Logo of Shutterstock

Shutterstock

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Company health

Employee growth
3% increase in the last year
Web traffic
3% decrease in the last quarter

Ratings

G2
4.4/5
(577)
Glassdoor
3.4/5
(715)

Shutterstock description

Shutterstock is a global platform providing businesses and media companies with a vast library of high-quality licensed images, videos, music, and 3D models. With millions of images, videos, and music tracks, Shutterstock offers diverse content for various creative needs, from marketing materials to websites and presentations. Their collection is constantly growing, making it a valuable resource for businesses seeking fresh and engaging visuals.


Who is Shutterstock best for

Shutterstock is a platform offering a vast library of licensed images, videos, music, and 3D models. Users praise its diverse, high-quality content and user-friendly interface. However, some have noted difficulties with subscription cancellations and customer support. It's a great fit for businesses seeking creative assets.

  • Best for small, medium, and large businesses.

  • Ideal for E-commerce, Retail, Media & Entertainment, Software, and Marketing.


Shutterstock features

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need
Supported

Shutterstock supports similar image search using reverse image search technology.

Supported

Shutterstock offers robust search filters for various criteria like image type, orientation, and color.

Supported

Shutterstock uses OAuth tokens, similar to API keys, for secure access.

Supported

Shutterstock offers a searchable collection of royalty-free stock images for various creative purposes.

Supported

Shutterstock offers perpetual licenses for downloaded content, but the subscription itself is not perpetual.

Supported

Shutterstock offers a library of royalty-free music tracks and sound effects.

Supported

Shutterstock offers a searchable library of royalty-free stock video clips.

Qualities

We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software

Value and Pricing Transparency

Rather negative
-0.57

Customer Service

Rather negative
-0.33

Ease of Use

Strongly positive
+0.84

Reliability and Performance

Rather positive
+0.63

Shutterstock reviews

We've summarised 577 Shutterstock reviews (Shutterstock G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.

Pros of Shutterstock
  • Vast and diverse library of images, videos, and vectors catering to various needs.
  • High-quality content suitable for professional use.
  • User-friendly interface with powerful search and filter options.
  • Convenient features like 'similar image' search and collections.
  • Affordable subscription plans for businesses and individuals.
Cons of Shutterstock
  • Difficult to cancel subscriptions, often leading to unexpected charges.
  • Customer support can be unresponsive and unhelpful regarding billing issues.
  • Limited image/video rollover or carry-over options between billing cycles.
  • High prices, especially for video content and smaller image packages.
  • Search results can be overwhelming and contain irrelevant or low-quality images.

Shutterstock pricing

The commentary is based on 95 reviews from Shutterstock G2 reviews.

Shutterstock offers various subscription plans with access to its vast stock photo library. Users generally find the pricing fair, especially for larger organizations with high image demands. However, some find individual image costs and subscription prices high for smaller businesses or infrequent users. Several users mention the cost-effectiveness of Shutterstock's subscriptions for their marketing needs.

Users sentiment

Rather negative
-0.57

See the Shutterstock pricing page.

Pack 25

$49

25 downloads within one year.

Pack 50

Custom

50 downloads within one year.

Subscription 10

$29/month

10 downloads per month.

Subscription 50

Custom

50 downloads per month.

Subscription 350

Custom

350 downloads per month.

Subscription 750

Custom

750 downloads per month.


Shutterstock alternatives

  • Logo of Tableau
    Tableau
    Better fit for enterprise companies. Geared towards data analysis and visualization, ideal for data-driven decision-making. Has significantly more website traffic momentum. Better customer service.
    Read more
  • Logo of 123RF
    123RF
    Better fit for smaller companies. Offers unlimited downloads with its PLUS subscriptions. Provides templates, unlike Shutterstock. 123RF is growing slower and has negative employee growth. Users report issues with unexpected charges and customer service.
    Read more
  • Logo of Analytica
    Analytica
    Better for complex decision-making and statistical modeling. More suitable for software and IT companies, but less so for medium-sized businesses and those in media, entertainment, or hospitality. Has a faster website traffic growth rate but slower employee growth. Offers a visual interface and advanced modeling capabilities not found in Shutterstock. Pricing is generally higher.
    Read more
  • Logo of Soundstripe
    Soundstripe
    Better for music and sound effects licensing. Offers unlimited downloads and simpler licensing. More affordable and has significantly more momentum. Users love the customer support. Not suitable for enterprise customers.
    Read more
  • Logo of Depositphotos
    Depositphotos
    Better for smaller companies. Website traffic is growing faster. Easier to use, but less reliable. Offers templates and AI image upscaling.
    Read more
  • Logo of Canva
    Canva
    Better for individuals, marketers, educators, and small to medium businesses. Easier to use, more affordable, and has significantly more momentum. Broader industry applicability. Users love the ease of use and template variety but dislike the limited free version.
    Read more

Shutterstock FAQ

  • What is Shutterstock and what does Shutterstock do?

    Shutterstock is a platform offering a vast library of high-quality licensed images, videos, music, and 3D models. Businesses and media companies use Shutterstock's diverse and growing content collection for various creative projects, from marketing to websites. It offers easy searching and filtering, but some users find subscription management and customer support challenging.

  • How does Shutterstock integrate with other tools?

    Shutterstock integrates with numerous platforms via its API, including popular website builders, social media management tools, and marketing automation platforms. This streamlines workflows, allowing users to access and manage Shutterstock content directly within their preferred tools.

  • What the main competitors of Shutterstock?

    Main competitors of Shutterstock include Adobe Stock, Getty Images, iStockphoto, and Alamy. These platforms offer similar services, providing businesses with high-quality stock photos, videos, and music for various creative projects.

  • Is Shutterstock legit?

    Yes, Shutterstock is a legitimate platform for licensing stock photos, videos, and music. It's known for its vast library and user-friendly interface. However, be aware of potential issues with subscription cancellations and customer support responsiveness regarding billing.

  • How much does Shutterstock cost?

    Shutterstock's image packs cost $49 for 25 images. Subscription pricing starts at $29 monthly for 10 images. Custom pricing is available for larger volume subscriptions and packs. Is Shutterstock worth it for your image needs? Explore the product details to find out!

  • Is Shutterstock customer service good?

    Shutterstock's customer service receives mixed reviews. While some users praise the support team's responsiveness and helpfulness, others express frustration with difficulty canceling subscriptions and resolving billing issues. Some users report slow response times.


Reviewed by

MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.