Adobe Stock vs Shutterstock
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Adobe Stock vs Shutterstock- What to choose in 2023?

Adobe Stock and Shutterstock always give tough competition to each other. Whenever you are working on an innovative project, you may need to have high-quality visual concepts and stocks to create a compelling piece of content. Both fit the bill, still, there are areas where one is ahead of the other. Let’s discuss Adobe Stock vs Shutterstock by comparing various aspects.

But the problem here is which platform is the best over the best. Both platforms provide vector graphics, templates, video clips, images, and multimedia content. Hence, it becomes challenging to choose the best platform to have multimedia services.

Thus, to help you, we reviewed and tested both of these platforms and compared major features; royalty-free forms, audio, and video are a few of them. The in-depth research done in the post will help to choose a better platform for your business needs.

Adobe Stock Vs ShutterStock: Comparison

NameAdobe StockShutterstock
Year of inception2003
Market Capitalization$313.91 billion$4.1 billion
Images – Specify & number of assets  More than 200 million images assetsMore than 360 million images assets
VideoMore than one million high-quality HD-resolution videoMore than eight million HD video clips
AudioRoyalty-free audio clipsRoyalty-free audio clips
Other assetsGraphic illustrators Royalty-free templates vectors Stock music  Free custom templates Vectors and illustrators Music files HD templates
Credit PacksStarting from $8.0 to $9.9Starting from $99 for five credits
Subscription plan starting price10,40, 350, and 750 images based starting from $299.99 per month5, 10, and 25 packs of images based starting from $299.99 per month
Free-trialYesYes
Best suited forDesignersBusiness entrepreneurs and individuals

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock vs Shutterstock comparison
Credit: Adobe Home Page

What is Adobe Stock?

Adobe Stock is a cloud-based royalty-free content service provider with an extensive library that includes more than 60 million multimedia files, photographs, video content, and illustration graphics for designers, content marketers, photographers, visual creators, SMM managers, and many more.

Business individuals can access this platform to download the visual content, images, and multimedia content you need for the marketing and campaign process.

In the meantime, if you are a photographer or merely a designer, you can also upload your work and earn a profit.

Features and Advantages

Adobe Stock is best suited for designers who want to access quality stock images for free. It provides you features that are as follows:

  • More than 200 million stock images that satisfy your business needs properly
  • Multiple subscription plans to choose from
  • Free trial available
  • Creative Cloud integration
  • High-definition royalty-free video and audio to download and make your content more impressive
  • On-demand price plan to meet your small needs

Areas Of Improvement

Though adobe stock is an excellent platform to get royalty-free stock photos and videos, it still has some room for improvement. Its library could be better, and it needs to have some creative editing tools to customize the images as per demand.

Best suited for

Adobe Stock has many images and royalty-free stock, best suited for designers, photographers, and content marketers.

Licensing Model

It has an extended license model, which can be easily extensible by paying around $79.00. It has three license models: standard, enhanced and extended model. You can choose the license model based on your needs. In all the license models, you will get access to valuable assets for marketing purposes.

Latest news/changes/development

According to a recent Google trend analysis and trade comparison between Shutterstock and Adobe stock, it was clear that Adobe Stock has been gaining popularity within the last five years, or since 2015. Adobe Stock is constantly developing new tools to enhance the user experience. It has been improved, and more HD videos are included.

What is adobe stock on demand?

Pricing Plan

Adobe Stock Subscription
Screenshot: Adobe Subscription
Adobe Stock Credit Packs
Screenshot: Adobe Stock Credit Packs

Adobe Stock offers four subscription plans. This means you have four options to choose from based on the valuable assets such as 3, 40, 350, and 750 per month and annual basis. The pricing plans are as follows:

Subscription Plan SizeMonthlyAnnual
3 or 10 images$29.99$29.99
40 images$99.99$79.99
350 images$199.99$169.99
750 images$249.99$199.99


Shutterstock

Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock
Credit: Shutterstock home page

What is Shutterstock?

Shutterstock is an open-source platform that serves a large variety of visual content, images, and HD videos for those who work in the video industry, audio concepts, photography, design, and others. Here, you have more than 200 million multimedia files that you can adjust and edit according to your requirement.

This platform offers impressive tools and features that allow you to have custom images, add text, resize them and change the background.

Shutterstock is ideal for individuals and business entrepreneurs interested in downloading images and videos for their business purpose at affordable rates.

Features and Advantages

Unlike Adobe, Shutterstock has more extensive features, making it worthier enough to be used by business individuals and designers. The features offered by this platform are as follows:

  • Shutterstock has more than 360 million photos which is larger than Adobe Stocks.
  • You get royalty-free audio, videos, illustrations, and graphics for marketing content
  • It has built-in editing tools which help you to customize the images and videos to make them more appealing
  • Monthly credits are available to test the Shutterstock
  • It has easy integration and a quick sharing feature which allow you to share and download content easily

Areas Of Improvement

Shutterstock offers royalty-free images to buy and sell photos. In addition, it offers on-demand credits, illustrations, audio files, and other content for marketers and designers. Still, it has some scope for improvement; the HD video content can be improved. Moreover, its interface can be better.

Best suited for

Shutterstock is ideal for selling photos, videos, illustrations, and audio files. This platform is ideal for business vendors, photographers, content marketers, and others who need images and videos.

Licensing Model

It has two license models which you can choose easily based on your needs. The license model is based on royalty-free services and the number of images and content available to the users. Also, two extended license programs start from $63.9 and $99.50.

Latest news/changes/development

Recently, Shutterstock launched the one-fit plan at one flat price. The aim behind the introduction of the new plan is to pull the attention of small and medium businesses. Now, you will get a steady-state flow of HD shareable videos and images, including creative assets at one price. Moreover, they also introduced a one-stop multi-asset solution to meet the demand of all business models.

Pricing Plan

Shutterstock offers four distinctive subscription plans, which you can buy based on your needs. Moreover, you can commit to annual plans to save money. Unlike Adobe, it offers annually prepaid at discounted prices to enjoy royalty-free services.

Screenshot: Shutterstock Images Pricing
Plan SizeMonthlyAnnualAnnual (Prepaid)
10 images$49$29$25
50 images$125$99$82
350 images$199$169$137
750 images$249$199$167


Adobe Stock Vs Shutterstock: For Contributors

Adobe Stock and Shutterstock both run the contributors’ programs but with different payout systems. So, which one of these platforms is excellent for contributors to share their data and earn profit? Let’s have a look here to decide.

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay 
WebsiteAdobe StockShutterstock
Process of applyingSignup and start submitting your digital assetsSignup and start submitting your assets
Office Location South California, North America, San Francisco,Headquarter is in New York and San Francisco, Canada, and Australia
Size of the image acceptedLess than 45 MBLess than 20MB
Media acceptedPhoto, video, and illustratorsPhotos, Video, and Illustrators
Licenses Royalty-free license, extended licenseStandard, enhances an extended license royalty-free
Minimum payout$70Minimum $50 and Maximum up to $10,000
Payment methodsBank transfer, PayPal, and SkrillBank transfer, PayPal, and Skrill
Method of uploadingWebformWebform

Adobe Stock for Contributors

Adobe Stock Contributors

Earning/Payout Model

Adobe Stock runs various bonus programs for active members. Moreover, users will get free access to the cloud assets.

  • 33% royalties for high-quality images and 35% royalties for videos
  • The minimum payout will be improved with the increasing number of downloads
  • You will get a $0.38 commission on images which will maximize as the number of downloads increases.

Cameras That Can Be Used

A high-definition camera such as Canon is preferred to click the images and videos and sell on Adobe Stock.

Required Picture Quality Standards

Adobe Stock usually requires HD-quality pictures and high-resolution videos.

CameraThe raw image filename extensionCamera matching profile availableMinimum Camera Raw plug-in version requiredMinimum Lightroom version requiredMinimum Lightroom Classic version requiredMinimum Lightroom Perpetual version required
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)DNGNo13.44.410.4
Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)DNGNo13.44.410.4
Fujifilm GFX 50 S IIRAFYes13.44.410.4
Nikon Z FCNEFYes13.44.410.4

Shutterstock for Contributors

Shutterstock Contributors

Earning/Payout Model

The Shutterstock contributor program is specially designed for photographers and based on different levels.

  • Six separate levels ranging the commission from 40% to 60%
  • The promo codes offer a 15% discount

Cameras That Can Be Used

  • Sigma 24-70mm F2. …
  • Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS II USM.
  • Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens.
  • Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS.

Required Picture Quality Standards

Ideally, for Shutterstock, the required picture quality is high-definition, and high resolution such as 4K and 8K resolution is required.

  •  Sigma 24-70mm F2. …
  • Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS II USM.
  • Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens.
  • Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS.
  • Photo camera vector
  • Illustrator

Adobe Stock vs Shutterstock: Comparison

Ease Of Use & Setup

Well, here both platforms give tough competition to each other. So, here there will be a tie between Shutterstock and Adobe. Both platforms are easy to use and have a simple interface. However, Adobe is a bit simpler and has an easy setup. In comparison, the setup of Shutterstock is quite expanded.

Pricing

Shutterstock’s pricing plan is highly cost-effective as compared to Adobe. The subscription plan price starts from $299 for the basic plan, whereas the subscription plan for Shutterstock is a bit more cost-effective and starts from $199. In our verdict, the subscription plan for Shutterstock is far better.

Suitability

Adobe Stock is excellent for beginner-level photographers, bloggers, and small business individuals.

On the other hand, Shutterstock is good for small businesses, content planners, entrepreneurs, and many more. Besides that, it offers an extensive library that contains photo assets of more than 300 million. In comparison, Adobe Stock offers only 200 million digital assets.

Moreover, the Shutterstock subscription plan is better and offers a comparatively high commission. So, here, Shutterstock wins.

Is Adobe Stock Better Than Shutterstock?

Adobe Stock offers royalty-free images and is run by the most popular software such as Adobe, the developer of Adobe Illustrator, Creative apps, Adobe Effects, and others. It is excellent for those with access to the Adobe CC apps and provides variable integrations of the images via creative cloud integration.

This means when you are working as a content marketer, photographer, etc, then you can easily import and export images.

Plus, you get a free trial, so you can experience it. Moreover, you can easily discard those images which you don’t like.

Is Shutterstock Better Than Adobe Stock?

Shutterstock is also a royalty-free image site that can sell videos, images, and music. It is a reputable company and has partnered with various high-profile corporations such as AMC, Google, BuzzFeed, and many more.

It beats Adobe Stock in digital assets because it has 360 million images available at affordable prices. The only downside is, some of the sites show power reviews about the subscription plans and interface.

However, Shutterstock is a bit more impressive than Adobe Stock in terms of usage and variety of images.

Which One Is Growing and Has More Demand Than Other?

According to Google trends, customer reviews, and data evidence, the popularity of Adobe Stock is rising more than Shutterstock. Over the last five years or since 2015, if you see the record, you will see a steady increase in the popularity of Adobe Stock.

Whereas Shutterstock is constantly declining since 2017. However, in 2020, the stock of both agencies decreased due to the outbreak of COVID-19, which caused a decline in business expenditures as there is less demand for stock photos.

But now, in 2021, the trend has been increasing, and Adobe Stock tremendously increased its popularity as it continues to bring advancement and provide immersive tools. The creative cloud integration and attractive features further help to gain popularity.

What is better than Adobe Stock?

What is better than Shutterstock?

Top 5 Alternatives to Both

#1. Photocase

Photocase is an ideal imagery site for artistic photography at reasonable costs. It has extensive premium stock images and modern aesthetic designs that are a great trend in the market. The platform is reliable and responsive and has an affordable subscription plan.

#2. iStock

iStock is another best alternative to Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. It is well known for stock images and has millions of digital assets. You will have two main collections of high-resolution and exclusive files, including video and audio files.

#3. 99club

99club is the best Shutterstock alternative that is ideal for small and large businesses. Like Shutterstock, it offers an extensive library of images, videos, and illustrators. Plus, you get a yearly plan to get the images for less than $99.

#4. Low Volume

Low Volume is the perfect alternative to Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. It offers royalty-free images, which is perfect for small and medium-sized businesses. Plus, you only have to pay $199 per year to get the images.

#5. Canva Pro

Canva Pro is the best alternative to Shutterstock as it offers millions of digital assets, which is great for small and large businesses. The best thing about Canva Pro is you will enjoy the 30-day free trial, so you can try it before you have this.

Conclusion

Here we wrap out the detailed comparison between Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. But due to COVID-19, Shutterstock lost popularity, whereas Adobe Stock is constantly gaining popularity. Overall, Shutterstock is excellent for business individuals and marketers, and Adobe Stock is best for people who use Adobe apps and creative cloud integration.

To make an informed choice, we recommend you get the free trials and then decide which is best for you.


Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs

Adobe Stock

Yes, Adobe images are of high resolution, perfect for all kinds of use, including core technical, marketing, and media content.

Yes, Adobe has kept over 900,000 digital assets in the free category. Such assets include images, illustrations, videos, motion & design templates, and 3D assets. All these can be used during the 30-day free trial and also after you subscribe to it. Free assets come with a royalty-free commercial use license. In order to get free images, you need to create Adobe ID or log in with Adobe ID.

With Adobe Stock extended license, one can avail all rights of the Standard license. Moreover, it allows the reproduction of media copy or views a maximum of up to 500,000. Further, when the merchandise or product and Adobe assets jointly create a value proposition, then resale or distribution is allowed.

Surely, Adobe Stock membership offers great value to your business and online presence. First thing to remember, is that Adobe doesn’t allow low-quality images and allows only the best of the collection from creators. Must be remembered that Adobe is the pioneer in visual technologies, and such an excellent collection of digital assets is worth having. Important to realize that Adobe Stock also brings top-notch assets from Pond5, Fotolia.

Shutterstock

Yes, you can have a free trial before you purchase the subscription plan.

Comparison Related & Misc

Both are good on their own. But Shutterstock has more than 360 million digital assets, and Adobe Stock has only 200 million digital assets but has a smooth interface. So Adobe is ideal for beginner photographers, and Shutterstock is good for small and large businesses.

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