Adobe Stock Review 2024: Is It Worth Paying Extra?
As a wise man once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words, but a stock photo is worth two grand." Or, at least, that's what I heard in the world of stock videos and images. Is it true, or can you get stock footage and photos for less?
I'm always on the lookout for resources to take my work to the next level. Adobe Stock caught my attention because of its integration with the Creative Cloud platform and the quality of assets. In this Adobe Stock review for 2024, I will share my personal experience, answer some frequently asked questions, and help you decide if it's worth the investment. Let's dive into it and see how much it costs and, more importantly, whether it is worth it.
What Is Adobe Stock?
Adobe Stock is a popular service that provides creators, marketers, and designers with millions of high-quality, royalty-free photos, videos, templates, illustrations, music tracks, and plugins. It is integrated with Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Dimension, Adobe Spark, Premiere Rush, and InDesign.
Adobe Stock Pricing: How Much Is It?
Adobe Stock offers a variety of subscription plans, credit packs, and pricing options for its vast collection of standard assets, templates, and premium content. With affordable rates, you can choose between subscriptions and credit packs, depending on your needs. The price per image for standard assets, vectors, and graphic templates is reasonable, and you'll find larger and longer plans for 3D models or premium photos.
For instance, you may purchase 2 to 50 credits or even 150 credits for more flexibility. In my opinion, Adobe Stock pricing is competitive, offering value for money in terms of royalty-free content.
There are two types of assets available on Adobe Stocks: standard assets (high-resolution images, templates, 3D assets, vectors, illustrations, and music tracks) and premium assets (videos, Premium collection images, and editorial images).
As I've mentioned before, you can purchase a credit pack or a subscription (or both). The credit packs cost more but they give you access to all assets - standard and premium. It's cheaper to get credit packs than to purchase assets separately. Each asset type has its own credit costs. You can also use credits to purchase extended licenses.
How much is one credit on Adobe Stock?
5 credits US$49.95
16 credits US$149.99 Save US$10
40 credits US$359.99 Save US$40
80 credits US$669.99 Save US$129
150 credits US$1,200.00 Save US$299
How much does an Adobe Stock subscription cost?
There are four subscription plans on Adobe Stock for individuals, and you can either purchase a monthly or an annual subscription.
10 standard assets a month
$49.99/month if paid month-to-month
$29.99/month with an annual commitment paid monthly
25 standard assets or 3 HD videos a month
$69.99/month if paid month-to-month
$49.99/month with an annual commitment paid monthly
40 standard assets or 6 HD videos a month
$79.99/month if paid month-to-month
$99.99/month with an annual commitment paid monthly
750 standard assets or 25 HD videos a month
$249.99/month if paid month-to-month
$199.99/month with an annual commitment paid monthly
Should you get an Adobe Stock subscription or credit packs?
That depends on what content you need. Subscriptions are a great way to save money as they offer savings of up to 90% off. They work best for creators who need standard assets (images, templates, and 3D assets). There are some plans that offer videos as well, but if you need more videos, premium assets, and many extended licenses, then credit packs might be a better option for you.
Do Adobe Stock credits expire?
If you buy credit packs, you have one year from the purchase date to use them until they expire. The only exception to this rule is Japan, where Adobe Stock credit packs expire after 6 months.
If you buy an Adobe Stock subscription, then your unused licenses will roll over to the next month as long as your subscription remains active. If you decide not to renew your license, then you will no longer be able to use any unused licenses. This applies to 10-asset/month (allows rollover of up to 120 unused licenses) and 25-asset/month (allows rollover of up to 300 unused credits) subscriptions. With a 750-asset/month subscription, unused licenses do not roll over.
Adobe Stock free trial
Adobe Stock offers a 30-day free trial on two of its annual plans. During this time you can download either 10 standard assets a month or 25 standard assets or 3 HD videos a month (depending on the plan you choose) and then decide whether you want to continue with your subscription. You won't be charged anything if you cancel your subscription within these 30 days.
How to get Adobe Stock for free?
Adobe Stock has a whole free collection of videos, photos, illustrations, vectors, templates, and 3D assets. You can use them for your personal or business projects as all assets come with a standard commercial license. Of course, a free collection is not as big as a paid one, but it's still a good option for creatives on a very tight budget.
Adobe Stock Library
What digital assets are available on Adobe Stock?
There are over 200 million photos in the Adobe Stock Library and millions of other digital assets. Yes, the library is huge, and new assets are added every day. So if you always need new and unique content, then that's the place to look.
The assets are divided into several categories:
Photos
Illustrations
Vectors
Videos
Audio
Templates
Fonts
Plugins
3D
Is Adobe Stock royalty-free?
Yes, Adobe Stock assets are royalty-free, which means that the license fee is paid just once no matter how many times the asset is being used. All the assets can be used worldwide, and with the exception of editorial use content, you are free to use them for any of your projects (after you purchase the appropriate license).
Who Is Adobe Stock Best For?
Adobe Stock caters to a wide range of users, from professionals to hobbyists. Whether you need a stock photo, template, or vector image, Adobe Stock has you covered. Integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe CC), the platform provides seamless access to assets for users of Photoshop, Illustrator, and other Adobe CC programs.
If you're a Creative Cloud subscriber, you'll find that Adobe Stock offers high-resolution, royalty-free images, 3D models, and more at your fingertips. It's especially convenient for those who use Adobe CC regularly and want a streamlined experience in accessing stock assets.
Adobe Stock Pros and Cons
Adobe Stock makes it easy to find the perfect standard images, templates, and other assets for your projects. One of the biggest pros is the platform's integration with Adobe CC, allowing you to use the stock assets directly in your favorite Adobe programs.
However, there are some cons. While the platform offers a vast collection, you may notice that certain niche categories lack depth. Additionally, some users might find the subscription plans limiting if they require only occasional access to stock assets. Of course, the price might also seem too high to creators on a budget (although the quality is exceptional, so you really get what you pay for).
What To Know Before You Subscribe: Negative Reviews
While many people are raving about Adobe Stock, there are some negative reviews. A few users have complained about the annual subscription's inflexibility and difficulty in canceling credit packs. It's essential to pay attention to the terms and conditions before committing to a subscription plan to avoid any misunderstandings.
The main complaints from the negative reviews of Adobe Stock include:
Unexpected charges and hidden fees: Some users reported being charged for services they didn't sign up for, including annual contracts, early cancellation fees, and penalty charges.
Poor customer service: Users complained about unhelpful or evasive customer service representatives who were unable to resolve their issues or only tried to upsell them on more services.
Difficult cancellation process: Many users found it challenging to cancel their subscription or trial, with some even being charged after they thought they had successfully canceled.
Loss of assets upon cancellation: Users who canceled their subscriptions were upset to discover that they would lose any unused assets they had paid for.
Deceptive "free trial" offers: Several users claimed that they were misled into signing up for a free trial, only to be charged for a subscription when the trial ended.
Adobe Stock License
When you subscribe to Adobe Stock, you'll receive a royalty-free license, which means you can use the assets in various projects without worrying about additional fees. However, note that the standard license has some limitations, and for certain uses, you may require an extended license.
There are three types of licenses available on Adobe Stock.
Standard License
Most photos, illustrations, and vectors come with a Standard license. It allows:
Use of the asset in social media, email marketing, mobile advertising, and broadcast programs (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
Unlimited web views
Modify the assets (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
Up to 500,000 copies or views of the asset
Transfer the license to one client
Enhanced License
Use of the asset in social media, email marketing, mobile advertising, and broadcast programs (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
Unlimited web views
Modify the assets (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
No restriction on the number of copies or views of the asset
Extended License
Use of the asset in social media, email marketing, mobile advertising, and broadcast programs (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
Unlimited web views
Modify the assets (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
No restriction on the number of copies or views of the asset
May be used in templates, merchandise, and other products for resale (except for assets that are labeled "Editorial Use Only")
Is Adobe Stock Worth it for Creators?
Yes, Adobe Stock is worth its price. The integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, high-quality assets, and competitive pricing make it a valuable resource for creators. The assets come with a standard commercial license, which makes it easy to use them in a variety of projects.
Adobe Stock vs. Unlimited Envato Elements, Artlist Max, Motion Array, and Storyblocks
While Adobe Stock offers a vast collection of high-quality assets and seamless integration with Adobe CC, other platforms like Envato Elements, Artlist Max, Storyblocks, and Motion Array provide alternative options. These competitors also have extensive libraries and cater to different creative needs. All of them offer unlimited subscriptions for an affordable monthly price. Even though the quality of Adobe Stock assets is much higher than that of its competitors, I still think that it's crucial to explore each platform and determine which one suits your needs best.
Adobe Stock Review
Adobe Stock is a good platform that offers high-quality assets and convenience through its integration with Adobe CC. If you're a Creative Cloud user or require frequent access to stock assets, Adobe Stock is worth considering in 2024.
How Adobe Stock Images for Creative Cloud Works
Adobe Stock offers royalty-free images, vectors, templates, and 3D models that are fully integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud programs like Photoshop and Illustrator. As a Creative Cloud member, you can easily access, preview, and use stock assets directly within your creative projects. This integration streamlines the creative process, making it easy to find the perfect photo or graphic to enhance your work.
Getting Adobe Stock for Free
While Adobe Stock is not free with Photoshop or other Creative Cloud programs, you can still test the service with a free trial. The trial offers 10 free images for new users to get a feel for the platform. To access these free images, simply sign up for an Adobe Stock account and start browsing their library.
Adobe Stock 10 Assets Per Month
One of the popular subscription plans Adobe Stock offers is the 10-assets-per-month plan. This plan provides creatives with a steady flow of high-quality content for their projects at an affordable rate. The plan also allows for the rollover of unused assets, so if you don't use all 10 images in a month, they will carry over to the next month.
Adobe Stock Templates
Adobe Stock offers a vast collection of customizable templates for various projects, including presentations, social media graphics, and print designs. While the templates themselves are not free, they are included in your subscription or can be purchased individually with credits.
Canceling Your Adobe Stock Subscription
If you decide that Adobe Stock isn't for you, canceling your subscription is a straightforward process. Simply log into your Adobe account, navigate to the "Plans & Products" section, and follow the instructions to cancel your subscription. Keep in mind that you may be subject to a cancellation fee if you're on an annual plan.
How To Purchase a Single Image from Adobe Stock
Yes, you can buy a single image from Adobe Stock without committing to a subscription plan. To do this, you will need to purchase credits, which can be used to acquire individual assets. The price per image varies depending on the type of license and the asset's category.
Adobe Stock Vector Images
In addition to high-quality stock photos, Adobe Stock also offers an extensive selection of vector graphics. These scalable images are perfect for designers who require flexibility and precision in their projects. You can find vector images in various categories, such as illustrations, icons, and patterns.
Adobe Stock Images Copyright
While Adobe Stock images are royalty-free, they are not copyright-free. When you purchase an image, you're essentially paying for a license that allows you to use the image within the specified terms and conditions. It is crucial to understand the licensing terms and ensure your usage adheres to these guidelines.
Adobe Stock vs. Shutterstock
Both Adobe Stock and Shutterstock offer vast libraries of royalty-free images, but the choice between the two largely depends on your specific needs and preferences. Adobe Stock's integration with Creative Cloud apps may be more appealing to Adobe users, while Shutterstock's slightly lower pricing might attract budget-conscious creatives. Both platforms offer high-quality assets, and the decision ultimately boils down to your priorities.
Adobe Stock Images: Free for Commercial Use?
Adobe Stock offers a wide range of royalty-free images, which means you can use them in your commercial projects without any additional fees after purchasing the appropriate license. They provide various subscription plans and credit packs, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Just pay attention to the licensing terms to ensure that your usage adheres to the guidelines.
Does Adobe Offer Free Stock Photos?
Adobe Stock has a dedicated section for free assets, and, as I've mentioned before, they also offer a 10-image free trial for new users. This trial allows you to explore their vast library and get a feel for the quality of assets they provide. However, after the trial period ends, you'll need to purchase a subscription or credits to continue using Adobe Stock images in your projects.
Why Choose Adobe Stock in 2024?
Adobe Stock's integration with Creative Cloud programs like Photoshop and Illustrator makes it easy to search, preview, and incorporate stock assets directly within your projects without the need to download and import them manually. Adobe Stock has an extensive library of high-quality stock images, vectors, templates, and 3D models. Their advanced search and image recognition features allow you to find the perfect asset to complement your creative projects quickly. The platform also offers affordable subscription plans and credit packs, catering to different budgets.
Adobe Stock: Is It Worth It?
Every content creator knows just how important it is to have a reliable source for high-quality digital assets. Adobe Stock has consistently proven itself as a valuable resource, offering exceptional content that elevates my work, so for me, the subscription price is well worth it.
However, before you make up your mind, I encourage you to explore Adobe Stock and take advantage of their 10-image free trial. This trial will help you determine if Adobe Stock is the right fit for your creative needs.
