Best Stock Media · pricing · Updated June 2026
iStock pricing (2026)
iStock starts at $29/mo (Basic - 10 downloads / month), across 3 plans. Best for Budget-conscious buyers needing Getty-quality content at lower price points than Getty Images direct. Every figure links to iStock's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Entry price: $29/mo (Basic - 10 downloads / month)
- 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
iStock plans & pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic - 10 downloads / month | $29 | — | 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). | photutorial.com |
| Premium - 10 downloads / month | $70 | — | 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. | photutorial.com |
| Premium + Video - 10 downloads / month | $99 | — | 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. | photutorial.com |
Last verified 2026-06-13. Official istockphoto.com plans page geolocated to Germany under WebFetch (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.
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 $29/mo (Basic - 10 downloads / month); it has 3 published plans. Verified 2026-06-13.
What are cheaper alternatives to iStock?
Cheaper stock media than iStock (entry $29/mo) include Shutterstock at $7/mo, Depositphotos at $12.99/mo, Envato Elements at $16.5/mo. Verified 2026-06-13.
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
- Pond5 from $25/mo
- Storyblocks from $21/mo
- Envato Elements from $16.5/mo
- Depositphotos from $12.99/mo
- Shutterstock from $7/mo