My choice is Stockfresh. I really don't understand why they could not make it into Big 4.

ShutterStock because their search engine is much better...

As of now SS has the best search engine IMHO.

I rarely rarely need stock footage but when I do, my client or I only buy on shutterstock because it is the biggest. We never bother search on another.

Thing I noticed as well is companies or group of people gather to use the same subscription so to quote what a recent client told me "Just tell me whatever you find interesting, whatever the number or if you are going to use it or not, for me it is almost free."

I very rarely buy, but a few months back did a job that required using and modifying a couple of vector images. The client made the purchase but I had to figure out which ones and where to make the purchase.

I searched on Shutterstock (because the size of the collection and search behavior made that the best place to look) and purchased from 123rf.

At the time, I think the 2 vectors were $29 from SS, $24 from CanStock,  and $20 from 123rf. For occasional buyers like that, you don't want to have to buy credits you may not need so it's about finding the best price on the few items you need now. If the images had not been at 123rf,

I typically buy from Shutterstock or 123rf.

I typically start at DreamsTime, then his SS, then Fotolia. Whichever place I find the image I need first, that's where I buy. I don't have time to hit a bunch of sites trying to find the same image at the best price. But I could see that as a good strategy if you are on a super tight budget for a project.

I buy stock all the time and it is usually from iStock, Shutterstock, or Veer mostly because the companies I work with have accounts with them.
Once in a while I will still go to the Rights Managed sites because, even though it's expensive and the licensing is a nightmare, there are a lot more high quality images. I won't buy from Stocksy because that *insult removed* rejected my images.

Searching for great photos is still the hardest and most time consuming part of my job. The search engines need improvement and there are just so many crappy images to sort through. For god's sake people, stop getting your models to stare straight into the goddamn camera! It is so hard to find natural, believable lifestyle images. If I see one more happy white family in matching sweaters grinning into the camera like catatonic morons I'm going to lose it.

What family goes for a walk in the autumn woods in matching sweaters? The answer is: No family, ever, in the history of the world!

I love to buy music from Pond5.com

So i'm the only one that buys at Fotolia?
There are two reasons for me:
1. I always have credits there and don't need to buy or subscribe anywhere else
2. I mainly buy "european" images (landmarks and landscapes)

oh no, you are not alone due the first point!

I'm a self-employed graphic designer and buy stock regularly, here's where I go in order of preference
1. Dreamstime (for photos)
2. iStock (for photos)
3. Vectorstock (for vector illustration)
4. everywhere else!

I'll spend up to 30 minutes and try 1-5 places before I buy, any more than that and it's not a good use of my time. I only buy using credits which I purchase as needed and bill back to my client on the project. I'll spend from ~$10 to the hundreds that rights managed sites charge for the right image, I never search photographer's direct sites.

So i'm the only one that buys at Fotolia?
There are two reasons for me:
1. I always have credits there and don't need to buy or subscribe anywhere else
2. I mainly buy "european" images (landmarks and landscapes)

And now that I have credits there, too, I will put them in my search list.