Stock Media · pricing · Updated September 2026
iStock pricing (2026)
iStock starts at $40/mo (Basic - 10 downloads / month) as checked on 2026-09-05, read from iStock's own pricing page; 3 plans. Best for Budget-conscious buyers needing Getty-quality content at lower price points than Getty Images direct. Every figure below links to its source and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Entry price: $40/mo (Basic - 10 downloads / month) · 28% off with annual billing
- Free tier: Yes
- Compliance: HIPAA — · SOC 2 — · GDPR —
- Best for: Budget-conscious buyers needing Getty-quality content at lower price points than Getty Images direct; Bloggers and small businesses needing a mix of images and videos under one subscription; Users who need Epidemic Sound music included (Premium + Video tier); Buyers wanting rollover downloads across annual plans
As of · every figure below links to its source
iStock plans & pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic - 10 downloads / month | $40 | −28% | flat | 10 downloads/month from the Essentials collection (images/vectors). $29/mo annual; $40/mo month-to-month. Higher Basic tiers: 25 dl $49/mo annual, 50 dl $90/mo, 750 dl $167/mo. Unused downloads roll over up to 250 files (annual subscriptions). | istockphoto.com |
| Premium - 10 downloads / month | $99 | −29% | flat | 10 downloads/month with access to both Essentials and Signature collections. $70/mo annual; $99/mo month-to-month. Higher tiers: 25 dl $120/mo annual, 50 dl $199/mo, 750 dl $334/mo. | istockphoto.com |
| Premium + Video - 10 downloads / month | $149 | −34% | flat | 10 downloads/month including images, video, and music tracks. $99/mo annual; $149/mo month-to-month. Higher tiers: 25 dl $165/mo annual, 50 dl $265/mo. | istockphoto.com |
Last verified 2026-09-05. Official istockphoto.com plans page geolocated to Germany under an automated read (showing EUR), so US 2026 USD rates were taken from the Photutorial 2026 iStock pricing guide. monthlyUsd is the annual-billed-monthly rate; month-to-month rates are noted. iStock (a Getty brand) offers Basic, Premium, and Premium+Video subscription families. Re-verified 2026-09-03 against the live pricing page; published figures unchanged.
Price changes
Price on record
$40/moFirst on record 2026-06-27
A new dated entry is stamped here each time the price moves — the record builds itself.
Tracked since June 2026. No change record has cleared two sources yet, so nothing is published on the wire.
Capabilities
Integrations: Dropbox, Sketch.
Key features: Two content tiers: Essentials (1 credit/image) and Signature (3 credits/image, more natural/editorial style); AI Image Generator powered by NVIDIA Edify model (included with Premium plans); Unused downloads roll over up to 250 files on annual subscriptions; Standard license: $10,000 legal protection per image; Extended license: up to $250,000; Free account: 3 Signature-collection videos per month at no cost; 160,000+ contributors worldwide.
Plan limits: Free trial ended June 2, 2025 — no longer available to new customers; Free account: 3 pre-selected Signature collection videos/month only; Basic plan: Essentials collection only (Signature requires Premium or higher); Standard license: up to 500,000 physical print reproductions; AI-generated content not licensed for AI training use; Extended licenses required for resale, merchandise, or multi-user commercial use.
Frequently asked questions
How much does iStock cost?
iStock starts at $40/mo (Basic - 10 downloads / month); it has 3 published plans. Verified 2026-09-05.
Is iStock cheaper billed annually?
Yes. iStock publishes a 34% discount for paying annually (on the Premium + Video - 10 downloads / month plan). Verified 2026-09-05.
What are cheaper alternatives to iStock?
Cheaper stock media than iStock (entry $40/mo) include Shutterstock at $7/mo, Depositphotos at $12.99/mo, Storyblocks at $21/mo. Verified 2026-09-05.
Does iStock support HIPAA?
iStock HIPAA support: —. SOC 2: —. GDPR: —.
Does iStock have a free plan?
iStock free tier: Yes.
iStock vs alternatives
Cheaper stock media alternatives
- Envato Elements from $39/mo
- Pond5 from $25/mo
- Storyblocks from $21/mo
- Depositphotos from $12.99/mo
- Shutterstock from $7/mo
More stock media tools
Related categories
Display this standing
iStock currently holds a bronze deskmark here — Rank 8 of 8 · Stock Media. Anyone may show it. There is nothing to apply for, nothing to pay, and displaying it changes no score: the standing comes from the published algorithm and money never touches it.
The image is drawn from our live data, so it follows the standing rather than freezing it: if iStock moves up or down a tier, the plaque on your own site says so at our next publish. Nothing is tracked beyond the ordinary web-server log that records any image request.