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22 Best Platforms To Sell Photos Online (2024 Version)

Are you interested in clicking pictures? Do you have minimum photography skills? Then you have an opportunity to sell photos online and make money.

But how? We will tell you, keep reading.

Have you ever wondered where all the pictures that you see on the internet come from? Let me tell you about it.

There are several stock websites on which people usually upload the pictures they click. Different companies/websites that require these pictures will buy them from such stock websites. Every time somebody buys a picture, a certain rate of commission is given to the owner of the picture (who clicked it).

This is how all the pictures you see on the internet are gathered. And also, this is how you can make money by selling your pictures on such websites.

All you need to have to sell photos online is a camera with good resolution and awesome photography skills.

In this article, we are going to provide you with details about a list of platforms on which you can sell photos online. But before that, let us know precisely how to actually do it.

 

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How To Sell Photos Online?

If you have a habit of clicking photos and good equipment to capture high-quality photos, then there are many websites and companies on the internet to whom you can sell your stock images.

As long as you are providing good work in photography, more companies will hire you as a professional photographer to work full-time with the company.

What if you got an opportunity from a company to join as a professional photographer and they tell you that your job is to travel the world and capture beautiful pictures with a camera? Crazy right?

Yes, such miracles also happen if your pictures are doing good in the market.

But before getting any such opportunities, as a photographer, you must have a website to advertise your work and showcase your portfolio. Don’t forget to watermark your pictures before displaying them on any website.

Rather than just advertising, you can also create a second stream of income for yourself by selling photos online through your website by harnessing the power of social media.

There are several ways of doing it but for now, let us know about the major online stock photo platforms where you can easily sell your photos and make a good amount of money.

Read More: How to Sell Stock Photos Online – A Complete Guide for Photographers.

 

Best Platforms to Make Money by Selling Photos Online

 

1. Shutterstock

Shutterstock is a famous platform for selling your photos online. They will pay you based on the number of downloads. You can continue earning a lifetime by selling more images on Shutterstock.

This platform also sells stock videos with resolutions of full HD and 4K quality.

Since its inception, Shutterstock has paid over $500 million to its contributor. Though you upload a photo to the marketplace, the copyright will still remain yours.

You can earn up to 30 percent of the sale price of your photos depending upon the size of the image. Currently, their payout starts at $0.25 and can go up to $120 for custom images.

There is also another way to make money from Shutterstock, which is you refer & earn. You can refer people who will buy photos; they will pay you 20% of the purchased cost, which can be up to $200.

 

2. iStock Photos

iStock is another best platform to sell your photos online. Not only photos, but you can also sell videos, illustrations, and audio.

This website, apart from providing you a platform to sell photos online, also gives you an idea of which type of photos are best to sell online. It guides you through different forums and resources to find how to sell your photos online.

To sell photos on this website, you need to apply before getting started. In the application process, you are required to submit a few sample works of yours by using the Getty Images app. As we all know, iStock photos and Getty images are partners you have a chance to get selected into either of the platforms.

They haven’t mentioned anything about how much you’ll be paid on the website, but it is stated that you’ll earn a percentage of every photo you sell.

 

3. Pixpa

Pixpa is another great platform for photographers to market their photography skills online. Using this platform, anyone with or without coding knowledge can create their own portfolio website and upload their photos.

Currently, Pixpa is helping more than 60,000 photographers and creatives around the world in growing their businesses online. This is like a godsend platform for both professional and part-time photographers to increase visibility for their business.

Wanna take your photography business to the next level, try Pixpa now.

 

4. Etsy

Esty is a well-known platform for everyone. This is a platform where you can sell photos, designs, wedding collections, arts, and many more.

Selling photos on Etsy is a great opportunity for photographers as this is a space where your work can be viewed by photography enthusiasts and potential customers.

An 8-inch-by-10-inch print, on average, is sold for around $30, though photographers need to factor in costs for printing, shipping, taxes, and Etsy’s 3.5 percent fee.

 

5. 500PX Prime

This is a Canada-based company. More than 5 million photographers list & sell their images on 500PX. However, you can keep your copyrights even if your photo is sold.

You can earn 60 percent royalties when you license your photos exclusively with their global distribution partners.

To start submitting your photos on 500PX, You can sign up for an account. It’s free.

 

6. Adobe Stock

This is a beautiful and well-reputed site for you to upload and sell your photos. It offers a royalty of 33 percent for photos and 35 percent for vector art. These royalties can be transferred to your bank account once you reach the threshold of $25.

If you use Adobe Stock, it is more likely that your photos will be noticed. This is because of Adobe’s app integration.

It is easy to upload your photos through adobe as you can use multiple ways like Adobe Lightroom CC, Adobe Bridge CC, or its other websites.

Adobe Stock has acquired one of the stock image platforms called Fotolia also. So all contributors of Fotolia are now Adobe Stock contributors.

 

7. SmugMug

The SmugMug Pro package is an alternative for PhotoShelter. You can showcase your work on a storefront using this platform and manage your orders for a yearly subscription.

SmugMug offers up to 85% of the revenue made from selling your photos. You can offer coupons and discounts using this platform to increase your sales.

This stock images website also provides a distinguished service of printing books, greeting cards, etc., for your snapshots.

 

8. 123RF

This site has over 110 million files to offer, with around 100,000 added every day. The royalties differ based on your contributions.

If your uploads are less than 999, then you’ll get 30 percent of royalty, whereas if your uploads are more than 1 million, then you can earn 60 percent royalty.

You can sign up here to use this platform.

 

9. Bigstock

This site will pay commissions based on the number of times your photos are downloaded, the image size they choose, and the customer’s subscription plan. Sign up here.

 

10. Animals Animals

Animals Animals is a rights-managed stock photography agency. Their comprehensive collection represents the entire animal kingdom as well as travel, landscapes, and other environmental themes.

You will earn 50% commissions on every sale of photos you submit.

They only accept high-quality photos of animals and nature. Check Now.

Also, check 21 Coolest Jobs Working With Animals (Jobs List for 2022).

 

11. CrowdFoto

This is an assignment-based photo selling platform.

Some people post their requirements for particular photos as an assignment. You have to choose one and shoot pictures with a phone or camera.

Upload your work; if your client likes it, then you will be paid €20 via PayPal.

 

12. Stockfresh

Stockfresh is a small stock photo agency that provides the best photos and vector illustrations.

They pay contributors online via PayPal and Skrill. If your earnings have reached $50, you can request a payout on your Earnings page. Earnings are normally sent every Monday unless there’s a holiday.

You can sign up for free here.

 

13. Dreamstime

This is a reputed platform in the stock photography world. It achieved this status by ensuring that all the uploads are reviewed to check if they meet high standards or not, therefore guaranteeing quality.

You will receive 20-25 percent royalty once your photos are approved. The royalties can increase to 60% on all photos if you sign an exclusivity contract with them. You will also receive a bonus of $0.20 for your first 100 approved photos to upload on signing this contract.

Your earnings will be based on the number of times your photos are downloaded. Join now.

 

14. Snapped4U

If you are a professional photographer, then Snapped4U is the best option for you.

If you photograph at different events, then you can use this platform to upload and sell your photos. You don’t need to worry about order processing, printing, and postage. Once you upload them on Sanpped4U, they will look after everything.

For each photo sold that costs $5 or less, you will be charged a $0.50 fee. They will charge a 10% commission if your photos get sold for $5 and above.

Do check, Best Platforms To Get Paid To Teach English Online.

 

15. Alamy

Alamy is one of the world’s biggest and most diverse stock photo collections. It has over 175 million stock images, vectors, videos, and 360-degree panoramic images.

This website has become such a success because it offers 50 percent royalty to its contributors for each photo sold. And 40 percent for those photos sold on other websites.

Alamy has, in this way, become the world’s largest marketplace for stock photos, with a large number of monthly visitors who are potential customers for your photos.

 

16. Can Stock Photo

This platform is a viable option to sell photos online if you are looking for an easy way. Once you upload three images on this website, you need to wait for 24 hrs for approval to start selling.

CanStock Photo uploads your photos to one of the largest stock photo databases called Fotosearch when you upload a photo to their site.

Through this platform, you can earn up to 50 percent royalty. To withdraw your earnings into Paypal, the balance should reach $50, and if you want a mailed check, the balance must be $100.

 

17. Stocksy

Stocksy is a new platform in the photo selling field, but the business model of this company has already attracted many professional photographers.

They are very good at payouts. They offer a 50% royalty on your photos. You need to apply if you want to sell your photos on their website.

The application process involves uploading 25 photos that you have clicked along with some personal information.

Once you are approved, you can expect royalties ranging from 50-75 percent. Note that Stocksy requires all your photos to be exclusive.

 

18. Crestock

Crestock is another platform to sell your stock images online.

This also pays up to 20 – 40% commissions on each sale of your photos.

You can register and upload your photos. they will review and approve if your work is good.

Check: Best Platforms To Get Paid To Test Websites From Home.

 

19. Shutterpoint

This site pays the highest among all the stock imagery sites.

This is also free to join to sell your photos. They will pay up to 85% of commissions on sales.

 

20. BlueMelon

BlueMelon is also a good platform to sell your photos online.

You can integrate your social media profiles, blog, or website to upload your pictures.

This site pays up to 40% of royalties on your photos.

 

21. FineArtAmerica

It is an amazing place to sell your photos online. Here you can sell photos as a canvas prints, posters, framed prints, metal prints, acrylic prints, greeting cards, phone cases, and more.

When you sell a photo, the order will be fulfilled by the company, including the type of printing the customer requires. However, you need to pay FineArtAmerica a base price to produce the preferred type of printing.

You can make profits by increasing the sale price of the final product.

 

22. Selling Photos Online through your own Website

This is the ultimate option to make more money by selling your images. Because

  • You will get 100% royalty.
  • You can set your own prices.
  • This will give you control over your customers.
  • You can write your own terms and conditions.
  • This is also helpful for your brand awareness. Later you can use it to earn more money by guiding new people and selling photography courses.

Fotomoto is a platform for photographers who sell their photos through their own websites. It prints, packs, and ships your photo to your customer so that you can relax and concentrate on your art.

You just need to copy and paste Fotomoto’s code onto your website and start selling online. However, you need to pay 22 percent in transaction fees though the basic subscription is free.

 

So, We are at the end of this article and hope this article helps you to find some best platforms to sell your stock photos to make money online.

 

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Clipping Path Service

Friday 15th of October 2021

Yes Shutterstock is #1 for this type of business. Thank you very much for making the list.

Siva Mahesh

Wednesday 20th of October 2021

You're welcome!

Roslin

Wednesday 5th of May 2021

Wow, that’s an amazing and elaborated list to make money online. I enjoyed reading your content also found it very helpful.

Siva Mahesh

Thursday 6th of May 2021

Thank you, Roslin. I'm glad you liked it.

Shirley Deatherage

Friday 1st of January 2021

I love doing photography everyone always tells me I should be a photographer so this would be a good beginning ,Godbless

Leslie Gastellum

Tuesday 15th of May 2018

Keep it up, wonderful job! Just the thing I had to have.

Siva Mahesh

Tuesday 15th of May 2018

Thank You, Leslie! Keep Reading CashMakersClub.