Top 10 Websites for Earning Money by Selling Photographs
Whether an amateur or a professional photographer, many platforms allow you to sell your photographs online and turn your passion into a steady income. These platforms not only help you sell your photos and generate passive income but also showcase your work to audiences from around the globe.
All you need to do now is find a platform to display your photographs, selling them directly to individuals, companies, and brands. If you're wondering what the best platform for selling photos is, this article provides a curated list of the top 10 websites for selling photographs online. You can choose from these platforms, start showcasing your stunning photos to millions worldwide, and earn an income from the comfort of your home!
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To sell your photos on Shutterstock, you must apply and submit a portfolio for review. Once approved, you can upload your photos to the site without upfront costs, although the platform retains a commission. Shutterstock caters to photographers of all levels and boasts a diverse audience, increasing the likelihood of selling your photos.
It's essential to note that Shutterstock requires high-quality images, so you must be familiar with digital editing and photography standards. In terms of earnings, photographers earn between 15% and 40% commission per image or piece of work uploaded to the platform.
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The platform offers a significant advantage: content uploaded here is accessible to millions of Adobe Creative Cloud users worldwide, increasing the visibility and sales potential of your photos. Adobe Stock’s tight integration with Adobe Creative Cloud also makes it the preferred choice for creators accustomed to using Adobe tools.
To sell on Adobe Stock, you need to create an account, upload your photos, and tag them with relevant keywords to enhance discoverability. The platform requires high-quality, royalty-free content, including photographs, illustrations, and vector art.
Earnings range from 20% to 60% commission per sale, depending on the type of license, making it one of the highest-paying platforms.
The process of listing images for sale on Alamy is straightforward. You can upload your photos without exclusivity, allowing you to sell them on other platforms simultaneously. However, the platform has strict quality requirements, so you must excel in producing high-quality photos and effectively tagging them with keywords.
With millions of global clients and a strong reputation for fair treatment of photographers, Alamy is an excellent option to boost your income and reach a diverse audience across multiple industries. Unlike many other photo platforms, Alamy offers photographers up to 50% commission for exclusive images and 40% for non-exclusive images, making it one of the most lucrative options.
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Photographers on Getty Images can choose between exclusive and non-exclusive licensing for their photos, with varying commission rates. Exclusive licenses tend to offer higher earnings. Because Getty Images is highly regarded by major institutions and agencies, it’s an attractive option for professional photographers aiming to showcase their work to prestigious clients and earn significant returns on exceptional images.
While Getty Images covers initial costs, it takes a substantial commission, with photographers earning between 20% and 30% of the sale price, leaving the rest to the platform.
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iStock has more lenient standards compared to Getty Images, making it an ideal platform for beginner or less experienced photographers. Through this platform, photographers can contribute a wide range of content, from editorial and everyday lifestyle images to creative and illustrative photographs.
The commission structure on iStock is lower than that of Getty Images, with contributors earning between 15% and 45% per sale, depending on exclusivity and image type. However, iStock's large and diverse customer base often results in higher sales volume and a steady income. Photographers can also choose between exclusive and non-exclusive options, with commission rates varying accordingly.
Overall, iStock is an excellent platform for photographers aiming to reach a wider audience while benefiting from the reach and reputation of the Getty Images network.
The platform's business model is based on selling high-quality, royalty-free images to diverse client segments, including both small and large companies. One of the standout features of 500px is its tools for promoting photographers’ work, connecting them with a community of fellow photographers, and fostering networking and growth opportunities.
This site is especially appealing to photographers seeking to balance creative freedom with profitability. It encourages unique and expressive photography while offering one of the highest commission rates among similar platforms. Photographers can earn up to 60% commission on sales, depending on their membership level.
One of the platform's standout features is its "Missions," where brands and companies post specific photo requests and reward photographers whose submissions are selected with substantial monetary prizes. These payouts often exceed $100 per chosen photo, providing a lucrative avenue for photographers to earn extra income.
Foap is particularly well-suited for amateur and professional photographers who enjoy capturing everyday moments. All they need to do is take a photo with their smartphone, upload it to the app, and start earning. Photographers receive a 50% commission for each photo sold on Foap and retain the rights to their images, allowing them to sell the same photos on other platforms.
This platform is ideal for photographers with a significant collection of high-quality photos that focus on commercial or editorial content. Dreamstime prioritizes visually appealing images with clear concepts, making it more suitable for professional photographers rather than beginners or hobbyists.
Dreamstime provides competitive commissions, with contributors earning between 25% and 60% of the sale price, or even higher for exclusive photos. Like other platforms, it allows photographers to make their photos non-exclusive, offering flexibility to sell their work elsewhere for a lower commission.
Photographers uploading their work on EyeEm can license their images through the EyeEm Market or via partnerships with larger platforms like Getty Images. This expands their potential audience and increases sales opportunities. The site also fosters a community where photographers can connect and learn from each other.
Photographers typically earn 50% of the sale price and retain the rights to their photos, allowing them to sell the same images on other platforms. EyeEm also provides opportunities to participate in brand-sponsored contests, offering another avenue to earn money.
Photographers interested in selling their images on Canva can apply through the Canva Contributors program. Once accepted, they can upload their images and make them available to Canva's extensive user base. Canva’s integration with design tools ensures that purchased photos can be seamlessly used in various projects, such as social media posts, presentations, and marketing materials. Canva offers competitive rates for intellectual property, although specific earnings vary based on image quality and licensing agreements.
Platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images provide access to a global audience and competitive earnings for professionals, while sites like Foap and EyeEm cater to beginners or hobbyists. By leveraging multiple platforms, photographers can maximize their income and increase their chances of gaining exposure and success.
Also Read: Everything You Need to Know About Affiliate Marketing to Start Your Business.
Top 10 Websites for Selling Photos
Here’s a list of the best platforms for selling photographs online. These websites allow you to showcase your exceptional work and reach a broad audience worldwide, enabling you to earn extra income effortlessly from home.- Shutterstock
- Adobe Stock
- Alamy
- Getty Images
- iStock
- 500px
- Foap
- Dreamstime
- EyeEm
- Canva
1. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a leading platform for selling photographs, illustrations, and videos to businesses, marketers, and creators. It hosts thousands of royalty-free assets and offers flexible licensing options, making it easier for individuals and organizations to access and use content without copyright concerns. One of its standout features is its AI-powered and machine-learning search tools, which allow users to quickly find relevant content.To sell your photos on Shutterstock, you must apply and submit a portfolio for review. Once approved, you can upload your photos to the site without upfront costs, although the platform retains a commission. Shutterstock caters to photographers of all levels and boasts a diverse audience, increasing the likelihood of selling your photos.
It's essential to note that Shutterstock requires high-quality images, so you must be familiar with digital editing and photography standards. In terms of earnings, photographers earn between 15% and 40% commission per image or piece of work uploaded to the platform.
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2. Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock is one of the most highly regarded platforms among photographers and creators looking to monetize their work. Thanks to its seamless integration with Adobe's creative suite, including Photoshop and Lightroom, Adobe Stock makes it incredibly easy for photographers to upload and sell their photos.The platform offers a significant advantage: content uploaded here is accessible to millions of Adobe Creative Cloud users worldwide, increasing the visibility and sales potential of your photos. Adobe Stock’s tight integration with Adobe Creative Cloud also makes it the preferred choice for creators accustomed to using Adobe tools.
To sell on Adobe Stock, you need to create an account, upload your photos, and tag them with relevant keywords to enhance discoverability. The platform requires high-quality, royalty-free content, including photographs, illustrations, and vector art.
Earnings range from 20% to 60% commission per sale, depending on the type of license, making it one of the highest-paying platforms.
3. Alamy
Alamy is known for its vast and diverse collection of content, ranging from traditional photography to artistic and niche images. This diversity attracts a wide range of clients, including publishers, companies, and designers, making it an ideal platform for photographers specializing in unique and distinctive subjects.The process of listing images for sale on Alamy is straightforward. You can upload your photos without exclusivity, allowing you to sell them on other platforms simultaneously. However, the platform has strict quality requirements, so you must excel in producing high-quality photos and effectively tagging them with keywords.
With millions of global clients and a strong reputation for fair treatment of photographers, Alamy is an excellent option to boost your income and reach a diverse audience across multiple industries. Unlike many other photo platforms, Alamy offers photographers up to 50% commission for exclusive images and 40% for non-exclusive images, making it one of the most lucrative options.
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4. Getty Images
Getty Images is one of the oldest and most renowned platforms for photographers looking to sell their exclusive, high-quality photos to top-tier clients such as media organizations, advertising agencies, and multinational companies. Known for its strict standards and high selectivity, Getty Images prioritizes professional, high-resolution content that caters to the diverse needs of premium clients.Photographers on Getty Images can choose between exclusive and non-exclusive licensing for their photos, with varying commission rates. Exclusive licenses tend to offer higher earnings. Because Getty Images is highly regarded by major institutions and agencies, it’s an attractive option for professional photographers aiming to showcase their work to prestigious clients and earn significant returns on exceptional images.
While Getty Images covers initial costs, it takes a substantial commission, with photographers earning between 20% and 30% of the sale price, leaving the rest to the platform.
Also Read: The Most Important Websites for Earning from Writing and Blogging.
5. iStock
iStock, a subsidiary of Getty Images, caters to a broader market that includes small businesses, independent designers, and individuals seeking relatively affordable stock photos. The primary difference lies in the target audience: Getty Images focuses on selling high-priced photos to large organizations, while iStock relies on offering lower-priced photos to a larger volume of individuals.iStock has more lenient standards compared to Getty Images, making it an ideal platform for beginner or less experienced photographers. Through this platform, photographers can contribute a wide range of content, from editorial and everyday lifestyle images to creative and illustrative photographs.
The commission structure on iStock is lower than that of Getty Images, with contributors earning between 15% and 45% per sale, depending on exclusivity and image type. However, iStock's large and diverse customer base often results in higher sales volume and a steady income. Photographers can also choose between exclusive and non-exclusive options, with commission rates varying accordingly.
Overall, iStock is an excellent platform for photographers aiming to reach a wider audience while benefiting from the reach and reputation of the Getty Images network.
6. 500px
500px is a renowned platform for photographers looking to sell their photos, build portfolios, and showcase their work to a global audience. The platform also allows photographers to participate in themed photography contests called "Quests," where they submit photos aligned with a specified topic. Participating in these contests provides exposure to hundreds of thousands of viewers worldwide, offering a significant opportunity for recognition and popularity.The platform's business model is based on selling high-quality, royalty-free images to diverse client segments, including both small and large companies. One of the standout features of 500px is its tools for promoting photographers’ work, connecting them with a community of fellow photographers, and fostering networking and growth opportunities.
This site is especially appealing to photographers seeking to balance creative freedom with profitability. It encourages unique and expressive photography while offering one of the highest commission rates among similar platforms. Photographers can earn up to 60% commission on sales, depending on their membership level.
7. Foap
Foap is an innovative platform that invites photographers of all skill levels to earn money by uploading and selling their photos through an easy-to-use mobile app. Designed for modern photographers who use smartphones, Foap enables users to upload photos directly from their mobile devices.One of the platform's standout features is its "Missions," where brands and companies post specific photo requests and reward photographers whose submissions are selected with substantial monetary prizes. These payouts often exceed $100 per chosen photo, providing a lucrative avenue for photographers to earn extra income.
Foap is particularly well-suited for amateur and professional photographers who enjoy capturing everyday moments. All they need to do is take a photo with their smartphone, upload it to the app, and start earning. Photographers receive a 50% commission for each photo sold on Foap and retain the rights to their images, allowing them to sell the same photos on other platforms.
8. Dreamstime
Dreamstime is known for its extensive and diverse photo library, catering to a wide range of clients, from small businesses to large enterprises, including creative agencies, galleries, and media organizations. The platform offers a ranking system for photographers, meaning the higher a photographer's rank, the greater their earnings.This platform is ideal for photographers with a significant collection of high-quality photos that focus on commercial or editorial content. Dreamstime prioritizes visually appealing images with clear concepts, making it more suitable for professional photographers rather than beginners or hobbyists.
Dreamstime provides competitive commissions, with contributors earning between 25% and 60% of the sale price, or even higher for exclusive photos. Like other platforms, it allows photographers to make their photos non-exclusive, offering flexibility to sell their work elsewhere for a lower commission.
9. EyeEm
EyeEm is a modern platform that attracts both amateur and professional photographers. It uses AI-powered search and tagging technology, making it easy for photographers to organize their photos and ensure they reach the right audience. The platform emphasizes natural, lifestyle-oriented photography, which is highly sought after by brands and media outlets for commercial purposes.Photographers uploading their work on EyeEm can license their images through the EyeEm Market or via partnerships with larger platforms like Getty Images. This expands their potential audience and increases sales opportunities. The site also fosters a community where photographers can connect and learn from each other.
Photographers typically earn 50% of the sale price and retain the rights to their photos, allowing them to sell the same images on other platforms. EyeEm also provides opportunities to participate in brand-sponsored contests, offering another avenue to earn money.
10. Canva
Canva is a versatile graphic design platform that, among its many services, offers the ability to sell photos online. This gives photographers a chance to earn money by contributing to Canva's vast photo library, which caters to millions of users, from individual content creators to large corporations. This broad reach provides photographers with significant exposure and the opportunity to sell their photos to a diverse global audience.Photographers interested in selling their images on Canva can apply through the Canva Contributors program. Once accepted, they can upload their images and make them available to Canva's extensive user base. Canva’s integration with design tools ensures that purchased photos can be seamlessly used in various projects, such as social media posts, presentations, and marketing materials. Canva offers competitive rates for intellectual property, although specific earnings vary based on image quality and licensing agreements.
Conclusion
It has never been easier for photographers to turn their passion into a source of income by selling their photos on various platforms. Each site mentioned in this article offers unique features, commission structures, and target audiences, giving photographers numerous options to find a platform that aligns with their style and goals.Platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images provide access to a global audience and competitive earnings for professionals, while sites like Foap and EyeEm cater to beginners or hobbyists. By leveraging multiple platforms, photographers can maximize their income and increase their chances of gaining exposure and success.