- Free image sites like StockCake compared
- Ten StockCake alternatives for free images
- Free image licences explained: what to check first
- AI images vs real photos: choosing a StockCake alternative
- Getting more from free stock image sites
- Common mistakes with free stock images and StockCake swaps
- Choosing your next free image source
- Frequently asked questions
Good alternatives to an AI image library are free photo sites with clear licences, real photography and simple search. The right one depends on your brand's look and how you'll use each image. This page lists ten free image sites in no particular order, then explains licences, AI versus real photos and how to use stock images well.
StockCake is a free library of AI-generated stock images. Instead of photographs taken by people, its pictures are made by image generators, and you can search and download them without much fuss. That suits plenty of jobs, but it isn't the right fit for everything. AI images can carry small errors, such as odd hands or garbled text, and some businesses would simply rather show real photographs of real places.
If you're looking for StockCake alternatives, I've listed ten free image sites in no particular order, alphabetically. Most offer photographs taken by real photographers, and a few add illustrations or video. The details come from each site's own pages and licence summaries. If AI images are what you want, my guide to free AI image generators with no sign-up covers tools that make new images on request.
Free image sites like StockCake compared
Yes in the free plan column means the site says its images are free to use. That isn't the same as no rules at all. Each site has its own licence, so read it before you use an image for anything commercial.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burst | Photo library from an online shop builder | Product, shop and small business scenes | Yes |
| Gratisography | Quirky photo library | Playful, offbeat images that grab attention | Yes |
| ISO Republic | Photo and video library | Clean photos plus short video clips | Yes |
| Kaboompics | Lifestyle photo library | Interiors, flat lays and colour-matched sets | Yes |
| Life of Pix | Agency-run photo library | High-resolution landscapes, cities and textures | Yes |
| Pexels | Photo and video library | A wide mix of photos and vertical video | Yes |
| Picjumbo | Photo and background library | Website backgrounds and themed photo packs | Yes |
| Pixabay | Photo, illustration and video library | Illustrations, vectors and photos in one search | Yes |
| StockSnap | Photo library | Simple downloads under a public domain licence | Yes |
| Unsplash | Photo library | Polished, editorial-style photography | Yes |
Ten StockCake alternatives for free images
Burst
Best for: Online shop owners who want lifestyle and product-style photos, especially if their store already runs on the same platform.
Gratisography
Best for: Brands with a sense of humour who want unusual, whimsical photos for social posts, blog headers and presentations.
ISO Republic
Best for: Bloggers, designers and small teams who want photos and free video clips under one simple, permissive licence.
Kaboompics
Best for: Lifestyle, interiors and wellbeing businesses that want consistent photo sets with matching colours and styling.
Life of Pix
Best for: People who want atmospheric, high-resolution backgrounds and scenery for websites, slides and email headers.
Pexels
Best for: Business owners who want a large, searchable mix of photos and videos, including vertical clips for social media.
Picjumbo
Best for: Website owners and template makers who want backgrounds and themed photos, with optional premium collections.
Pixabay
Best for: Anyone who wants photos, illustrations, vectors and video from one search box, without a credit line.
StockSnap
Best for: People who want straightforward photo downloads under a public domain dedication and a clear, short licence page.
Unsplash
Best for: Brands that want polished, magazine-style photography for websites, social posts and presentations.
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Free image licences explained: what to check first
Free stock image sites sound alike, but their licences differ in ways that matter to a business. These are the points I'd look for on any licence page.
- Commercial use: can you use the image on your website, in ads and on social posts for your business?
- Attribution: do you have to credit the photographer, or is credit optional?
- Selling the image itself: most sites ban reselling an image as a print, poster or download unless you've changed it significantly.
- Products and merchandise: some licences allow images on mugs or packaging, others restrict it.
- People and property: an identifiable person or a private building may need a release for some commercial uses.
- Logos and trademarks: images showing brands usually can't be used to promote your own goods.
- Editorial-only images: some photos are marked for news or blog use only, never for advertising.
If you can't find the answer, choose another image. It's quicker than worrying about it later.
AI images vs real photos: choosing a StockCake alternative
- Choose real photography when trust matters, for example on your About page, service pages or anything that shows a place or a team.
- AI images can work for abstract ideas, backgrounds and concepts that would be hard to photograph.
- Zoom in on any AI image before you use it, looking for strange hands, warped objects or nonsense lettering.
- Avoid stock images that pretend to be your staff, customers or premises. Use your own photos for those.
- Mix sources sparingly. A website looks more consistent when images share a similar style and colour.
For moving images, my guide on where to get free stock video pairs well with the sites above.
Getting more from free stock image sites
- Search with specific words, such as a colour, a mood or a setting, instead of one general word.
- Download the largest size you need, then resize and compress it for your website so pages load quickly.
- Save the licence wording or a screenshot of the image page in a folder with your downloads.
- Write descriptive alt text for each image so it helps people using screen readers and search engines.
- Crop, add your brand colours or overlay text so the image feels like yours and not a stock shot others use.
- Keep a short list of the images you've used, so you don't repeat the same one across your site.
Common mistakes with free stock images and StockCake swaps
- Assuming every image on a free site has the same licence.
- Using an editorial-only photo in an advert or on product packaging.
- Downloading from copycat sites that rehost images without the original licence.
- Picking the most popular photo, which half your competitors are already using.
- Relying only on stock images when a few of your own photos would build more trust.
If you'd like to make bespoke visuals, my roundup of where to create AI images for free explains the options.
Do you make a stock image or photo site? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Choosing your next free image source
Pick two or three sites that match the look of your brand and bookmark them. Read each licence once, note anything that affects your business, and build a small folder of approved images you can reuse. That way you'll spend less time searching and more time publishing.
Frequently asked questions
What is StockCake?
It's a free library of AI-generated stock images that you can search and download. Check its own licence page for the current terms before using an image commercially.
Are free stock photos safe to use for business?
Usually, as long as you follow the licence. Check commercial use, attribution, and any rules about people, logos, products and reselling before you publish.
Do I need to credit the photographer on free image sites?
Many free sites say credit is optional but appreciated. Some images or sites ask for it, so check the licence of each image you download.
Can I use a free stock image in my logo?
Generally no. Most free licences ban using images in a trademark or logo, and other people can use the same picture anyway.
Should I use AI images or real photos on my website?
Real photos tend to build more trust, especially for pages about your team or premises. AI images can suit abstract ideas, but inspect them closely for errors first.
