Find free graphic design resources for your next project, including graphics,
vector graphics, stock photos, fonts, and more.
When I first started making printables (back in the Dark Ages…haha), I struggled to figure out where everyone was getting those pretty graphics. Especially free or inexpensive graphics. I kept thinking to myself “not everyone can be making their own art!?”
Turns out I was right. In fact, few people designing printables were making their own art. There are free graphic design resources all over the internet, including graphics, stock photos, fonts, and more.
And these resources aren’t just useful for printables. Graphics and photos can be used for websites, media kits, social media, and all sorts of other creative projects.
So if you’ve been wondering where to find graphics and photographs…search no more. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite places to look.
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A Note About Licensing
Always check the current license and terms of use before using any graphic, photo, font, or other design resource. Licensing terms vary by site and may change over time, so refer directly to the resource provider for the most current information. I also recommend saving a copy or screenshot of the applicable license when you download an asset.
You might find this article: “Ultimate Guide to Rules for Using Stock Photos“. It has a lot of information on licensing, permissions, and other considerations for using stock photos. While it applies to stock photos in particular, the general warnings and guidelines should be useful across the board.
I learned to take licensing seriously after a blogger I knew faced a copyright claim for an image she believed she had permission to use. The site where she’d obtained the image had changed its licensing terms, and she hadn’t saved a copy of the original license. She ultimately paid more than $2,000 to settle the claim rather than risk a lawsuit. That’s why I recommend keeping a copy or screenshot of the license that applies when you download an asset.
And a download button doesn’t necessarily mean you have permission to use the file however you want. Even if you paid for it.
My Favorite Graphic Design Resources
While I have quite a few graphic design resources that I visit on occasion- especially when I need something specific- I have a handful that I visit regularly. In the case of one, almost every single day I’m actually in design mode.
Creative Fabrica
My absolute favorite is Creative Fabrica. They have a ton of free designs. But I went ahead and paid for membership because they have SO MANY fabulous graphics. And I’m always looking for new ones for many printables i make.
There is now over 100,000 freebies. Yep, a HUNDRED THOUSAND. Most of them you won’t use. And a ton are fonts. But there are some great graphics in there.
You do have to create an account to download freebies. But it’s free to create an account and there is no credit card required.
Design Bundles
Design Bundles has a TON of freebies (and the freebies are of fabulous quality).
They’re currently undergoing a re-design and are moving to a subscription model for paid designs instead of buying them individually. But the freebies are still there and don’t require a subscription- not even a trial one- to access.
Pixabay
Another popular stop when I’m looking for free graphics is Pixabay. They’ve expanded considerably since I started using them years and years ago. They now have photos, gifs, and even videos, music, etc. (Their licensing has changed over the years: the most current should be here Pixabay Content License Summary.)
More Free Graphic Design Resources
• Deal Jumbo is one of my favorites! The ton of freebies impressed me. Seriously…there are A LOT. They have fonts, graphics, mock-ups, and photos/textures available for free.
• Burst. One of my favorites for free photos. These photos are meant to be used for commercial purposes, but- as always- check the licensing. The quality is amazing and there are a lot of them.
• Etsy.com has graphics, not just hand-made physical products. Just search for what you’re looking for. License varies by seller, so read carefully.
• Pixelbuddha. I haven’t used them extensively because I use more png graphics than mockups. But they have a ton of free mockups, fonts, textures, Photoshop effects/brushes, templates, etc. You can filter for just free results, too, so you don’t need to sort through a hundred plus options to find the free ones.
• PikWizard. despite the dated look (at least of my last visit), the site is very much alive and being maintained. The premium (cost money) and free results are mixed together, but the photos are labeled in the search results whether they are premium or not. There are over 750K free images as of last report.
• PicJumbo. A ton of photos. Site claims free for commercial use, but check the details on their licensing and FAQ page.
• PublicDomainPictures.net. A very wide selection of free photos and illustrations. Currently reporting over 750,000 available for free.
• SnappyGoat– one of my first stops for general searches. Over 13 MILLION photos, clipart, etc. When you click on photo, it tells you where it came from, so you can click through to double-check license on that particular photo.
• MorgueFile. Generally free for commercial use, but as always check licensing. They have a ton of options and are often more “realistic” than other stock photo sites. As of my last checking, downloading does require having an account, but it’s free to create an account.
• Reusable Art. This site focuses on vintage artwork that isn’t under copyright anymore (at least in US), but that also means you’ll find unique graphics here that you probably won’t see on the larger design-resource sites.
• Stockup– this is an aggregate site, indexing its stuff from other sites. They refer you to the original source/publisher for the photo and license which is good. This is probably a good place to search if you’re looking for a specific photo topic- for example, coffee beans.
• Magnific (formerly Freepik). While they have an enormous library, it’s not one of my go-to resources. It’s a wide variety of resources- but not necessarily ones I use (I use a lot of clip art and some fonts, not a lot of vector stuff, video, or audio.). And recently, they’re really pushing the AI angle. Which isn’t bad per se, just not something I’m doing with my projects. Also check their current licensing: Magnific license before using any asset.
• Shutterstock. Expensive (at least on some tiers and uses), but good quality and wide variety. I do want to make a note to check the current licensing terms for the specific asset and intended use. It is NOT a site-wide license. It is by asset and use.
• Wikimedia Commons. Absolutely huge collection of photos, illustrations, historical images, and other media (over 147 million at last count!). Check the license listed on the individual file before using it. But if you’re looking for something unique- a flag, historical photo, landmark, artwork, obscure object, etc., this would be a great place to check.
• The Met Open Access. This is part of the Met collection, including over 492,000 images of public-domain artworks, is available for free and unrestricted use. It’s part of an initiative to make artwork open to all. You should be able to find art, paintings, illustrations, historical works, decorative art, etc., that might not be available elsewhere.
• Free Design Resources. Free, but mostly fonts. Though I did find a great spooky Halloween font I downloaded immediately on my last visit! There are some graphics in addition. One warning: This site has quite a few ads that look like download buttons. Be sure you’re clicking the actual download button for the resource you want.
• Kaboompics. While the photos are good, that’s not the reason I’m recommending them. The reason I’m recommending them is 2 features that the photos have: an instant color palette feature and the ability to see all the photos from that photoshoot. As someone who has painstakingly tried to match colors for printables, the color palette being right there (and downloadable for free) is an amazingly helpful tool. And as someone who has tried to co-ordinate a theme and keep things consistent, seeing all the photos in a photoshoot (where you could find similar photos), is also a nice benefit.
• Unsplash. They have a ton of photos. But check their licensing here: Unsplash License, NOT the more broad one that basically says you can use everything. In particular, note the photos you use for copyrighted material within the photo- say a Nike logo on a shirt someone is wearing even if its not the focus of the picture.
• Pexels. Photos by the creators themselves. A decent variety. License <there.
• RGBStock. Over 100,000 images. Their license is very specific on what is allowed and what is not. Make sure you read before using the site (License page)
• Libreshot. Site maintained (though not updated in years) by original photographer and he is clear about use. Not the widest selection, but some unique shots you might not find elsewhere.
• Foodiesfeed. Has a speciality of food photographs with free general usage that you probably won’t find elsewhere. (License page)
• FreeNatureStock. All CC0 and photos are taken by the photographer who runs the site. Great place to find unique nature photos you might not find elsewhere. (License page)
• ISORepublic. Photos.
• StockSnap.io. Photos.
Looking For Even More Design Resources?
I hope you found this list of free graphic design resources helpful and discovered a few new places to find graphics for your next project!
Still looking for something? I’ve focused on the graphic design resources I’ve found most useful over the years, rather than trying to list every resource available. If you’re looking for something I haven’t covered, check out The People’s Design Library. It’s an extensive collection of free design resources, including graphics, fonts, icons, tools, and much more. And I mean MUCH more.
Could you do me a quick favor? If you found this list useful, could you share it with your friends? Share buttons are at the top.
Hey, thanks !! Just chanced upon your post on Pinterest. Thanks for some wonderful resources that I wasn’t aware of
Glad you found this useful! I haven’t updated it in awhile, so hope nothing was out of date.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and doing the leg work. I really appreciate you.
Rosanne
Many thanks for taking the time and trouble to research and share this. Really useful and appreciated.