Looking for a way to sell photos online? Whether you’re just starting out or looking to earn passive income on the side of your photography business, several websites can connect you with folks eager to buy your images.
Stock photo websites license your photos to brands, agencies, and anyone who needs high-quality photos for commercial use. In return, they give you a cut of the revenue.
Here are 10 of the best websites to sell photos online, plus a step-by-step guide on how to sell stock photos and turn your content into a lucrative business.
Best websites for selling photos online
- Alamy
- 500px
- Shutterstock
- Getty Images
- iStock
- Stocksy
- Picfair
- Adobe Stock
- Envato Elements
- Unsplash
Choose a selling website from this list based on your level of photography experience and licensing exclusivity preferences:
1. Alamy
Alamy has one of the internet’s most diverse stock photo collections. With millions of stock images, vectors, videos, and 360-degree panoramic images, there are many ways for you to contribute. It also offers an iOS app called Stockimo, where you can sell photos from your phone.
Alamy pays contributors monthly and has several commission models. Photographers receive between 17% and 50% of sales, depending on image popularity and license type. There are no long-term contracts with Alamy and you can be paid in multiple currencies.
2. 500px
500px Licensing hosts millions of photographers selling photos online through its stock photography site, 500px. Its Pulse algorithm surfaces new photographs and photographers to clients so inexperienced photographers can get recognition—so long as their photos meet the platform’s quality standards.
In addition to being a platform for selling, 500px is also an online community for amateur and professional photographers. You can follow other photographers, get feedback on your work, list photos in the online marketplace, and participate in photography competitions for prizes. Paying members can earn up to 100% royalties for exclusive photos.
3. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a well-known stock photography website for selling photos online and has paid out more than $1 billion to its community in the past 15 years.
Shutterstock is considered a micro-stock site, where photos are cheaper and non-exclusive. The main way to increase downloads is by contributing a large quantity of images. You may not expect to earn as much with Shutterstock, but it’s a good place to start if you’re learning how to sell stock photos.
Payouts are based on earnings over time and range from 15% to 40%. There’s also an affiliate program where you can earn additional money if you refer new photographers or customers.
4. Getty Images
Getty Images attracts brands and online publishers looking for high-quality or hard-to-find exclusive images to license. The platform, along with its microstock site, iStock, reaches more than 1.5 million customers around the world.
The standards for how to sell your photography online with Getty are stricter than many other stock photo sites. You’ll be paid anywhere between 15% and 45% of an image’s license fee, and you’ll have to apply to be a contributor with a set of sample photos.
5. iStock
iStock is an offshoot of Getty Images. The major difference between the two stock photo platforms is that photos on iStock can be non-exclusive, which means you can sell your photography with other agencies.
Commissions range from 15% to 45%, depending on contributor agreements. To sell your photos with iStock, you need to apply with a set of sample images.
6. Stocksy
Stocksy is a popular stock photography site because it offers high payouts to contributors. Photographers can earn a 50% royalty on standard licenses and a 75% royalty on extended licenses. But all photos must be exclusive to the platform.
Stocksy is an artist-owned cooperative, which means contributors are part owners of the business and can help control its direction. Contributors can also receive profit-sharing in the form of patronage returns when the co-op has a surplus.
If you’re interested in selling photos on Stocksy, check out its contributor application FAQ.
7. Picfair
If you want a degree of control over your online photo portfolio, Picfair can be a solid option.
You can set your own prices for photos—both prints and digital downloads—and Picfair handles payment processing. It also manages print production, shipping, and licenses for digital images. You can easily set up your custom store starting at $5 per month, billed annually.
8. Adobe Stock
If you use the Adobe suite for photography projects, you can add your images, videos, vectors, and illustrations to Adobe Stock, the company’s online stock photo platform.
When you finish editing your photos, you can upload assets directly from Lightroom and Bridge. Contributors who link their Adobe ID to Adobe Stock can earn 33% royalties on photos and 35% on videos.
9. Envato Elements
Envato Elements is a robust stock photography site where you can start selling your photos online and connect with potential clients.
With Envato Elements, you can sell photos on its app or upload photos to your own site on the brand’s domain. Either way, it’s a popular place to sell pictures and make money online doing what you love. Contributors are paid between 25% and 50% of net subscription revenue, depending on the subscription a customer has.
10. Unsplash
Unsplash is a free stock photo site that’s also owned by Getty. Instead of paying photographers based on photos they’ve chosen to submit, Unsplash partners with contributors through its Unsplash+ program.
Once you’ve completed the Unsplash+ contribution application and you’ve been accepted into the program, you’ll see a list of briefs created by Unsplash customers. Choose the briefs that you’re most interested in, upload appropriate photos to the stock photo website, and get paid for each accepted image.
Tips for selling stock photos online
- Define your stock photography niche
- Get on Instagram
- Integrate ecommerce into your website
- Understand your market
Here are some tips for running a successful stock photo business:
Define your stock photography niche
Many photographers have a consistent style or theme that runs through their work. Whether your focus is travel, fashion, nature, or food, consistency is key.
Photographers often feel their way into a niche by finding styles and subjects they enjoy shooting that also resonate with audiences. You can evaluate the demand for topics using keyword research to analyze search volume for terms related to your photographs. Google Trends is a basic tool you can use to see what image topics are gaining popularity.
Get on Instagram
Just like bloggers and YouTubers, photographers learning how to sell images online should also invest in building their audiences.
Visual social platforms such as Instagram can help you reach a wide audience. Use Instagram tools to help you follow the right accounts, engage with popular hashtags, and grow a following of potential customers.
Linking your social media accounts makes it easier to manage your photo-sharing across platforms and boost visibility. On Instagram, for example, you can link your accounts to also post your images to Facebook at the same time.
Integrate ecommerce into your website
Most photographers have their own site to showcase their work to potential clients. By adding a Shopify Buy Button to your site, you can make it easier for customers to purchase stock images from you.
Photographer Dave Sandford, for example, has a store that both showcases his wildlife photography and offers the opportunity to purchase prints and calendars.
The easiest way to sell photos online is to build a personalized portfolio page or store on Shopify.
Use a pre-designed art and photography theme to set up your digital showroom, or combine a free theme with a gallery app. After that, you can monetize your Shopify photography site with social media feeds, ads, and offline sales through Shopify POS.
Understand your market
Your target market is the group of people most likely to buy your photos. You can produce photos that appeal to them when you know who they are, what they’re interested in, and what they’ll buy.
Say you’re specializing in wedding photography, for example. People who buy stock images of weddings aren’t brides and grooms—they’re the suppliers who work within the wedding industry. Your target market might include wedding stationery brands or suit wholesalers who want to show royalty-free images of wedding celebrations in their marketing collateral.
With this in mind, you can sell images that this buyer persona will buy, on the sites where they’re looking for stock images, at a price they’re willing to pay.
How to set up your online portfolio
- Choose the right platform
- Plan your portfolio’s structure
- Optimize images for the web
- Create an About page
- Implement ecommerce functionality
- Ensure mobile compatibility
- Launch and promote your photos
Use these steps as a guide to launch your online photography portfolio:
1. Choose the right platform
There is no “best” platform to monetize your photos on; it depends on the goal of your new photography business and how much control you’d like to have over your imagery.
Here’s a quick rundown of your options. If you want to:
- Upload photos as a hobby or earn small amounts of passive income, try stock photo submissions on sites like iStock or Alamy
- Get assignments from brands without pitching them yourself, apply to be an Unsplash+ contributor
- Have complete control over your photography business, opt for an ecommerce platform like Shopify
2. Plan your portfolio’s structure
Your portfolio is your bread and butter as a photographer. Think of it as your résumé: a place for potential clients to view your photography and decide whether to hire you.
Pay attention to elements like:
- The portfolio’s layout. Photos should take center stage, but it helps to have some context on what the image is about. These mini product descriptions can influence purchase decisions and also improve your portfolio’s SEO.
- Social proof. Social proof is the phenomenon of prospective customers being influenced by other customers’ opinions. Gather quotes from previous happy customers or showcase how your images have been used to build someone’s trust in your photography business before they decide to buy.
- Categories and organization. If you’re a nature photographer who captures beaches and landscapes, create product collections for each to help potential customers browse images they’re looking for.
- Gallery size. Your online portfolio is what clients will consult when deciding whether to buy your photos. Ditch any photos you’re not satisfied with, and keep galleries limited to only high-quality images that showcase your best work.
3. Optimize images for the web
Photographers often get frustrated when they’ve shot an incredibly detailed photo on a fancy camera, only to have to compress it when they’re selling the image online. But it’s essential to the user experience. Large image files can make a web page slower to load—and most people aren’t willing to wait around.
When uploading images to your online photography portfolio:
- Compress image sizes. Images should be kept as small as possible without compromising quality. A general guideline is to compress images between 60% and 80%.
- Use descriptive file names. For example, name your file “summer-evening-nature” instead of “IMG_3542.jpg.”
- Write alt text. This tells search engines and people using screen readers what your photo is about.
4. Create an About page
People buy from people, so it helps to have an “About” page that tells prospective customers about yourself. Include a brief summary on who you are, where you live, and the areas you cover (if you’re selling services in person).
This is an opportunity to really sell yourself, so dive deep into your love of photography. How did you get into the industry? What types of things do you love to shoot? Where do you get your inspiration from?
5. Implement ecommerce functionality
An ecommerce platform handles the logistics of selling photos online, leaving you with more time to do what you love: shoot photos.
Shopify, for example, can help you:
- Build an online storefront for people to self-serve and buy their own products
- Set up shop on social media storefronts like Facebook Shops
- Take payment from customers and handle taxes
- Ship your products—either physically or digitally—to customers
- Manage marketing campaigns with the Shopify App ecosystem
6. Ensure mobile compatibility
Not everyone who visits your online portfolio will be doing so on a desktop. Studies estimate that more than 54% of global website traffic happens through a mobile device, so check that your portfolio looks just as good on a smaller screen.
Having a mobile website means using a responsive website design, displaying your photos vertically, and using large finger-friendly buttons.
7. Launch and promote your photos
Now it’s time to share your photos with the world. Grab the link to your portfolio and share it online using marketing tactics like:
- Reposting images on social media
- Pinning photos on Pinterest and linking back to your portfolio site
- Gifting free prints to influencers
- Documenting the behind-the-scenes of a shoot on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram Reels
- Building an email list by offering website visitors a discount code on their first order
How to sell stock photos as prints and photo books
You can make and sell items that feature your photography for your customers to own, whether it’s as a simple framed print or a pillow. Selling your own physical products can be simpler than you think.
You can make money selling photos as photo prints on paper or physical products, such as mugs, t-shirts, and calendars. Popular sites and tools include:
- Printful
- CafePress
- Gelato
- ShineOn
- Printify
The best way to sell photos online as physical prints or products is to work with a local photo lab that helps you ship and sell prints, or use a print-on-demand company to dropship a wide range of products (prints, phone cases, pillows, and more) featuring your photos.
Be sure to order samples first to ensure the quality of the products match the quality of your photos.
How to sell photography online as photo books
Photo books are another physical product that can feature your photography. The more niche and consistent your photography is, the more likely you’ll be able to put together a stellar photo book based around a compelling theme and sell your art online.
While you won’t get the best margins with print-on-demand services, it’s a risk-free way to test demand for your products before you decide to invest upfront.
How to sell your photography as a service
Whether you’re covering events, doing fashion shoots, or getting into product photography, there are plenty of business opportunities available to take advantage of the demand for professional photography.
You can list your services in freelance directories like Fiverr and Upwork. But also consider networking locally, since you need to be able to meet clients in person.
Here are some networking tips for selling your photography as a service:
- Always have business cards handy. Use Shopify’s free business card generator to create your own.
- Tidy up your LinkedIn profile. Use it to showcase your work, and optimize it for the main photography service you provide (like event photography, for example).
- Attend networking events. Target ones where entrepreneurs and event organizers go as these folks often need professional photographers.
- Build a personal brand. Regularly share your work on social media platforms so you’re top of mind when anyone in your network needs your skills.
Since photographers must operate in strict time slots, it’s good to have a booking platform you can use to let prospective clients see your schedule and book you when you’re available.
Both Setmore and SimplyBook.me have free plans and features that work well for photographers. If you’re using Shopify, you can install BookThatApp to schedule appointments directly from your site.
Pricing strategy for selling photos online
Your talent and your determination ultimately decide your earning potential when selling photos online, but the income you get from doing what you love is some of the best cash you’ll ever earn.
Here’s how to decide on a pricing strategy for your photography business:
- Do market research. Ask your target market how much they’d pay for your photos and see how much comparable photos sell for on stock image sites.
- Determine your profit margins. Consider the costs of photography, like any equipment, website hosting fees, and marketing budgets. Make sure any revenue you make from selling your photos contributes to these expenses.
- Set different prices for usage. An exclusive photo can sell for a lot more money than a non-exclusive one.
- Offer discounts. Whether it’s a first-time customer or a loyal fan that you’re rewarding, experiment with discounts and promotions that incentivize people to buy your photos.
- Consider product bundles. Instead of selling one photo, sell a collection of related images at a discounted price. For example, one image of a beach might be $2.99, but a bundle of five beach-themed images could retail for $9.99.
Legal primer for selling your photos online
While rights and licenses related to selling photography may seem confusing, there are key terms and concepts you should know to help protect yourself.
This is by no means a comprehensive list or a substitute for actual legal advice, but it should offer you broad definitions that will help you navigate the world of usage rights:
Glossary of legal terms for selling photos online
- Editorial use: Permission to use in blogs, newspapers, magazines, and other publications.
- Commercial use: Permission to use in marketing and advertising to promote a product or service.
- Retail use: Permission to use in the creation of a physical product to be sold. This includes prints, posters, and products that feature the photo (pillows, mugs, etc.). This term is sometimes discussed in the same context as commercial use, but it should be considered separately.
- Exclusive use: The one who purchases the license from you is the only one who can use the photo.
- Non-exclusive use: Photo licenses that can be purchased and used by anyone and usually cost less than exclusive ones.
- Public domain: When photos have no restrictions or copyright claims and can be used for commercial, editorial, and personal purposes. Works created by US federal government agencies (such as NASA) generally fall into this category unless otherwise stated.
- Creative Commons: Conditional usage of your work is allowed, as long as it’s in compliance with the stated restrictions. Attribution to credit the creator is sometimes required. Visit Creative Commons to generate a badge for this license for free.
- Royalty free: Others can buy a license and use the photo for an unlimited duration and unlimited number of times. This is the most common type of license purchased and is on the cheaper end of the spectrum because these photos are usually non-exclusive.
- Rights managed: A one-time license can be purchased to use the photo with restrictions regarding distribution. Additional licenses must be purchased for additional use.
- Right of publicity: The subjects in your photos are entitled to certain rights when it comes to their inclusion in your photography, especially when it comes to commercial use when you sell photos online. This is a separate concern from the copyright considerations above, and you should seek a subject’s explicit permission first in order to be safe.
What to do if someone steals your photos
Theft is common concerning content, and many people do it unknowingly.
Photographers can watermark their digital images before selling them online to protect against theft. If you sell or share your photos, you can apply identifying marks in Photoshop or use a watermark generator.
A smaller watermark, often in the corner, will less impact your photo, while a larger watermark with reduced opacity offers the most protection against theft.
But what do you do if someone steals and uses your photos anyway? A cease and desist request usually will work. Or you can send the culprit an invoice for using your photo. Combining the two will likely be the most effective at persuading the perpetrator by offering them the choice to either pay you or take the photo down.
At the very least, you should always try to get others to credit you whenever they use your work, even for editorial purposes. Remember that backlinks to your portfolio site are useful for driving traffic to your other work and for search engine optimization and helping your standing in Google search results.
How to sell photos online FAQ
What is the best way to sell photographs?
The best way to sell photographs online is by selling them as stock images for sale on third-party websites like iStock, Shutterstock, or Alamy. Selling your photos through stock sites is quick, easy, and affordable.
Where can I sell my photos online for money?
- Alamy
- 500px
- Shutterstock
- Getty Images
- iStock
- Stocksy
- Picfair
- Adobe Stock
- Envato Elements
- Unsplash
How do you make money from stock photography?
A stock photography website, or stock agency, sells high-priced and exclusive images that you upload. The agency licenses individual images to the client and sells them for a set price. Then you, the photographer, get a royalty payment.
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