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If you have dozens of quality photos and are keen on photography, gain some money by monetizing your photos. One of the easiest ways is by selling them. However, the thousands of other people who are just like that. So how to sell photo online that really could give you money? Follow the writing below.
Recommended sites to sell photos online
- Shutterstock
- Well-known microstock site with 20-30% royalties
- Paid $1+ billion to contributors
- Upload lots of photos to increase earnings
- Affiliate program for referrals
- Getty Images
- Leading premium stock photo marketplace
- Attracts major brands seeking exclusive images
- 5 million+ creative customers worldwide
- Stricter application standards but higher commissions
- Start at 20% royalties for quality submissions
- iStock Photo
- Getty Images non-exclusive microstock site
- 15-45% commissions on licenses
- Sell photos elsewhere non-exclusively
- Apply to contribute samples first
- Adobe Stock
- Built into Adobe Creative software suites
- Upload and manage photos from Lightroom/Bridge
- 33% royalties when linking Adobe ID
- Stocksy
- Stock photo platform focused on high contributor payouts
- 50% standard license royalties, 75% extended
- Photos must be exclusive to Stocksy
- Photographer-owned co-op model
- Option for profit sharing and direction input
- Can Stock Photo
Popular sites to sell photos online
Besides those sites, there are so many other sites that people like to use to sell photos online :
- 100K+ contributing photographers
- Percentage and fixed fee structures
- Also lists photos on partner site Fotosearch
- Alamy
- Huge library of 300+ million stock photos, vectors, and videos
- Provides mobile app Stockimo to sell phone photos
- Multiple commission models from 17-50% royalties
- No long-term contracts, paid monthly in various currencies
- SmugMug
- Build an online portfolio and print store
- Keep 85% profit on print sales
- Tools for selling stock photos
- Choose one of three paid membership plans
- 500px
- Stock licensing and photography community platform
- Millions of contributing photographers
- Distribution to 1+ million creative customers
- Follow and interact with other photographers
- Up to 100% royalties for paid members
- Dreamstime
- Leading stock agency since 2000
- 50M+ registered members, 1M+ contributors
- Up to 60% royalties for exclusive images
- 25-45% commissions non-exclusively
- Envato Elements
- Robust stock site to connect with clients
- Sell on the branded platform or mobile app
- 50% share of total subscription revenue
- Foap
- Community of 3M+ creative photographers
- Photo contests for brand clients
- Win cash prizes for the best images
- Big company clients: KraftHeinz, Nivea, Volvo
- EyeEm
- Focused on commercial stock photography
- Major brand clients like Apple and Spotify
- Enable customers to book photoshoots through the site
- Syndicate to Getty Images for exposure
- Up to 55% license revenue share
Ways to sell photos online
Dozens of the listed sites above have different schemes for paying their contributors. Generally, there are answers on how to sell photo online.
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Stock Licensing Platforms
The most popular method is to license your photos through stock agencies like Shutterstock, Getty Images, Alamy, etc. They distribute your photos to brands and take a commission, paying you royalties on each sale. It’s great for building passive income but exclusivity requirements and commission percentages vary.
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Your Own Online Print Store
Use sites like SmugMug, Zenfolio, or Pixieset to create a customizable portfolio website and integrated print store. You set prices, fulfill orders, pay a subscription fee, and take a commission. It allows creative control to showcase your brand.
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On-Demand Platforms
Microstock platforms like iStock and niche marketplaces like Foap allow you to upload images for licenses or contests. Earnings per photo are lower but opportunities for volume. Foap has photo contests and missions where brands crowdsource images.
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Co-ops and Profit Sharing
Co-owned platforms like Stocksy give photographers part-ownership and decision-making in exchange for exclusive content. It offers higher royalties and the potential for sharing profits.
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Integrated Ad Sites
If you use Adobe for editing, Adobe Stock seamlessly integrates image management and licensing. Envato Elements connects your work with clients while uploading to their branded platform.
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Exposure and Bookings
EyeEm and others provide exposure to commercial clients. You can get booked for shoots in addition to license royalties. It allows you to make connections.
Conclusion
Selling photos on online platforms can be a lucrative endeavor for photographers seeking to monetize their work. With the growing demand for visual content across various industries, online platforms offer a global marketplace where photographers can showcase their creativity and reach a vast audience.
There are many ways to monetize your photos online. The keys are finding sites that align with your niche and audience, and meeting technical and exclusivity requirements. Another answer on how to sell photo online is by leveraging a mix of distribution channels to maximize both royalties and creative control over your content.
Have you ever sold your photos online? If the answer is yes, make sure to share it on the comment below and let us know how profitable it is for you!
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