Guide to iStock Plans and Prices: Compare to Find the Best Offer
iStock‘s service can seem complicated at first glance. This company's offer structure can overwhelm newcomers, obscuring the real value in this rich depository of high-quality images.
This guide examines all the agency's plans, providing detailed insights and quick numbers so you know exactly what each option costs and which is perfect for your needs.
| Media type | Cost with minimum payment | Lowest cost on demand* | Lowest cost with a subscription | Lowest price ever** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential image | $12 | $6 | $0.22 | $0.18 |
| Signature image | $33 | $18 | $0.44 | $0.37 |
| Essential video | $60 | $36 | $6.66 | $5.66 |
| Signature video | $170 | $108 | $6.66 | $5.66 |
| Audio files | $99/mo | – | $6.66 | $5.66 |
What is iStock?
It is a leading stock photo agency known as the very first microstock company—the first in selling affordable royalty-free images online, with a minimum payment required. They inaugurated this business model in 2000 and have been a top agency ever since. It has also been parented by prestigious agency Getty Images since 2006.
Its libraries are famous for being highly curated, provided by reputable photographers, and for including a large selection of exclusive, high-end pictures. They have galleries with popular categories, trending searches, and an advanced search bar that lets users find visual content quickly.
They work with royalty-free licenses that cover commercial use, offering very low prices and convenient buying methods.
To this day, these images are chosen by millions of designers, marketing creatives, and businesses.
For more information, check our full iStock review.
Exclusive Offer: Bonus 10 Free Credits!
At Stock Photo Secrets, we have an offer you shouldn't miss: for a limited time, using our unique coupon code, when you buy any monthly subscription plan, you will unlock 10 free credits and download anything you want!
This offer applies to monthly subscription options (which you will learn about below). If you acquire any monthly plan using our exclusive code, a bonus pack of 10 credits will be added to your account completely free of charge.
These credits can be used to download photos, vectors, illustrations, and stock videos at your discretion.
Our Promo Codes: Up to 25% Off!
Before you look at numbers, you should know about our newest, exclusive discount code! All our readers get 25% off large credit packs from 18 credits+! Use our code at checkout to unlock this incredible discount.
With 18 credits, you can download as much as 18 Essential images, 6 Signature images, 3 Essential videos, one Signature video (in any resolution up to 4K), or a mix of all. But you needn't worry about expiration dates for your downloads because your credits never expire.
For regular folk, this pack would cost $170, which is already a good deal. But using our coupon, you can buy it for only $127.50! Think about it: You could download high-quality images for just $7 each or even 4K videos for only $42.50 apiece. Very convenient!
If you need a pack smaller than 18 credits or a subscription plan, our second-best discount code gives you 15% off on everything on their website! This coupon applies to stock images, vectors, illustrations, and video clips with a monthly or annual subscription or via credit packs of any volume and duration. It also covers credits for standard and extended license downloads.
This is why our site is a go-to place for saving on image downloads: You can buy royalty-free images at a discounted price!
Pricing Breakdown: All Plans & Packs
The company's pricing scheme comes with options for downloading images (also videos and audio files) with a subscription or on demand. Depending on the buying model, you can access different services, and downloads can cost more or less based on that, too.
Collections: Essential (Basic) and Signature (Premium)
A key element to understanding this service is that they divide the catalog and its pricing into two tiers:
- Essentials collection, which hosts high-resolution, budget-friendly images
- Signature collection, made of high-value pictures that are exclusive to this platform.
This splits all content across the board: photos, illustrations, and video clips are all sorted into these tiers. And their offers for subscriptions and on-demand buying are priced according to collection.
While it might seem more complicated, this is actually a great option for buyers: it means that there is a high-quality yet low-cost alternative—Essential images are amongst the cheapest royalty-free photos—and also a premium but not overly pricey option in Signature pictures, all on one site.
Subscriptions: Lowest Rates for Stock Photos
Subscriptions have the lowest per-image rates for stock photos on this website, so it’s key to understand how they work and what you get with them.
In general terms, a subscription from this agency gives you a preset number of downloads every month, limited to a specific file type (or types), for a flat monthly fee.
They are also divided into Basic (Essential) and Premium (Signature+Essential) tiers. In all cases, they provide options for monthly and annual plans. Annual subscriptions are still billed monthly.
This is important: These subscription plans stand out because they let you roll over unused downloads. Didn't use all your downloads this month? No problem—add them to next month's tally, up to 250 extras! Just ensure your monthly plan is set to auto-renew, or those saved-up downloads will vanish when the plan expires.
Basic Plans: The Cheapest Option
Basic subscriptions only allow downloads from the Essentials collection and have the lowest monthly price of all.
| Downloads per Month | Monthly Cost (USD) | Annual Cost (USD) | Cost per Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $29 | $348 | $2.90 |
| 25 | $49 | $588 | $1.96 |
| 50 | $99 | $1,188 | $1.98 |
| 750 | $199 | $2,388 | $0.27 |
Grab a 15% discount on subscriptions and Essential images, ensuring you get the best deal available. Don't miss out on this exclusive offer!
Premium Subscriptions: For High-End Content
Premium subscriptions let you download royalty-free images from both the Essentials and Signature collections. As we explained, Signature images have a higher value and are also exclusive to this agency, so you won’t find them anywhere else. For this reason, these plans come at a slightly higher price.
| Downloads per Month | Monthly Cost (USD) | Annual Cost (USD) | Cost per Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $45 | $540 | $4.50 |
| 25 | $79 | $948 | $3.16 |
| 50 | $149 | $1,788 | $2.98 |
| 750 | $249 | $2,988 | $0.33 |
Obtain a 15% discount on our Signature collection with our promo code and enjoy exclusive, royalty-free images at an unbeatable price!
Premium + Video Plans: Multimedia Downloads
The firm has launched Premium + video subscriptions, offering members unlimited access to extensive libraries of photos, videos, and music—all in one seamless package. Every asset is just a single download away, regardless of file type.
| Downloads per Month | Monthly Cost (USD) | Annual Cost (USD) | Cost per Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $99 | $1,188 | $9.90 |
| 25 | $165 | $1,980 | $6.60 |
| 50 | $265 | $3,180 | $5.30 |
Exciting update! Our unbeatable discount now covers Premium+Video plans. Enjoy seamless access to top-tier stock media at unmatched prices.
Pros and Cons of Subscriptions
Credits: Flexible On-Demand Buying
If you prefer, this agency includes a pay-as-you-go service powered by credits—a fictional currency designed for your convenience. Each photo has its own unique credit price. Simply buy credit packs and download stunning images whenever inspiration strikes!
The larger the credit pack, the lower the cost per credit.
| Number of credits | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | $12 |
| 3 | $33 |
| 6 | $60 |
| 12 | $115 |
| 18 | $170 |
| 24 | $220 |
| 36 | $325 |
| 60 | $520 |
| 150 | $1,250 |
| 300 | $2,400 |
Unlock endless possibilities with credits! Grab a 6-credit pack and choose from 6 Essential images, 2 Signature images, or an Essential video—mix and match to your heart's content. The best part? Your credits never expire; just log in once a year to keep them primed for action.
Purchasing in bulk cuts the cost per image, yet expect a heftier overall bill than subscription plans.
| Media | Minimum Payment Price on Demand | Lowest Cost on Demand | Best Price on Demand* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential image | $12 (one credit) | $8 | $6 |
| Essential video | $60 (six credits) | $48 | $36 |
| Signature image | $33 (three credits) | $24 | $18 |
| Signature video | $170 (eighteen credits) | $144 | $108 |
Unlock massive savings with our exclusive code for large credit packs! Plus, enjoy discounts on any size pack with our regular promo code. Save big, even when buying on demand!
Single Image Purchase: Quick Purchase Option
Like many agencies, this company now offers an easy and efficient option to purchase a single image.
You can snag an individual image with ease: pay just $12 for an Essential download or $33 for a Signature. This straightforward option also applies to individual video downloads, making your purchase quick and simple.
Opt for this option if you need just a single image or video without committing to larger credit packs.
Pros and Cons of Credits
Licensing Options: Standard and Extended
An important consideration is that final costs also depend on whether your image comes with a standard or extended license, which are the two licensing options available on this site.
Each comes with its own usage rights. Here, you can see an in-depth guide to this agency's licensing.
Standard License: Subscriptions and On-Demand
All downloads include the standard license by default. Files licensed under this agreement can be bought with subscriptions and credits. All prices displayed on the website—detailed in our tables above—correspond to standard images.
Extended Licenses: On-Demand Only
Extended licenses offer all the benefits of the standard version plus premium usage rights that elevate your projects. You may choose from three distinct options, available individually or as a bundle for any image you select:
- Unlimited reproduction (eliminates the 500,000 print run limit of standard license)
- Products for resale (adds a right to use images in products you can sell massively for profit, be them physical or digital like electronic templates)
- Multi-seat (lets multiple users access downloaded files)
All extended licenses increase the legal guarantee from $10,000, included in Standard, to $250,000.
Unlock the power of extended licensed images whenever you need them! Each license is just 18 credits, translating to $144 to $170, depending on your credit pack. Dive into creativity with ease and flexibility.
Who is iStock Best For?
Looking for stunning, royalty-free images without emptying your wallet? iStock is the answer. Their Essential collection rivals top stock sites but is more affordable.
Discover Signature, a collection with distinctive, high-quality images that effortlessly fit your budget. The Signature collection offers captivating visuals at unmatched prices.
This platform stands out as a premier choice for 4K stock footage, offering unbeatable prices by keeping costs independent of video resolution. Their Essential videos rank among the industry's most affordable options.
FAQ
Now, let’s address some of the most common questions about the costs and buying methods:
How expensive is iStock?
Discover unbeatable value with this budget-friendly stock photo platform. Snag high-resolution images for just 22 cents each and breathtaking 4K videos starting at $6.66 from the Essentials collection. Upgrade to premium plans for access to exclusive content, all while keeping photos under 50 cents and videos below $7.
Is it legitimate?
Absolutely! With over 20 years of experience and more than 15 years of prestigious backing from Getty Images, iStock is a cornerstone of credibility in the stock photography industry.
How much does it cost monthly?
That depends on which subscription you choose. There are plans from $29/mo.
Do you have to pay for it?
Yes. You can dive into the website's extensive libraries without needing an account, but downloading files requires a purchase. However, there are also complimentary files which you can find under the video, photo and illustrations sub-menus.
Is it royalty free?
Yes. The service offers a vast collection of royalty-free content, including stunning images, captivating videos, and dynamic audio files—all ready for commercial use.
How much does an extended license cost?
Unlock extended licenses for just $144 to $170, depending on your upfront credit purchase.
You're now a master in istock pricing plans and costs! Easier than you thought, isn't it? Visit the agency, pick your plan, and dive into downloading!
*With our exclusive discount for large credit packs (25% off in packs from 18 credits and up)
**With our exclusive Promo Code (15% off)
