Best Stock Media · head-to-head
Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock
A sourced, side-by-side comparison for stock media. Shutterstock has the lower entry price. Every figure links to the public page it was captured from — the vendor's own wherever the vendor publishes the number, otherwise the named public source — with the date we captured it.
Shutterstock has the lower entry price — Shutterstock starts at $7/mo, Adobe Stock at $49.99/mo. Free tier: Shutterstock Yes, Adobe Stock No. HIPAA: Shutterstock —, Adobe Stock —.
As of 2026-09-05 · figures link to their source below STALE
Side by side
Shutterstock
$7/mo entryAdobe Stock
$49.99/mo entrySources — Shutterstock: stockphotosecrets.com (verified 2026-09-03) STALE · 2026-06-13 · Adobe Stock: stock.adobe.com (verified 2026-09-05) STALE · 2026-06-13
Key features
Shutterstock: 503 million royalty-free images, 40 million videos, 43,400+ music tracks; AI Image Generator (multi-model, commercially licensed output); Creative Flow browser-based design editor; Standard license includes $10,000 legal indemnification; Enhanced license $250,000; Free account: 3 royalty-free photos/month and 40 free videos (no paid plan required)
Adobe Stock: Native panels inside all major Adobe Creative Cloud apps for watermark-free preview and one-click license; Royalty-free images, vectors, templates, 3D assets, audio, and HD/4K video in one subscription; AI Studio (Adobe Firefly) for generative AI editing before licensing; 30-day free trial: 10 free images or 1 video (via promo link); Standard license includes $10,000 legal indemnification; Unused monthly downloads roll over while subscription is active