponsored by Shutterstock.
The site has different image categories under which you can find different varieties of photos that are distinct from each other. Gratisography offers its users a catalog that has a collection of 400 images that are already uploaded on the site.
Pricing:-
You can use this platform for free. However, if you want to download images in a bundle, then you have to pay a fee of $5 per bundle downloaded. The website offers some other paid plans whose prices keep fluctuating, so if you want to check the prices, you can visit their official website.
Advantages:-
- Images are of high quality because of the curation process.
- A collection of quirky photos.
Disadvantages:-
- Vector images are absent on this website.
6. Burst
Burst is considered to be another one of the free stock image sites, and this site operates under the subdomain of Shopify. This site was mainly launched for entrepreneurs. The site’s interface is modern and simple.
The simple interface makes it easier for a beginner to use the platform without facing any troubles. This site has gained quite popularity on the internet, which is why we considered this site as one of the Pixabay alternatives.
Burst offers a section where you can find tech-related images, but in Pixabay, such a section is not available; this is the only distinction between these two sites.
Burst invites numerous artists to its website and allows them to create and upload their images on its database in order to increase the collection of photos. Every photo contributed to the website doesn’t get uploaded.
All the photos contributed go through an inspection process, which is handled by a dedicated team, the ones that pass this process get uploaded on the site.
These images are uploaded under different categories so that users can find them easily. The database of Burst keeps getting updated with new photos in regular intervals.
The platform has come up with a new and unique section which is known as Business ideas; it was specifically designed for e-commerce entrepreneurs. Images that come under this section are dedicated to some e-commerce stores in the market.
This section plays a key role in attracting e-commerce entrepreneurs. You can find plenty of photos on this platform and never fall short. Even you can come across some good product ideas from this platform if you are lucky.
There is a New Photos section on this platform where you can find all the newly uploaded photos. You can also use the search bar to find the photo that fits your requirements. All these features make the user experience better.
Pricing:-
The website is free of cost, so you can download any image you like without getting charged. However, you must check their website once for any price change if you are planning to use this site for further stock image needs.
Advantages:-
- Burst comes with Creative Common Licensing.
- Uploading images is possible.
Disadvantages:-
- The platform offers you limited image themes
7. Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons is another website that gives you access to download free stock images. All the contents available on this site are royalty-free.
You can also search for content using your preferred language; this is something that you won’t find on every site.
Unlike Pixabay, which offers images to its users, Wikimedia Commons operates as a media file repository for sounds, images, and videos. As this website offers royalty-free content, we thought of considering it as one of the Pixabay alternatives.
The website performs as a repository for plenty of projects that are from the Wikimedia Foundation. However, they don’t demand you to be a member of these projects in order to use their platform. This repository media is managed and handled by volunteers and not by professionals.
Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia are considered to be governed under the same wiki technology. Anybody on the internet can edit the platform.
On top of that, you are given access to embed content uploaded on the site in all Wikimedia project pages without taking the burden of uploading it individually.
The platform allows its users to copy, modify and use files freely without any problems. However, a user needs to adhere to the conditions that are set by the author of the files.
These conditions are given on the description page of every media file. You need to thoroughly read every condition before planning to use or modify a media file in order to avoid any problems in the future.
Despite downloading the images of this platform for personal use, you can also use it in different Wikimedia projects such as wiki species, Wikinews, Wikisources, Wiktionary, Wikibooks, and Wikipedia.
Pricing:-
Like every other stock image website, this website is also available for free. If you want to examine the paid plans of this site, you can just visit their website, where you will find all the information.
Advantages:-
- Uploaded files can be edited and improved.
- Free of cost
Disadvantages:-
- Commercial gain from this site is not possible.
8. Freeimages.com
Freeimage.com is considered to be one of the Pixabay alternatives because it offers royalty-free images to its users. The photos found on this platform are of high quality and are uploaded by the users themselves.
The platform is believed to have more than 30,000 licensed media content which is ready to be used in different areas such as media, newspaper, advertising, etc.
One of the best features of Freeimages is that every photo is tagged to a category where it is relevant. This makes it easier for users to find a photo using the search bar.
Every content that is uploaded on this platform comes under the CCO license. Hence, there is no need to credit anybody while using an image for various commercial purposes.
However, when the images are used for editorial purposes, you have to give the credits as per the policies of this site.
Freeimages.com comes with a feature that is known as a lightbox. Under this feature, you get access to build a custom list of favorite images. This list that is created by you is publicly available for others to have a look at it.
Pricing:-
Like other stock image sites, this imaging platform is also free. However, to download images from this site, you have to sign in. In order to check the pricing plans of this website, you can visit their site.
Advantages:-
- A huge database of high-quality photos
- The platform offers you the details of the image you are looking at.
Disadvantages:-
- Need an account on this site for downloading the images
Conclusion
After going through the list of Pixabay alternatives, you must have got an idea that the internet is full of free stock image websites, and each website has a unique feature of its own that makes it challenging to choose one of them.
However, you need to understand your requirements properly and choose the one that fits your requirements.
