There are many stock photo sites where you can make money. Here are the top 10 photo selling websites where you can sell your photos online and make money.
If you don’t know the best places to sell photos online, this article is for you. Here, you’ll learn how to make money selling photos of yourself and others. Sell them online for money and even get paid for pictures of your body.
This article will show you how to sell photos online with the top stock photo sites listed below. You can do it from India or anywhere you live. Also, know the best cameras, photo editing software tools, books and courses on this page to become a professional photographer and earn more online.
You can sell photos on your website. Selling them on your own website can give you more control over the pricing, presentation, and marketing of your photos. You can set your own prices, create your own brand, and market your photos to your target audience. However, it requires more effort and investment in terms of website design, hosting, and marketing. You also need to handle order processing, printing, and deliveries yourself.
On the other hand, selling photos on photography websites can be a more convenient and hassle-free way to sell your photos. The stock photo site will handle order processing, printing, and deliveries for you. So, you need to pay a commission to the stock photo site for each sale.
Top 10 Photo Selling Websites to Make Money in 2024
1. Shutterstock
Shoot high quality stock photos and sell them on Shutterstock. You can also use the Shutterstock contributor app to upload the photos to the website. Once you have submitted enough images, you will begin to receive payments from the stock agency through PayPal when they get sold.
Next, find out how to sell more photos. If you have been taking them for fun, it’s a good idea to organize your photographs into the right category. You can earn a lot by selling them on the site. Just make sure that you have the right permission of selling them. So, you should avoid using other people’s images and copying their content.
Submit your images regularly. The more stock photos you have on the site, the more your earnings will be.
As a Shutterstock contributor, you will earn a percentage of the price Shutterstock receives for licensing your content. The percentage you earn depends on your overall performance and is determined by a ranking system that places you in levels from 1 to 6, where each higher level means a higher royalty rate. Depending on where you are level-wise, you can earn between 15% and 40% from each sale’s price.
Canon EOS R5
User rating: 4.7/5
₹5,99,999 | Buy from Amazon
Best Digital Cameras for Photography
According to Techradar, Canon EOS R5 is one of the best camera for photographers. However, to select any camera suitable for your budget, click the link below:
2. Adobe Stock
Learn how to make a good caption if you want to sell on Adobe Stock (once Fotolia). A caption is a simple description of the image that helps viewers find it in the search engine results. So, the caption must be descriptive and concise. Depending on the style and size of the photo, the caption may vary from generic to more detailed.
Research about popular subjects. You may be more interested in photos relevant to your life. But remember that most buyers are looking for pictures of people and models. They also look for authentic images. If the photo is of a nature to be loved by many people and taken in different locations, it will likely sell well.
Once you have uploaded your photo to this photography website, you must choose a category, title, and keyword. To sell an image on Adobe Stock, you need to have a contributor account. You can use your existing Adobe ID to create an account and then sell your photos on the site.
As a contributor to Adobe Stock, you can earn between $0.33 and $26.40 per image and $2.80 to $70.00 per video download. The commission you earn depends on the price that Adobe receives for licensing your content and your overall performance.
3. Snapped4U
Snapped4U is a platform for photographers to sell their photos online. The platform offers a hassle-free way to sell photos without the need for order processing, printing, or deliveries. To get started, you need to create an account and upload your photos to the platform. You can set the price for your photos, and Snapped4U will sell them as JPEG files. Once a purchase is made, the buyer will receive the photo via email.
You need to pay a one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $10 to join the platform, and Snapped4U retains a commission on each photo that sells. The sales commission is $0.50 on photos priced $5 or less and 10% on all others for US accounts. For non-US accounts, the sales commission is $0.60 on photos priced $5 or less and 12% on all others.
Oneplus Open
User rating: 4.6/5
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Best Camera Phones for Photography
According to Gadgets360, OnePlus Open is one of the best camera smartphones. However, choose your favourite model from the link below:
4. Etsy
Many photographers hesitate selling photos online, but if you know how to sell them on Etsy, you can start making money in no time. The first step is to register on the website and add your photos. Be sure to choose appealing titles and keywords. After the registration process, you can add your shipping details. Once you’ve added your photos to the online store, you’ll need to set your prices and specify what they’re allowed to be used for.
After you’ve established your Etsy shop, you can begin selling your photos to the public. Be sure to use only the best and most positive images for your shop. Your photos should also reflect your goals and your personality. Treat your Etsy shop like a social media profile and create a bio appealing to your target market.
Be sure to include different sizes and price points in each listing, as this will ensure that your photos will be visible on many searches. It can also help to add your images to social media pages for promotion. Lastly, you can hire an SEO expert to optimize your listings to appear in more searches.
If you sell photos on Etsy, you will be charged a listing fee of $0.20 per item listed in your shop, which is active for four months or until it sells. Once you make a sale, Etsy charges a transaction fee of 5% of the price listed for the item purchased. Additionally, there is a payment processing fee of 3-5% + $0.25 when you use Etsy Payments to receive money.
Digital Photography Complete Course
User rating: 4.7/5
₹1,099 | Buy from Amazon
Digital Photography Complete Course is one of the best books on photography. Look for other books and courses, if you want to learn photography:
| Photography books on Amazon
| Photography training courses on Udemy
5. Alamy
Alamy is another place to sell your photos. The site ensures that your images are royalty-free and have no copyright issues. If your photos are good enough, you can earn up to 20% of the sale price. Even though it isn’t the most popular site, it is an excellent side photography business.
You can make money by submitting high-quality images to be used in various commercial projects. This stock photography site is a great place to start.
There are many other photography sites, but Alamy pays the best royalties and doesn’t require you to pay advertising fees.
Alamy has its selling tools. You can share your images through social media and email. This website offers the highest markup percentage in the market, up to 85%. It is a subscription-based website, so you won’t have to worry about paying extra for the platform.
Among the best photo websites, Alamy offers the best payouts. It pays 40% for non-exclusive images and 50% for exclusives. A contributor can upload many images, and the company will pay them monthly if they meet certain criteria. The payment structure is diverse.
As a contributor to Alamy, you can earn between 17% and 50% commission on each sale, depending on your performance and the exclusivity of your images. Alamy has a tiered commission structure with three levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
- Silver: 20% commission rate
- Gold: 40% commission rate
- Platinum: 50% commission.
6. Fotomoto
Fotomoto is a print-on-demand e-commerce widget where photographers can sell their artwork on their own website. The platform offers a hassle-free way to sell photos without the need for order processing, printing, or deliveries. To get started, you need to create an account on Fotomoto and get the Fotomoto code, then add it to your website. Fotomoto prints, packs, and ships orders to your customers, so you can relax and focus on your art. The platform offers a shopping cart widget and a control dashboard.
Transaction charges:
Free users: 22% transaction charge
Pro users: 12% transaction charge with $10 monthly fee.
Pro Plus users: 10% transaction charge with $25 monthly fee.
Adobe Photoshop Elements
₹11,999 | Buy from Amazon
Photo Editing Software Tools
Further, enhance the beauty and style of your images using software tools and compete with other photographers. The best among them include Adobe Photoshop, Corel PaintShop Pro, and Skylum Luminar. View photo edition software tools:
7. SmugMug
Selling photos on SmugMug is simple and can be a great way to earn extra income. This stock photography website offers tools to help photographers easily sell their images and digital downloads. You can set up multiple options for buying and selling photos on the platform to attract various customers. You don’t have to worry about producing a print for each image; you can also choose to sell as digital files.
SmugMug is a great option if you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to sell your photography work. They provide a simple way to showcase your work and connect buyers. You can either sell your photographs or sell the rights to them. However, you should remember that you’ll have to pay for the ad space if you upload your images to SmugMug.
As a contributor to this stock site, you can earn 85% of the profit between the price you set and SmugMug’s default print prices. For example, if you sell a 5×7 print for $10.79 and the SmugMug default price for it is $0.79, the markup is $10. In this case, you keep $8.50 as profit.
8. Dreamstime
Dreamstime is a popular photo selling website. You know many people look for beautiful images. This means you can earn extra cash by selling your photos there. It’s also easy to use and has a high standard.
Dreamstime is the most competitive stock photo website. The best thing about it is that it offers a variety of different products. If you’re uploading unique images, you can create a gallery on the site.
For each transaction, the contributor receives 25-50% Revenue Share, which is calculated based on the net amount for the transaction. Exclusive files receive an additional 10% bonus, while exclusive contributors enjoy a 60% Revenue Share for all sales and an additional bonus of $0.20 for each approved submission.
9. 500px
First of all, sign up for an account. You will need to apply for a license for the photographs and royalty. Then, create a portfolio and upload your photos. Once they have been reviewed, it can take up to 45 days to get your pictures approved.
After your photo is accepted, you will be notified by the site’s editorial team. Then, you will earn 60% of the revenue from the sales of the photos you submitted.
After your photos are on the website, you’ll receive notifications when people purchase them. You’ll also have to fill out liability releases and model releases. These forms are free to fill out and can be done on the go, so you’re more likely to get sales. As long as you follow their guidelines, you can make money on 500px with your photography. You can also participate in competitions and earn 60% of the profits.
10. Getty Images
Getty Images is a stock photography agency and offers a hassle-free way to sell photos. To get started, create an account and upload your photos to the platform. Getty Images offers two types of licenses: Rights Managed and Royalty-Free.
Under the Rights Managed license, customers pay a specific amount based on precisely how the image will be used. The commission rates for Rights Managed images start at 20% for royalty-free (RF) still photographs, and 25% for video. Getty’s RF rates start at $50 per download (for extra small images) up to $499 per download.
Under the Royalty-Free license, customers pay a one-time fee to use the image multiple times. The commission rates for Royalty-Free images start at 20% for RF still photographs, and 25% for video.
The commission you earn depends on the type of license and the price that Getty Images receives for licensing your content. Depending on where you are level-wise, you can earn between 15% and 40% from each sale’s price.
FAQs:
1. What are the tips for taking great photos?
- Capture real-life emotions, natural atmospheres, and stories that people can relate to.
- Make sure that your subject stands out by framing your shot carefully.
- Capture images that could be used in ads.
- Take the same photo from a few different angles and with a few variations to increase your chances of selling.
- Capture images that are authentic and have a natural feel.
- Choose a specific topic or theme for your photos to help them stand out from the crowd.
- Make sure that your photos are high-resolution and large enough to be used in a variety of contexts.
2. What are the SEO tips to get your photos found?
- Use relevant keywords in your image titles, descriptions, and tags.
- Optimize your images for search engines by using descriptive file names and alt tags.
- Focus on creating high-quality images that are visually appealing and unique.
- Follow the latest trends and popular topics to create images that are in demand.
- Promote your work on social media and other platforms.
- Be consistent in your style and subject matter to build a recognizable brand.
- Upload your photos regularly.
3. Do you have the legal rights to sell your photos?
To sell photos on stock photo sites, you must have the legal rights to the images. This means that you must either own the copyright to the images or have permission from the copyright owner to sell them.
When you sell photos on stock photo sites, you are licensing the images to buyers for specific uses. The terms of the license will vary depending on the site and the type of license.
To ensure that you have the legal rights to sell your photos, make sure that you have the necessary model and property releases for any recognizable people or private property in your photos.
5. What are the types of photos that sell the most online?
Holiday and seasonal shots, nostalgic vintage, empowerment of older adults, environmental issues, business people and concepts, financial concepts, food and drinks, nature, travel, and groups and teams! These can be great themes for stock photography sites.
6. How to keep ownership of your photos when selling online?
To keep ownership of your photos when selling online, you must either own the copyright to the images or have permission from the copyright owner to sell them.
Here are some tips to help you protect your photos and maintain ownership:
- Registering your copyright with the Copyright Office can help you protect your photos and prove ownership in court if necessary.
- Adding a watermark to your photos can help deter unauthorized use and make it easier to prove ownership.
- Including a copyright notice on the website or in your photo metadata can help deter unauthorized use and make it easier to prove ownership.
- Using low-resolution images can help deter unauthorized use and make it more difficult for others to profit from your work.
- Regularly monitoring your photos online can help you identify unauthorized use and take action to protect your ownership.
7. Is selling photos online worth the efforts?
Selling photos online can be a great way to earn extra income, especially if you have a passion for photography. However, it requires a lot of effort and dedication to make a significant amount of money. The amount of money you can make depends on the platform you choose, the quality of your photos, and your marketing skills.
Other Articles & Books You Might Be Interested To Read:
| Make money with Instagram
| Make money with Facebook
| Earn money online without investment
| How to make money with photography
That’s it. Start with any top 10 photo selling websites mentioned above and upload your photos and images. To sell photos online, you need good tools and skills. Use a good camera, edit in a good tool, and read a book or course as mentioned above.
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Ibochouba Singh is a content writer and reviewer with a passion for writing about digital marketing and tech gadgets, including software tools and new tech gadgets. He has over 15 years of experience writing for several consumers and clients, including tech startups, marketing agencies, and software companies. He is writing many articles and reviews for many websites, including nigcworld.com, buywin.in, medium.com, and quora.com.