Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock

Shutterstock9.3Visit ASAdobe Stock9.2Visit

Higher score Shutterstock #1 in Stock Photo Websites 9.3/10 Paid ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Shutterstock

vs

AS Adobe Stock #2 in Stock Photo Websites 9.2/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Adobe Stock

• Shutterstock fits best

  Teams needing broad stock media and API access

• Adobe Stock fits best

  Creative Cloud users needing stock assets

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Side by side

Feature	Shutterstock 9.3/10 Visit ↗	ASAdobe Stock 9.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	9.2
Ranking	#1 in Stock Photo Websites	#2 in Stock Photo Websites
Best for	Teams needing broad stock media and API access	Creative Cloud users needing stock assets
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web
Support	Live chat, Docs	Community, Docs
Integrations	8,000+ integrations	3 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Shutterstock 4/4 · Adobe Stock 4/4
Vector assets	✓	✓
Illustration assets	✓	✓
Editorial assets	✓	✓
API access	✓	✓
Specs
Monthly downloads	10 /mo	10 /mo
Included team seats	1 seats	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Covers photos, EPS vectors, illustrations, editorial images, video, and audio API supports searching, licensing, and downloading media Offers AI tools, reverse image search, apps, and team administration	Integrates with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, and After Effects Offers visual search, watermarked previews, and Creative Cloud Libraries Supports subscriptions, credit packs, and API licensing workflows
Cons	Single-seat plans limit built-in collaboration Unlimited Plus is required for unlimited video, music, and sound effects Plan choices vary substantially by media type and AI credit allowance	No free plan is available API access is restricted to approved enterprise customers and partners Annual plans are paid monthly and limit monthly asset allowances
Our verdict	Shutterstock is an online stock-content platform for creative professionals, businesses, marketing teams, and media organizations. Its searchable libraries cover stock photos, EPS vectors, illustrations, editorial imagery, video, music,… Read the review →	Adobe Stock is a web-based stock content service for designers, businesses, and other creative users. Its library covers photos, videos, illustrations, vector graphics, templates, 3D assets, audio, and editorial content. Users can search… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Shutterstock — where it wins

  • Covers photos, EPS vectors, illustrations, editorial images, video, and audio
  • API supports searching, licensing, and downloading media
  • Offers AI tools, reverse image search, apps, and team administration

  Where it doesn't

  • Single-seat plans limit built-in collaboration
  • Unlimited Plus is required for unlimited video, music, and sound effects
  • Plan choices vary substantially by media type and AI credit allowance

• Adobe Stock — where it wins

  • Integrates with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, and After Effects
  • Offers visual search, watermarked previews, and Creative Cloud Libraries
  • Supports subscriptions, credit packs, and API licensing workflows

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • API access is restricted to approved enterprise customers and partners
  • Annual plans are paid monthly and limit monthly asset allowances

• Shutterstock9.3/10 · Paid

  A broad stock-media library with API access, AI tools, and team controls.

  Visit ShutterstockFull verdict →
• ASAdobe Stock9.2/10 · 7-day trial

  A broad stock library with strong Creative Cloud and API workflows.

  Visit Adobe StockFull verdict →