Shutterstock vs. Unsplash for Brands

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Shutterstock
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Shutterstock is a global technology company headquartered in New York, offering a creative platform boasting high-quality assets, tools and services. With it, users can license images, video, music, and editorial assets -- as well as custom content tailored to a brand’s needs. Shutterstock offers a variety of plans for individuals, teams, and enterprise customers as well as creative editing and collaboration capabilities.
$379
per month (2 users)
Unsplash for Brands
Score 7.2 out of 10
N/A
Unsplash is an online community hosted by the company of the same name in Montreal, featuring photos and images that are available free. Unsplash for Business is a solution that puts content in the hands of people and add context by sharing visuals with their audiences.N/A
Pricing
ShutterstockUnsplash for Brands
Editions & Modules
Single User - 10 Images
$29 ($49)
monthly, annual contract (no contract)
On-Demand Packs - Standard License
$29, $49, $299
number of images (2, 5, 25)
Single User - 50 Images
$99 ($125)
monthly, annual contract (no contract)
Single User - 350 Images
$169 ($199)
monthly, annual contract (no contract)
Single User - 750 Images
$199 ($249)
monthly, annual contract (no contract)
On-Demand Packs - Enhanced License
$199, $449, $1,699
number of images (2, 5, 25)
Teams (750 images per month)
$379
per month (2 users)
Teams (750 images per month)
$479
per month (3-10 users)
Teams (750 images per month)
Contact Sales
per month, 11+ users
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
ShutterstockUnsplash for Brands
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
ShutterstockUnsplash for Brands
Considered Both Products
Shutterstock
Chose Shutterstock
Shutterstock library and pricing is better than adobe stock also the preview is far better than adobe stock that's why i am still using shutterstock rather than adobe stock, their have a huge collections of images, videos than adobe stock. also the user interface of …
Chose Shutterstock
Very comparable to iStock. In my experience, there isn't a huge difference between the two, but I like the way Shutterstock' provides suggested images for drill-down searching - iStock's suggestions are more limited. Shutterstock's pricing may be better as well, although it's …
Unsplash for Brands
Chose Unsplash for Brands
I would say that Unsplash for Brands is a lower-end budget and easier option for projects. Again, if you need something very specific - whether it's in industry, pose, subject, or environment, then you'll likely want something a bit more expensive with a larger library …
Chose Unsplash for Brands
It is easy to use, the interface works pretty well and the recommendation of similar pictures is awesome. Also the quality of the algorithm and filter work great.
Chose Unsplash for Brands
The ease of search is always a plus when dealing with client deadlines. Unsplash offers free options for us to be able to provide a wide choice of images for our clients to choose from as well as provide different angles of certain campaigns. We can do several options so they …
Chose Unsplash for Brands
Stacks up well offers another option for finding copyright-free images and is directly a part of our program so I don't need to go to an external site to find other photos. Makes it extremely worthwhile to use! Also easy to teach others how to use which makes my job easier.
Chose Unsplash for Brands
Pexels is my second favourite license-free photo service. However, is easily bettered by Unsplash. This is because of Unsplash’s superior search functionality. When searching for more than one word on Pexels, it usually focuses on the more popular, keyword out of the two. …
Chose Unsplash for Brands
Pixel, Wiki Commons Photos, Free photos that sites like Adobe/iStock/Shutterstock have available.
Chose Unsplash for Brands
I believe Unsplash has higher quality images and the images they provide are more realistic and genuine than these other brands.
Chose Unsplash for Brands
The main difference between Unsplash for Brands and this other brand is the simplicity and the thought process put in by Unsplash for Brands while designing their site functionality and API. The UX is extremely straight forward and implementation is very quick.
Chose Unsplash for Brands
The selection of images and current event content is what puts Unsplash above the larger enterprise solutions. The speed and ease of use also make Unsplash a more attractive product for content creation. The mobile technologies that drive image search are fantastic and far …
Chose Unsplash for Brands
There is one obvious major advantage to Pexels (and Unsplash really) in that the images are royalty-free. We can use them without fear of being sued afterward, and we don't even have to create an account, just download the image and it's ready to go. When it comes to Pexels' …
Best Alternatives
ShutterstockUnsplash for Brands
Small Businesses
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
Enterprises
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
ShutterstockUnsplash for Brands
Likelihood to Recommend
9.8
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
7.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
ShutterstockUnsplash for Brands
Likelihood to Recommend
Shutterstock is ideal for creatives who need images for digital marketing such as websites, blogs, case studies, or presentations. Visual elements can make or break a brand, and Shutterstock has an enormous library with a huge variety of image styles. Yes, there are your cliché stock images that look goofy or fake, but it's easy to find world-class photos and vector illustrations that add authenticity to any brand.
Read full review
If someone is in a specific or super-niche industry, they may not find that Unsplash for Brands is a good option for them. I would say their site and their library of photographic images are a bit more general -- so if you need something stylized, it may not be the place for you.
Read full review
Pros
  • Large library with a great variety of high quality images
  • "Similar images," "same model," and "same artist" suggestions to help you drill down your search for the right image
  • Handy editing tool that lets you save your custom image sizes
Read full review
  • Provides beautiful natural and in action photos
  • Provided royalty free imagery which is great for charities who have a budget or not budget for photography
  • Photos are more stylistic and creative than traditional stock sites like Adobe, iStock, Shutterstock
Read full review
Cons
  • i think the pricing is still higher than other platforms
  • locating right files is sometimes difficult here like the search results could be better
Read full review
  • The layout and UX is not as friendly as many other similar platforms.
  • Search engine could be improved.
  • Bulk download would be wonderful.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
I need to learn a little more about the product and its capabilities before I give a higher review. However, the availability of image trending is far superior to Getty or Getty Enterprise.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Shutterstock library and pricing is better than Adobe Stock also the preview is far better than Adobe Stock that's why i am still using shutterstock rather than Adobe Stock, their have a huge collections of images, videos than Adobe Stock. also the user interface of shutterstock is easy than Adobe Stock
Read full review
There is one obvious major advantage to Pexels (and Unsplash really) in that the images are royalty-free. We can use them without fear of being sued afterward, and we don't even have to create an account, just download the image and it's ready to go. When it comes to Pexels' photos, you can photoshop words on them, but sometimes you don't want a photo designed for photoshopping, you just want a photo that's ready to use, such as Unsplash.
Read full review
Return on Investment
  • it improved our work quality
  • it helped us to handle multiple projects as catered our creative needs well
  • due to faster project creation our business scaled
Read full review
  • Excellent for using photos for content creation, keeps things fresh yet still on brand for our program's needs
  • Ease of use, directly implemented in the program to directly find an image without needing to leave the site
  • Perfect since it's free!
Read full review
ScreenShots