The major stock-submission marketplaces compared by contributor payout, exclusivity, and how you actually upload. Direct FTP platforms can be submitted to in one click from your library once you connect credentials; the rest use the export-a-tagged-ZIP-and-upload path.
Rates are an approximate snapshot — commission and exclusivity mirror our platform-comparison guide, and they change often and vary by tier/exclusivity. Payout minimums and review times are shown where confidently published and “Varies — verify” otherwise. Always confirm the current contributor terms on the platform before deciding.
| Platform | Contributor cut | Exclusivity | Payout min | Review | Content | Submission method | StockPilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shutterstock Highest sales volume | 15–40% (tiered by earnings) | No | $35 | ~1–3 days | Photos, vectors, video | Direct FTP + web upload | Direct FTP |
Adobe Stock Creative Cloud buyers | 33% flat (photos) | Optional (+boost) | $25 | ~1–5 days | Photos, vectors, video, templates | SFTP / FTP + web upload | Direct FTP |
Getty / iStock Premium / enterprise | 15–45% (by exclusivity) | Yes (higher rate) | $50 (PayPal) | Varies (weeks) | Photos, video, editorial | Invite-only (ESP app + review) | Invite-only |
Alamy Editorial, no release needed | 40% (50% exclusive) | Optional | $50 | ~1–2 days (QC) | Photos, video (editorial-friendly) | Web upload / FTP | Export + manual |
Stocksy Curated, artistic, high price | 50% (75% extended) | Yes (fully exclusive) | Varies — verify | Varies (curated) | Photos, video (curated) | Invite-only application | Invite-only |
Dreamstime Loyalty scaling | 25–50% (by level) | Optional | $100 | Varies — verify | Photos, video, illustrations | Web upload / FTP | Export + manual |
Pond5 Video / footage | Varies; video-strong | No | $25 | Varies — verify | Video, music, photos | Web upload / FTP | Export + manual |
500px Portfolio + licensing | 30% (60% exclusive) | Optional | Varies — verify | Varies — verify | Photos | Web upload | Export + manual |