Where to Get Images for Your Website (One of the Original 9 Sites No Longer Exists)

A website without images still looks unfinished, exactly as this guide argued in 2018. What’s changed since then is almost the entire supply side of that advice: one of the nine platforms originally recommended shut down within a year of publication, and an entirely new category, AI-generated images, now produces more visual content in a single day than the stock photo industry did in its first several decades.

AI image generation platforms collectively produce more than 34 million images per day, roughly 394 every second, adding up to over 15 billion AI-generated images since 2022, according to a 2026 industry statistics report from AutoFaceless. Meanwhile, 87% of marketers now use generative AI in some form, and 76% of graphic designers use AI image tools, according to a 2026 analysis by Gradually.ai. That’s a genuinely different starting point than 2018, when this guide’s original nine recommendations were entirely stock-photo and photo-sharing sites. Here’s what’s changed, what’s gone, and what belongs on the list now.

34M+ AI images generated daily, 15B+ since 2022AutoFaceless’s 2026 industry report found AI image generation platforms collectively produce more than 34 million images per day, roughly 394 per second, accumulating to over 15 billion AI-generated images since 2022, a volume traditional photography took 149 years to reach.

Fotolia Shut down completely in 2019

Fotolia, one of the nine sources originally recommended in this guide, closed permanently on November 5, 2019, less than a year after this article was first published, following Adobe’s earlier acquisition and full integration of its library into Adobe Stock. Former Fotolia users and any bookmarked Fotolia links now redirect to Adobe Stock, which remains active and is where that recommendation effectively lives on today.

Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, Flickr, and iStock Still active

These five remain active and largely function as they did in 2018: Unsplash and Pexels for free, high-quality community-submitted photography, Pixabay for a large searchable free library, Flickr for a mixed-license photo-sharing community requiring careful license checks, and iStock (Adobe-owned Getty competitor) as a credit-based premium option. The core usage guidance from the original guide, check licenses carefully on Flickr, use iStock’s credit system for premium needs, remains accurate.

Openphoto.net and Rgbstock.com Verify before relying on them

Smaller, community-run free stock sites like these have historically had inconsistent uptime and maintenance compared to the major platforms above. Before building a workflow around either one, it’s worth confirming the site is still actively maintained and that its licensing terms haven’t changed, rather than assuming 2018-era guidance still applies without checking.

The new category the original guide couldn’t include: AI image generation

This is the single biggest addition since 2018. Tools like Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, and OpenAI’s image generation models can now produce a custom, on-brand image for a website in seconds rather than requiring a search through a stock library for something close enough. 72% of Fortune 500 design teams used Adobe Firefly as of recent data, according to a 2026 analysis by Axis Intelligence, and the broader AI image generation market sits between $12 and $15 billion in 2026, projected to grow to roughly $88 billion by 2032.

72% of Fortune 500 design teams use Adobe FireflyAxis Intelligence’s 2026 analysis found 72% of Fortune 500 design teams used Adobe Firefly, with the broader AI image generation market valued between $12 and $15 billion in 2026 and projected to reach approximately $88 billion by 2032, a scale of adoption that didn’t exist in any form in 2018.

The important legal caveat this guide couldn’t have included in 2018

Purely AI-generated images are not protected by copyright in most jurisdictions, according to Gradually.ai’s 2026 legal analysis, and the space remains genuinely contested: more than 70 copyright infringement lawsuits had been filed against AI image companies as of late 2025, according to AutoFaceless, including a $1.5 billion settlement in the Bartz v. Anthropic case, the largest in AI copyright litigation history to date. Practically, that means an AI-generated image can be freely used and modified by others too, since you generally can’t claim exclusive copyright over it, and it’s worth checking the specific generator’s terms of service for any commercial-use restrictions before publishing.

70+ copyright lawsuits, $1.5B settlementAutoFaceless’s 2026 report found more than 70 copyright infringement lawsuits had been filed against AI image generation companies as of late 2025, including a $1.5 billion settlement in Bartz v. Anthropic, the largest AI copyright settlement to date, reflecting how legally unsettled AI-generated imagery remains.

What this means for stock photography’s traditional players

Traditional stock photo incumbents are still operating, but growth has slowed considerably. Getty Images reported total revenue of $226.6 million in the first quarter of 2026, growing just 1.1% year over year, according to Digital Applied’s 2026 analysis, a modest figure compared to the growth rates AI generation platforms are posting. The practical takeaway for a website owner in 2026 isn’t that stock photography has disappeared, all five active sources from the original guide still work exactly as before, it’s that AI generation now sits alongside them as a genuinely viable sixth option, particularly for custom, on-brand imagery that doesn’t already exist in a stock library. For more on integrating new tools into your broader content workflow, it’s worth reviewing this alongside your digital marketing strategy generally, since visual content sourcing is increasingly one part of a larger AI-assisted production pipeline rather than a standalone task.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fotolia still a place to get website images?

No, Fotolia shut down completely on November 5, 2019. Its library was fully absorbed into Adobe Stock beforehand, so anyone looking for what Fotolia originally offered should use Adobe Stock instead.

Are Unsplash and Pexels still free to use commercially?

Yes, both remain active and continue to offer free, high-quality images for commercial and non-commercial use under their standard licenses, essentially unchanged from how they operated in 2018.

Can I use AI-generated images on my website without worrying about copyright?

You can generally use them, but be aware that purely AI-generated images are not protected by copyright in most jurisdictions, meaning you typically can’t claim exclusive ownership over the image, and it’s worth checking the specific AI tool’s terms of service for any commercial-use restrictions.

Is AI image generation actually replacing stock photography?

It’s reshaping the market more than replacing it outright. Traditional stock photo platforms are still operating, but growth has slowed considerably, with Getty Images reporting just 1.1% revenue growth in Q1 2026, while AI generation volume and adoption continue climbing sharply.

Which AI image tool is most widely adopted for professional design work?

Adobe Firefly has the strongest enterprise foothold, with 72% of Fortune 500 design teams using it as of recent data, largely due to its integration within Adobe’s existing Creative Cloud ecosystem and its training on licensed content.

Is it risky to use AI-generated images for a business website?

The main risk is legal and reputational uncertainty rather than a ban on use: over 70 copyright lawsuits have been filed against AI image companies, and because AI-generated images aren’t copyrightable themselves, you can’t fully protect a uniquely AI-generated visual asset the way you could a custom photograph or illustration.

Do I still need to check licenses carefully on sites like Flickr?

Yes, this hasn’t changed. Not everything on Flickr is cleared for commercial use, so checking for licenses explicitly marked for commercial use, and providing attribution where required, remains just as necessary in 2026 as it was in 2018.

Should a small business use free stock photos, paid stock photos, or AI-generated images?

It depends on the need. Free stock sites remain fine for generic, non-brand-critical imagery, paid stock services offer more specific and higher-quality selection, and AI generation is increasingly the best option for a custom image that doesn’t already exist anywhere else and needs to match a specific brand look.

Sources referenced: AutoFaceless (AI Image Generation Statistics 2026), Gradually.ai (AI Image Statistics 2026: Key Numbers, Data & Facts), Axis Intelligence (AI Image Generation Statistics 2026: Market Size, Platform Data & Industry Adoption), Digital Applied (AI Image Generation Statistics 2026: Usage and Revenue), PetaPixel and DPReview (Fotolia shutdown coverage, 2018–2019).