Review Summary
The bottom line
Depositphotos is an RF microstock photo agency based in Florida. Its collection of images contains 224 million files of high-quality photos, vectors, videos, and illustrations. Since it offers incredible e-commerce stock images, it’s the best stock image website for bloggers and small businesses.
Pros
- 224+ million images
- No daily download limit
- Reverse image search
- Great customer support (phone, live chat, and email)
- A collection of free images
Cons
- No custom packs (only available for enterprises).
- Limited flexibility of on-demand options.
Depositphotos specs
| Website | depositphotos.com |
| Images | 224 million |
| Videos | 11.2 million |
| Pricing | $0.22–$14.00/image |
| Extended license | $63.96–$89.90 |
| Free trial | Yes (10 images) |
| Licenses | Royalty-free |
| Founded | 2009; 12 years ago |
We have been using Depositphotos ourselves and we considered over 7,200 customer reviews before writing this Depositphotos review. After endless testing, we determined that Depositphotos is a great stock agency, especially for individuals who need up to 100 images per month. Within this range, Depositphotos is cheaper than other stock agencies of comparable quality. However, we don’t like the short free trial (7 days), very small legal coverage (max. $5,000), and that you cannot buy videos with subscriptions as a team.
Review Summary
Often, customers complain that stock photos are cheap only when bought in bulk, such as 750 monthly downloads at $0.22/image. But if you need only a couple of images per month, in a 10 to 50 range, then stock photos get quite expensive, usually around $4 per image. Enter Depositphotos.
This stock photo site offers stock photos at very low prices even with smaller plans. For example, 25 images per month (monthly billing) cost $36, which results in $1.44 per image. An equivalent yearly-billed plan with 30 images per month (we don’t know why 30 instead of 25), costs $24.92/month or $0.83 per image. This is considerably cheaper than Shutterstock’s $4.90 per image with 10 monthly downloads or $1.98 per image with 50 monthly downloads. These options make Depositphotos exceptionally good for individuals like bloggers and entrepreneurs, and small-to-medium sized (SME) businesses.
However, Depositphotos isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. What bothered us the most is the low legal coverage of both licenses—Standard and Extended. The Standard License comes with a legal coverage of $5,000 (compared to $10,000 at Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and iStock; $25,000 at 123RF). Comparably even worse is the Extended license, which also comes with only $5,000 legal coverage, whereas the likes of Shutterstock and iStock provide $250,000. As we like to point out, the amount of legal coverage shows how much the stock agency is confident in the legitimacy of their stock images. And considering a somewhat shady past of Depositphotos, it becomes clear why the legal coverage is so low.
Finally, we’d like to let you know about the stellar customer support of Depositphotos—it is the best customer support we’ve seen so far. Not only does the live chat option respond in a few moments and the email takes fewer than 24 hours, but Depositphotos also addresses all customer reviews (both good and bad). This convinced us that Depositphotos really cares about its customers, and so far, we have zero complaints.
Who is Depositphotos Best For?
Depositphotos is the best used for smaller subscription plans. The 25 monthly download subscriptions cost $0.83/image, while the 2x larger subscription plan at Shutterstock costs twice as much ($1.98/image). Therefore, we recommend using Depositphotos instead of Shutterstock for 25 and 75 monthly download subscriptions.
When it comes to larger subscriptions, on-demand packs in general, and extended licenses, Depositphotos is slightly worse than Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. That’s mainly due to the same prices for the smaller image library and the absence of the free trial.
Related: Best stock photo sites
Image pricing
Image Subscriptions
- Price: $24.92–$166.58/month
- Image price: $0.22–$1.44/image
- Sizes: 25, 30, 75, 150, and 750 images per month
- Duration: monthly and yearly
- Additional downloads: $1 each
- License: Standard License
| Monthly billing | Yearly billing | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 images/mo (30 images/mo with yearly) | $36 ($1.44/image) | $24.92 ($0.83/image) |
| 75 images/mo | $69 ($0.92/image) | $58.25 ($0.78/image) |
| 150 images/mo | $99 ($0.66/image) | $83.25 ($0.56/image) |
| 750 images/mo | $199($0.27/image) | $166.58 ($0.22/image) |
Standard license on-demand packs
- Price: $42–$299
- Image price: $2.99–$14.00/image
- Sizes: 3, 11, 25, or 100 images
- License: Standard License
| Price | |
|---|---|
| 3 images | $42 ($14.00/image) |
| 11 images | $65 ($5.91/image) |
| 25 images | $99 ($3.96/image) |
| 100 images | $299 ($2.99/image) |
Extended license on-demand image packs
- Price: $89–$1,599
- Image price: $63.96–$89.00/image
- Sizes: 1, 5, or 25 images
- License: Extended License
| Price | |
|---|---|
| 1 image | $89 ($89.00/image) |
| 5 images | $359 ($71.80/image) |
| 25 images | $1,599 ($63.96/image) |
Video pricing
Video Subscriptions
- Price: $74.92–$239/month
- Image price: $8.00–$17.80/video
- Sizes: 5, 10, and 25 videos/month
- Duration: monthly and yearly
- Resolutions: 240p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K
- License: Standard License
| Monthly billing | Yearly billing | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 videos/mo | $89 ($17.80/video) | $74.92 ($17.80/video) |
| 10 videos/mo | $149 ($14.90/video) | $124.92 ($12.49/video) |
| 25 videos/mo | $239 ($9.56/video) | $199.92 ($8.00/video) |
Video on-demand packs
- Price: $42–$299
- Image price: $7.96–$149/video
- Sizes: 1, 5, or 25
- Resolutions: 240p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K
- License: Standard License
| 240p | 480p | 720p | 1080p | 4K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 video | $19 ($19.00/video) | $34 ($34.00/video) | $54 ($54.00/video) | $59 ($59.00/video) | $149 ($149.00/video) |
| 5 videos | $59 ($11.80/video) | $139 ($27.80/video) | $219 ($43.80/video) | $269 ($53.80/video) | $539 ($107.80/video) |
| 25 videos | $199 ($7.96/video) | $599 ($23.96/video) | $979 ($39.16/video) | $1,199 ($47.96/video) | $2,069 ($82.76/video) |
Extended license on-demand video packs
- Price: $89–$1,599
- Image price: $180–$269/video
- Sizes: 1, 5, 25, and 50 videos
- License: Extended License
- How to get: Not available on the website, contact customer support
| Individual | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 video | $269/video | – |
| 5 videos | $259.80/video ($1,299) | $249/video ($1,245) |
| 25 videos | – | $220/video ($5,500) |
| 50 videos | – | $180/video ($9,000) |
Music and SFX pricing
Music subscriptions ($19/month or $199/year) get you unlimited downloads of all 1.2 million music tracks and SFX in the Depositphotos library. You may use the tracks for YouTube and podcasts, as well as on websites, social media, and events. Recently, Depositphotos increased the pricing of the unlimited music subscription by about 31%, from $12.99/month or $129/year.
Music on-demand packs come in three sizes (1, 5, and 25 downloads) and with either standard or extended license.
| Standard license | Extended license | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 download | $39 ($39.00/track) | $349 ($394.00/track) |
| 5 downloads | $139 ($27.80/track) | $999 ($199.80/track) |
| 25 downloads | $399 ($15.96/track) | $1,999 ($79.96/track) |
Unlimited subscription
Unlimited downloads subscription ($4.99/month) grants you access to the collection of 1.3 million files. While these are not the best quality and the variety is also low, unlimited subscriptions are a good option for those who need a lot of stock images but have a low budget.
Depositphotos teams pricing
Teams pricing works only for up to 2 users compared to one user of the individual pricing. You can also get pricing options for more than 2 users, but then you need to contact Depositphoto’s customer support.
Teams image pricing
Image subscriptions for team
Image subscriptions for teams ($0.46–$1.38/image) come in sizes of 50, 150, and 500 images per month and can only be bought for 1 year, meaning there are no monthly plans.
| Plan size | Price |
|---|---|
| 50 images/mo | $829/year ($1.44/image) |
| 150 images/mo | $1,620/year ($0.92/image) |
| 500 images/mo | $2,782/year ($0.66/image) |
On-demand images for teams
On-demand images for teams can be bought with the Standard License in sizes of 50, 100, or 500 images ($359–$2,999 or $6.00–$7.18/image):
- 50 images – $359 ($7.18/image),
- 100 images – $699 ($6.99/image),
- 500 images – $2,999 ($6.00/image).
And with the Extended License in sizes of 10, 25, or 50 images ($669–$2,999 or $59.88/image–$66.90/image):
- 10 images – $669 ($66.90/image),
- 25 images – $1,599 ($63.96/image),
- 50 images – $2,999 ($59.98/image).
Teams video pricing
Videos for teams can only be bought on demand and not with a subscription. They come in three sizes (5, 25, or 50 videos) in 5 resolutions (240p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 4K) and for max 2 users. Their price ranges from $69 to $6,499 or $11.98–$145.80/video based on which pack you buy.
| 240p | 480p | 720p | 1080p | 4K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 videos | $69 ($13.80/video) | $139 ($27.80/video) | $239 ($47.80/video) | $289 ($57.80/video) | $729 ($145.80/video) |
| 25 videos | $319 ($12.76/video) | $649 ($25.96/video) | $1,149 ($45.96/video) | $1,399 ($55.96/video) | $3,499 ($139.96/video) |
| 50 videos | $599 ($11.98/video) | $1,199 ($23.98/video) | $2,199 ($43.98/video) | $2,599 ($51.98/video) | $6,499 ($129.98/video) |
Teams music and SFX pricing
Like videos, music and sound effects for teams can only be bought on demand. The Standard license packs come in three sizes of 1, 5, or 25 downloads, costing $49–$499 or $19.96–$49 per track. The Extended license packs come in three sizes of 1, 5, or 25 downloads, costing $399–$2,999 or $119.96–$399 per track:
| Standard License | Extended License | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 download | $49 ($49/track) | $399 ($399/track) |
| 5 downloads | $169 ($33.80/track) | $1,199 ($239.80/track) |
| 25 downloads | $499 ($19.96/track) | $2,999 ($119.96/track) |
Depositphotos Enterprise pricing
Separate from the pricing for individuals, Depositphotos offers stock images, videos, and audio to enterprises. The prices depend on the number of users, so enterprises need to get in touch with Depositphotos to get custom plans. As a result, enterprise pricing is not covered in this review, as it’s going to be different for every company. Based on the pricing available for two users, we can see that subscriptions are three times as expensive as subscriptions for individuals, while on-demand packs cost roughly the same.
Depositphotos Free Trial
- Go to Depositphotos.
- Click “Pricing” in the top right corner.
- In the “Subscription” panel, select 25 images/mo plan.
- Click on the “Free 7 day trial” button.
- Enter your billing information.
- Click on the “Start Free Trial” button.
Depositphotos doesn’t have a free trial that would allow you to download premium royalty-free images free of charge. However, you can download any number of free files, but don’t forget to attribute them to Depositphotos when you use them. Alternatively, you may download watermarked premium files, but you may not use them for any other purpose than testing. You’re also not allowed to try removing the watermark because that’s considered an unlawful use of the content, which can cause legal issues for you, your team, and the project.
Related: Best stock photo free trials
Standard vs Extended License
Licenses are long agreements, so here we provide a quick summary.
Images, Vectors, and Videos Licensing
The Standard License for images, vectors, and videos is sufficient for use on websites and electronic use, for resale when the file plays a minor role, and for copies or impressions up to 500,000. However, for unlimited copies or for resale where the file plays a major role, you need an Extended license.
| Standard license | Extended license | |
|---|---|---|
| Website | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Copies and impressions | Up to 500,000 | Unlimited |
| For electronic use | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Max file resolution of the unmodified file | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| For resale where the file plays a minor role | Allowed | Allowed |
| For resale where the file plays a major role | Prohibited | Allowed |
Audio Licensing
The Standard license is enough for sharing the audio on social media and video sharing platforms, as well as for personal use. The Extended license is needed when you want to use the audio file for offline advertising, broadcasting, and resale or distribution.
| Standard license | Extended license | |
|---|---|---|
| Viewers, listeners | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Social media, video sharing platforms | Allowed | Allowed |
| Personal offline use, one-time public performance | Allowed | Allowed |
| Online advertising | Allowed | Allowed |
| Offline advertising | Prohibited | Allowed |
| Offline broadcasting, multiple public performances | Prohibited | Allowed |
| Resale or distribution | Prohibited | Allowed |
| A major part of audio-only content | Prohibited | Prohibited |
Related: What does royalty-free mean?
How Do You Use Depositphotos?
- Pick a subscription or an on-demand plan that fits your needs.
- Continue to the payment page.
- Enter your payment information.
- Double-check that you selected the right plan.
- Confirm the purchase.
- Wait for 1 to 2 minutes for verification.
- Download stock images.
Summary: Depositphotos Review 2022
Depositphotos has a rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 and ranks 4th among stock photo sites, indicating that most customers are satisfied with their purchases. Consumers are satisfied with Depositphotos because of the affordable prices, high image quality, and great selection of stock images and videos. Depositphotos is great specifically for bloggers and small businesses.
Frequently asked questions
Can you trust Depositphotos?
Yes, you can trust Depositphotos. It’s a reliable and safe stock photo agency, trusted by world-renowned customers, such as Bosch, Tripadvisor, and Forbes. In addition, it offers a variety of safe payment options, including PayPal, payment cards (Visa, MasterCard, etc.), and wire transfers.
How much does Depositphotos cost?
Depositphotos subscriptions cost $24.92-$199/month ($0.22-$1.44/image), on-demand plans cost $42-$299 ($2.99-$14.00/image), and the Extended License costs $63.96-$89.00. Stock videos cost $8.00-$149/video, while music tracks with unlimited downloads are available for $12.99/month.
Does Depositphotos have a free trial?
No, Depositphotos doesn’t have a free trial. However, you can get free images by downloading any file from the collection of 70,000 free stock images, videos, and music. But these images require attribution.
Rating Methodology
To review Depositphotos accurately, we took a holistic view of 31 stock photo agencies that incorporated image number, quality, variety, prices and pricing options, licensing terms, features, and customer support.
- Image quality & variety: 20% of the score. We browsed each stock photo site for over 50 search terms and analyzed the resulting image quality and variety. Both were scored qualitatively based on our expertise and experience. The quality check comprised technical quality, including exposure, sharpness, grain, saturation, color temperature, and added value. The variety check was primarily focused on checking what percentage of images came from the same photo shoot.
- Stock photo prices and pricing options: 20% of the score. Price is crucial in choosing stock photos, and having various options helps customers find the best plans. We checked whether the stock photo agency offers subscriptions, on-demand options, and which sizes. In addition, having a free trial is a bonus as it allows customers to get an insight into what they can expect. Finally, we considered the minimum, median, and maximum price per image and the price per extended license image.
- Licensing terms: 20% of the score. We read and took notes on every stock image license. We compared them based on how many copies, reprints, impressions they allow, and indemnity value.
- Image number: 15% of the score. The number of images is essential when rating stock photo sites because you can quickly run out of free photos when you need thousands of images. We checked each stock photo site’s database and took notes on the number of images.
- Additional features: 15% of the score. Additional features are meant to simplify or enhance a customer’s workflow. We reviewed and tested all the additional features where possible. Since some are limited to enterprises, or we couldn’t get in touch with the support team, we searched for customers with access to the additional features and asked for their opinion.
- Customer support: 10% of the score. Crucially, when testing customer support, we didn’t tell them who we were, so we got treated like every other customer. We took notes of the response times, contact options (live chat, email, and telephone), and the usefulness and kindness of the support teams.
Within each category, we also considered several characteristics, the number of images per most popular searches, technical quality, and added value. We also looked at the variety of pricing plans, minimum, median, and maximum image prices, and free trial terms. Finally, we evaluated Depositphotos’ customer support, licensing, and additional features that would enhance customers’ workflow.
Sources
- Wikipedia contributors, Depositphotos, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. June 28, 2022, 04:00 UTC. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Depositphotos.com. Accessed November 29, 2020.
- Audreyk, A picture is worth a thousand words – and $100M, inVentures. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Olha Karpenko, Dmitry Sergeev, Depositphotos: If there is a need to fly to Mars that will bring money, I’ll do it, ain. Published: September 13, 2018. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Image pricing; Video pricing; Music & SFC pricing; Image pricing (corporate); Video pricing (corporate); Music & SFC pricing (corporate). Depositphotos. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Standard and Extended License Agreement, Depositphotos, Effective October 4, 2020. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Standard vs. Extended license, Depositphotos. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Review – www.depositphotos.com, Trustpilot. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Product – Depositphotos Inc. Depositphotos – Reviews, G2. Accessed July 21, 2022.
- Reviews – DepositPhotos, Sitejabber. Accessed July 21, 2022.