Trying to decide between Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock for your stock photo needs? Read our comprehensive comparison to find out which platform is right for you.
Are you looking for the best stock photo site for your creative projects? With so many options available, it can be difficult to choose. In this article, we’ll compare two of the most popular stock photo sites, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock, to help you decide which one is right for you. We’ll look at their features, pricing, and benefits, so you can make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Stock photo sites have become essential for any creative project that requires high-quality images, videos, or graphics. Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are two of the most popular options on the market, providing millions of images and videos to choose from. In this article, we’ll compare these two sites to help you determine which one is the best fit for your needs.
2. What is Shutterstock?
Shutterstock is a stock photo site that provides a vast collection of images, videos, and music. They offer both subscription plans and on-demand purchases, making it easy to find and purchase the content you need. Shutterstock has been around since 2003 and is one of the largest stock photo sites in the world, with over 350 million images available.
3. What is Adobe Stock?
Adobe Stock is a stock photo site that is integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud, making it an excellent choice for designers and creatives who use Adobe software. They offer high-quality images, videos, and templates, making it easy to find the perfect assets for your projects. Adobe Stock was launched in 2015 and has quickly become one of the leading stock photo sites.
4. Features Comparison: Shutterstock vs Adobe stock
Image Library
Shutterstock has over 350 million images, videos, and music tracks in its library, making it one of the largest stock photo sites in the world. Adobe Stock, on the other hand, has a smaller library of around 90 million images and videos.
Search Capabilities
Both Shutterstock and Adobe Stock have robust search capabilities, allowing users to search for images by keyword, color, orientation, and more. However, Adobe Stock has an advantage in this area, as it can search for images by specific Adobe software, making it easy to find assets that are compatible with your projects.
Image Quality
Both sites offer high-quality images, but Shutterstock has an advantage in this area. They have a team of editors who review every image uploaded to the site, ensuring that they meet the highest standards of quality.
Licensing Options
Both sites offer standard and extended licensing options for their images and videos. However, Shutterstock also offers an enhanced licensing option, which provides additional usage rights for images.
Integration with Other Software
Adobe Stock has an advantage in this area, as it is integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud. This means that designers and creatives who use Adobe software can easily search for and license images directly within their workflow, without having to switch to a separate website or platform.
5. Pricing Comparison
Subscription Plans
Shutterstock and Adobe Stock both offer subscription plans that allow users to download a certain number of images per month. Shutterstock’s plans start at $29 per month for 10 images, while Adobe Stock’s plans start at $29.99 per month for 10 images.
On-Demand Purchases
Both sites also offer on-demand purchases, allowing users to buy individual images as needed. Shutterstock’s on-demand pricing starts at $9.16 per image, while Adobe Stock’s on-demand pricing starts at $9.99 per image.
Free Trials
Shutterstock offers a free trial that allows users to download up to 10 images for free during a period of one month. Adobe Stock also offers a free trial, which provides users with 10 free images for a period of one month.
6. Benefits of Shutterstock
Large Image Library
Shutterstock’s library is one of the largest in the world, providing users with a vast selection of images, videos, and music tracks to choose from.
Flexible Subscription Plans
Shutterstock offers a range of subscription plans to suit different needs and budgets, allowing users to choose the plan that works best for them.
Enhanced License Options
Shutterstock’s enhanced license option provides additional usage rights for images, making it easier for users to use the content in a wider range of projects.
Low Prices
Shutterstock’s prices are generally lower than those of Adobe Stock, making it a more affordable option for users on a tight budget.
7. Benefits of Adobe Stock
Integration with Creative Cloud
Adobe Stock’s integration with Adobe Creative Cloud makes it easy for designers and creatives to find and license images directly within their workflow.
High-Quality Images
Adobe Stock’s images are of high quality and are curated by a team of editors, ensuring that they meet the highest standards of quality.
Competitive Pricing
Although Adobe Stock’s prices are slightly higher than Shutterstock’s, they are still competitive, especially for users who require a large number of images.
Creative Community
Adobe Stock has a thriving creative community, which provides users with access to inspiration, tutorials, and tips for using the site’s assets.
8. Drawbacks of Shutterstock
Lack of Unique Content
Shutterstock’s library is so large that it can be difficult to find unique or original content, as many images have been used multiple times.
Limited Free Trial
Shutterstock’s free trial only provides users with 10 images, which may not be enough for users who need to test the site’s assets thoroughly before committing to a subscription.
Slow Customer Support
Shutterstock’s customer support can be slow, which can be frustrating for users who need assistance with a problem or issue.
9. Drawbacks of Adobe Stock
No Enhanced Licensing Options
Unlike Shutterstock, Adobe Stock does not offer an enhanced licensing option, which may be a drawback for users who need additional usage rights for their images.
Limited Search Capabilities
Although Adobe Stock’s search capabilities are robust, they are limited to searching for images by Adobe software, which may not be useful for users who do not use Adobe products.
No Extended License Options
Adobe Stock does not offer an extended license option, which may be a drawback for users who need to use images in a wider range of projects.
10. Conclusion
Both Shutterstock
and Adobe Stock are excellent choices for users who need high-quality images for their projects. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, so the choice ultimately comes down to the user’s needs and preferences.
Shutterstock has a larger library of images and lower prices, making it a great option for users on a tight budget who need a wide range of assets. Its flexible subscription plans and enhanced licensing options also make it a popular choice for many users.
On the other hand, Adobe Stock’s integration with Adobe Creative Cloud and high-quality images make it an excellent choice for designers and creatives who use Adobe software. Its competitive pricing and thriving creative community are also notable advantages.
In summary, both Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are reliable options for users in need of quality stock images. It’s important to consider the specific features and pricing of each platform before making a decision.
- Adobe Stock – The official website for Adobe Stock, one of the platforms being compared in the article: https://stock.adobe.com/
- Shutterstock – The official website for Shutterstock, the other platform being compared in the article: https://www.shutterstock.com/
- Digital Photography School – A popular photography website that offers tips and tutorials on photography, editing, and more: https://digital-photography-school.com/
- Canva – A popular graphic design tool that integrates with both Shutterstock and Adobe Stock and can be used to create visual content: https://www.canva.com/
- Creative Bloq – A website dedicated to graphic design, web design, and other creative fields: https://www.creativebloq.com/
FAQs
- Are Shutterstock and Adobe Stock the only stock photo websites available?
- No, there are many other stock photo websites available such as Getty Images, iStock, and Depositphotos.
- Can I use Shutterstock or Adobe Stock images for commercial use?
- Yes, both platforms provide licenses that allow for the commercial use of their images.
- How many images can I download with a Shutterstock or Adobe Stock subscription?
- This depends on the subscription plan. Both platforms offer different plans with varying numbers of images per month.
- Is there a limit to how many times I can use an image from Shutterstock or Adobe Stock?
- No, there is no limit to the number of times you can use an image. However, it’s important to adhere to the terms of the license agreement for each image.
- Can I cancel my subscription to Shutterstock or Adobe Stock at any time?
- Yes, both platforms allow users to cancel their subscriptions at any time. It’s important to check the terms of the subscription to understand any cancellation fees or restrictions.
