ambientCG vs Free Stock Textures

ambientCG is a free library of downloadable assets for 3D art, architectural visualization, game development, VFX, and related work. Its collection includes PBR materials, HDRIs, Substance graphs, atlases, decals, photo textures, models, and terrain; the homepage lists 2,895 assets. Downloads are available in JPG and PNG. The assets use the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal license, permitting copying, changes, distribution, and commercial use without permission, and attribution is not required. You can browse and download on the website or use the API to search and download assets with code; its documentation lists v1, v2, and v3 endpoints. The creator cautions that the API may not be stable or reliable enough for enterprise applications. Documentation also covers use with Blender's Asset Browser. Patreon supporters may receive early access and easier batch downloads, and the homepage mentions ad-free browsing. Access to downloadable assets is free at free.

Free Stock Textures is a web library for browsing and downloading photographic textures, images, and photos. Visitors can search the collection or use categories including abstract, concrete, graffiti, ground, grunge, liquid, metal, nature, stone, wall, and wood. The site says published photos use Creative Commons Zero, allowing commercial use without crediting the photographer or source; linking back is not required. The free plan costs nothing. Registered users may download up to 50 textures per day, while anonymous users may download up to five. After reaching the daily limit, downloads from that IP are blocked for 24 hours. The terms describe Premium as paid access to the full collection under applicable image licenses, while prohibiting subscribers from building a local collection that imitates the website. Most photos receive Lightroom adjustments such as cropping, clarity, vibrance, and exposure.