Getty Images vs Adobe Stock: how their terms compare
By Gareth HoyleLast updated How we research
In short
Getty Images suits photo, video and illustration contributors who want royalties plus an annual AI revenue share, and Adobe Stock suits Adobe Stock contributors earning royalties and a discretionary Firefly bonus. Getty Images pays 15% to 45% per license plus an annual AI revenue share. Adobe Stock pays 33% on photos and 35% on video, plus a discretionary Firefly bonus.
Key takeaways
- Getty Images is a content licensing platform, and Adobe Stock is a direct buyer.
- Published payout at Getty Images: Royalty of 15% to 45% per license.
- Published payout at Adobe Stock: Royalty of 33% (non-video) or 35% (video).
- Getty Images publishes 5 of the 6 terms compared here, and Adobe Stock publishes 4.
- Facts were checked on each company's own pages in November 2026.
How do Getty Images and Adobe Stock compare?
The table sets each company's published terms side by side, copied from our profiles. "Not published" means the company's own pages do not say.
| Term | Getty Images | Adobe Stock |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Content licensing platform | Direct buyer |
| What it buys | Does not buy company data. Licenses content from almost 600,000 creators and almost 360 content partners | Photos, video, vectors, illustrations and generative AI content on Adobe Stock, used to train Firefly. Bloomberg reported separate purchases of video clips |
| Published payout | Royalty of 15% to 45% per license. AI revenue shared annually by a formula that is not published | Royalty of 33% (non-video) or 35% (video). Firefly bonus varies by contributor and is paid at Adobe's discretion |
| Size requirement | Contributors apply with six non-AI samples, must be 18 or over, and hear back within about a week | Any Adobe Stock contributor whose content was considered for training the released Firefly model |
| Exclusivity | Optional. Exclusive contributors earn higher royalty rates | Not published |
| Fee to seller | Not published | Not published as a fee. The $25 payout minimum drops to $1 for bonus recipients until December 17, 2026 |
| Payment timing | AI revenue share paid annually. Royalties paid through Payoneer or PayPal in US dollars | The 2026 bonus was added to contributor balances on September 17, 2026 |
| Facts checked | November 2026 | November 2026 |
Published payouts are ceilings or estimates, not quotes.
Who are Getty Images and Adobe Stock?
Content licensing platform
Getty Images
Getty Images licenses photos, video and illustrations from contributors and runs its own generative AI service, trained only on licensed visuals, that shares revenue with contributors each year. It signed display deals with Perplexity in October 2025 and OpenAI in June 2026. Contributors earn royalties of 15% to 45% per license, and Getty does not accept AI-generated files.
Direct buyer
Adobe Stock
Adobe trains its Firefly generative AI models on Adobe Stock content and pays eligible contributors an annual Firefly bonus at its discretion, now in its fourth year. Contributors earn royalties of 33% on photos and 35% on video. Bloomberg reported in April 2024 that Adobe was also buying video clips for about $3 per minute. Adobe offers no opt-out for Stock content.
Which fits you, Getty Images or Adobe Stock?
The right fit between Getty Images and Adobe Stock depends on your records and the terms you need. We do not rank either company, and each point below comes from its published facts.
Getty Images may suit you if
- you contribute non-AI photos, video or illustrations
- you want royalties of 15% to 45% per license and a share of AI revenue paid annually
- you are weighing exclusivity, which Getty Images makes optional and rewards with higher royalty rates
Adobe Stock may suit you if
- you contribute photos, video, vectors or illustrations to Adobe Stock
- you want royalties of 33% on photos and 35% on video
- you accept that the Firefly bonus is paid at Adobe's discretion
Terms to ask about
Getty Images does not publish its fee to seller. Adobe Stock does not publish its exclusivity terms or fee to seller. Ask each company for these terms in writing before you share a sample.
Comparing offers?
Published payouts are ceilings, not quotes. We can put your records in front of several vetted buyers and compare offers on the same terms. Get a free valuation.
Frequently asked questions
What do Getty Images and Adobe Stock pay for data?
What size of company do Getty Images and Adobe Stock look for?
Do Getty Images and Adobe Stock charge sellers a fee or require exclusivity?
When do Getty Images and Adobe Stock pay sellers?
Sources
- Generative AI by Getty Images, Getty Images, accessed November 2026
- Work with us, Getty Images, accessed November 2026
- Getty Images announces display partnership with OpenAI, Getty Images, accessed November 2026
- Getty Images launches an AI-powered image generator, TechCrunch, accessed November 2026
- Getty, Perplexity sign multi-year licensing deal to boost AI-powered search visuals, Reuters via The Star, accessed November 2026
- Firefly FAQ for Adobe Stock contributors, Adobe, accessed November 2026
- Royalty rates for content, Adobe, accessed November 2026
- Adobe is buying videos for $3 per minute to build AI model, Bloomberg, accessed November 2026