Shutterstock vs VectorStock
Shutterstock
shutterstock.com
VectorStock
vectorstock.comSide by side
| Figure | Shutterstock | VectorStock |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $1/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 9 | 10 |
| Spec score · Stock Photo Websites | 8.4 (#13) | 8.7 (#9) |
| Spec score · Stock Vector Libraries | 7.8 (#14) | 8.0 (#9) |
| Editorial assets | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2003 | 2007 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | New York, NY | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Illustration assets | Yes | Yes |
| Support | Shutterstock offers a 24/7 multilingual AI support agent that can connect customers to a live agent during live support hours. | VectorStock aims to answer queries within 24 business hours and lists office hours Monday through Friday, 8AM–6PM GMT+12. |
| Included team seats | 1 | 1 |
| Vector assets | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Shutterstock
- Image downloadsPriced on request
- Image downloadsPrice not published
- Image packsPrice not published
- Image packsPriced on request
- Image pack$29, paid once
- Image downloads (10 per month)$300 a year
- Unlimited Images$348 a year
- Unlimited Plus$828 a year
- Teams and EnterprisePriced on request
VectorStock
- Pay-per-Image$14.99 a month
- Credits$1 a month
- Subscription - Annual$9.99 a month
- Subscription - Monthly$14.99 a month
- Free LicenseFree
- Credits$1, paid once
- Monthly Subscription$14.99 a month
- Pay-per-Image$14.99, paid once
- Annual Subscription$119.88 a year
- Exclusive Buyout$399, paid once
In their own words
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a paid creative platform for finding and licensing photos, vectors, illustrations, video, 3D models, music, and sound effects. It is available on the web and through an API, which can bring library search and licensing into third-party applications. The company says its library contains more than 450 million images and grows by 200,000 images a day. Image tools include Expand Image, Variations, Magic Brush, and Background Remover; the remover works only on images up to 7000×5000 pixels and does not remove vector background layers. Its AI image generator returns four results per prompt, downloadable under a Standard or Enhanced license. Both licenses allow perpetual use of downloaded content; Enhanced adds permissions for merchandise, templates, and unlimited physical print runs. Unlimited plans include models from Runway, Google, OpenAI, and others, but cap downloads at 100 assets daily. Monthly subscription downloads do not roll over. The API license bars raw asset-file access or downloads and requires assets delivered in an app to be limited to projects created there. The listed 10-image subscription is $25 a year, billed yearly at $300; a one-time image pack is 29.00 USD.
VectorStock
VectorStock is a web marketplace for finding and licensing royalty-free vector graphics. Its library advertises more than 50 million premium vectors and more than 1 million free vectors. AI search accepts natural-language descriptions of a subject, style, or composition. Files are available in AI, EPS, PDF, and SVG formats, and a customization service can adjust colors, text, layout, or other small details. The Pro License covers worldwide, perpetual commercial use for client, digital, print, merchandise, and print-on-demand projects, with unlimited impressions and print runs. Subscriptions permit up to 50 vector-image downloads per subscriber per day under the Fair Use Policy. Images licensed during an active subscription remain covered after it ends. The free license is limited to evaluation and personal use. Subscription plans are $14.99 per month or $9.99 per month billed annually as a single $119.88 upfront payment. VectorStock was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand.