Looking to earn extra cash online with your photography skills?”
Did you know you can earn extra cash by selling photos online?
Whether you’re just starting out with your phone camera or a pro with a DSLR, you can turn your hobby into a significant source of income.
Once you’ve captured those stunning photos, it’s time to dive in! Here are 19 websites where you can sell your photos online.
How to Start Selling Photos Online
1. Define Your Niche
What types of photos do you excel at? Whether it’s landscapes, portraits, wildlife, or something else, identifying your niche will help you target the right audience and stand out in a crowded market.
2. Gather Your Best Work and Organize
Take the time to curate a collection of your best photos. Organize your photos into folders of different categories to streamline the uploading process and make it easier.
3. Choose Your Platform (Set Up Your Online Store and Price Your Photos)
Select a platform to showcase and sell your photos. Consider factors such as audience reach, commission rates, and ease of use when choosing the right platform for your needs.
(Research the platform’s store operations and photo pricing ranges.)
4. Write Compelling Descriptions
Write engaging and informative descriptions for each photo to entice potential buyers.
5. Promote Your Store
Take proactive steps to promote your online store and attract potential buyers. Utilize social media, email marketing, and other channels to reach a wider audience and drive traffic to your store.
Analyze the best-selling photos, study market trends, and experiment with various sales strategies or growth directions.
6. Stay Inspired and Keep Shooting
By staying passionate and dedicated, you’ll be well on your way to building a thriving online photography business.
This article features 19 websites where you can sell photos online, catering to everyone from novices to professionals. You can select the online photo sales platform that best fits your needs. Attached are Similarweb’s Global Rank and Industry Rank for your reference.
While a website with high traffic may offer greater exposure, it may not always be the best fit for your needs. It’s essential to consider factors such as the website’s focus, your photographic style, and the pricing model when making a decision.
Take into account the potential earnings from exclusive versus non-exclusive licensing arrangements. Exclusive licensing typically offers higher royalties but restricts your images to a single platform. On the other hand, non-exclusive licensing allows you to list your photos on multiple platforms, potentially reaching a broader audience.
Pixabay
Pixabay is an exception. It is not an online photo sales website.
In fact, Pixabay operates on a model where contributors can upload their photos for free, and users can download and use these images for free as well. Does not offer direct sales commissions to photographers for their contributions.
But because of its business model and high traffic, it is an excellent exposure website for novice photographers.
Benefits include exposure and recognition, building a free portfolio (For example, photographers can use their Pixabay portfolio to showcase their work and attract clients on freelance websites, stock photography agencies, or their own website.), interactive collaboration, donations ( Pixabay allows users to donate to contributors as a gesture of appreciation for their free contributions.)
Pixabay does not offer sales commissions as it provides free stock photos. However, photographers can still benefit from exposure, recognition, and portfolio building by contributing high-quality images to the platform.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #1,206
Industry rank(Photography) #6
You can PIN this article and come back anytime for find.
Microstock Sales
Users can browse the gallery to find the photo materials they need. If they find the materials you provide and are interested, they can purchase, download, and use them.
Adobe Stock stands out as one of the premier destinations within the stock photography industry.
It’s widely recognized and utilized by designers who rely on Adobe Creative Cloud software. The seamless integration with Adobe’s design tools streamlines the workflow, making it easier for users to access and license content. With a global presence, Adobe Stock caters to customers and contributors worldwide.
The platform upholds strict standards for content quality and relevance. Each image undergoes thorough review processes to ensure that only the finest assets are available to users.
- Commission Structure (Detail)
Earn 33% royalties when you sell images.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #1,896,181
Industry rank(Photography) #5,921
(To be honest, I’m a bit surprised by this data, but it doesn’t change my opinion that it’s a great platform. I frequently download pictures from here.)
Shutterstock is undeniably one of the leading large image galleries in the industry. It boasts an extensive reach and provides access to a global audience, making it an ideal choice for professional photographers aiming to optimize their earnings.
You’ll often come across advertisements featuring Shutterstock images in numerous free libraries. During my research, I found varying opinions regarding its standards. Some individuals felt they were too stringent, while others believed that as long as the images met the platform’s requirements, the composition review wasn’t overly strict. Personally, I’ve submitted some photos and feel they align more with the latter category.
- Commission Structure (Earnings Rate Table)
”When you sell more, you earn more. Your earnings rate increases as more of your content is licensed.” by Shutterstock
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #620
Industry rank(Photography) #2
The Contributor support for both platforms leads to the same page. Additionally, Getty Images is the parent company of iStock, so they are grouped together.
Getty Images and iStock are widely regarded as two of the largest and most influential stock photo companies in the industry. They provide access to premium clients and projects, making them ideal for professional photographers seeking prestigious opportunities.
Applications are only accepted through the app, so you’ll need to download the Getty Images mobile app to apply (How to apply).
- Commission Structure (Royalty rates)
Depending on your Contributor Agreement, you will earn a royalty between 15% and 45% on each file license.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #1,157
Industry rank(Photography) #3
Dreamstime is a well-known and reputable stock photography platform in the industry, with a long history as an established player. It boasts a vast collection of millions of high-quality images, illustrations, vectors, and videos, covering a wide range of subjects, themes, and styles.
It continues to be a trusted choice for both contributors looking to monetize their work and buyers seeking high-quality visual content for their creative projects.
- Commission Structure (Earnings for registered users)
Contributors receive 25-50% revenue share for each transaction, calculated based on the net amount of the transaction. Exclusive files receive an additional 10% bonus. Exclusive contributors enjoy a 60% revenue share for all sales and an additional bonus of $0.20 for each approved submission. An upload bonus of $0.20 is awarded for the first 100 approved files in all circumstances. If your download rate is higher than 0.1, this upload bonus is awarded only for the first 10,000 approved files.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #3,432
Industry rank(Photography) #16
Alamy, founded in 1999, stands as one of the longest-standing stock photography agencies in the industry, boasting over 20 years of rich experience and accumulated expertise.
“Become an Alamy contributor and see your work used by picture buyers globally—from newspapers and books to billboards, TV shows and websites—you’ll earn up to 50% commission for each use (100% if you’re a student!). ” by Alamy
- Commission Structure (Alamy Commission Table)
Up to 50% commission split for Exclusive images Up to 40% commission split for Non-exclusive images Distribution offer: You can receive up to 24% commission on all distribution sales (can opt out every April)
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #3,725
Industry rank(Photography) #19
Depositphotos welcomes a wide range of content from contributors, offering access to a global audience and the potential for recurring sales. Their “Become a Depositphotos Contributor” page emphasizes that both professional photographers and beginners and amateur photographers are welcome to contribute.
Novice photographers need not worry, as long as they meet the platform’s requirements for photo files, they can give it a try.
- Commission Structure
The price for images is standard and is set by Depositphotos exclusively. A Contributor’s Level is determined by the number of a Contributor’s files sold on our website. The more sales you have, the higher your Contributor’s Level. Hence, the higher your Contributor’s Level, the bigger your royalties. (From 30% to 38%) (CONTRIBUTOR’S LEVEL & ROYALTIES FOR PHOTOS AND VECTOR IMAGES)
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #4,115
Industry rank(Photography) #20
500px offers a mobile app that enables photographers to upload and sell their photos directly from their smartphones. The platform collaborates directly with two exclusive distribution partners: Getty Images and Visual China Group (VCG).
Additionally, 500px provides a guide on how to increase the chances of your photos being accepted, helping photographers optimize their submissions for success. (Quality and technical requirements)
500px Prime is tailored for advanced and experienced professionals looking to showcase their best work and connect with a premium audience. The platform offers a dedicated page for individuals to showcase their portfolios and provides integration with Google Analytics to track performance metrics.
- Commission Structure (Royalty rate)
Exclusive Content: Paid Membership (Pro or Awesome): Contributors earn 100% net of every license purchased on all exclusive content. Free Membership: Contributors earn 60% net of every license purchased on all exclusive content. Non-Exclusive Content: Contributors earn 25% net on non-exclusive licenses purchased. This division allows contributors to choose between exclusive and non-exclusive options based on their membership status, with varying commission rates for each.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #9,482
Industry rank(Photography) #32
123RF is a copyright-free photo gallery website founded in 2005, and headquartered in Hong Kong. The platform offers a point package method or a subscription system for downloading photos.
- Commission Structure (123RF Commission Structure)
Different prices can be obtained according to Contributor Level and License Point.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #4,906
Industry rank(Photography) #21
EyeEm Market offers a platform for photographers to sell their images to a global audience and collaborates with numerous reputable imaging companies for image licensing partnerships. It serves as a bridge between photographers and brands, agencies, and individuals seeking high-quality images for various purposes. (EyeEm Image Licensing Partners)
Contributors can save time by batch uploading via their desktops, leveraging the web uploader to automatically keyword their images and submit them for sale.
- Commission Structure (percentage)
Photographers earn a 50% commission on each photo sold on EyeEm Market.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #55,195
Industry rank(Photography) #190
“PhotoDune is part of Envato Market. At PhotoDune you can buy and sell royalty-free photographs and images starting at just $1. Items are priced on the size/megapixels of each file; the total price also includes a Buyer Fee. “ BY PhotoDune
However, its sales model differs from Envato Elements. It operates on a single-price purchase system rather than a subscription download model, with prices set by the seller.
- Commission Structure (Fixed Buyer Fees for PhotoDune)
The price is determined by the seller, but the platform will apply a Buyer Fee. Sellers should take this into consideration when setting their prices.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #250,404
Industry rank(Arts_and_Entertainment) #2,473
Foap offers a user-friendly platform that enables anyone with a smartphone to upload and sell their photos. It provides versatile licensing options for buyers, including both commercial and editorial licenses. Additionally, Foap serves as a platform for photographers to receive feedback and recognition from other users within the community. This feedback can be invaluable for improving skills, refining techniques, and understanding what types of images are in demand among buyers. It provides opportunities for photographers to earn income from their images and gain experience in the stock photography market.
- Commission Structure (how much will I get for it?)
The prices for photos on the Foap Market are fixed. When someone purchases your photo, they will pay $10. Photographers earn a 50% commission on each photo. One unique feature of Foap is its Missions board, where users can find tasks and assignments to complete. These missions often offer relatively high bonuses or remuneration for successfully fulfilling the requirements.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #277,129
Industry rank(Computers_Electronics_and_Technology) #30,968
Zoonar, a rapidly growing stock photo agency based in Hamburg, Germany, has been offering a commission share of 50% since 2006.With over 10,720,170 images available on the website, Zoonar has been in operation for more than ten years. The website exudes a small but beautiful feeling.
One notable aspect of Zoonar is the high level of flexibility it offers creators, particularly in terms of pricing and choosing distribution channels. Additionally, the overall user experience and explanation provided by the platform are simple and clear.
- Commission Structure
There are three pricing options available, including two types of licenses: RM (Rights Managed) and RF (Royalty-Free), with the option of RF/RM (Royalty-Free/Rights Managed) as well.
Commission rate of 50% is very fair and it won’t change
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #808,400
Industry rank(Photography) #2,524
Snapped4U offers a straightforward and user-friendly platform for photographers to upload and sell their event photos. Account owners can easily create galleries, set photo prices, and upload their photos. Snapped4U sells the photos as JPEG files and promptly emails purchases upon receipt of payment.
This simplicity makes it accessible for beginners and hobbyists who may not have extensive experience with online sales platforms. Snapped4U specializes in event photography, catering to photographers who capture moments at weddings, parties, sports events, and other gatherings. This niche focus allows photographers to target a specific audience interested in purchasing event photos.
Additionally, Snapped4U features a special section called Snapped4U Fundraising Galleries, catering to fundraising events and initiatives.
※ There is a one-time, nonrefundable $10 registration fee.
- Commission Structure
There are three pricing options available, including two types of licenses: RM (Rights Managed) and RF (Royalty-Free), with the option of RF/RM (Royalty-Free/Rights Managed) as well.
Commission rate of 50% is very fair and it won’t change
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #808,400
Industry rank(Photography) #2,524
Envato Elements boasts a vast library of high-quality digital assets, spanning photos, graphics, templates, videos, and more. Designed for users seeking professional-grade resources, the platform offers flexibility across various categories and niches, allowing for the exploration of different styles, techniques, and ideas to develop skills and build portfolios. With its diverse range of materials, Envato Elements exposes users to a wide audience, including designers, developers, marketers, and businesses worldwide. This exposure can enhance visibility, recognition, and career opportunities within the creative industries.
Moreover, Envato Elements fosters a supportive community of contributors, designers, developers, and creatives, encouraging knowledge sharing, insights, and collaboration.
- Commission Structure
50% share of net revenue from every Regular, Students and Teams subscription* goes straight to our authors, every month. *Authors also share 25% of the net revenue from Elements Enterprise subscriptions. We regularly run promotions to help you earn even more.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #7,574,999
Industry rank —-
Mostphotos is a stock photography platform that connects photographers and other content creators with buyers seeking high-quality visual content for their creative projects.
- Commission Structure
Share 50/50 on sales.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #5,011,625
Industry rank(Photography) #16,554
Stockimo is specifically designed for mobile photography enthusiasts and professionals who capture high-quality images using their smartphones. It has a set of review standards for photos, and only photos that pass the standards can be put on the shelves. Although there are standards, since it is an APP specially designed for mobile devices, you can focus on studying composition on your mobile phone.
By selling photos through the Alamy platform, photographers have the opportunity to reach a global audience of potential buyers. (Alamy is a well-established stock photography agency with a wide customer base, increasing the visibility and potential earnings for photographers.)
- Commission Structure
“All prices, it depends on the rights we’re licensing – where it’s used, how big, for how long etc. You may make a sale for $5 or you may make a sale for $500 or sometimes even more. The average sale price on Alamy is around $90. We’ll pay you 20% of every sale you make.“ BY Stockimo
Personal Works Sales Library: Similar to a Personal Online Store
Utilizing the setup tools provided by the platform, a personal works sales library is tailored for directing traffic to your own photo or work website for sales.
Etsy functions as an online sales platform with internal site search capabilities and its own traffic exposure. However, maximizing sales potential often entails importing traffic to your own store independently.
Etsy is a renowned global online marketplace, celebrated for its emphasis on handmade, vintage, and distinctive goods. Though not primarily a stock photography platform, photographers and artists can leverage Etsy to sell their prints, digital downloads, and other photography-related products.
Sellers can establish a seller account on Etsy and list a variety of photography-related items for sale, including physical prints, digital downloads, photo albums, greeting cards, and calendars. Customizable listings allow sellers to provide detailed descriptions, set pricing, and offer various shipping options to entice buyers.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #65
Industry rank(Marketplace) #8
“the beautifully simple, all-in-one solution to sell images, used by over 500,000 photographers worldwide.” By Picfair.
Picfair empowers photographers with a high degree of freedom by allowing them to set their own prices for images, offering control over their earnings. With transparent commission rates, it’s an ideal platform for photographers looking to establish themselves in the industry.
Additionally, Picfair provides relevant tutorials to assist photographers in getting started with selling on the platform. (Boosting views of your photos/The Ultimate Guide To Selling Your Photography)
“The main method of selling images on Picfair is via digital download. But Picfair also offers buyers high-quality printed products of your work. You can sell prints on photo paper or canvas.
That might sound like more hassle for you, but Picfair takes care of everything. The printing, resources, and shipping are all arranged by Picfair.
And there’s no additional cost in time or money for photographers. It’s just another buying option for people looking to purchase images.” By Picfair.
The free version of Picfair enables users to upload photos and set prices, but it lacks the capability to publish a store, essentially hindering sales. To unlock this feature, users must upgrade their account. However, even with the upgrade, Picfair does not appear to charge a sales fee. Picfair operates similarly to building your own work sales library, with a model that differs from online stock. You might utilize free websites like Pixabay and Pinterest to create portfolios, own your works, and drive traffic to their sales store.
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #124,201
Industry rank(Photography) #386
SmugMug is a platform that primarily focuses on providing photographers with tools to showcase and sell their work through customizable websites and online galleries. SmugMug provides tools for photographers to set pricing, sell prints, digital downloads, and other products directly to their clients.
SmugMug operates similarly to building your own work sales library, with a model that differs from online stock. You might utilize free websites like Pixabay and Pinterest to create portfolios, own your works, and drive traffic to their sales store.
It functions more as a platform for establishing your own business. Users must pay upfront before they can begin selling their products.
(Set up photo pricing for sales)
- Similarweb (2023.12~2024.3)
Global Rank #3,350
Industry rank(Photography) #15