You’ve created unique images with Artaist AI. Now what? Did you know you can turn those AI generations into real income by selling them as stock photos? This detailed guide walks you through the best stock photography platforms and how to make money on each.
The business of selling stock photos has grown massively in recent years, and AI-generated art has opened up an entirely new income stream for creators. Below you’ll find everything you need to know — what stock photography actually is, the different pricing tiers, and a head-to-head comparison of the five biggest marketplaces where you can sell your Artaist creations.
What Is Stock Photography?
Stock photography refers to photographs that are licensed and copyrighted for specific commercial uses. The industry dates back to the 1920s, but it really took off with the internet. Stock photos can cover almost any subject — from landscapes and lifestyle shots to abstract and educational imagery. Buyers purchase them according to the subject they need.
Stock photography is generally split into three pricing tiers, and understanding the difference matters when deciding where to sell your work. Macrostock is traditional, high-priced custom stock — the quality bar is high but payouts per image are larger. Midstock sits in between, with average prices and average volume. Microstock covers comprehensive libraries at low prices, and is the model most modern marketplaces use today.
The microstock model exploded in 2000 when iStockphoto launched the first platform, followed by the micropayment model in 2001. Dozens of microstock sites followed, making stock photography far more accessible to both buyers and contributors.
What About Free Stock Photos?
If you’re not looking to sell but to download free stock photos for your own projects, plenty of websites offer high-resolution images at no cost. You can also find free stock videos and music for personal or commercial use. Just check each site’s license terms before using anything commercially.
The Best Stock Photo Sites in 2026
To sell stock photos, you’ll need to join one or more marketplaces. A quick Google search turns up dozens of options, but they’re not all equal. We’ve spent the last 3 months evaluating the top platforms on language support, acceptance rates, commission structures, payment methods, minimum payouts, and overall ease of use.
Here are the five marketplaces actually worth your time.— No. 01
Shutterstock
Founded in 2003 by Jon Oringer, Shutterstock is the most widely used stock photography agency in the world. It hosts millions of photos, videos, graphics, and music tracks — and it’s the first stop for most professional contributors.
Acceptance rate — selective — quality bar is highReview time — 10–15 days first photo, ~1 day afterCommission — tiered 15% to 40% based on downloadsMinimum payout — $35Payment methods — PayPal · Skrill · PayoneerExclusivity — none required — sell same images anywhere
Good to know — commissions reset every January, so your tier starts over each new year. Even mid-tier sellers can hit 30% with consistent uploads.
Get started → Join Shutterstock— No. 02
Adobe Stock
Adobe entered the stock photography industry in 2015 when it acquired Fotolia. Today, Adobe Stock hosts millions of photos, graphics, vectors, videos, and music tracks — all integrated directly into the Creative Cloud apps designers already use.
Acceptance rate — ~70% for standard shotsReview time — 2–3 days on averageCommission — flat 33% royaltyMinimum payout — $25, after 45-day initial periodPayment methods — PayPal · Skrill · PayoneerExclusivity — none — all memberships non-exclusive
Bonus perk — active contributors with strong download numbers get 1 year of free access to Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, and After Effects.
Get started → Join Adobe Stock— No. 03
Depositphotos
Founded in 2009 by Dmitry Sergeev and based in Ukraine, Depositphotos was acquired by e-commerce company Vistaprint for $85 million in 2021. The platform sells stock photos, vectors, video, and music — with one of the most contributor-friendly acceptance rates in the industry.
Acceptance rate — 80–90% — very contributor-friendlyReview time — ~1 dayCommission — tiered 30% to 38% based on downloadsPer-download earnings — $0.25 to $0.33 averageMinimum payout — $50Payment methods — Skrill · PayPal · Payoneer
Worth knowing — the tier system uses metal names (Green, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) and you only need 5,000 downloads to hit Silver at 34%.
Get started → Join Depositphotos— No. 04
Dreamstime
Founded in 2000, Dreamstime is one of the oldest stock photography sites still operating. It started as a royalty-free photo platform and pivoted to the microstock model in 2004. It now sells photos, vectors, video, and music — with the most relaxed acceptance standards in the top 5.
Acceptance rate — 90–95% — easiest to get acceptedReview time — same dayCommission (non-exclusive) — 25–45% per downloadCommission (exclusive) — up to 60% per downloadMinimum payout — $100 — highest in this listPayment methods — PayPal · Payoneer · Skrill · bank check
Heads up — Dreamstime has the highest minimum payout threshold in this list. If you upload sporadically, you’ll wait longer to actually see money.
Get started → Join Dreamstime— No. 05
Getty Images & iStock
Originally founded as iStockphoto in 2000, the platform was acquired by Getty Images in 2006 for $50 million. The two sites now work in tandem — Getty decides which platform your images appear on, and exclusive contributors get serious perks. The catch? You’ll need to start through their mobile app.
Acceptance rate — ~80% for standard photosReview time — 1–5 daysCommission (standard) — 15–20% per downloadCommission (exclusive) — 25–40% per downloadMinimum payout — $50–$100 Getty · $100 iStockPayout schedule — 25th of each month, via PayPal or Payoneer
Important — exclusive contributors can’t sell anywhere else, ever. Even photos you didn’t upload to Getty are off-limits elsewhere. Sign carefully.
Get started → iStock app on iOS or Android
Turn Your Imagination Into Income
Every image you create with Artaist is completely unique — generated by AI, owned by you. Share it, sell it as stock, or mint it as an NFT. The rights are yours, the upside is yours.
