The benefits of including an image to blog post cannot be over-emphasized. We have published on this website many places you can get royalty free photos and the online tools you can use to create custom photos even with quotes on them.

However, it can still be dainty and time consuming getting the right image that would best suits the topic you’re writing about on your blog and the type of license that accompany the image that would make it free to use.

There are online photo search tools you can use to get this task done within a twinkle of an eye. These tools search photos under creative commons and on public domain.

Photo search tools

1. Can we image: The result of images searched for on this platform is principally from Wikimedia commons. This implies an exposure to more than 21 billion photos you can use freely.

2. Creative Commons search: If you want to refine photo search base on the purpose you need it for, cc search is the tool to use. It also gives you the leverage to choose a particular service or website you’d like to get the photo.

3. Foter: It works almost like Getty embeds where you have to search for images and then embed the code on your blog post.

The code also includes the needed attribution base on the license under which the image is published. Unlike Getty images, you can edit the code to adjust the size and position.

They have more than 190 million images you can search from. There is a plugin called stock photos foter you can install on your WordPress blog that would make this easy.

4. Compfight: They use Flickr API to present photo search result, but they are not affiliated to flickr.

5. Google advance image search: Google search engine has a dedicated search tool for free images different from the one on the general search. This search tool will keep you safe from copyrighted photos which the general search couldn’t help distinguished. If you don’t know how to access Google advance image search, click here.

6. Image finder: Just like cc search, image finder displays creative commons images from flickr with special preference to filter search results on the basis of commercial and non-commercial use.

7. Photopin: Also uses flickr API to search for creative commons photos. The platform is very easy to use. Enter your search term, preview the photo, and click on ‘Get photo’ to download it alongside the required attribution.

8. Every stock photo: This is another search tool that has more than 10 million photos in its library from different sources. It’s important to register for a free membership account so as to be able save the collections you’ve searched on the site. This membership account also allows you to rate, tag and comment on photos. It’s more or less a photo community.

9. Stockphotos.io: Photos searched on this platform are free for commercial use, but credit must be given to the author. They have about 25,000 high quality photos under creative commons and public domain which can also be shared. You need to register to access the website features.

10. Wylio: Operates on three simple steps to help attach creative commons images on flickr to your blog post. Search for images you want to use, resize it to fit your desire and then copy and paste the code generated on your blog post. The code includes the attributions associated with the image license.

11. TinEye: Is not a photo search engine per say. Rather, it is a reverse search that gives detailed information about an image needed to know how it can be used.

To get this information, you either upload the image to the platform or enter the URL of the image into the box provided. Then click search.

Conclusion: These are the places I know you can search for free images you can use without fear of trailing you with lawsuit down the line.

It would be impracticable to use all these tools because they do almost the same thing except TinEye. However, you can pick one at a time and familiarize yourself with it until you can stick with the one that work best for your purpose.

What other image search tools do you use or which one among the list above worked best for you?