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Shutterstock

By Shutterstock

4.4 out of 5 stars

How would you rate your experience with Shutterstock?

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Shutterstock Pros and Cons: Top Advantages and Disadvantages

Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews

Generated from real user reviews

Users appreciate the wide range of multimedia content offered by Shutterstock, enhancing their creative projects effortlessly. (46 mentions)
Users value the extensive video availability on Shutterstock, streamlining content creation and design processes effectively. (34 mentions)
Users appreciate the high-quality and diverse library of Shutterstock, ensuring great resources for any project. (32 mentions)
Users find Shutterstock's ease of use invaluable for quickly accessing high-quality images and resources for their projects. (31 mentions)
Users appreciate the vast library of high-quality content available on Shutterstock, enhancing their creative projects effortlessly. (26 mentions)
Users love the easy search functionality of Shutterstock, allowing for quick access to a vast library of visuals. (24 mentions)
Users love the great selection of diverse content on Shutterstock, finding it invaluable for their projects. (7 mentions)
Users value Shutterstock's vast library of graphics, providing diverse assets for comprehensive brand storytelling and design needs. (2 mentions)
Users are frustrated with the expensive cancellation fees and perceived misleading subscription practices of Shutterstock. (29 mentions)
Users are frustrated by the high cancellation costs and strict subscription fees of Shutterstock, making it hard to manage expenses. (16 mentions)
Users find the imagery repetitive, with similar images appearing frequently, impacting the overall creativity of their projects. (9 mentions)
Users report frustrating subscription issues, facing hidden costs and difficulties with cancellation, leading to a negative experience. (9 mentions)
Users often criticize Shutterstock for its expensive pricing structure, especially for occasional or light users needing flexibility. (8 mentions)
Users often encounter repetitive content, leading to a generic feel and overwhelming search results on Shutterstock. (8 mentions)
Users experience poor customer support, often failing to receive assistance for billing and subscription issues. (7 mentions)
Users are frustrated with payment issues, including high cancellation fees and invalid VAT number rejections. (5 mentions)
Users face significant communication barriers with Shutterstock, experiencing frustrating customer service and unresolved issues. (2 mentions)

Top Pros or Advantages of Shutterstock

1. Images
Users appreciate the wide range of multimedia content offered by Shutterstock, enhancing their creative projects effortlessly.
See 46 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Vinod K.
VK

Vinod K.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best and easy to use"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

It’s has multiple features to edit your pics or videos

LB

Liz B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.0/5

"Great resource but pricey"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

Good selection of images, easy to search and find the right image

2. Video Availability
Users value the extensive video availability on Shutterstock, streamlining content creation and design processes effectively.
See 34 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Vinod K.
VK

Vinod K.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best and easy to use"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

It’s has multiple features to edit your pics or videos

Advaith Aditya C.
AC

Advaith Aditya C.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Shutterstock’s Vast, Well-Organized Library Makes Licensing Easy"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

Shutterstock’s best strength is its sheer breadth and consistency: a massive, well‑tagged library spanning photos, vectors, videos, music, and editori

3. Quality
Users appreciate the high-quality and diverse library of Shutterstock, ensuring great resources for any project.
See 32 mentions

See Related User Reviews

AM

Ajit M.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Shutterstock Review"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

I love how easy it is to find high-quality, diverse images on Shutterstock. The search filters are super helpful, and the wide range of photos, illust

Jenil S.
JS

Jenil S.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"A Creative goldmine for designers and Marketers."

What do you like about Shutterstock?

What I like best about Shutterstock is the sheer verity and quality of its library. No matters what project i'm working on -- bussiness presentations,

4. Ease of Use
Users find Shutterstock's ease of use invaluable for quickly accessing high-quality images and resources for their projects.
See 31 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Daryl V.
DV

Daryl V.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"An excellent image platform with a vast range of options and graphics"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

The fact that it has images, videos, music, AND 3D objects all in the same app, making it easy to work end-to-end on a project and have all of your co

Ashu L.
AL

Ashu L.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Shutterstock is great for variety of visuals"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

So ideally use Shutterstock and I like the high-quality images, illustrations and videos that I can get some shutter stock and the search filters and

5. Photos
Users appreciate the vast library of high-quality content available on Shutterstock, enhancing their creative projects effortlessly.
See 26 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Daryl V.
DV

Daryl V.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"An excellent image platform with a vast range of options and graphics"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

The fact that it has images, videos, music, AND 3D objects all in the same app, making it easy to work end-to-end on a project and have all of your co

Verified User
U

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"Great for Creative Assets, Could Be Easier to Use"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

Shutterstock offers an extensive collection of high-quality photos, vectors, and videos. I consistently find resources that suit my projects, and the

6. Easy Search
Users love the easy search functionality of Shutterstock, allowing for quick access to a vast library of visuals.
See 24 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Daryl V.
DV

Daryl V.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"An excellent image platform with a vast range of options and graphics"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

The fact that it has images, videos, music, AND 3D objects all in the same app, making it easy to work end-to-end on a project and have all of your co

Ashu L.
AL

Ashu L.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Shutterstock is great for variety of visuals"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

So ideally use Shutterstock and I like the high-quality images, illustrations and videos that I can get some shutter stock and the search filters and

7. Content Abundance
Users love the great selection of diverse content on Shutterstock, finding it invaluable for their projects.
See 7 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Daryl V.
DV

Daryl V.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"An excellent image platform with a vast range of options and graphics"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

The fact that it has images, videos, music, AND 3D objects all in the same app, making it easy to work end-to-end on a project and have all of your co

Dhanush P.
DP

Dhanush P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Want High definition images - Shutterstock's your friend."

What do you like about Shutterstock?

Shutterstock has been my one stop place for getting high definition photos, illustrations and effects which is required for testing our application up

8. Graphics
Users value Shutterstock's vast library of graphics, providing diverse assets for comprehensive brand storytelling and design needs.
See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Terri W.
TW

Terri W.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Continued satisfaction after 6 years as a Shutterstock user - they just keep getting better!"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

I think that the ability to query for very precise graphics and human interaction situations is ideal. I also like that they take one model and captur

swati s.
SS

swati s.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Stock of images"

What do you like about Shutterstock?

It has a vast resource of images and video footages, ready layouts,logo references and much more for a graphic designer.

Top Cons or Disadvantages of Shutterstock

1. Expensive
Users are frustrated with the expensive cancellation fees and perceived misleading subscription practices of Shutterstock.
See 29 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
U

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.0/5

"Worst Platform Ever – Complete Scam"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

I had the absolute worst experience with Shutterstock. I signed up for what I thought was a simple trial, only to find out later that they locked me i

JD

Jai D.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Great Platform for High-Quality Stock Images"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Some premium images can be a bit expensive, but the quality and variety make it worth it. The platform itself is smooth and easy to navigate.

2. Cost
Users are frustrated by the high cancellation costs and strict subscription fees of Shutterstock, making it hard to manage expenses.
See 16 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
A

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.0/5

"Charged £350 to cancel and get out of signing up to ShutterStock AVOID"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Charged £350 to cancel a subscription!!!! Charged £350 pounds to cancel a monthly subscription at £59 per month to download 50 images, we never signe

Verified User
A

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Shutterstock Review: High-Quality Content at a High Cost"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The high cost and frustrating subscription cancellations are major pain points for Shutterstock users. Many find customer service unhelpful and the "u

3. Repetitive
Users find the imagery repetitive, with similar images appearing frequently, impacting the overall creativity of their projects.
See 9 mentions

See Related User Reviews

RL

Rejean L.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Use of Shutterstock images for marketing tools and projects"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

When creating our action plan, we would copy and paste our suggested images onto our plan before presenting it (to get it approved). It would take a f

Karina P.
KP

Karina P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Easy navigation, rich content"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The imagery sometimes feel repetitive, or users upload the same image with another color only

4. Subscription Issues
Users report frustrating subscription issues, facing hidden costs and difficulties with cancellation, leading to a negative experience.
See 9 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
U

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.0/5

"Worst Platform Ever – Complete Scam"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

I had the absolute worst experience with Shutterstock. I signed up for what I thought was a simple trial, only to find out later that they locked me i

Verified User
A

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.0/5

"Charged £350 to cancel and get out of signing up to ShutterStock AVOID"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Charged £350 to cancel a subscription!!!! Charged £350 pounds to cancel a monthly subscription at £59 per month to download 50 images, we never signe

5. Pricing Issues
Users often criticize Shutterstock for its expensive pricing structure, especially for occasional or light users needing flexibility.
See 8 mentions

See Related User Reviews

CP

CHIRAG P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Simple and effective for everyday office needs"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

I find the pricing a bit high for frequent use in smaller tasks. Sometimes customer support takes time to respond , which can inconvenient when i need

Anurag P.
AP

Anurag P.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Solid library, smooth experience, could be a bit friendlier on pricing"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The pricing can get a bit steep, especially if you just need a few assets here and there. Also, sometimes older images feel a bit “stocky” or outdated

6. Repetitive Content
Users often encounter repetitive content, leading to a generic feel and overwhelming search results on Shutterstock.
See 8 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Priyanshi G.
PG

Priyanshi G.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Shutterstock reliable stock content for every project"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

what I dislike about shutterstock is high cost subscription and strict licensing terms some content also feels repetitive, and limited free options c

Hardik C.
HC

Hardik C.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"A reliable platform for high-quality stock content."

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

the main drawback is the pricing. subscription plans and on-demand packs can feel expensive,especially for small teams or freelancers who don't use st

7. Poor Customer Support
Users experience poor customer support, often failing to receive assistance for billing and subscription issues.
See 7 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
A

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.0/5

"Charged £350 to cancel and get out of signing up to ShutterStock AVOID"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Charged £350 to cancel a subscription!!!! Charged £350 pounds to cancel a monthly subscription at £59 per month to download 50 images, we never signe

Verified User
A

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Shutterstock Review: High-Quality Content at a High Cost"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The high cost and frustrating subscription cancellations are major pain points for Shutterstock users. Many find customer service unhelpful and the "u

8. Payment Issues
Users are frustrated with payment issues, including high cancellation fees and invalid VAT number rejections.
See 5 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
A

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.0/5

"Charged £350 to cancel and get out of signing up to ShutterStock AVOID"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Charged £350 to cancel a subscription!!!! Charged £350 pounds to cancel a monthly subscription at £59 per month to download 50 images, we never signe

Daryl V.
DV

Daryl V.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"An excellent image platform with a vast range of options and graphics"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Takes some time to get a hang of the search function and how certain keywords can you get you the right content. Billing also seems predatory, if you

9. Communication Barriers
Users face significant communication barriers with Shutterstock, experiencing frustrating customer service and unresolved issues.
See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Bojan S.
BS

Bojan S.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

0.5/5

"Pushi"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

I hate the fact that they charge a 25% tax. I tried to input VAT numbers from three different countries where our business is legally registered, but

CP

Chirag P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"High Quality visuals made simple with shutterstock"

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The subscription can be expensive for regular office use and customer support could be a little more responsive. Sometimes i feel limited by download

Shutterstock Reviews (666)

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Shutterstock Reviews (666)

View 3 Video Reviews
4.4
666 reviews
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Ankita N.
AN
QA Engineer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"A Creative Treasure Trove with Remarkable Search Intelligence"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

What I like best about Shutterstock is the feeling of creative abundance it provides—like stepping into a constantly evolving gallery where every search reveals something unexpectedly perfect. The refinement of its search intelligence is impressive; it almost anticipates the visual style I have in mind. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

One aspect I find frustrating about Shutterstock is that the vast number of assets can actually be a drawback at times. When searching for something specific, I often encounter an overwhelming number of similar visuals, which makes it challenging to find something that really stands out. Additionally, some of the more niche categories tend to feel overly generic or 'stock-like,' and they often lack a sense of authenticity. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Konjengbam  M.
KM
BDR
Financial Services
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"All-in-One Media Platform for Effortless Promotions"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

This platform provides all media needs that we can use for promotions and advertisement. It have tons of option from where we could select media that will fit our needs. I love this platform for its user friendly interface and ability to provide the best requirement with its powerful search engine. Its AI is of great assistance and the best part is its its capability to assist in the design. It AI is also available for a reasonable price which makes this platform more attractive. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

I wish if we could know where the pictures are used. That would allow us to differentiate from the competitors or we could avoid using the same media content being used by our immediate competitor. I also wish that the price of the media content was a little bit high sometimes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

SD
Software Engineer
Computer Software
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Vast High-Quality Library with Easy UI, But Pricing Can Be Tricky"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

Shutterstock offers a vast library of more than 500 million assets, such as photos, vectors, videos, music, and AI-generated images. It has become a popular choice among marketers, designers, and developers who require a wide range of options. The platform has also integrated AI tools for image generation and editing, providing users with greater creative flexibility when customizing visuals. Its easy to use and i frequently use this and i feel support team doing great they gives you quick response. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Videos, Music tracks and extended licenses can be expensive, especially for freelancers or small teams. And subscription model little complex. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

RT
Marketing Team
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"High-Quality Content, But Lacks Built-In Editing Tools"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

I like accessing best quality of audio and video files through shutterstock and it also provides us high definition images of different varieties in the free version. But we are not able to download any video files that's why we have subscribed its premium plan for premium contents. So, we generally use shutter stock to get the best online digital contents mainly in the form of images and use them on different type of design work and Instagram posts. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

There is no proper editing tool in the shutter stock software as they have a large range of stock photos and video library on their website but whenever we want to edit some photos on shutterstock. We are not able to do it then for editing we download these photos and use a third party software to get the work done. This increases the total time consumption in creating best designs for our business. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

NM
Technical Team Lead
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Great Source of High Definition Photos And Videos"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

I like shutterstock because this platform help us in accessing lots of different varieties of photos and videos which are in high definition and 4K. Also this platform provides a rage of digital contents that too free of cost and their data is also copyright free that's why I use it everyday to download some of best images that could help our designers to create beautiful designs Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The videos that this platform provides are totally paid you cannot download a single video in the free version of this tool and one feature that shutterstock lacks is AI image generation because nowadays only getting access to stock copy right free images is not enough for developing best designs you also need some AI generated images to get the work done. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ashu L.
AL
Senior Analyst
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Shutterstock is great for variety of visuals"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

So ideally use Shutterstock and I like the high-quality images, illustrations and videos that I can get some shutter stock and the search filters and licensing options of Shutterstock are very easy and timesaving that helps me so usual dashboard and images easily. As part of my data work, I have to create more engaging, professional and easy to understand stories that require shutter stocks, images, so it’s very useful for me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Even when shutterstock offers high quality content but its licensing cost is very high for frequent and large scale use. Also one more thing i dislike about it is that few of the niches or if I being very specific for the visuals then it takes more time to refine the search. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

CP
Office clerk
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Simple and effective for everyday office needs"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

I like the ease of use, the platform is simple to navigate and makes it easy to search and download images quickly. The ease of implementation is great since no special training is needed and it fits smoothly into daily office tasks. I use it frequently for presentations and documents and the wide numbers of features such as image, videos and templates really help. It also integrates well with other tools i use, making my work faster and more professional. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

I find the pricing a bit high for frequent use in smaller tasks. Sometimes customer support takes time to respond , which can inconvenient when i need quick help. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Aritro B.
AB
Product Specialist
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Most convenient way to get the professional content and upload our own creative content."
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

Shutterstock has got a massive base of very high quality content. Millions of content makes it one of the best updated base out there. Additionally, the browsing and accessing these content is super easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

The subscription plan is little bit expensive and the originality actually suffers a little bit as so many persons ae accessing this content. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

DP
ETL Developer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Review on Shutterstock"
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

it has got vast collection of libraries for images for images , vectors and videos. Easy to use for basic level and good collection of tools search optins and user interface is so good. Friendly for regular searches and provides licensing which is a great option. Frequency of use is like if you are a member you need to check on the contents. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

Major issue found in customer service and they are not so responsive. Complicated subscription and hidden charges. The AI option is not so effective. Licensing terms is difficult to understand as more clarity is required. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Dhanush P.
DP
DevOps Engineer
Computer Software
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Want High definition images - Shutterstock's your friend."
What do you like best about Shutterstock?

Shutterstock has been my one stop place for getting high definition photos, illustrations and effects which is required for testing our application upload and download features. It has a vast library of content and almost anything you can think of in-terms of content for work is easily available for use.

Almost everyday I communicate with team using these images for UI and it has very advanced search and filter integrated which helps exactly get what we want. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Shutterstock?

It is a great place with multiple advantages like contribution feature, licensing clarity for media available which makes enterprise level easy implementation and usage. It can be heavy on the pocket sometimes but considering quality of media obtained it's worth the try. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.