How to Sell Your Photos Online and Make Money
If you are a photographer who wants to earn some extra income from your work, you might be wondering how to sell your photos online and make money. There are many websites that buy photos from photographers, but not all of them are equal. Some offer better prices, commissions, exposure, and customer service than others. In this article, we will review some of the best places to sell photos online and make money, and give you some tips on how to succeed in this competitive market.
What Are the Benefits of Selling Photos Online?
Selling photos online can be a great way to monetize your photography skills and passion. Here are some of the benefits of selling photos online:
- You can reach a global audience of buyers who need high-quality images for their websites, blogs, social media, advertising, magazines, books, and more.
- You can earn passive income from your photos, as they can be sold multiple times to different customers.
- You can showcase your portfolio and build your reputation as a professional photographer.
- You can improve your photography skills by learning from feedback, ratings, and trends.
- You can enjoy the flexibility and freedom of working from anywhere and at any time.
What Are the Best Websites That Buy Photos?

There are many websites that buy photos from photographers, but some are more popular and profitable than others. Here are some of the best websites that buy photos online and make money:
iStock Photo
iStock Photo is one of the most well-known stock photo websites that has been around since 2000. It is owned by Getty Images, which is one of the largest stock photo agencies in the world. iStock Photo offers millions of high-quality, royalty-free photos, videos, and illustrations for customers to buy. As a photographer, you can earn between 15% to 45% commission on each photo sold, depending on your popularity and exclusivity. You can also earn more if you sell your photos exclusively on iStock Photo. You can join iStock Photo for free and submit your photos for review. If accepted, you can start selling your photos online and make money.
Alamy
Alamy is a British stock photo website that was started in 1999. To date, it has over 60 million photos and videos for sale on its website. It offers photographers a generous 50% royalty payment on each photo sold. The site also allows photographers to sell their photos elsewhere, but you’ll only get 40% commission for those. Alamy has a simple and easy submission process, and you can upload as many photos as you want. You can also set your own prices for your photos. Alamy pays photographers monthly via PayPal or bank transfer.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is another popular stock photo website that has been in business since 2003. It has over 200 million images, videos, and music tracks for customers to buy royalty-free. It also has millions of buying customers from different industries and countries. As a photographer, you can earn between 20% to 30% commission on each photo sold, depending on your lifetime earnings. You can also earn more if you refer other photographers or customers to Shutterstock. You can join Shutterstock for free and upload your photos for review. If approved, you can start selling your photos online and make money.
How to Sell Photos Online Successfully?

Selling photos online is not as easy as it sounds. There are millions of other photographers competing for the same customers and keywords. To stand out from the crowd and sell more photos online, you need to follow some best practices and tips:
- Take high-quality photos that meet the technical and aesthetic standards of the websites that buy photos. Use a good camera, lens, tripod, lighting, editing software, etc.
- Research the market and trends to find out what types of photos are in demand and sell well. Use tools like Google Trends , Keyword Planner , or Stock Photo Secrets to find popular keywords and topics.
- Optimize your photos for SEO by using relevant keywords in your