Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock Earnings Comparison
Estimate and compare your contributor earnings on Shutterstock and Adobe Stock over 12 months based on portfolio size, download rates and royalties.
Which Agency Pays Your Portfolio More?
Enter your portfolio size, monthly uploads and the average downloads and royalty you earn on each platform. The calculator projects 12-month income and earnings per image.
Stock Earnings Estimator
Portfolio size multiplied by sales rate and royalty drives income.
Understanding Stock Earnings
Key concepts for contributors
Earnings Formula
Monthly earnings = Images × Downloads per image × Average royalty per download.
Portfolio Growth
New uploads raise the image count each month, compounding income over time.
Royalty Differences
Shutterstock pays by contributor tier and licence type, while Adobe Stock pays around a third of the sale price.
Quality And Keywords
Strong, relevant keywords and commercially useful subjects drive downloads far more than quantity.
Typical Stock Earnings Data
Illustrative ranges. Actual results vary by niche and quality.
| Metric | Shutterstock | Adobe Stock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical royalty per download | $0.10 – $0.45 | $0.20 – $0.50 | Varies by licence |
| Downloads per image/month | 0.01 – 0.10 | 0.01 – 0.12 | Niche dependent |
| Per image per year | $0.50 – $5 | $0.50 – $6 | Top images earn more |
| Payout threshold | $35 | $25 | Check current terms |
| Video clips | Higher royalty | Higher royalty | Greater income per sale |
| Typical Mid Portfolio | 1,000 images | $30 – $200 / month | Grows with uploads |
Shutterstock vs Adobe Calculator FAQ
Answers to common questions about this calculator.
It varies by contributor and niche. Adobe Stock often pays a higher share per sale, while Shutterstock can have more sales volume in some categories.
Yes, if licence terms allow. Non-exclusive contributors usually earn more by selling across multiple agencies.
Income scales with portfolio size. Many contributors see meaningful income with 1,000 or more relevant, high-quality images.
No. Use your own sales data for the most accurate projection.