Where to sell photos online and make money

There are many ways to make money with the help of the internet. In this article we look at places you can sell photos online and make money.

These days almost everyone is a photographer. The mobile phones that we carry these days are very sharp and can take amazing images. It is also common to spot people going on vacation, holidays or visiting somewhere with digital cameras. This opens up a big opportunity for us to earn money doing what we love.

Anyone can take amazing photos. If you feel you have some quality photos that you have taken, you should consider selling them online to make extra income. You do not have to be a professional to take amazing photos.

For professional photographers, selling your photos online is another way to increase your income. Most of the places you can sell photos online allow you to keep your copyright 100%. So it is win – win for you.

If you have been looking a how to sell photos online, we will show you how and where.

Why should you sell photos online?

To make money! Who does not not want to make extra income? The online photo selling industry is worth billions of dollars. If you could capture amazing images and put them online to make yourself some good money, why not?

Another reason you should sell photo online is fame. It can make you famous. If you are lucky to take one of those evergreen images and it goes viral, you have the capacity to break the internet!

One more reason is that it is not restricted to any country. You can sell your photos from anywhere in the world: United States, Nigeria, India, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Australia, Zambia, Uganda, United Kingdom. Anywhere at all.

Where to sell photos online

Here are places that you can sell your photos online.

1. On your blog

While you can sell photos on many platforms online and make money, the best place to do so is on your own website (blog).

When you sell on your blog, you have control over pricing and everything! And you brand yourself and promote yourself more than anyone else can do it for you.

The key advantage of selling your photos on your blog is that you have 100% control over everything.

All you have to do is a create a blog. If you don’t know how to then read our guide: How to create a blog. Once you have set up your blog, simply go to Theme Forest and pick a very nice photography theme. You can click here to checkout photography themes. Pick anyone you like, customize  it and start uploading your photos!

2. Shutterstock

Shutterstock is one of the most popular stock image website on the internet. You can sell your photos through them and make good income.

They have paid out over $500 million to its contributors! And you get to keep your copyright too! They have been in the business for over 15 years and have up to 200 million images.

With their reputation and years in business, they have millions of customers. That means your work will be exposed to a whole lot of people.

You can make up to $28 per sale (download) or less. Check here for details. You can read their submission guideline here

3. Getty Images

Getty Images has to be one of the biggest brands online when it comes to anything photos. They have large inventory of big customers. They are where the big companies go to, to get images.

With over 1.5 million customers in more than 200 countries worldwide, they can give your photos massive exposure.

They offer from 20% and upward for photos licensed through them. But the standards are high to get on their platform.

You can click here to Apply to Getty Images

4. Alamy

Alamy is one of the biggest market place for stock photos on the internet. The most attractive thing about them is that they offer their contributors 50% royalty payment on each photo sold on its platform.

And you are also free to sell or use the photo somewhere else. You keep your copyright! There are over 60,000 contributors and 110,000 buyers at Alamy. Making it a very lucrative place to sell your photos online.

To sell images on Alamy or to read more, go here.

5. iStock Photo

iStock Photo is a part of the Getty Images family. They have same standard as Getty images.

They offer commission from 25% to 45%. It is very popular among photographers at entry level.

With iStock, you can sell your photos exclusively or non exclusively.

Click here to visit iStock or click here to apply to iStock Photos.

6. Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is owned by the world famous company Adobe. It is one of the first online photo selling platform. They have one of the largest community of photo buyers on the internet. And they got reputation too.

You can track your sales real time. Their goal is to help it contributors turn their passion into earnings.

They offer from 20% to 60% commission to its contributors. And you do not have to sell it exclusively.

Click here to get started with Adobe Stock.

7. Etsy

While Etsy is not a stock photo website, photos is one of the things that you can sell on Etsy. The advantage it has is the large user base to help anyone strive. There are over 33 million people using Etsy around the world and you can take advantage of that.

While big stock photo websites may have high standards that you find difficult to meet up, with Etsy, it should be easier.

You can click here to start selling on Etsy

8. 500px

500px is major photo marketplace online that you can create portfolios of your photos and make money from them. It is very popular among people making money online from photo selling.

They offer you to 70% commission. And they run various contests that you can take part in and make money.

You can create a free account here

9. PhotoShelter

PhotoShelter is a platform that empowers you to create your own online photo shop. It is more like an eCommerce websites that you can create your own store with a unique template and sell your photos.

But you may need to buy space and subscription to use this platform. There is a free trial for new users of course.

You can click here to go to PhotoShelter

10. Foap

Foap is a mobile app that help people make money selling their photos online. There are many ways you can make money from your photos on Foap.

They also help distribute your photos to big brands like Getty Images.

Click here to download Foap on your phone and start selling.