MicrostockGroup

The following stats were gathered today, August 22, 2006.  Just wanted to share some numbers to show where iStock ranks in terms of Traffic, Files Online, Royatly Percentage, Payout Range, Creation Date, and Link Backs compared with the other four sites that make up the Big 5.  For fun I threw in the traffic rankings of Getty, Corbis & Alamy to compare. (Looks like microstock is here to stay!) Information here was gathered from the sites themsleves as well as www.alexa.com and www.google.com both of which have downloadable toolbars that feature the traffic stats found here for any site you go to. (Very nifty little tools!)

Some fun facts about iStock is that is was the first launched, has the highest traffic ranking, most link backs and the highest possible payout for a single regular sale ($16.00 on a 40 credit image at the 40% comission level. Discalimer: Not sure how oftenthat happens but I know it does for some on a regualr basis)  iStock does have one of the lowest percentages of royalties paid to the photog/artist out of these selections.
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Creation Date

iStock January 6 th 2000[/i]
Shutterstock July 10, 2003
Dreamstime June 11th, 2000
Fotolia November 9, 2005     
123rf March 4, 2005

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Alexa Traffic Ranking:

iStock 328
Shutterstock 2,008
Dreamstime 1,771
Fotolia 3,761
123rf 17,250


Getty  753
Corbis  2,766
Alamy  6,876

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Files Online

iStock 1022963
Shutterstock 981,912
Dreamstime 560,000+
Fotolia 1,133,912   
123rf 400,000+

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Royalty Percentage Range (On regular sales only, EL and Buy Out not included)

iStock 20% - 40%
Shutterstock Flat Rate, 25 cents?
Dreamstime 50% - 65% 
Fotolia 33% - 58%         
123rf 50%

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Payout Per Download Range (On regular sales only, EL and Buy Out not included)

iStock $0.20 - $16.00
Shutterstock $0.25 - $0.25   
Dreamstime $0.50 - $12.00   
Fotolia $0.33 - $1.74   
123rf $0.50 - $1.50

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Sites Linking Back (According to Alexa's Stats)

iStock 2982
Shutterstock 786
Dreamstime 855
Fotolia 367
123rf 30

Thanks! 

In regards of website-traffic only three Stockagencies are in the same league istockphoto, gettyimages and sxc.hu !
But to be fair to Fotolia they have individual sites in all countries and they do better outside the US so i guess trafficwise the must be better if you count all sites together
You missed stockxpert my favourite one and still my bet for the future.
Dreamstime has about half a million pictures but i didn´t know that they are already so old - are you sure?