Every designer has that moment: you need a specific asset, and you waste 30 minutes scrolling through low-quality results. This directory is your shortcut. We’ve curated 50 of the best resources across 10 essential categories, from PNGs to animations, so you can find what you need and get back to designing.
Bookmark this page. You’ll come back to it weekly.
PNGs: Cut-Out Assets Ready to Use
Finding high-quality transparent PNGs used to mean hours of manual cutting. These sites deliver professional cut-outs instantly.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| pngtree.com | High-resolution objects with clean edges |
| freepngimg.com | Massive library of everyday objects and logos |
| stickpng.com | Pop culture, memes, and brand assets |
| cleanpng.com | Crisp, well-edited transparent images |
| pngimg.com | Over 100,000 categorized PNGs |
Pro tip: Always check the license, some PNG sites mix commercial and personal-use assets.
Fonts: Quality Type Without Breaking the Bank
From quirky display faces to professional text families, these foundries offer thousands of free (and freemium) options.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| dafont.com | Trendy display fonts and themed collections |
| fontspace.com | Curated commercial-use fonts |
| fontsquirrel.com | 100% commercial-use, hand-vetted fonts |
| 1001fonts.com | Massive library with user reviews |
| fontmeme.com | Font identification and preview tools |
Pro tip: Filter by “100% Free” on FontSquirrel for commercial-safe type.
Stock Images: Beautiful Photography Without the Price Tag
Stock photography has evolved. These platforms offer genuinely beautiful, diverse imagery, all free.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| unsplash.com | The gold standard for free, high-res photography |
| pexels.com | Curated library with video assets too |
| pixabay.com | Over 4 million free images, vectors, and videos |
| stocksnap.io | Fresh, searchable library updated weekly |
| burst.shopify.com | Commerce-focused imagery for entrepreneurs |
Pro tip: Use collections to save themed sets for recurring projects.
Icons: Scalable Symbols for Every Interface
Icons are the building blocks of modern UI. These libraries offer everything from minimal line icons to elaborate illustrated sets.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| iconfinder.com (now Freepik) | Millions of icons with style filtering |
| thenounproject.com | Universal symbols and concepts |
| hugeicons.com | Massive, consistent icon sets |
| flaticon.com | Editable vector icons in every style |
| icons8.com | Icons, illustrations, and design tools |
Pro tip: The Noun Project is unbeatable for finding the right symbol, search by concept, not just object name.
Mockups: Present Your Work Like a Pro
Never send a flat screenshot again. These mockup resources make your work look installation-ready.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| mockupworld.co | Premium-quality free mockups (Tuts+) |
| unblast.com/mockups | Curated mockups with PSD sources |
| ls.graphics/free-mockups | Ultra-realistic scene creators |
| graphicburger.com/mock-ups | Diverse mockup categories |
| mockuptree.com | Organized by industry and device |
Pro tip: Download PSD files to swap your artwork with smart objects, it takes 10 seconds and looks professional.
Color Palettes: Find Your Perfect Scheme
Stop guessing at color combinations. These tools use color theory and trending palettes to inspire confidence.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| coolors.co | Fast palette generation with lockable colors |
| colorhunt.co | Curated, trending color collections |
| adobe.com/color | Color wheel with accessibility tools |
| mycolor.space | Gradient and palette generation |
| huemint.com | AI-powered brand palette creation |
Pro tip: Use Coolors’ “Export” to send palettes directly to Figma or Adobe.
Inspiration: See What’s Possible
Sometimes you need to see great work before you can make great work. These platforms showcase the best in contemporary design.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| dribbble.com | Shots, trends, and designer portfolios |
| behance.net | In-depth project case studies |
| awwwards.com | Award-winning websites and trends |
| mobbin.com | Mobile app UI patterns (freemium) |
| godly.website | Curated web design inspiration |
Pro tip: Save work you admire and analyze why it works, deconstruct the grid, hierarchy, and color choices.
Illustrations: Custom Art Without Custom Budgets
These illustration libraries offer scalable, editable artwork that brings personality to your projects.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| undraw.co | Customizable illustrations with color picker |
| drawkit.com | Hand-drawn vector illustration packs |
| blush.design | Mix-and-match illustration systems |
| storyset.com | Animated illustration scenes |
| iradesign.io | Abstract gradient illustrations |
Pro tip: Blush and Undraw let you export SVG and edit colors directly, perfect for brand consistency.
Animations: Motion Made Manageable
Motion design is no longer a specialty. These tools make animation accessible to every designer.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| lottiefiles.com | Lightweight, scalable animations for web/app |
| jitter.video | Browser-based motion design |
| figmotion.com | Figma plugin for in-editor animation |
| motionone.github.io | Lightweight animation library for devs |
| rive.app | Advanced interactive animations |
Pro tip: LottieFiles animations are production-ready, developers can implement them with minimal code.
UI/UX Tools: Where the Work Happens
These platforms aren’t just resources, they’re the tools you’ll use to build everything else on this list.
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| figma.com | Collaborative interface design (industry standard) |
| framer.com | Interactive prototyping and publishing |
| webflow.com | Visual web development with CMS |
| canva.com | Rapid social and presentation design |
| spline.design | 3D design in browser |
Pro tip: Start with Figma for UI/UX, Webflow for live sites, and Spline when you need 3D elements.
The Master List: One Table to Rule Them All
| Category | Top Pick | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| PNGs | pngimg.com | Largest categorized library |
| Fonts | fontsquirrel.com | Commercial-safe quality |
| Stock Images | unsplash.com | Unmatched quality and variety |
| Icons | thenounproject.com | Concept-based search |
| Mockups | mockupworld.co | Premium-quality free resources |
| Color Palettes | coolors.co | Fastest workflow |
| Inspiration | awwwards.com | Trend-forward web design |
| Illustrations | undraw.co | Fully customizable |
| Animations | lottiefiles.com | Developer-ready files |
| UI/UX Tools | figma.com | The industry standard |
Keep This Handy
Bookmark this page. Pin it in your browser. Share it with your team. These 50 sites represent thousands of hours of curation, use them to skip the search and get straight to the work that matters.
About the Author
Mirko Humbert
Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.