Unfortunately, the much feared payment shrinkage at Adobe is becoming noticeable.
Previously, the lowest sale price for a file was 38 cents. It gradually sank to 34, then 32, and today it went to a new low: 29 cents.
Perhaps they thought I wouldn't notice if it was gradual, but I do.
29 cents is still much better than the minimums at Shutterstock and Istock. However, those two occasionally have some really high value sales to partly offset that (I had one that paid $110 a few days ago), of the kind that I never see on Adobe.
Based on the previous good payments from Adobe, I have been making an extra effort to provide files for Adobe (e.g., cloning out recognizable people, since they don't accept that as editorial). However, it won't be worth the effort if they keep reducing payments.
This year marks a turning point for me, for the first time instead of making more money each year I've made more sales but with less revenue. Still not over but doesn't look like I'm making progress although my portfolio has grown even though I have been getting full 100% rejections lately.
Not defending Adobe, but the lower royalties aren't new - we had them in the previous years as well. I think last year they went as low as 0.27$ before rebounding in January. Just search the forums here and you'll find more information.
Quote from: mike123 on November 21, 2025, 07:41
Not defending Adobe, but the lower royalties aren't new - we had them in the previous years as well. I think last year they went as low as 0.27$ before rebounding in January. Just search the forums here and you'll find more information.
The new lows are
Custom, whatever that is. As we've been told before, the percentage hasn't changed, but the amount the customer pays, has. I'm pretty sure this is the Enterprise Subscription. Bottom line is a fact, we are getting some of these, that aren't the usual and expected minimum. My RPD for Adobe is $0.97 and I have no video. Images and illustrations only.
2024 my RPD at Adobe was $0.87, 2023 it was $0.97 the year isn't over, but from those numbers, I haven't seen a noticeable change, with the new plan.
Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 21, 2025, 16:15
The new lows are Custom, whatever that is. As we've been told before, the percentage hasn't changed, but the amount the customer pays, has. I'm pretty sure this is the Enterprise Subscription. Bottom line is a fact, we are getting some of these, that aren't the usual and expected minimum.
Just checked my downloads from last year, I had a lot of 0.30$ sales marked as
Custom in November 2024. Feel free to check your own downloads, Adobe allows you to go back 13 months.
In November 2024 I had custom sales from .31 to 5.94 I have barely had any over $1 this year, and most of those are only a few cents more.
Quote from: mike123 on November 21, 2025, 16:30
Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 21, 2025, 16:15
The new lows are Custom, whatever that is. As we've been told before, the percentage hasn't changed, but the amount the customer pays, has. I'm pretty sure this is the Enterprise Subscription. Bottom line is a fact, we are getting some of these, that aren't the usual and expected minimum.
Just checked my downloads from last year, I had a lot of 0.30$ sales marked as Custom in November 2024. Feel free to check your own downloads, Adobe allows you to go back 13 months.
That's right. In 2024 I could only find two .30 Custom credits. More at .31 and higher, but none at the new lower commission of .29 that we are seeing now.
We still get 33%, for photos, but the new program for buyers, is for less, so we get 33% of less. The credits aren't a flat rate, they are a percentage of what the customer pays.
https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/royalty-details.html
And also correct, we do get less than the minimum, which we have been getting less than this amount, for many years.
Lifetime Licenses = Minimum Royalty Amount (per licensed standard asset)
0-999 $0.33
1,000-9,999 $0.36
10,000 and above $0.38
Can confirm. I see a lot of 0.28 sales lately
Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 22, 2025, 19:17
In 2024 I could only find two .30 Custom credits. More at .31 and higher, but none at the new lower commission of .29 that we are seeing now.
Lower commissions are not new. See this thread (https://www.microstockgroup.com/fotolia-com/custom-license-as-low-as-$0-29-now/msg603115/#msg603115) with people reporting sales as low as 0.27$ in May 2024.
P.S. those might be numbers after withholding tax - in that case the new commissions would be indeed lower than ever before.
This isn't something I track particularly, but this week my adobe average sale is .446 for the year it is more like .76 and lifetime it is ~.9
It seems the only thing that keeps getting cheaper over the years is electronics and stock photos, but we don't make it up in volume.
Looking at the same period of time, 01 Jan - 28 Nov and taking away the AI bonus which was a lot larger the last two years due to being applied to your entire port and not just new content, $ is up slightly compared to 2024 and up even more compared to 2023. Sales vol is around the 29k and looking good to pass last years high of 32k dls.
All in all, I'm not seeing a massive change one way or the other... slight improvement and only seeing a handful of $0.29 dls... most are $0.38 and above.
My main concern is the volume of AI images appearing on the first few pages of a search. They're pushing out none AI imagery which runs the risk of pushing actual artists away which in turn reduces new imagery to the library (original non AI). This will result in AI learning from its own mistakes... 6 fingers etc etc. Funnily enough, this has come to light in the gaming community... Call of Duty, where people are noticing characters in the game with 6 fingers and complaining about the use of AI and pushing out human content creators and lowering the quality of content. I think it would be risky to push too much AI content ahead of human based work as we could be seeing the beginnings of pushback against AI generated content.
Just a couple of headlines regarding that.
" Black Ops 7 has seen significantly reduced sales, which some sources link to backlash against the extensive use of AI-generated art in its development. This criticism has been accompanied by reports of weak player engagement and lower-than-expected sales compared to previous titles in the series. For example, European launch sales are down 63% compared to Black Ops 6, and Steam player numbers on launch day were significantly lower."
"Steam is issuing refunds for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 to players citing egregious AI use: Steam requires game developers to disclose the use of AI, and it seems Call of Duty may have understated how much of its content was generated by AI-based tools based on user backlash."
That said, earnings are still good. Adobe, out of all agencies, are the ones I trust the most and hopefully they'll continue to improve... just hoping they don't get carried away with AI and pushing clients away as a result.
Huge drop in earnings this month..... :o
It seems that we can't compete wit Ai garbage. :o
Quote from: Madede on November 28, 2025, 14:14
Huge drop in earnings this month..... :o
It seems that we can't compete wit Ai garbage. :o
I think you're right and we've been seeing that for few years now. I still keep trying to work at, real photos, real places, real items, and specific illustrations, that AI doesn't get right. That doesn't mean I'm successful, but at least I'm fighting the AI, my own way. I have no interest in going over to "the dark side" and working with AI images.
Quote from: Madede on November 28, 2025, 14:14
Huge drop in earnings this month..... :o
It seems that we can't compete wit Ai garbage. :o
Maybe today isn't the right time to say this because between today and yesterday I'm experiencing a drastic drop in sales :'( (I'm European, but perhaps my portfolio is affected by Thanksgiving and Black Friday), but in 2025 I saw a +31% on Adobe (I'm losing 5% on SS) and a +7% on Istock. Overall, I saw a +14%.
I don't have any AI images, I don't have any videos. I've opted out (where possible) of all free photo sales programs and AI training programs. I only sell photos taken with my camera. :)
Of course, when I see my images surrounded by all that AI junk, I get a little worried, but for now, clients seem to be able to choose between a synthetic image and one photographed in the field.
I don't know what the future holds. For now, I can say I've lasted another year as a full-time stock photographer (this is my 16th year in this business), even though the earnings aren't what they used to be.
i'm seeing a lot of .20 sales lately. as a person that dont live in a country with TAX relations with the USA, i get some 'discount' on the sales
Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 28, 2025, 18:26
Quote from: Madede on November 28, 2025, 14:14
Huge drop in earnings this month..... :o
It seems that we can't compete wit Ai garbage. :o
I think you're right and we've been seeing that for few years now. I still keep trying to work at, real photos, real places, real items, and specific illustrations, that AI doesn't get right. That doesn't mean I'm successful, but at least I'm fighting the AI, my own way. I have no interest in going over to "the dark side" and working with AI images.
This drop in earnings and Adobe auto reject bot, together with this Ai garbage drownings makes me very demotivated :o
Quote from: Madede on December 02, 2025, 13:57
Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 28, 2025, 18:26
Quote from: Madede on November 28, 2025, 14:14
Huge drop in earnings this month..... :o
It seems that we can't compete wit Ai garbage. :o
I think you're right and we've been seeing that for few years now. I still keep trying to work at, real photos, real places, real items, and specific illustrations, that AI doesn't get right. That doesn't mean I'm successful, but at least I'm fighting the AI, my own way. I have no interest in going over to "the dark side" and working with AI images.
This drop in earnings and Adobe auto reject bot, together with this Ai garbage drownings makes me very demotivated :o
That's unfair competition. But you know, you're writing here, and this forum is full of people who flood the platforms with AI garbage, and are very proud of doing it.
Quote from: DiscreetDuck on December 02, 2025, 15:31
Quote from: Madede on December 02, 2025, 13:57
Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 28, 2025, 18:26
Quote from: Madede on November 28, 2025, 14:14
Huge drop in earnings this month..... :o
It seems that we can't compete wit Ai garbage. :o
I think you're right and we've been seeing that for few years now. I still keep trying to work at, real photos, real places, real items, and specific illustrations, that AI doesn't get right. That doesn't mean I'm successful, but at least I'm fighting the AI, my own way. I have no interest in going over to "the dark side" and working with AI images.
This drop in earnings and Adobe auto reject bot, together with this Ai garbage drownings makes me very demotivated :o
That's unfair competition. But you know, you're writing here, and this forum is full of people who flood the platforms with AI garbage, and are very proud of doing it.
I really don't have a problem with someone being proud of faking other people work by using Ai or copying prompts from discord channel and calling it creativity and work.
As the matter of the fact there is an old sayings : Of which is is a smart person ashamed of, fool is proud of the same.
Problem is that adobe prioritizing it by faster moderation and acceptance rate of that GARBAGE and treating those artist wannabes same as people that are creative, capable and hard working.
Hi all . Does somebody know how to contact Adobe support? After cookies cleaning it requests phone number only for login, but generates error, so i cannot add a number. Theis useless chat requests only to sign for plan to buy and pay, but i am a contributor; Please any advise?
Is that some holiday in USA again or just a regular low monday earnings on adobe ? :-\
I don't have holidays content so I feel its quite slow this month.
at my age that not the only shrinkage I have besides Adobe so don't complain :-\
Quote from: Big Money on December 09, 2025, 12:49
at my age that not the only shrinkage I have besides Adobe so don't complain :-\
In that case maybe you should change that "big" in your nickname ;)
Quote from: Madede on December 09, 2025, 13:09
Quote from: Big Money on December 09, 2025, 12:49
at my age that not the only shrinkage I have besides Adobe so don't complain :-\
In that case maybe you should change that "big" in your nickname ;)
I was referring to my height 8)
Quote from: Big Money on December 09, 2025, 15:44
Quote from: Madede on December 09, 2025, 13:09
Quote from: Big Money on December 09, 2025, 12:49
at my age that not the only shrinkage I have besides Adobe so don't complain :-\
In that case maybe you should change that "big" in your nickname ;)
I was referring to my height 8)
I thought you referring to a male organ?! ;D
Quote from: Big Money on December 09, 2025, 15:44
Quote from: Madede on December 09, 2025, 13:09
Quote from: Big Money on December 09, 2025, 12:49
at my age that not the only shrinkage I have besides Adobe so don't complain :-\
In that case maybe you should change that "big" in your nickname ;)
I was referring to my height 8)
It was obvious isn't it ? Or maybe someone had something else on their mind ? 8)