Building a good-looking email campaign does not require a design budget. Below are eight free stock image sources we use regularly with the TouchBasePro Campaign Template Builder.
Death to the Stock Photo | www.deathtothestockphoto.com
Subscribe to their database and you receive roughly 12 high-quality, themed photos by email each month at no cost. A paid membership tier unlocks the full library if you need more variety.
Gratisography | gratisography.com
Free Creative Commons images shot by Bells Design. The library covers multiple categories and new photos are added regularly, all free.
IM Free | imcreator.com
Aggregates thousands of photos from Flickr across a wide range of collections. Credit to the original photographer is required, so keep that in mind before you send.
Pixabay | pixabay.com
Public domain images covering photos, vector illustrations, and artist drawings. No author credit needed, which keeps your email layout clean.
PicJumbo | picjumbo.com
A smaller site, but owner Viktor Hanacek posts professional, high-quality work. A paid membership option gives you access to the full and more frequently updated library.
Unsplash | unsplash.com
Some of the strongest photography available for free. Well worth checking before you settle for something more generic.
MorgueFile | morguefile.com
A collection of free images that you are permitted to alter. The site also resells discounted iStock credits, hosts a community forum, and offers a handful of free photography courses.
StockVault | stockvault.net
Not the most dramatic library, but sometimes a straightforward photo is exactly what a campaign needs. Solid, no-fuss options across a broad range of subjects.
Ready to put these to use? Create a campaign in the TouchBasePro builder.
For a broader list of free image sources, the guide at Start Blogging Online is also worth a look.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to credit the photographer when using free stock images in email campaigns?
- It depends on the site. IM Free requires author attribution. Pixabay images are public domain and need no credit. Always check the licence terms for each site before you send.
- Can I edit free stock images before using them in an email?
- MorgueFile explicitly allows alterations. Others vary. Check the specific licence on each site, particularly if you plan to crop, colour-correct, or overlay text.
- Are there paid tiers on any of these free stock image sites?
- Yes. Death to the Stock Photo and PicJumbo both offer optional paid memberships that unlock larger or more frequently updated libraries. The free tiers are genuinely usable, though.