The 7 best reverse image search websites you can use

• Reverse image search tools can search for other instances of a particular photo online, or find similar photos.
• Some of the most popular and effective reverse image search sites include TinEye, Google Images, and Pixy.
• Here are seven of the best reverse image search sites you can use to locate images.

If you've ever wanted to know the original source of an image you've found online, or want to see all the other places a particular image appears, you need to use a reverse image search tool. Reverse image search websites and apps are a powerful way to uncover the secret history of photos online.

We've rounded up seven of the best reverse image search tools you can use today. All are free, though some may require you to register for an account or pay for premium services.

TinEye

Even if you're somewhat unfamiliar with the world of reverse image search, you probably have heard of TinEye, one of the best-known and oldest tools for this job. You can search by entering the URL of an image, or perhaps somewhat easier, uploading the image. There's also a plugin for most popular browsers that lets you search images on webpages with a click.  

Google Images

Google has its own highly effective reverse image search, and it's built into Google Images, a website you might regularly use anyway. To use it, open Google Images in a browser and then click the Camera icon to the right of the search box. You can search by image URL, upload an image or even drag an image onto the search window. The best part is that Google's reverse image search is tightly integrated into the rest of its search features.

Bing Image Search

Bing's reverse image search is even easier to get to than Google's because the image search icon is available in the search box on the Bing home page — no need to go to the Image Search page. Click the Instagram-like Search using an image icon to use Bing's visual search. You can go to an image URL, drag an image into the window, or even take a photo using your computer or phone's camera. This is especially handy for shopping, because Bing can find similar products based on the image search. 

Pixsy

Pixsy is free, but unlike most other reverse image search services, you need to sign up for an account before you can start using it. The site can be used for general non-professional reverse image searches, but the real focus here is for pros who want to find unauthorized uses of their images leading to takedown requests, and there are premium subscription levels (starting at $19 per month) which can assist with these takedowns. The site is also interesting because it allows you to import images from social media sites for searches in addition to uploading images directly from your computer. 

Reverse Image Search

Reverse Image Search isn't a standalone search engine, but is instead akin to an image search switchboard operator. Upload an image to Reverse Image Search and you'll be able to reverse search three popular sites with a click: Google, Bing, and Yandex (the most popular search engine in Russia). It's a way to cast a wide net, performing a more expansive search for an image very easily.

Getty Images

Getty is a household name in the marketing, advertising, and editorial universes. The site's stock photography catalog is unparalleled, and you can use a reverse image tool to look for similar images you might want to license for professional use. To use it, just go to the Getty homepage and click Search by image or video to the right of the search bar. Upload a file, and Getty will quickly show similar images and videos that are related to the one you uploaded. 

Pinterest Visual Search

If you're a regular Pinterest user, you might be surprised to learn that there's a sort of reverse image search tool built into the social media site. To use it, click any pinned image and then, in the lower right corner, click the magnifying glass icon. Pinterest will display search results of similar pins. This isn't a traditional reverse image search per se, but it is a fast and easy way to find other pins that are related to the one you searched for.