Adobe Stock vs iStock
Adobe Stock
stock.adobe.com
iStock
istockphoto.comSide by side
| Figure | Adobe Stock | iStock |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $14.99/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 29 | 7 |
| Spec score · Stock Photo Websites | 9.1 (#2) | 8.1 (#19) |
| Spec score · Stock Illustration Websites | 9.0 (#2) | 7.7 (#19) |
| AI editing | AI Studio tools include changing colors and moods, changing image ratios, swapping backgrounds, animating still images, and text-based editing. | The iStock AI tools can add or remove objects, extend images, replace or remove backgrounds, edit by prompt and upscale generated images to 4K. |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Editorial assets | Yes | Yes |
| Illustration assets | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Adobe Stock can be used without other Adobe products, while Creative Cloud integration lets users preview, edit, and license assets in Photoshop before purchase. | The iStock Plugins page supports linking Dropbox so users can access, share and collaborate with content across devices. |
| Monthly downloads | 10 | 10 |
| Support | Adobe Stock plan pages provide a consultation request option for business plan inquiries. | iStock says it aims to respond to web-form support requests within 24 business hours. |
| Vector assets | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Adobe Stock
- 10 standard assetsPriced on request
- 10 standard assetsPrice not published
- 25 standard assetsPrice not published
- 25 standard assetsPriced on request
- 40 standard assetsPrice not published
- 40 standard assetsPriced on request
- 750 standard assetsPriced on request
- 750 standard assetsPrice not published
- 3 standard assetsPriced on request
- 3 standard assetsPrice not published
iStock
- Basic$29 a month
- Premium$70 a month
- Premium + Video$125 a month
- Unlimited AI$14.99 a month
- Basic$29 a month
- Premium$70 a month
- Premium + Video$99 a month
In their own words
Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock is a stock library with more than 900 million images, videos, audio, templates, and other assets. Subscriptions include standard images, templates, 3D assets, and music; most plans also include HD video. AI Studio lets users edit stock images and videos before licensing and downloading them. Its tools can change colors and moods, alter image ratios, replace backgrounds, animate still images, and make text-based edits. Plans include commercial-use licensing. Adobe Stock works on the web, Android, and iOS, and provides API access. It can be used independently, or connected with Creative Cloud to preview, edit, and license assets in Photoshop before purchase. Team subscriptions pool licenses among members and are described for small to midsize businesses. Enterprise plans add configurable access, advanced administration, and deployment for midsize to large organizations. The Standard License generally limits print runs to 500,000 and excludes items for resale; larger runs or resale use require an Extended License. A seven-day trial is available, but there is no free plan. Prices for the listed plans are not provided.
iStock
iStock licenses royalty-free photos, illustrations, vectors and video clips for advertising, websites, blogs, presentations, video productions, podcasts and other uses. Its Essentials collection covers everyday content; Signature is a collection of handpicked material exclusive to iStock. The service also offers AI image editing to add or remove objects, extend images, change backgrounds, edit by prompt and upscale generated images to 4K. iStock says its AI is trained exclusively on licensed content, not visuals or data scraped from the web, and that generated images receive automatic legal protection of $10,000 per image. Licensed files include a $10,000 USD legal guarantee, with an Extended Legal Guarantee available up to $250,000 USD. Basic costs $29 a month and Premium costs $70 a month, each billed annually with 10 downloads monthly. Premium + Video is listed at $125 a month, with a new-customer offer noted; Unlimited AI costs $14.99 a month. iStock also offers one free Signature photo each week and free illustrations and video clips each month. API access is available, and a plugin links Dropbox for accessing, sharing and collaborating on content across devices.