Looking for free design resources? Great web design doesn’t require a huge budget. This guide curates the best free design resources – from fonts and color palettes to templates and stock photos – to help you create professional, stunning websites.
Best Free Design Resources by Category
- Typography & Fonts
- Colors & Palettes
- Stock Photos
- Templates & Mockups
- Design Tools
- Inspiration & Learning
Free Design Resources: Typography & Fonts
Typography sets the tone for your entire website. The right font choice communicates professionalism, creativity, or friendliness before visitors read a single word.
Choosing the Right Font
Consider these factors when selecting fonts from free design resources:
- Readability – Can visitors easily read body text?
- Brand alignment – Does the font match your personality?
- Web performance – Fewer font files = faster loading
- Pairing – Do your heading and body fonts complement each other?
Best Free Font Resources
Google Fonts offers hundreds of free, web-optimized fonts. Here are our curated picks:
- 10 Best Google Serif Fonts – Classic, elegant choices
- Top 10 Sans-Serif Fonts Used by Web Designers – Clean, modern options
- 20 Best Free Handwritten Fonts for Designers – Personal, creative touch
Free Design Resources: Colors & Palettes
Color psychology influences how visitors perceive your brand. A well-chosen color scheme creates visual harmony and guides attention.
Creating a Color Scheme
Most websites use 3-5 colors:
- Primary color – Your main brand color
- Secondary color – Complements the primary
- Accent color – For calls-to-action and highlights
- Background colors – Usually neutrals (white, gray, black)
- Text colors – High contrast for readability
Detailed guide: How to Choose the Perfect Website Color Scheme
Social Media Colors
Need the exact colors used by social platforms? Reference our guide:
The Social Media Color Palette
Free Design Resources: Stock Photos
High-quality images make websites look professional, but licensing can be expensive. Fortunately, many sites offer stunning photos as free design resources.
Our curated list: 10 Best Free Stock Photos Websites
Image Best Practices
- Compress images – Reduce file size without losing quality
- Use appropriate dimensions – Don’t upload 4000px images for 800px spaces
- Add alt text – Improves accessibility and SEO
- Choose relevant images – Generic stock photos feel impersonal
- Maintain consistency – Use similar styles throughout your site
Social Media Image Sizes
Different platforms require different dimensions:
What is the Instagram photo size?
Free Design Resources: Templates & Mockups
Templates give you a head start on design projects. From website templates to resume designs, these free design resources save hours of work.
Free Website Templates
Free PSD Templates
Photoshop templates for designers:
Free Resume Templates
Professional resume and CV templates:
Free Design Resources: Tools
The right tools make design work more efficient and enjoyable. Here are essential tools for web designers:
Complete overview: Top Web Designer Tools to Use
Categories of Design Tools
- UI/UX Design – Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD
- Image Editing – Photoshop, GIMP, Canva
- Vector Graphics – Illustrator, Inkscape
- Prototyping – InVision, Marvel, Framer
- Color Tools – Coolors, Adobe Color, Colormind
- Font Tools – Google Fonts, Font Pair, Typewolf
Free Design Resources: Inspiration & Learning
Stay current with design trends and learn from industry leaders:
10 Top Design Blogs You Have to Read
Where to Find Design Inspiration
- Dribbble – Showcase of designer work
- Behance – Creative portfolios
- Awwwards – Award-winning websites
- CSS Design Awards – Innovative web design
- Pinterest – Visual idea boards
Build Your Free Design Resources Library
Bookmark these free design resources and build a personal library organized by project needs. With the right resources at hand, you can create professional designs efficiently – even on a limited budget.
Ready to put these free design resources to use? Explore our WordPress Themes Guide to find a theme that matches your design vision.