Stock images are in high demand with all the personal blogs and startup landing pages that make up such a large portion of the web. And while some stock sites are subscription-based, there are some out there that are royalty-free.

But free stock sites can have big flaws. Some of them have restrictive licenses that prevent you from making modifications, and others don't have good quality control, so you really have to dig awhile before you can find high-quality, high-resolution images.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could get free stock images that are curated for quality and resolution? Well, we've got you covered with some of the best sites for downloading free high-resolution stock images.

1. MorgueFile

A screenshot of sample stock images on MorgueFile

MorgueFile is home to thousands of free reference images. In terms of library size, it's up there as one of the largest repositories on the web. Its search engine and interface have improved over the years, and overall, MorgueFile is a great resource for general-purpose images.

License: Custom. You are free to adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. You may not sell or redistribute images as is. You may not claim ownership of images. No attribution is required.

2. Pixabay

A screenshot of sample stock images on Pixabay

Pixabay has some of the best stock images out there, even when compared to some popular paid stock image sites. And in addition to photos, you'll also find illustrations, vectors, videos, music, sound effects, and GIFs. It's a must-bookmark site as you get a one-stop shop for stock content in it.

License: Custom. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

You may see Shutterstock photos in some areas—these are sponsored and not free, so be careful that you aren't deceived by them.

3. StockSnap

A screenshot of sample stock images on StockSnap

StockSnap is an amazing repository with great image-sorting filters. With hundreds of new photos added every week, StockSnap will never be stale. And did we mention the photos are absolutely gorgeous?

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required. Make sure that you're familiar with what Creative Commons is, if you're not sure.

4. Unsplash

A screenshot of sample stock images on Unsplash

Unsplash frequently adds new photos, and every image added is absolutely stunning. You easily find images through search and categories. And if you like its service, you can also upgrade to Unsplash+ for premium features.

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

5. Kaboompics

A screenshot of sample stock images on Kaboompics

With Kaboompics, you can download high-quality and pretty-looking photos, as well as photoshoots. The images seem as if they are fresh from a magazine. You also get a color template based on the colors in the image you choose.

License: Custom. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

6. Negative Space

A screenshot of sample stock images on Negative Space

Negative Space is a great place to go if you want images that feel like traditional stock photos, but aren't as sterile and soulless. There are hundreds of selections across a dozen or so categories, and new images are added frequently.

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

7. Foodiesfeed

A screenshot of sample stock images on Foodiesfeed

Foodiesfeed is the premier spot for 100% free food photos. You'll find everything from breakfast to dessert, from beer to whisky, from bread to fish, and even interior shots of restaurants and eateries. Perfect for food blogs and food magazines.

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. You may not sell or redistribute images or sell them on other stock sites. You may not claim ownership of images. No attribution is required.

8. SplitShire

A screenshot of sample stock images on Splitshire

SplitShire is the work of a single photographer: Daniel Nanescu. His photos are sorted into a dozen categories, but you'll rarely find two that are anything alike. Every image is unique and magazine-esque, and updates are not as frequent.

License: Custom. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

9. Gratisography

A screenshot of sample stock images on Gratisography

Gratisography is the work of a single photographer: Ryan McGuire. His shots have a very unique quality and polarizing style to them, meaning you'll either love them or hate them, without much middle ground. New images are added less frequently when compared to sites like Pixabay.

License: Custom. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes unless those purposes are pornographic, criminal, defamatory, or degrading. You may not sell or redistribute them as stock photos. No attribution is required, but requested.

10. Life of Pix

A screenshot of sample stock images on Life of Pix

Life of Pix is a collection of works provided by the Advertising Agency in Montreal's network of photographers. In the hundreds of photos available, most of them involve nature and cityscapes—a few are appropriate for business contexts, but most feel like "personal blog" material.

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

11. Pexels

A screenshot of sample stock images on Pexels

Pexels has tons of royalty-free photos and videos to choose from. And the best part is that all of those are of pretty high quality. In addition to the regular search, you can also check out its leaderboard, challenges, and popular searches.

License: Custom. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

12. ISO Republic

A screenshot of sample stock images on ISO Republic

Like Pexels, ISO Republic also has thousands of free stock images and videos. You can either use its search engine or go through various categories to find the image you're looking for.

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

13. FreeStocks

A screenshot of sample stock images on FreeStocks

FreeStocks has a smaller collection of photos, but they're absolutely perfect for blogs, magazines, and even social media profile images. Very stylish and cozy.

License: CC0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required.

14. The Noun Project

A screenshot of sample stock images on The Noun Project

The Noun Project is an initiative to create universal icons that can convey the concept of nouns without any language involved. They can come in handy when combined with photos from the aforementioned stock sites.

It does offer some conventional stock photos too. Images are available in PNG and SVG formats.

License: You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. No attribution is required for CC0 images, while it's required for CC-BY 3.0 images.

15. Game Icons

A screenshot of sample stock images on Game Icons

Like The Noun Project, Game Icons is a massive collection of abstract images that double as icons and avatars—except these are slightly more illustrative. Again, useful when combined with photos from the aforementioned stock sites.

Images are available in PNG and SVG formats. The site also has a built-in tool that lets you select any color for the icons at the time of download.

License: CC-BY 3.0. You are free to use and adapt the works for personal and commercial purposes. Attribution is required.

What Do You Use Stock Photos for?

Free high-resolution images are hard to come by, and when you do find them, they tend to be poorly composed, low quality, or otherwise boring. None of the sites above will disappoint in that regard. Never again will you need to pay for stock imagery.

Just to be safe, make sure you brush up on the Creative Commons license that all of these sites use. Also, if these aren't enough, and you're still unsatisfied, you can check out some of the lesser-known stock image sites.