All the Free Image Tools You Need to Create Beautiful Websites
You don’t need to be a professional web designer to know that images can make or break a website. Poor-quality photos, inconsistent colors, or mismatched styles can make even the best site look DIY and unpolished.
I hate to say it, but looks matter. A well-designed website builds trust and keeps potential clients engaged. Think about it—how many times have you clicked away from a site that looked outdated or unprofessional? First impressions count, and your website’s images play a huge role in creating a positive experience for visitors.
Many of my web design clients come to me without professional brand photography. While I always recommend investing in high-quality photos, I also know that’s not always possible right away. So how do I ensure my clients’ websites look clean, high-quality, and professional without custom photos?
Let me share my go-to free tools for optimizing website images—both aesthetically and for SEO!
Design & Editing
Canva
I use Canva for just about everything—social media and website graphics, background removal, image editing, logo and favicon creation, mockups, and icons. The premium version gives you access to extra templates and the background remover, but the free version is still incredibly powerful and an absolute must for creating a beautiful website and social media graphics to support your business.
Pre-Installed Image Editors
Most Windows and Mac computers come with built-in image editors that allow for basic editing, cropping, resizing, and even background removal. If you haven’t checked yours out yet, it’s worth exploring!
Image Compression & Quality
Squoosh
Squoosh is my go-to for compressing and resizing images to improve website performance. JPG images take up less space than PNGs, so make sure your website is using JPG images to improve speed and performance. If your website builder supports next-gen formats like WebP, Squoosh can convert images to WebP for even faster loading times.
Pre-Installed Image Editors
I also use built-in editors on Windows and Mac for quick resizing, though they don’t always allow conversion to WebP format.
Remember: images take up a lot of space on your website, and too many large image files can really slow down the speed of your site and negatively impact your SEO.
Check out my FREE On-Page SEO Checklist, which provides you with everything you need to know about how to optimize your website's images for search engines.
Stock Photos
If you don’t have your own images yet, high-quality stock photos can be a great solution. Here are my 2 favorite stock photo sites:
Unsplash
I personally use the premium version of Unsplash (super affordable—I even split the cost with a friend!), but the free version is fantastic. This is Squarespace's go-to system for stock photos, with seamless incorporation into the Fluid Engine builder, so don't be afraid to utilize it!
Pexels
Pexels is another great free resource with tons of professional-quality images. I still use the free version of this, and my favorite feature is that you can filter through images by color! When picking stock photos for your website, you should ALWAYS be mindful of how those photos' colors fit into your website's colors and branding. Pexels makes this easy!
Be mindful when using images from Google. Many are protected by copyright, so always ensure you’re using licensed stock photos.
Icons & Graphics
Icons, graphics, and buttons are small but powerful elements that can enhance your website’s design and improve user experience. Well-designed icons can make navigation more intuitive, draw attention to key sections, and create a cohesive look across your site. Whether you're using them for menus, call-to-action buttons, or to visually break up text, high-quality icons and graphics contribute to a polished, professional website.
Google Fonts Icons
Google Fonts is one of my go-to libraries for fonts when it comes to web design. But it also has a huge library of simple, clean icons.
Icons8
Icons8 has tons of customizable icons to match any website style. They come in a variety of colors that you can adjust, and many of them can be dowloaded as SVGs for free.
Final Thoughts
As a self-taught web designer and frontend developer, these free tools helped me create beautiful, polished websites—first for practice and eventually for clients. They even played a big role in launching my web design business!
Of course, the gold standard for website images is hiring a professional photographer and brand designer to create customized photography and graphics. Every business owner should aim for that eventually. But when you're just starting out, those investments may not be within reach. That’s why I don’t believe in gatekeeping beautiful websites. With the right tools and a little creativity, you can create a stunning, professional-looking website—without spending a dime.
I hope you find these tools as helpful as I do! Happy designing! 🎨✨
Need Help with Your Website?
If you’re looking for a web designer to create a brand-new website, update your current site, or design graphics for your website or social media, I’d love to help! I offer a free Website Strategy Session where we can discuss your business, website goals, and how to bring your vision to life. Whether you're starting from scratch or just need some fresh updates, let’s make your website work for you!