The best microstock sites for selling photos, illustrations, footage, flash

khiepoet
In the following article I have written down some details about the best microstock sites for photographers and graphic artists. If you are just a beginner in the microstock world, then I can recommend you to start with Dreamstime and after you have a portfolio about 50 images, try your luck on the Shutterstock.

The best selling sites

I created a graph, where you can compare the earnings according to the portfolio size:
All data are from my portfolios on microstock sites from the last year (2008). As you can see, my best (and not only mine) site is Shutterstock.

Shutterstock is the microstock agency with the biggest portfolio (more than 6 mil. images) and with the biggest selling potential for contributors – Shutterstock generates for me the biggest income. This site is based on subscription model, so the prices for one sale are one of the smallest (but the number of sales is amazing).
They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format), footage
Registration page: Shutterstock

Plus

  • The biggest income – see the graph above
  • Quick sales – first sales comes within few hours after accepting your images
  • Short pending times – from few hours to one or two days

Minus

  • You have to add new images every week; otherwise the sales will go down quite quickly
  • It is hard to be accepted (most of the contributors have to try it several times) – the image inspectors are really tough when reviewing yours first ten pictures.
You can read more about this agency in the Shutterstock category of this site

They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format)
Registration page: Dreamstime

Plus

  • The easiest microstock agency for start selling photos and illustrations
  • Older pictures are still selling well

Minus

  • Sometimes a bigger reviewing time – one week and more
You can read more about this agency in the Dreamstime category of this site

They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format), footage
Registration page: Stockxpert

Plus

  • Older pictures are still selling well

Minus

  • At the beginning they want 3 sample files for review


Quite a good site – from autumn 2008 the sales went up
They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, svg format), footage
Registration page: Fotolia

Plus

  • No review at the beginning – you don’t have to send them sample files
  • Older pictures are still selling well

Minus

  • Smaller sales
  • Quite small commissions for non exclusive members/pictures
  • Vectors must be in SVG format
You can read more about this agency in the Fotolia category of this site

I have no illustrations there yet and also only few photos (because of the tough reviewers). But iStock is one of the top agencies with the best content and also the earnings per one picture is one of the highest.
They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format), footage, flash, audio
Registration page: iStockphoto

Plus

  • For somebody the best agency – lot of benefits for exclusive members
  • The highest earnings per one image

Minus

  • Tough registration – you have to pass the test and then send 3 sample files (if you are not accepted, you can repeat after one week, then after 2 weeks, then after month, two months, six months, one year…) and the reasons for rejection are not described well.
  • Even if you pass, the reviewers are still tough – more than 50% of my photos (which are selling well on other sites) were not accepted.
  • Complicated system for submitting photos and even more complicated for illustrations.
You can read more about this agency in the iStockPhoto category of this site

They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format)
Registration page: BigStockPhoto

Plus

  • No review at the beginning – you don’t have to send them sample files

Minus

  • Smaller sales
  • Longer approval times

They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format)
Registration page: 123RF

Plus

  • They accept nearly everything
  • You don’t need to select categories – one of the quickest submitting system

Minus

  • Small sales

I have here quite a small portfolio, so I will add some info later.
They accept: photos, illustrations (jpg, eps format), flash
Registration page: Crestock

Plus

  • You don’t need to select categories

Minus

  • Small sales
  • Tough reviewers


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