How much do stock photo sites pay per sale?

 The amount stock photo sites pay per sale depends on various factors such as the platform, the type of license, your contributor level, and whether the image is sold as part of a subscription or as a one-time purchase. Here's a breakdown of what some popular stock photo sites pay per sale:

### 1. **Shutterstock**
   - **Payment Structure**: Shutterstock pays contributors based on a tiered royalty system, which increases as you sell more images.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - **Subscription Sale**: $0.10 to $0.38 per image (depending on your lifetime earnings).
     - **On-Demand Sale**: $1.88 to $3.30 per download.
     - **Enhanced License**: Higher-end sales with larger payouts, ranging from $28 to $120+ per sale.
   - **Payout Range**: $0.10 to $120 per image.

### 2. **Adobe Stock**
   - **Payment Structure**: Adobe Stock pays contributors 33% royalties on the sale price of their images.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - **Standard License**: Earnings typically range from $0.33 to $3.30 for standard sales.
     - **Extended License**: Earnings can go up to $25 or more for extended licenses.
   - **Payout Range**: $0.33 to $25+ per image.

### 3. **Getty Images**
   - **Payment Structure**: Getty offers two types of licensing: royalty-free and rights-managed. They pay contributors between 15% and 20% of the sale price.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - **Royalty-Free**: You can earn anywhere from $0.50 to $500+ per image, depending on the use and client.
     - **Rights-Managed**: These licenses allow for higher payouts, sometimes in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, based on the image usage.
   - **Payout Range**: $0.50 to $500+ for royalty-free images, more for rights-managed sales.

### 4. **iStock by Getty Images**
   - **Payment Structure**: iStock offers two contributor levels: Exclusive and Non-Exclusive.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - **Non-Exclusive Contributors**: 15% royalty per sale.
     - **Exclusive Contributors**: 25% to 45% royalty per sale, depending on the type of sale and your contributor level.
   - **Payout Range**: $0.10 to $50 or more, depending on the license type and whether you are an exclusive contributor.

### 5. **Alamy**
   - **Payment Structure**: Alamy pays contributors up to 50% of the sale price for non-exclusive images and 60% for exclusive images.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - Depending on the license and the resolution, payouts typically range from $15 to $200+ for high-quality images.
   - **Payout Range**: $15 to $200+ per image.

### 6. **Depositphotos**
   - **Payment Structure**: Depositphotos uses a tiered system where royalties increase as you sell more images.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - **Subscription Sale**: $0.30 to $0.70 per image.
     - **On-Demand Sale**: $5 to $10 per image.
     - **Extended License**: Up to $30 or more per sale.
   - **Payout Range**: $0.30 to $30+ per image.

### 7. **Dreamstime**
   - **Payment Structure**: Dreamstime offers royalties ranging from 25% to 50% for non-exclusive contributors, with higher rates for exclusive contributors.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - Standard downloads pay $0.35 to $12, while exclusive images and extended licenses can pay much more.
   - **Payout Range**: $0.35 to $40 or more, depending on the license type and exclusivity.

### 8. **500px**
   - **Payment Structure**: 500px uses a royalty system where contributors earn 30% for non-exclusive sales and 60% for exclusive content.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - **Royalty-Free Sale**: $35 for web-sized images, $150 for print-sized images.
     - **Exclusive Content**: Payouts can be higher due to exclusivity.
   - **Payout Range**: $35 to $150 or more per image.

### 9. **Pond5 (For Stock Videos and Photos)**
   - **Payment Structure**: Pond5 offers contributors 50% of the sale price for non-exclusive content, and up to 60% for exclusive content.
   - **Earnings Per Download**:
     - Payouts vary depending on the content and licensing, but photographers have control over setting their own prices.
   - **Payout Range**: Typically $5 to $200 or more per image.

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### Key Factors Influencing Earnings:
1. **License Type**: Extended or enhanced licenses usually yield higher payouts compared to standard royalty-free licenses.
2. **Exclusivity**: Many platforms offer higher payouts for exclusive content.
3. **Image Quality and Demand**: Higher-quality, in-demand images tend to sell more often and at higher prices.
4. **Subscription vs. On-Demand Sales**: Subscription-based platforms (like Shutterstock) often result in lower per-download earnings, but they offer higher volume.

### Summary
- **Low-end Sales**: For subscription models, you might earn as little as $0.10 to $1 per image.
- **Mid-range Sales**: For on-demand purchases or standard licenses, expect $1 to $50 per image.
- **High-end Sales**: Extended licenses and exclusive images can earn $50 to several hundred dollars per sale.

To maximize your earnings, it's helpful to submit high-quality, diverse images across multiple platforms and consider submitting exclusive content for higher payouts.