--- title: iStock Reviews meta\_title: 'iStock Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta\_description: Filter 117 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how iStock works for a business like yours. aggregate\_rating: rating\_value: 3.5 review\_count: 117 scale: '5' date\_modified: '2026-08-09' parent\_category: name: Stock Media url: https://www.g2.com/categories/stock-media --- ## Top-Rated Alternatives [ ![Shutterstock](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Shutterstock") Shutterstock 4.4/5(656) ](https://www.g2.com/products/shutterstock-shutterstock/reviews) [ ![Storyblocks](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Storyblocks") Storyblocks 4.6/5(429) ](https://www.g2.com/products/storyblocks/reviews) [ ![Adobe Stock](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Adobe Stock") Adobe Stock 4.3/5(194) ](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-adobe-stock/reviews) [ View All Alternatives ](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/competitors/alternatives) # iStock Reviews & Product Details Claimed ###### Profile Status This profile is currently managed by iStock but has limited features. Are you part of the iStock team? [Upgrade your plan](https://sell.g2.com) to enhance your branding and engage with visitors to your profile! Founded in 2000, iStock created the crowd-sourced stock industry and became the original source for user-generated stock photos, vectors and illustrations, and video clips. For more than 15 years, we've given our artists a platform to make money with their passions by licensing their stock content to businesses and individuals around the world for use in a wide variety of projects. Today we remain an industry leader and key destination for creative business professionals who want to make a big impact without breaking the bank. We believe that imagery has the power to move the world. We also believe that our customers deserve the very best stock content - that's why we're proud to offer millions of bold, unique stock images you can only get from us. iStock is part of the Getty Images family of companies. * * * Seller [Getty Images](https://www.g2.com/sellers/getty-images-d633a9b3-4f86-4f1d-8b52-2988afad1bb7) Discussions [iStock Community](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/discuss) Languages Supported Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, French, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (Simplified) Solution Type Best-of-Breed Overview by Anne Flanagan (Head of Communications, Getty Images) Show More ## Typical Contract Price Pricing provided by BetterCloud and others. $$k - $$k Per Year [Log in to unlock pricing](/auth/linkedin?return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g2.com%2Fproducts%2Fgetty-images-istock%2Freviews) ## User Insights Average based on 117 real user reviews. Perceived Cost $$$$$ Typical contract price $0k - $0k [Sign in to view](/login) Per Year [Log in to unlock pricing and user insights](/login) ![Yash M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Yash M.") YM Yash M. Digital Marketing Manager Marketing and Advertising Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5/22/2026 "Reliable Source for Quality Stock Visuals" 3.5/5 What do you like best about iStock? What I like most about iStock is the search and filtering. I can quickly find images based on style, orientation, color, and usage, which saves a lot of time when working on campaigns. The image quality is consistent. I don’t have to spend much time checking multiple options because most visuals meet basic standards for ads and content. The UI is simple and easy to navigate. Downloading assets and managing collections is straightforward, which helps in daily work. Performance is reliable. Searches load fast and previews work smoothly, even when browsing a large number of images. Pricing is flexible with credits and subscriptions. It’s not the cheapest, but the quality and time saved make it worth it. One unexpected benefit is the variety. I can usually find something usable even for niche topics without switching platforms. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? Pricing can get expensive, especially if you need a lot of downloads. Credits run out quickly, and subscription limits can feel restrictive. Some images feel repetitive. For common themes, you start seeing similar styles, which makes it harder to find something unique. Licensing can be a bit confusing at times. It’s not always clear what can be used where, so I have to double-check before using assets in campaigns. Search results are good, but not always perfect. Sometimes I need to try multiple keywords to get the exact type of image I want. There are also limits on downloads depending on the plan, which can slow down work if I need assets in bulk. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? iStock solves the problem of finding high-quality visuals quickly. Earlier, I had to search multiple sites or deal with low-quality images. Now I can find good images, videos, and graphics in one place. It helps speed up content creation. I use it for ads, social posts, and website creatives, and I can get suitable visuals in minutes instead of spending hours searching. The filters make it easier to find exactly what I need, like specific styles or formats, which reduces back-and-forth in the design process. It also helps maintain consistency in quality across campaigns, so the final output looks more professional. Overall, it saves time, reduces effort, and makes the creative workflow smoother. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerSource: G2 invite MW Matthew W. Sales Administration Support Information Technology and Services Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5/5/2026 "High-Quality Images That Match My Search Terms Every Time" 4.5/5 What do you like best about iStock? The pictures are very good. The images I look for when creating trade marketing materials or designing brochures, flyers, and website graphics are usually higher quality and fit my search terms better than what I find on other free websites. It’s also easy to sign in and track my searches, so I can quickly find images I viewed previously. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? Honestly, I don’t love that I have to pay for it. It’s a bit of a hassle having to pay just to download a stack of 10 images, although I understand that the photographers and image creators need to be compensated too. That said, it isn’t overly expensive, but it’s still something I have to consider. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? I use this to find the right, high-quality pictures and graphics for trade marketing materials. It saves me a lot of time because I don’t have to search all over the internet for license-free material that actually matches the look I’m going for. I also don’t always want to use AI-generated images; real images have a different quality to them. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Vikas V.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Vikas V.") VV Vikas V. Software Consultant Computer & Network Security Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 2/17/2026 "Reliable, High-Quality Stock Library with Unique Content" 4.5/5 What do you like best about iStock? iStock has been around for as long as I can remember, and I’ve consistently found them reliable. They offer a vast library of stock images across many industries, and it’s rare that I can’t find something that fits a specific use case. While the pricing is generally on the higher side, the quality and the exclusive stock content they offer feel unmatched. One feature I also appreciate, even though it isn’t perfect, is the ability to search for images using an existing image, similar to Google Image Search. It’s not flawless, but it does work and can be really helpful. iStock also provides sample images with a watermark, which helps me test how an image will look in a particular context before committing. This is especially handy because an image can look like a masterpiece on its own, but once you place it into a design or layout, it might not look as good as you expected. Overall, iStock has helped me avoid the more expensive route of hiring a photographer or an artist by making it possible to purchase images for a relatively small fee. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? While it was a pioneer at one point, there are now so many stock websites that offer a similar service. Although the pricing is competitive, I still find it slightly on the higher side. I remember when purchases were only possible through credits, and those credits had to be bought in multiples—there was no way to get a single image for a fixed payment. The new pay-as-you-go model is great. That said, even though the pay-as-you-go model has been relaxed, it could still be better. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? The vast library of images covers most industries and is ideal for teams that can’t afford expensive artists or photographers, all for a very small fee. Without iStock, the budgets of many marketing teams would have ballooned, since they still need quality images for their campaigns and websites. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Our network of Icons are G2 members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to helping others through their expertise.G2 IconCurrent UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Higher Education](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Higher Education") UH Verified User in Higher Education Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 2/13/2026 "Misleading Subscription Terms and a $100 Cancellation Fee" 1.5/5 What do you like best about iStock? Generally much higher quality images and videos Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? In general there was nothing I disliked but recently I purchased a subscription for a single consulting project which I believed to be monthly, but turned out to be annual and billed monthly. I had been laid off and this project required me to download a handful of videos for ads. When I saw I was being charged, I reached out and was told in spite of my hardship they would be charging me an additional $100 for cancellation. Very poor customer service. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? In general it solves the need for finding images and videos for ads. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic ![Julieta S.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Julieta S.") JS Julieta S. Marketing Manager Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 1/6/2026 "Diverse Content and Intuitive Features Enhance Creativity" 5/5 What do you like best about iStock? I really appreciate the wide variety of content available on iStock. I find the color filters particularly useful as they help me filter and show the specific color mood and palette that I need, which is great for video and social media content creation. The initial setup was very easy for me; I just logged in, chose a plan, and started downloading stock content without any hassle. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? I think iStock could improve by offering more video footage. I'd like a bigger variety of vertical format video content. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? I use iStock for stock images and video, helping with specific color moods and palettes in content creation. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Madalyn K.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Madalyn K.") MK Madalyn K. Graphic Designer Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 6/9/2025 "A Reliable Stock Website with Room to Grow" 4/5 What do you like best about iStock? As a graphic designer, I have used many stock photos websites, and iStock is consistently one of my go-to resources. One of the things I like best is how much time it saves me. Compared to free stock options, the variety and quality here are miles ahead. Typically I can find images quickly without having to sift through pages of irrelevant generic images. The image quality is consistently high as well. I also appreciate that they offer vector files, and video content–both of which I use often for my projects. Lastly, the filter options are amazing! I love that I can filter by age, ethnicity, number of people, and color toning. These are all extremely useful for me when trying to find very specific images. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? While there is a lot I like about iStock, there is also room for improvement. It can sometimes be difficult to find imagery that reflects a broad range of ethnicities and cultural diversity, especially when you're searching for more candid or natural-looking photos. Another drawback is the cost. While the quality is there, the pricing is a little steep. It would be great to see more flexible subscription options. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? As a designer, I often need high-quality, relevant imagery on tight deadlines. Free stocks sites can be limited in variety, overused, and time consuming to sift through. This means I am wasting time hunting for photos, risking using generic or overused content, and sometimes compromising on the look or message of my design. iStock solves this issue by offering a massive library of professionally, high-quality images, vectors, and videos. This allows me to spend less time searching for quality images and more time designing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic Review from User Profile ![Verified User in Computer Software](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Computer Software") UC Verified User in Computer Software Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/28/2026 "istock review" 5/5 What do you like best about iStock? Variety of images to choose from High quality images Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? We need to pay inorder to download images in highh quality Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? We can use istock images for websites or screen designs, which otherwise we need to have created b ourselves. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More 3/25/2026 Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Qasim Z.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Qasim Z.") QZ Qasim Z. Product Designer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 3/11/2025 "Literal scam company playing pricing tactics!" 0/5 What do you like best about iStock? Nothing at all, the visual i found were not that great. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? Most probably you have come here after getting scammed, but if not, please save yourself for these scammers. They are a big scam, they will lure you in with a free trial, they will write misleading information about how they are going to charge you. Once your free trial ends, you will be obligated to pay them $70 each month for a period of one year. There is no way to cancel the account and there is no way to remove my card information. Even if you cancel during trial, you will be charged an ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. This is 2025 and they are playing cheap tactics to charge you. I had to block and order a replacement of my card because of other reviews that says they were charged even after cancellation because they don't clearly mention if the subscription will cancel right away or after a period of 12 months. So in my opinion, if you want to save your hard earned money, block your card. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? They are providing stock images but there are far much better images now. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic ![Sheida M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Sheida M.") SM Sheida M. Incubator ‘25 Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 2/1/2025 "Disappointed with iStock’s Refund Policy and Customer Support" 0/5 What do you like best about iStock? Their images are good but really their bad policies overwrites their experience. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? I recently had a frustrating experience with iStock’s subscription and refund process. After my free trial ended, I was automatically charged for a paid subscription, which I canceled immediately upon noticing the charge. I hadn’t downloaded any content during the paid period, and according to their policy, that should make me eligible for a refund. However, because I had downloaded a single image during the free trial to test the service, they refused to issue a refund—keeping nearly $100 for a service I never used. I even offered to pay for the one image I downloaded, but they were unwilling to make any exceptions. This policy feels unfair and seems more focused on trapping customers with technicalities rather than offering a customer-friendly experience. I expected more flexibility and understanding from a company of this size. If you’re considering trying iStock, be very cautious with their free trial and automatic renewals—it’s easy to get charged for something you didn’t intend to keep, with little chance of a refund. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? Finding photos for my website Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic ![Ayla B.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Ayla B.") AB Ayla B. Marketer / social media manager Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4/20/2025 "Worst purchase you can make" 0/5 What do you like best about iStock? Theres nothing to like about it. I'm glad my subscription finally ends in a month. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about iStock? The stock photos and videos are not good. The search words don't match the content. The material is okay at best. Nothing is aestatically pleasing. The site keeps changing into a different language. I have to log in 1000 times before it works and its also very expensive and you can't unsubcribe before the first year. Absolutely aweful! Do not purchase, you will regret it. Have used pexels more while paying 100 a month for my subcripition on istock. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is iStock solving and how is that benefiting you? Finding content. But it's not doing the job. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic ## Questions about iStock? Ask real users or explore answers from the community Get practical answers, real workflows, and honest pros and cons from the G2 community or share your insights. [ Ask about iStock ](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/discussions/new) GU Guest User • Last activity over 3 years ago What is the best software for inventory management? 0 Upvotes 1 [ Join the conversation ](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-best-software-for-inventory-management) [ View all Discussions ](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/discuss) ##### Pricing Pricing details for this product isn’t currently available. Visit the vendor’s website to learn more. [ View More Pricing Information ](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/pricing) iStock Comparisons ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_ba56ce472347e3963f642f5f59eb9ffb/adobe-adobe-stock.png "Product Avatar Image") Adobe Stock 4.3/5(194) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/adobe-adobe-stock-vs-getty-images-istock) ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_139bc4775df6bcab8e4e832615a44233/shutterstock-shutterstock.jpeg "Product Avatar Image") Shutterstock 4.4/5(656) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/shutterstock-shutterstock-vs-getty-images-istock) ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_7a5d08ba2a8be0d0a074f2cbd51f549d/magnific.png "Product Avatar Image") Magnific 4.7/5(176) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/magnific-vs-getty-images-istock) ##### ##### iStock Features Pricing Free Footage Pay Per Image Subscription Media 4K High Definition [ View More Features ](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/features) ##### Categories on G2 [Stock Photos](https://www.g2.com/categories/stock-photos)[Stock Footage](https://www.g2.com/categories/stock-footage)[Stock Music](https://www.g2.com/categories/stock-music) ##### Explore More [Is a dedicated batch management platform worth it for a manufacturer already running SAP?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-a-dedicated-batch-management-platform-worth-it-for-a-manufacturer-already-running-sap)[Most reliable RMM tool for network management](https://www.g2.com/discussions/most-reliable-rmm-tool-for-network-management)[Which financial audit software has built-in workflows to manage concurrent audits and coordinate testing with multiple departments?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/which-financial-audit-software-has-built-in-workflows-to-manage-concurrent-audits-and-coordinate-testing-with-multiple-departments%20) [What are the best equity management software for startups managing cap tables across multiple funding rounds?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-the-best-equity-management-software-for-startups-managing-cap-tables-across-multiple-funding-rounds)[Which encryption solutions for financial services firms meet HIPAA and PCI compliance requirements?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/which-encryption-solutions-for-financial-services-firms-meet-hipaa-and-pci-compliance-requirements)[Pros and Cons Details](https://www.g2.com/products/getty-images-istock/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [Show MoreShow Less](javascript:void(0);)