10 free image sites for your content marketing

It’s relatively easy to find free images to use in your content marketing. That said, you can easily burn a lot of time hunting for THE right image.

If you have the budget, we recommend using good-quality paid images from sites like Shutterstock, iStock, Getty, Pond5, etc. The sheer number of images available on these sites far outstrips the free ones, and you’ll almost certainly find the near-perfect shot.

That said, there are dozens of free image sites out there, and we’ve rounded up our favourites here.

Important!

Before using an image, make sure the licensing terms actually allow you to. Every download site has a licensing terms page. Also, just because the photographer lets you use a photo doesn’t mean you have permission from the models in it. So don’t go plastering these gorgeous photos on every bus shelter in Quebec without checking first!

Unsplash

This is the first site we visit, and you should too. Unsplash has an incredible, very high-quality collection contributed by more than 50,000 artists. The good news: no attribution required (though it’s recommended). And it’s Montreal-based!

Alternatives: Pexels, Pixabay

Storyblocks

Okay, it’s not really free. It’s $9 a month for unlimited downloads. There’s also a plan that includes unlimited audio and video downloads. Since we have this subscription, checking Storyblocks is second nature for us — right alongside Unsplash. The images are less spectacular, but you’ll often find nice alternatives there.

Unlimited paid alternative: Death To Stock

Wikimedia

We sometimes forget, but there are plenty of images on Wikipedia that you can reuse for other purposes. Some of the authors of these photos agree to give up their rights and grant a licence for other uses.

Google Images

Yes, it’s possible to find royalty-free images on Google. Once you’re in the Google Images interface, do your search, then click Tools > Usage Rights. We also recommend double-checking the rights on the sites hosting the photos.

Creative Commons

The Creative Commons search tool got an update in April 2019 and improved significantly. At launch, it listed more than 500 million photos. It notably acts as an aggregator for other sites such as Flickr, Behance, RawPixel, and even the McCord Museum! In short, a goldmine of great images!

Library of Congress

We’re including the Library of Congress site here, but with some caveats. While this site allows downloading and using historical archival images, its search engine is clunky and not really built for image search. But with a bit of patience, you can dig up a few gems!

Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

Last but not least! This is a site we love exploring, because it’s rich in history and relevance. In October 2019, BAnQ launched its digitized archives site, which contains more than 200,000 public-domain documents that can be used without restrictions. You’ll find photos, magazines, newspapers, posters, vintage postcards, maps, and more. A must!