Quote from: alan b traehern on November 26, 2025, 12:41

Quote from: danielvisuals on November 26, 2025, 05:19
Could it be the training bonus we've all been waiting for on pond5 this year...

Does Pond5 pay us by Shutterstock?

No, but Pond5, owned by SS, owes us for the training bonus.

This graph, based on my earnings, confirms the growth of Adobe at the expense of Shutterstock (with iStock being rather stable):

Quote from: Zero Talent on November 30, 2025, 15:31
This graph, based on my earnings, confirms the growth of Adobe at the expense of Shutterstock (with iStock being rather stable):

But where is the top of your chart? It appears lopped off unless I am misunderstanding it?

Quote from: wds on November 30, 2025, 15:34

Quote from: Zero Talent on November 30, 2025, 15:31
This graph, based on my earnings, confirms the growth of Adobe at the expense of Shutterstock (with iStock being rather stable):

But where is the top of your chart? It appears lopped off unless I am misunderstanding it?

No. The top is the sum of all 3 set at 100%. This way, it's easier to identify the share of each component, out of the total, every month.

Quote from: Zero Talent on November 30, 2025, 15:56

Quote from: wds on November 30, 2025, 15:34

Quote from: Zero Talent on November 30, 2025, 15:31
This graph, based on my earnings, confirms the growth of Adobe at the expense of Shutterstock (with iStock being rather stable):

But where is the top of your chart? It appears lopped off unless I am misunderstanding it?

No. The top is the sum of all 3 set at 100%. This way, it's easier to identify the share of each component, out of the total, every month.

So the graph shows the percentage of the total, but the total keeps changing? IS is fairly stable, in that case, and AS is gaining it's share.

I've seen an even to a slight decline in AS, SS "fell through the floor" and iS fairly stable over the past year or so.

Quote from: wds on November 30, 2025, 19:11
I've seen "even" to a slight decline in AS, SS "fell through the floor" and iS fairly stable over the past year or two.

Quote from: wds on November 30, 2025, 19:11
I've seen an even to a slight decline in AS, SS "fell through the floor" and iS fairly stable over the past year or so.

pretty much identical to me.

I finally reached Level 6 after 11 months of hard work, only to get reset again. I can't complain too much, because Shutterstock still performs well for me overall, but with the new unlimited model things are getting increasingly confusing. Downloads from the unlimited plans are being used, yet they don't count toward the total numbers that determine contributor levels. The system didn't make much sense from the start, and now it makes even less, if unlimited downloads don't contribute to leveling up, how can contributors realistically progress? The current structure feels disconnected from how our content is actually being used.

AS is ahead of last year (2024) both in revenue and downloads.

SS is down on last year (2024) on both revenue and downloads. Downloads look like they will be down around 15%. The main difference in revenue is that I had a few big sales last year that haven't happened this year. Otherwise, revenue is holding up okay.

Overall, I still make more money from SS than I do from AS. I'd like to do more with AS and would if I could get more product through their tortuous submission process.

How to not love SS? On AS never get these kind of days.

To be fair I had a $90 sale today from SS.

Nostalgically feeling like I'm back in 2019 before all those "exciting news"

Quote from: Brasilnut on December 10, 2025, 13:46
To be fair I had a $90 sale today from SS.

Nostalgically feeling like I'm back in 2019 before all those "exciting news"

I wish You more nostalgia like this one

Quote from: DaLiu on December 10, 2025, 12:04
How to not love SS? On AS never get these kind of days.

Yes, only on SS!

What's your favorite camera and lens combo?

Quote from: danielvisuals on December 10, 2025, 22:53

Quote from: DaLiu on December 10, 2025, 12:04
How to not love SS? On AS never get these kind of days.

Yes, only on SS!

What's your favorite camera and lens combo?

Still shoting on this setup and Mavic 4 Pro.

Here's my problem with Shutterstock.

From a much smaller portfolio of contents in 2022 to a much larger portfolio of contents in 2025 (mainly video) while uploading has slowed down it has still been consistent.

Yearly Earnings:

• 2022: $3702.93

• 2023: $5684.00

• 2024: $3620.67

• 2025: $2456.57

Not only can't make progress anymore with it, earnings in 2025 have collapsed to half of what it was in 2023.

Adobe Stock has shown increase each year.
 

Last 12 months or so I find Shutterstock outperforms Adobe maybe 2 or 3 months of the year. Maybe down to being a sucker and selling images to Adobe for those 12 months.

Quote from: Brasilnut on December 10, 2025, 13:46
To be fair I had a $90 sale today from SS.

Nostalgically feeling like I'm back in 2019 before all those "exciting news"

Nice if you get them.  I feel nostalgic when I get a sale for $1.48, (this one for example) instead of a crappy dime.



It's to the point where the cost of the motel, the driving about 6 hours each way, then sorting, culling, editing and tagging, I don't submit Editorial Motorsports to SSTK anymore. I'm down to maybe three events a year, from when I was doing a dozen or more.

Shutterstock's January start was horrible for me. 

Not so much for the number of photos sold, but for the particularly low RPD.

I'm at level 3 and about to reach level 4, just one day late. But the problem is that I have a RPD of $0.33, compared to $0.68 in January 2025.

Are you also experiencing a shortage of licenses >$10?

Quote from: Bauman on January 15, 2026, 14:11
Shutterstock's January start was horrible for me. 

Not so much for the number of photos sold, but for the particularly low RPD.

I'm at level 3 and about to reach level 4, just one day late. But the problem is that I have a RPD of $0.33, compared to $0.68 in January 2025.

Are you also experiencing a shortage of licenses >$10?

I'm already level 4 and I can confirm, the rpd is very low, similar to yours and compared with the last 6 years for me.

Quote from: DaLiu on January 15, 2026, 15:04
I'm already level 4 and I can confirm, the rpd is very low, similar to yours and compared with the last 6 years for me.

Thanks DaLiu. This isn't good news.

95% of what they sell is now subscription-based. And subscription sales are very profitable for Shutterstock, but not for us contributors.

Quote from: Brasilnut on September 11, 2025, 14:46
1/3 of the month gone and I'm only at $15 for the month. Wow.

$3.65 here

Quote from: DaLiu on January 15, 2026, 15:04

Quote from: Bauman on January 15, 2026, 14:11
Shutterstock's January start was horrible for me. 

Not so much for the number of photos sold, but for the particularly low RPD.

I'm at level 3 and about to reach level 4, just one day late. But the problem is that I have a RPD of $0.33, compared to $0.68 in January 2025.

Are you also experiencing a shortage of licenses >$10?

I'm already level 4 and I can confirm, the rpd is very low, similar to yours and compared with the last 6 years for me.

My compliments on reaching level 4 so fast, you must have some really good images and video.

I won't make level 4 by the end of 2026. Money is another matter. Dimes just don't add up to anything substantial.

So far RPB for photos on SS is $0.66 and for videos $4.156.

I'm still getting high value photo and video sales but less than I used to.

Overall, the year is starting well on both SS and Adobe.

First time ever when at this time at the month even tho I am level 4 on SS after 1st week, AS is passing SS on income overall with 3 times less sales.