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Getty Images vs Shutterstock
Pricing, features, platforms and who each one suits — side by side.
G
Choose Getty Images if…
- you're in its core audience: marketing teams, publishers and newsrooms
S
Choose Shutterstock if…
- you're in its core audience: marketers, graphic designers
Side by side
Feature Getty Images Shutterstock
Pricing modelPaidPaid
Starting price—$25/mo
Free plan
Free trial
API
Open source
PlatformsWebWeb
CompanyGetty ImagesShutterstock · United States · since 2003
Full feature lists
G Getty Images
- Creative and editorial stock photo library
- Stock video clips, including rights-ready footage
- Prepaid download packs of 5 or 10 files
- Monthly and annual editorial and creative subscriptions
- Usage-based price calculator for rights-managed content
- AI image generation and modification for commercial use
S Shutterstock
- Royalty-free stock photos, vectors and illustrations
- Stock video clips
- Royalty-free music licensing
- AI image generator with monthly credits
- Unlimited download subscriptions
- No-commitment image packs
- Standard license for creative and digital use
What you'd pay
The cheapest plan that fits, per month, billed yearly where the plan offers it.
Getty Images
Paid. Plan details aren't published.
Shutterstock
Image downloads subscription$25/mo ($300 billed yearly)
Unlimited Images$29/mo billed yearly ($348)
Unlimited Plus$69/mo billed yearly ($828)
Image packsFrom $29
Strengths and limitations
Getty Images
- Large editorial collection alongside creative stock
- Several ways to buy: single files, packs or subscriptions
- Packs give a lower per-download cost at larger sizes
- Editorial photos cannot be used commercially
- Pack downloads are capped at the purchased size tier
- Rights-managed files require usage-based pricing per license
Shutterstock
- Image packs available with no commitment
- Unlimited plans cover a library of 100+ million assets
- Annual billing lowers the monthly price
- Covers images, video, music and AI generation
- Unlimited Images plan applies only to a qualifying part of the library
- Base subscription is limited to one seat
- Lowest unlimited prices require annual billing
More comparisons
Other options to consider
A
From $29.99/mo
A
Licensed stock photos, videos and audio with AI image editing tools
Stock photos, icons & fonts
P
P
From $10/mo
P
Royalty-free stock video, music, sound effects and images for creators
Stock photos, icons & fonts
E
EE
From $16.50/mo
E
Unlimited stock assets and AI generation for creators under one subscription
Stock photos, icons & fonts
F
F
From $14.50/mo
F
AI image, video and audio generation plus 250M+ stock assets for creatives
AI image & video generationAPI
U
U
Freemium
U
Free high-resolution stock photos, plus a paid Unsplash+ library for commercial use
Stock photos, icons & fontsFree planAPI
A
AA
From $9.99/mo
A
Royalty-free music, sound effects, stock footage and AI generation for creators
Royalty-free music & sound effects
Facts from each vendor's public pages, prices checked Nov 13, 2026. Editorial policy