Author Topic: How much does Istock pay per photo and video on average? (Read 1825 times)

xphi · « **on:** October 11, 2019, 14:56 »

Hello. New in the microstock, I registered on Shutterstock, adobe, pond5, alamy and Istock. I uploaded about 80 videos on each of these sites. Since then I've read a lot of thread here about Istock and I hesitate to unsubscribe (for the moment my portfolio does not appear online yet even if the videos have been validated). I would like your opinion: how much is an average illustration on Istock and how much is an average video? The site indicates a percentage but to read you I have the impression that there are many cheat in the count of the royalties. So in the end what is it? Knowing that in addition they have a separate app to upload and that loses additional time ... but on the other hand I see that Istock appears in the big4 so ... your opinions are welcome. Thank you

PinHead · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2019, 07:42 »

The avg for me (video) = 2,97 $ nice uhh

steheap · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2019, 09:40 »

For me - $6.00 in 2019 so far on 60 sales. Sales range from $0.08 to $85.64

davidbautista · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2019, 09:57 »

My RPD is 0.5 USD

Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

steheap · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2019, 10:38 »

Quote

My RPD is 0.5 USD

For video? I thought the original question was about videos?

Steve

davidbautista · « **Reply #5 on:** October 12, 2019, 10:45 »

Quote from: steheap on October 12, 2019, 10:38

Quote
My RPD is 0.5 USD

For video? I thought the original question was about videos?

Steve

True, no, for photos! For video I have sales from 63 cents to 12 USD. But I don't have a lot (just 100).

Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

xphi · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2019, 11:22 »

Quote from: PinHead on October 12, 2019, 07:42

The avg for me (video) = 2,97 $ nice uhh

2, 97 per video ?

Quote from: steheap on October 12, 2019, 09:40

For me - $6.00 in 2019 so far on 60 sales. Sales range from $0.08 to $85.64

per photo ? So... 10 cents per photo ?

would you advise me to quit istock before uploading more? I've been there for 10 days and I uploaded 80 videos, I have about 300 to put already and maybe 2000 photos but ... is the game worth the candle? (does this expression exist in English?

sorry it's google that translate my french).

Visualab · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2019, 14:05 »

I wonder how you keep submit to istock guys...those reveneus are a joke...

davidbautista · « **Reply #8 on:** October 12, 2019, 14:52 »

Quote from: Visualab on October 12, 2019, 14:05

I wonder how you keep submit to istock guys...those reveneus are a joke...

I stopped the upload of new videos. And for photos my RPD is higher than most of sites. It is indeed the highest excluding Adobe Stock and SS.

Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2019, 15:11 »

Quote from: davidbautista on October 12, 2019, 14:52

Quote from: Visualab on October 12, 2019, 14:05
I wonder how you keep submit to istock guys...those reveneus are a joke...
I stopped the upload of new videos. And for photos my RPD is higher than most of sites. It is indeed the highest excluding Adobe Stock and SS.

To rephrase, for you IS has the lowest rpd from these sites.

xphi · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2019, 16:55 »

Quote from: Microstock Posts on October 12, 2019, 15:11

Quote from: davidbautista on October 12, 2019, 14:52
Quote from: Visualab on October 12, 2019, 14:05
I wonder how you keep submit to istock guys...those reveneus are a joke...
I stopped the upload of new videos. And for photos my RPD is higher than most of sites. It is indeed the highest excluding Adobe Stock and SS.

To rephrase, for you IS has the lowest rpd from these sites.

I am not sure to anderstand. What is "RPD" ? (sorry im a beginner)

steheap · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2019, 18:13 »

RPD is rate per download (or earnings per download). I noticed you did ask for photos and videos. My photo earnings per download is $0.60 on 5300 downloads in 2019. Shutterstock, for comparison, is $0.80 for photos and $20.85 for video. I don't often upload my videos to iStock these days.

Steve

trek · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2019, 20:37 »

My video return per download dropped to about $3- shortly before I removed my clips.

davidbautista · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2019, 20:49 »

Quote from: Microstock Posts on October 12, 2019, 15:11

Quote from: davidbautista on October 12, 2019, 14:52
Quote from: Visualab on October 12, 2019, 14:05
I wonder how you keep submit to istock guys...those reveneus are a joke...
I stopped the upload of new videos. And for photos my RPD is higher than most of sites. It is indeed the highest excluding Adobe Stock and SS.

To rephrase, for you IS has the lowest rpd from these sites.

Yes but others are worseee (less than 0.35)

Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

Lizard · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2019, 21:57 »

Im just waiting for the moment when some genius there or anywhere cracks up an idea to charge contributors cloud storage space for media while the agency is able to sell that media. The more media of yours they sell the less you pay. When you hit zero then you are payed with medals...like bronze or silver. The more medals you have
you get increased bandwidth to download your own backup files.

If someone from the headquarters is reading this...Im not looking for a job. Or listening.

xphi · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2019, 05:06 »

For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

Stockmaan · « **Reply #16 on:** October 13, 2019, 09:31 »

History for me

Visualab · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2019, 10:11 »

Quote from: xphi on October 13, 2019, 05:06

For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

I'd submit only to agencies that give you a decent reveneu..
If you feed agencies that sell your work for peanuts you'll lose pontential sales on other agencies that pay you better!!!
I quit istock 4 years ago with no regrets and it didn't hurt my income at all...

Deyan Georgiev Photography · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2019, 10:48 »

Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 10:11

Quote from: xphi on October 13, 2019, 05:06
For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

If you feed agencies that sell your work for peanuts you'll lose pontential sales on other agencies that pay you better!!!

I'd love to be on that way, but unfortunately it doesn't work on that way. The client who would buy your image in one particular moment on one exact search result in one particular agency, even will buy this image just because of the conviction in the moment.... this client will never buy your image on other agency searching you and your portfolio, or if yes will be in 1% of the cases.

davidbautista · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2019, 10:50 »

Quote from: Deyan Georgiev on October 13, 2019, 10:48

Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 10:11
Quote from: xphi on October 13, 2019, 05:06
For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

If you feed agencies that sell your work for peanuts you'll lose pontential sales on other agencies that pay you better!!!

I'd love to be on that way, but unfortunately it doesn't work on that way. The client who would buy your image in one particular moment on one exact search result in one particular agency, even will buy this image just because of the conviction in the moment.... this client will never buy your image on other agency searching you and your portfolio, or if yes will be in 1% of the cases.

I don't think it's the 1%,but it's not everyone. I think it's more like the 20%...anyway istock is crap but for me it works. At least lore than DP, DT, BS...

Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2019, 11:51 »

Quote from: Deyan Georgiev on October 13, 2019, 10:48

Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 10:11
Quote from: xphi on October 13, 2019, 05:06
For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

If you feed agencies that sell your work for peanuts you'll lose pontential sales on other agencies that pay you better!!!

I'd love to be on that way, but unfortunately it doesn't work on that way. The client who would buy your image in one particular moment on one exact search result in one particular agency, even will buy this image just because of the conviction in the moment.... this client will never buy your image on other agency searching you and your portfolio, or if yes will be in 1% of the cases.

I agree. I doubt very many buyers will chase individual contributors, as long as they still have enough choices they will stay with the site they like. It's unlikely a mass walk out of contributors will ever happen, D-day was the first and only attempt and it didn't work. For the big sites most buyers won't notice or care if individual contributors are gone. Even when Sean Locke left, I doubt it had any effect on istock's sales. Most buyers will be more interested in the site's prices, special offers and useful site functions than individual contributors.

Visualab · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2019, 12:05 »

Quote from: Microstock Posts on October 13, 2019, 11:51

Quote from: Deyan Georgiev on October 13, 2019, 10:48
Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 10:11
Quote from: xphi on October 13, 2019, 05:06
For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

If you feed agencies that sell your work for peanuts you'll lose pontential sales on other agencies that pay you better!!!

I'd love to be on that way, but unfortunately it doesn't work on that way. The client who would buy your image in one particular moment on one exact search result in one particular agency, even will buy this image just because of the conviction in the moment.... this client will never buy your image on other agency searching you and your portfolio, or if yes will be in 1% of the cases.

I agree. I doubt very many buyers will chase individual contributors, as long as they still have enough choices they will stay with the site they like. It's unlikely a mass walk out of contributors will ever happen, D-day was the first and only attempt and it didn't work. For the big sites most buyers won't notice or care if individual contributors are gone. Even when Sean Locke left, I doubt it had any effect on istock's sales. Most buyers will be more interested in the site's prices, special offers and useful site functions than individual contributors.

Who talked about chasing a contributor??!!
It only takes few seconds to search for the same clip on different agencies...it's 2019,most of the buyers shop around...keep open few browser pages type what you need to search and boom,you find the same clip on different agencies...go figure where buyer will buy...

davidbautista · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2019, 12:09 »

Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 12:05

Quote from: Microstock Posts on October 13, 2019, 11:51
Quote from: Deyan Georgiev on October 13, 2019, 10:48
Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 10:11
Quote from: xphi on October 13, 2019, 05:06
For the moment I only uploaded a hundred videos on Istock and zero photo, I should perhaps have started by doing the opposite ... do you think it is better that I stop uploder videos ? Is it so bad compared to other stocks? ok for about 15 dollars for one video but not much less ... on average in any case.

If you feed agencies that sell your work for peanuts you'll lose pontential sales on other agencies that pay you better!!!

I'd love to be on that way, but unfortunately it doesn't work on that way. The client who would buy your image in one particular moment on one exact search result in one particular agency, even will buy this image just because of the conviction in the moment.... this client will never buy your image on other agency searching you and your portfolio, or if yes will be in 1% of the cases.

I agree. I doubt very many buyers will chase individual contributors, as long as they still have enough choices they will stay with the site they like. It's unlikely a mass walk out of contributors will ever happen, D-day was the first and only attempt and it didn't work. For the big sites most buyers won't notice or care if individual contributors are gone. Even when Sean Locke left, I doubt it had any effect on istock's sales. Most buyers will be more interested in the site's prices, special offers and useful site functions than individual contributors.
Who talked about chasing a contributor??!!
It only takes few seconds to search for the same clip on different agencies...it's 2019,most of the buyers shop around...keep open few browser pages type what you need to search and boom,you find the same clip on different agencies...go figure where buyer will buy...

Actually it would be very interesting to know about this ind depth. My guess it's something like 1/4 of the buyers are actually very smart and trying to save more money. The other 3 don't care and want the asset fast and/or from the site they have the subscription

Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #23 on:** October 13, 2019, 12:50 »

Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 12:05

most of the buyers shop around...keep open few browser pages type what you need to search and boom,you find the same clip on different agencies...go figure where buyer will buy...

Small buyers maybe. Big companies, I doubt it.

Visualab · « **Reply #24 on:** October 13, 2019, 13:04 »

Quote from: Microstock Posts on October 13, 2019, 12:50

Quote from: Visualab on October 13, 2019, 12:05
most of the buyers shop around...keep open few browser pages type what you need to search and boom,you find the same clip on different agencies...go figure where buyer will buy...

Small buyers maybe. Big companies, I doubt it.
You right about big companies..but they are all on ss or as,it's hard to see them on subscription or even istock due to the limited library....other have subscription and shop around to find a better deal...

steheap · « **Reply #25 on:** October 13, 2019, 13:29 »

The shopping around is one element of the decision, but a key one is the uniqueness of the clip. I think we all agree that iStock has the lowest RPD for video (not sure how that varies with usage and video size, but lets assume they are the lowest). Buyers presumably know that and so if they have an account with iStock, they would start their search there. They will be presented with multiple options for their search and they would normally choose one. Only if none of the options meet their specific needs would they search elsewhere on the next stock site.

So if your video is not on iStock and is not particularly unique then that buyers wouldn't find it and buy it.

Steve

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Author Topic: How much does Istock pay per photo and video on average? (Read 1825 times)

xphi

PinHead

steheap

davidbautista

steheap

davidbautista

xphi

Visualab

davidbautista

Microstock Posts

xphi

steheap

trek

davidbautista

Lizard

xphi

Stockmaan

Visualab

Deyan Georgiev Photography

davidbautista

Microstock Posts

Visualab

davidbautista

Microstock Posts

Visualab

steheap

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