10 Best & Premium Gettyimages Alternative & Competitors

Getty Images Inc. or GettyImages in a stylized way is not only a classic historical and editorial stock photography agency but also acclaimed across the globe as one of the most prestigious visual media companies. Moreover, it is in high demand for premium class entertainment and sports content. For such a similar type of premium content, let us explore some best alternative and competitors of Getty Images.

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About Gettyimages

It is in business since 1995, with a blend of traditional background and modern technological advancements. GettyImages has built a strong online service with customer backings worldwide. Whenever it comes to a platform for professional, high-quality, and versatile images or photography, people often turn to the platform for the most exclusive designs they require for their personal and commercial use.

GettyImages targets the following segments:

• Creative professionals from the advertising & graphic design industry
• The media, i.e., the print and online publishing industry, and
• The corporate world, including in-house design, marketing, and communication industry.

GettyImages has a vibrant collection of high-quality stock photos, videos, custom content, and music.

Licensing:

• Free content can be used with certain T&C and paid content is only applicable till the subscription term.
• Two types of license: Rights Managed (RM) and Royalty-Free (RF)
• GettyImages License agreement

Pricing:

Pricing packages for large size to small images & 4K to Low-res videos

• 5 & 10 images pack at $2,375 & $4,500 respectively.

Limitations of GettyImages

• There are no daily or monthly download limits applied.
• Users do not require seat licenses.
• They offer Custom content and special commissions.
• The platform offers time-saving management and collaboration tools for the hassle-free user as well as creator experience.
• Integrated workflow lets creators or photographers place high-resolution images directly without much effort.

But when it comes to the greatest limitation associated with Getty Images, it is the pricing that the platform offers to its users. Their images or other stock content come at a much higher price as compared to other popular online stock photo agencies in the market. Along with this, GettyImages’ licensing pattern is also complex. These two factors often make users search for other alternatives.

That’s why it is imperative to count upon the top 10 Getty Images alternatives, to take care of users’ slimmer pockets and other such concerns.

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Key Recommendations for Alternatives to Gettyimages

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#1. Alamy

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Like Getty Images, Alamy also offers a vibrant collection of high-quality royalty-free stock services but with flexible pricing plans. And the platform can be complementary for users who need the best stock services that are pocket-friendly too. When it comes to class, it truly matches the Gettyimages and is the best alternative to it.

With 235 million stock photos, vectors, videos, and 360-degree panoramic photos, Alamy is the world’s most diverse stock service. Alamy is the best available alternative and competitor of Gettyimages, as both are great sources of classic and historic photos. The platform offers you greater choice with the world’s most diverse library of stock photos. On their site, they describe their services as: “Hassle-free – no subscriptions, no credits, no need to register!”. They offer royalty-free images, illustrations, vectors, 360-degree photos, video footage, etc. The vast photos collection they offer at their platform is sourced from over 60,000 distinctive photographers and 600 picture agencies from across the globe. 

Key Features:

• Alamy maintains an online archive of over 235 million stock photos, vectors, and videos with over 100,000 new assets added every day. Which keeping the collection fresh and up to date. They also offer lightboxes on their site.
• Alamy offers you well-composed, artistic, and higher quality photography than any other stock photography sites. 
• Pricing starts from $19.99 and depends on the license type and file size you’ll need.
• There is also no need to buy credits or subscription plans.

Licensing

A multiple-stock product based Licensing Pattern – RF, RM & RM-Exclusive

Pros:

• Incredible assets, with quick and amazing service at quiet flexible pricing plans.
• Registration is not required to purchase an asset.

Cons:

• Alamy does not offer stock audio files. 
• Limited advanced search options for photos.

Pricing:

Pricing is based on services for both contributors as well as users.

• Rights Managed photos cost between $1,999 and $19,999 (as per intended use).
• Royalty-free images are from $49 to $365 (as per size).

#2. Adobe Stock

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Adobe stock is a very good option to be called one of the best alternatives of Getty Images. It provides a few exclusive stock services that seem perfect within their multiple pricing proportions. They have been designed specifically to keep their users’ requirements in focus.

Adobe Stock allows its users to browse through a multitude of over 200 million creative and inspiring stock media assets that includes high-quality royalty-free images, illustrations, vectors, templates, videos, and audios, both free as well as with flexible paid subscriptions. The platform also offers 3D assets with a collection of royalty-free 3D models, lights, and materials.

Key Features:

• Adobe Stock allows its users a first-month free offer to access millions of high-quality curated and royalty-free images, illustrations, vectors, templates, etc.
• The platform offers its users 100 million images and graphics in various dimensions, including 3D models along with various stock assets
• Offers various pricing plans to the users to choose from
• Multi-layered licensing pattern.

Licensing

Multi-layered Licensing Pattern, In general, Adobe Stock uses three licenses – Standard, Enhanced & Extended

Pros:

• Access to high-quality stock assets
• 3D models, lights, and materials

Cons:

• Subscription to pricing plan is mandatory for full access and good experience
• Searching is difficult as per user reviews
• Payment options sometimes don’t suit users.

Pricing:

• Pricing plans for Individual, Teams & Enterprise Credit Packs
• Annual & monthly plan costs $169.99/month & $199.99/month respectively for 350 images.

#3. Dreamstime

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Dreamstime, a stock photo agency that offers users a vibrant library of 154 million stock photos, is one of the finest alternatives to Gettyimages. With over 34 million users, it is the world’s largest community for royalty-free photos. Also, it offers a huge array of quality illustrations, vectors, editorials, videos, and audio, at quite an affordable pricing.

Key Features:

• Dreamstime offers the users Smart Advanced Search with a multi-tiered search engine for in-depth search.
• Dreamstime offers exclusive referral programs where users can hold a chance to earn a significant percentage of sales they bring to them through community promotions.
• Their website comes with key masters, which helps users with keywording the respective photos.
• Offers flexible and secure payment options to the users like subscriptions or credit packages to choose from, specially designed to meet their budget and needs.
• They offer their users access to a large collection of free images.
• The platform offers services in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, etc.

Licensing:

Two licensing patterns: – RF & Extended License

Pros:

• More than 154 million royalty-free stock images
• No daily download limits
• New arrivals almost every day
• Member of CEPIC and PACA 

Cons:

• Users cannot purchase images without a credit pack or subscription plan
• There is no 24/7 phone support

Pricing:

As compared to GettyImages, Dreamstime comes up with multiple similar features and offers flexible subscription and credit plans to the users.

• Subscription and Credit packages
• Credits/ photo ranges from $0.88 to $22.50 

#4. Shutterstock 

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Without any iota of doubt, Shutterstock is the world’s biggest collection of stock photos and is a worthy alternative to Gettyimages. Shutterstock, an exclusive stock photography website, offers its users a huge library of over 350 million collections, royalty-free stock images, illustrations, videos, music, and graphics. On Shutterstock, users cannot download assets without payment.

Key Features:

• Shutterstock updates the site daily with 1,34,000 new high-quality images. 
• Shutterstock allows its users to download images in collections also.
• The payment packages are designed differently based on single users or multiple users.
• Shutterstock comes up with various built-in editing tools like Shutterstock editor, image resizer, file converter, collage maker, and color schemes, etc., that allow the users an easy-access to required editing without even leaving the site.
• Shutterstock has different pricing plans depending on user-requirements. They offer both prepaid as well as on-demand subscription packs.

Licensing

• Multiple categories of Licensing Plans like Visual Content Licenses Footage Licenses Editorial Licenses etc.
• In general, they use Standard & Enhanced license

Pros:

• Users have access to celebrity photos, editorials, and more
• The website offers multiple subscription plans
• Shutterstock offers Email and phone support
• Shutterstock accepts submissions from its users as well
• It also comes up with its app (Android, iPad, and iPhone app) that allows users easy and anytime access to search and download images.

Cons:

• The subscription plans Shutterstock offers are high-pricing
• As per users, the customer support Shutterstock offers is not up to the mark

Shutterstock, when compared to Getty Images, offers the users quality stock assets at affordable and flexible rates.

You may also check the major alternatives & competitors of Shutterstock, here – 10 Top-notch Alternative & Competitors to Shutterstock

Pricing:

• Single & Multiple User Plans
• Yearly & Monthly Subscription $199/month & $249/month respectively for 750 images.

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#5. iStockphoto

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Although iStockphoto is an acquisition of Getty Images itself, it suits the users better when it comes to the pricing plans as it offers the best possible stock services with flexible plans at affordable rates.

iStockphoto, a subsidiary of Getty Images that offers its users high-quality stock images, illustrations, videos, vectors, and audios.

Key Features:

• iStockphoto offers its users millions of high-quality, exclusive, and royalty-free images, illustrations, vectors, audio, and videos, with the most sought-after topics and trends.
• The site also enables rollover for customers of unused downloads, which is a unique feature.
• The platform offers multiple language user-interface including English, German, Dutch, Japanese, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, Korean, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian.
• One creator wins the title of Signature artist of the month, as the platform follows a distinct contributing artist every month and publishes the creators’ story.
• Offers advanced image search using keywords and searches by image option. 
• It also comes with advanced filter options like file type, contributor, details, size, shape, color, file number, and lightbox.
• iStockphoto accepts payments from multiple sources, including PayPal, Visa, American Express and MasterCard, etc.

Licensing:

Content License Agreement and in general iStock uses Standard & Extended License

Pros:

• High-quality stock assets
• Free weekly photos, illustrations, video, and audio clips.
• Offers single item purchase on-demand, and credit plans for more saving with multiple purchases.

Cons:

• Subscription required for full access
• Strict license agreements

Pricing:

Multiple pricing plans that include: Monthly & Annual Plan and Credit Packs

#6. DepositPhotos

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DepositPhotos can be a good choice over Getty Images and a good alternative for the best possible services at reasonable costs & ease of use.

With 196 million stock files, Depositphotos offers high-quality royalty-free images, videos, vectors, illustrations, and music. They offer a diverse thematic collection of various stock assets at flexible subscription plans. To keep their platform dynamic and vibrant, they renew it with 120 thousand new assets daily.

Key Features:

• Depositphotos offers high-quality royalty-free images, videos, vectors, illustrations, and music.
• Users can leave feedback on assets providers to give you a better idea of the quality.
• They offer you regular discounts, deals, and vouchers on selected image sets.
• The platform offers Multiple languages support.
• The stock-files can be acquired through subscription or single-order credit plans. 
• The platform offers a flexible plan worth $9.99/month for 10 high-resolution photos and vectors.
• DepositPhotos also offer Phone and live chat support
• Rolling over is available as unused downloads automatically transfer to the next month.
• Login or Sign up is a must to avail of stock services offered.

Licensing:

Check Standard and Extended License at Deposit Photos.

Pros:

• 120K New Images Added Daily 
• Fast and efficient search
• 180M+ photos, vectors, videos, music, and templates
• 24/7 customer support
• Images are available at the most affordable prices as compared to other sites.

Cons:

• The platform doesn’t offer stock audio files. 
• Limited advanced search options for images.

Pricing:

A single photo is as low as $ 0.22 for 750 images pack in $169.

Normal monthly subscription starts from $ 9.99 and on-demand pack start from $ 42 for 3 images.

#7. 123RF

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It offers some of the best features with flexible credit plans with occasional discount deals that users might need a huge subscription plan if opting for Getty Images. And unlike Getty Images, 123RF also comes up with a simplified licensing pattern.

123RF offers high-quality royalty-free HD images, vectors, templates, illustrations, audio, and video files at one of the most inexpensive subscription plans, with low-resolution photos starting at just $0.85 per photo. The platform offers multiple filters and AI tools for editing and advanced content generation. They also feature the top three contributors with the best creations on their website, as an incentive to the creators.

Key Features:

• 123RF offers real fast tools for quick editing fixes like filters and effects, auto-enhance options, background removal, etc.
• They also offer free AI Tools for advanced content creation like font paired, graphic maker, colour matches, calendar, etc.
• The platform offers multiple language support to the users.
• On-Demand credit plans that can be used flexibly anytime within a year’s duration from its purchase.

Licensing:

5 categories of Licensing 

Pros:

• 123RF offers you one of the lowest-priced subscription plans.
• Dynamic Discount offers like 15% off on all plans with promo code LOW15.
• They offer a 100% money-back guarantee to unsatisfied users.
• Easy to navigate website
• They accept User submissions.
• Live chat and phone support available

Cons:

• Limited filters for photo search results
•  Not ideal for specific needs

Pricing:

Multiple On-Demand Credits(Use anytime within a year of Purchase)

#8. Yayimages

Licensing:

Two types of licensing, Royalty-Free (Standard) license & Extended license. Check Licensing terms.

Pricing:

• Unlimited downloads in $29/month or $49/quarter
• Super-affordable Premium Images subscription in various packs

#9. FreeImages

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Compared to Getty Images, FreeImages offers multitudes of quality services from the stock industry free of cost and with a CC0 license. FreeImages can be the best alternative when users are looking for stock assets for non-commercial purposes.

It is a premium stock photo platform that offers its users access to a wide range of high-quality royalty-free digital assets uploaded by users from across the globe. The platform provides over 300,000 licensed assets that can be browsed by subject, photographer, or even camera. The content Freeimages offers all free for both personal as well as commercial use. FreeImages comes up with better search features and a large collection of aptly categorized high-quality photos and illustrations.

Key Features:

• FreeImages comes up with a unique feature as every asset the platform offers is tagged according to various relevant categories and niches. Therefore, users can easily discover through their search bar using relevant tags.
• The website allows users to edit, broadcast, synchronize, copy, or reproduce the images for personal and commercial use.
• The content is free, although users need to sign in first to the website to download images.
• The published content on the FreeImages website is under CC0 license, which means users need not have to credit images used for commercial purposes. However, assets used for editorial purposes require proper credit.
• Freeimages offers assets in multiple sizes and resolutions.
• Their website also has a lightbox feature that allows users to build a custom list of their favourites.

Licensing:

CC0 License

Pros:

• Assets are available with details like resolution, exposure levels, reviews, ratings, popularity, etc.
• Images can be searched or selected based on camera type, resolution, colour, orientation, most downloaded, latest, and most viewed.

Cons:

• The platform makes it difficult to differentiate between ads for paid and free images as per user reviews.
• Users need to create an account mandatorily to download content.

Pricing:

It’s free of charge.

#10. 500px

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Compared to Getty Images, 5oopx is one of the best platforms for the creator/ photographer community that comes with quality features at flexible and user-centric subscription or pricing plans. In contrast, Getty Images subscription plans put a heavy toll on users’ pockets.

500px, launched in 2009, is a global online photo-sharing platform for professional and semi-professional photographers. Based in Toronto, Canada, it is a subsidiary of Visual China Group. The platform offers its users a community of photographers across the world to follow and see their creations. 

Key Features:

• Offers users to see high-quality work from the photographer/ creator community.
• The platform is easy to use, beautifully designed, and comes with intuitive navigation.
• Allows creators to upload high-resolution images.
• The platform comes up with an inspiration tab, a special feature to motivate the creators.
• The platform offers pricing plans that cost $6.49/month or $35.93/ year.
• 500px offers unlimited uploads, visitor statistics and allows users to create slideshows from images. 
• The platform allows good photographers with unlimited upload options.

Licensing:

Licensing Plans for creators

Pros:

• Useful and good search engine with multiple search options
• Also offers free plans
• Affordable pricing and high-quality services 

Cons:

• Only high-resolution images can be uploaded
• No access without login
• Paid full access

Pricing:

Membership plans are required for full access. Plans are like $6.49 USD/month or $35.93 USD/ year.

#11. Flickr

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Although Flickr comes up with eight licensing categories that call for a complex licensing pattern like GettyImages. What gives Flickr an edge over GettyImages, is its affordable and flexible pricing plans

Flickr is another prime stock image source that offers users high-quality and royalty-free assets. Along with offering limited free assets, Flickr comes up with eight different licensing categories. Therefore, users cannot use all the assets available on the website; users need to check which CC license category the particular photo belongs to before using them.

Key Features:

• Users need to register to download images.
• Flickr offers third-party tools for working with images.
• The website offers multiple pricing plans to meet users’ needs.

Licensing:

Flickr comes up with eight license categories; still, it offers users their Free Use Photos section that they can access. These images are posted by users across the globe and are not required to credit the creator.

Pros:

• Flickr allows users to create and edit image sets and add titles and tags to them
• Flickr’s Pro account allows users access to unlimited storage 

Cons:

• Users must be logged-in to download assets
• Not all images are free.
• Users need to contact photographers directly to buy images.

Pricing:

Pricing plans include: Monthly & Annual plan in $6.99/month & $5/month. Moreover, there is a two- Year Pro Plan at $4.92 /month

Wrapping up…

So, the article featured the top 10 alternatives to Getty Images with all their key features, pros, and cons. Therefore, if Getty Images seem a bit off-beat when it comes to high-pricing plans and complex licensing patterns, then users can compare the alternatives and consider them as per their personal and professional requirements.