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Author Topic: Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock  (Read 14096 times)

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Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« on: February 08, 2020, 14:07 »
+3
Evidence indicates that Adobe Stock is emerging as a strong contender to soon overtake Shutterstock as a stock-photography cash-cow for many contributors.

In this exclusive stats-heavy blog post Ill explore potential trends emerging in this rivalry for the coveted first spot in contributors hearts and wallets. This way we can try to draw an accurate picture of what is the reality other than pure speculation.

Would be great to share (within reason, of course) your own experiences, in particular which types of content do better at AS vs SS.

https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2020/02/08/shutterstock-vs-adobe-stock/


« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2020, 14:23 »
+5
If you have the same portfolio on both sites it might not be too significant if one is going down and the other is going up.

« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2020, 18:20 »
+2
More a case of SS going down while AS stays level. Newer images do seem to sell more on AS though, so eventually they should pass SS if this trend continues.

Don't mix up RPD and RPI (or RPA) Return Per Download vs Return Per Image (or Asset). RPD is fairly meaningless without the volume. Still RPD and RPI have both been dropping at SS. Both because of less total downloads and less downloads for more than the minimum not to mention the near total disappearance of high value sales.

Clair Voyant

« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2020, 20:18 »
+5
It's near impossible to see revenue growth with Shutterstock and their current review policy of rejecting the same image 5 times for 5 different reasons. That same image in particular has sold 3 times on Adobe Stock, even if it was out of focus, wrong orientation, overexposed, etc etc etc.

I value my time, so I no longer resubmit to an agency that rejects for reasons that defy logic.

My prediction based on this current environment is that Adobe Stock revenue will soon outpace Shutterstock revenue, mainly due to the fact that if Adobe does reject an image/video/illustration it most likely is a valid rejection.


« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2020, 11:08 »
+1
I have a bit smaller port on Adobe and I get more downloads and at worst two times more RPD. Also new files get traction, while on SS I hardly sell anything new, I doubled my port and it did nothing, just same old bestsellers mostly.

« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2020, 12:53 »
0
Look forward to it, the best is currently ss, :-*

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2020, 14:13 »
+1
If you have the same portfolio on both sites it might not be too significant if one is going down and the other is going up.

Impossible to have the same portfolio on both for many of us. Especially when there's Editorial on SS and not on AS. But then there are illustrations accepted on AS (for me) that aren't allowed on SS. Quite the apples vs oranges situation. Also personally 4700 vs 600. Images rejected by AS are on SS, images rejected by SS are accepted on AS?  :o

With that, I just want to add what should be "as a personal note" RPD on SS has been falling, RPD on AS has always been higher. I only joined AS after they bought FT.

I'm happy with both, considering the other choices and their terrible returns.

« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2020, 18:45 »
+4
Shutterstock support very bad, mostly they no longer want to serve their customers. Maybe that's why recent sales have dropped!

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2020, 04:32 »
+2
More a case of SS going down while AS stays level. Newer images do seem to sell more on AS though, so eventually they should pass SS if this trend continues.

Don't mix up RPD and RPI (or RPA) Return Per Download vs Return Per Image (or Asset). RPD is fairly meaningless without the volume. Still RPD and RPI have both been dropping at SS. Both because of less total downloads and less downloads for more than the minimum not to mention the near total disappearance of high value sales.

RPD is very significant because total volume of downloads has been stagnant (at least compared to the rapid growth of image libraries). A lower RPD inevitably means less money for us as the drop is due to agencies competing with each other on price while we aren't seeing a corresponding increase in download numbers. All this talk of new markets has always turned out to be nonsense.

If we want to see more money we need to concentrate somewhat on RPD and send newer and better work to better paying sites. Buyers are happy to pay more for the same volume if they have to, but will of course gravitate to cheaper sites if they have that option for the same images.

With re. to RPI I would recommend analysing the stats SS releases for image library size vs total payout increases over the years. Mind blowing how much library growth has been outstripping sales growth for the last 8ish years.

« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2020, 04:35 »
+8
Coincidence that since shutterstock introduced the new improved contributor portfolio view in December that sales have crashed?

In my case by 40-50%  :'(

Chichikov

« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2020, 04:53 »
+8
Coincidence that since shutterstock introduced the new improved contributor portfolio view in December that sales have crashed?

In my case by 40-50%  :'(

On this I am with you :(

And yes there are some months that, for me, the sales on Shutterstock are decreasing and the ones on Adobe Stock are increasing.
In fact I see more SS decreasing than AS increasing

But I don't think that Adobe Stock will "soon overtake Shutterstock" as expressed in the OP.
Probably it will, but surely not so soon.
And perhaps it is more accurate to say that Shutterstock will undertake Adobe Stock, rather than saying that Adobe Stock will overtake Shutterstock. :(
« Last Edit: February 10, 2020, 05:01 by Chichikov »

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2020, 08:03 »
0
adobe has a much higher rpd in my case, and it's growing strong but ss is keeping strong first due to many 100 and 5a nd more sales while adobe lack completely this, but it has many 3,3 dollar sale that make for an rpd that is 1,5 dollar in the last two months....

« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2020, 12:33 »
+1
The biggest difference for me is as simple as this:

So far this month, I'm at $168 total income on Adobe Stock.

Today alone on Shutterstock, I sold one clip where my commission was $168.

Crazy difference.

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2020, 14:35 »
0
last week i see adobe falling down...don' t know but super slow...i know i shall begin shooting video.

steheap

  • Author of best selling "Get Started in Stock"

« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2020, 15:02 »
0
Quote
i know i shall begin shooting video

from a drone?

« Reply #15 on: February 12, 2020, 00:00 »
+1
For me:
- Nearly equal income on SS and AS
- Both earning about the same as 2019 so far
- Port is about 99% the same on both (due to a very infrequent 'similar' rejection on SS.)

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2020, 05:49 »
0
last week completely dead as


« Reply #17 on: February 12, 2020, 12:01 »
0
I started in 2015
Blue = Shutterstock (1086 images and videos)
Orange = Fotolia / Adobe (1081 images and videos)

Adobe is the best RPD and is improving every day.
But the SS for me is unbeatable, for me.
Last year stagnated just like 2018, but still always the best agency in the final total.

« Reply #18 on: February 12, 2020, 14:15 »
0
I sell a lot more on AS than SS, both photos and videos. I also like AS more, they accept a lot more than SS.

OM

« Reply #19 on: February 12, 2020, 20:51 »
+1
In 2012 I started on SS having been on AS/FT since 2008. I have almost the same number of images on both (5% more on AS). Almost no editorial and SS even today makes consistently 3-4X more than AS for me in an average month and that used to be 10X. AS sometimes brings a surprise with a $50 custom sale but they're less frequent than $20-$50 SODs at SS. New images seem to have more 'chance' at AS but with SS 'new' is pretty hopeless. (In the good old days with SS 'new'  submissions found a place on the first page of new for a day or so). Now that's down to a matter of minutes or hours before they're deluged under a pile (in the non-niche categories) never to be seen again.

If I take RPD over lifetime with both AS and SS, I see that both are around 0.70; the only difference being that AS is in GBP () and SS is in USD ($). With 4 years less at SS, I have a factor 3-4X as many dl's at SS compared to AS.

« Last Edit: February 13, 2020, 03:47 by OM »

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #20 on: February 13, 2020, 08:03 »
+1
checked last year february and this year in practice day by day the same trend., big sales in the same days, from 9 to 15 practically a complete slow down, then strong last ten days....foor me it-s not even a surprise cause I'm 100% that the level off sales is totally controlled by ss to sustain the wish of every contributors to upload...but always funny to see it...at best i have a fixed income that can be bad but sometimes even good.

« Reply #21 on: February 13, 2020, 10:00 »
0
In my case, it's rather obvious that AS is on the rise since mid-2018, but at the expense of IS.
SS's share is rather stable (maybe even improved a little).
« Last Edit: February 13, 2020, 10:26 by Zero Talent »

m

« Reply #22 on: February 13, 2020, 10:49 »
0

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #23 on: February 13, 2020, 11:07 »
0
shutterstock is losing 8per cent at nasdaq after the @ brilliant@ outlook...well deserved but not enough i wish heir stock go to 2 dollar at least even ringer will suffer a bit...they are killing a business and people who seriously spent time contributing without any reason really...70 millions content added 99% of which are garbage and totally useless....they kare killing any serious contributor and this is the results...practically zero growth, skyrocketing cost, falling down edit....good job shutter subs.

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #24 on: February 13, 2020, 11:36 »
0
Gotta love threads like this. One person says, SS is killing their business by accepting crap. Another says, they like AS because they don't reject their work as often. Seems like you can find whatever you want.

RPD is higher on AS, earnings are higher on SS, except some people where, AS has passed SS.

SS even today makes consistently 3-4X more than AS for me in an average month

If I take RPD over lifetime with both AS and SS, I see that both are around 0.70; the only difference being that AS is in GBP () and SS is in USD ($). With 4 years less at SS, I have a factor 3-4X as many dl's at SS compared to AS.

I have plenty of editorial on SS and none on AS, but still my numbers are similar to OM. Around the same RPD on both, and roughly 4x more sales on SS. No way mine is a fair comparison. Most of my sales on AS are files that SS doesn't take, and 50% of my sales on SS are Editorial files that AS doesn't accept. The simple point is, SS is still four times more money per month, for me, than SS. No video on either.

I suspect that we all have different kinds of content and subjects, so comparing my sales to anyone else is pretty meaningless. If we all had the same type files, subjects and content, then there might be something?

No sign of controlled sales for me, must only be for special people.  ::) I wish I had a quota or fixed level, instead of these ups and downs on SS.  8) Where's my fixed income!!! I want my monthly quota!


 

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