Multi-User Stock Photo Subscriptions Breakdown (+ 4 Best Deals)

In graphic design and especially in visual marketing, when the creative process is the task of a team, the standard stock photo accounts just don’t cut it.

Licensing restrictions, single-login limitations, difficulty managing the download allowance and supervising account’s use, are just some of the woes to deal with when you have an individual stock photo subscription yet design as part of a team. 

Enter multi-user stock photo subscriptions, plans specifically designed to address the needs of those who collectively create that, usually, come with the addition of unique features for businesses and enterprises. 

Today we’ll breakdown multi-user accounts and identify the best offers for you to find your team’s best match in stock photography services. Read on!

Why are Multi-User Subscriptions Special? 

If you’re not well versed in stock media licensing, you may wonder why is a multi-user or team plan even a thing. Can’t you just buy a subscription and give your login details to whomever you want? And no, you can’t. As a matter of fact, doing so would get you in murky legal waters with any stock photo agency you tried this at. 

So if you were to give your colleague or team access to your personal account and they were to be downloading photos and working with them in your name, you would be by all means violating the agency’s terms of use and the licensing agreement. Some agencies may authorise you to share your account with others, but this is rare. In any case, you must verify with the agency directly before attempting to share your login details with anyone.

Stock photo companies prevent this from happening, too. For example, they restrict the number of devices your account can be logged into and disable simultaneous downloading from multiple devices.

When Makes Sense to Get a Corporate Subscription with Multi-Seat Access? 

The basic answer is obvious: team subscriptions are ideal for… teams. But when talking practically, not all teams really need a shared stock photo subscription. If you only download a handful of photos every now and then, and if your deadlines aren't tight, then using an account individually isn't all that troublesome. 

Plus, these are often corporate or enterprise accounts with a lot of other features than just account-sharing, that is certainly useful but also impact on the plans' final price. If you don't see an immediate benefit in improved licensing, custom search or batch downloading, then maybe spending on a multi-user service isn't really justified. 

Top 5 Agencies with Multi-User Stock Photo Subscriptions

Now we’ve covered the ins and outs of multi-seat accounts, lets talk about where is it best to buy a multiuser stock photo subscription. We have reviewed the best stock photo sites out there and these are, in our opinion, the top 5 offers. It comes as no surprise they are all from agencies which also offer some of the best stock photo subscriptions of 2020!

1. Stock Photo Secrets Multi-User – Ideal for Small Businesses

At the Stock Photo Secrets Shop, we recently launched multi-user subscriptions that aim at being functional and affordable for all, especially for teams under tight budgets. We take pride in having created offers with some of the lowest price points you’ll find while delivering a high-quality and flexible service. 

Our multi-user plans are simple: you select a download limit for your whole team to share, then select how many members you want to share the account with, and you’ll get a single login for everyone. All the plans are billed annually upfront, and they save you a lot of money! 

For example, our most popular is the 99Club subscription, which gives you 200 downloads to use in one year. The single-user version costs $99 a year. In multi-user, up to 3 seats cost $199, meaning you’re saving the amount of a whole subscription. For up to 5 seats, the price is $299, which effectively means you’re paying for 3 users and getting access for 5! It's a similar scheme for our buyer-favorites Low Volume and 299Club plans as well. See them all right here!

We also have plans with a monthly download limit, so there are options for everyone. 

2. Shutterstock Premier – A Roundup Solution for Large Teams

Shutterstock is so popular thanks to its gigantic library and tech eagerness. They are also the pioneers of the stock photo subscription, so it makes sense they also have one of the most complete multi-user services for enterprises and teams. 

Shutterstock Premier, such is the name of the service, offers month-to-month and annual plans and you can get access for any number of users you wish. 

The perks of being a Premier customer include a license with extra usage rights, batch downloading for busy creatives, personalized search assistance, custom-curated lightboxes and your own regional account manager. 

This is a tailored offer and so the final price will depend on your particular needs, but it’s certainly a great and well-rounded option for businesses. 

3. iStock Teamshare – Exclusive Content for Up to 10 Users

iStock is well-known for diving their catalogue in budget, everyday images and exclusive, high-end photos. Their corporate solution, dubbed iStock Teamshare, gives full access to the entire library including the exclusive section. 

They have plans for up to 10 users sharing one account, with a single login and a communal download allowance. Content licensed under a Teamshare plan comes with all of the standard guarantees from iStock including legal protection. 

To know how much a multi-seat account will cost you, you need to contact the iStock sales team directly and request a quote. 

4. Adobe Stock for Teams – Multi-Seat Access for Creative Cloud Fans

Adobe Stock is not only a great stock photo service but one that is integrally linked to Adobe Creative Cloud platform. While you can still use it independently, its core value is in the fact you can access, surf, test edit and license content from their catalogue right on any of their editing apps’ interface. So if you and your team love to work with Photoshop or Illustrator, Adobe Stock is a dream come true. 

All the more with their Adobe Stock for Teams offer, that has both subscriptions and credit packs to use in a team account shared with as many people as you need. According to the volume of downloads chosen, prices range from $29.99 to $199.99 a month (keep in mind all plans are annual commitments). Credit packs –which have a longer shelf life– are anything between $49.95 and $3,999.99. 

The bonus features for Teams clients include exclusive content, advanced search powered by AI technology and pooled licensing that makes your company the owner of the license instead of you individually. All of which makes it a very good choice for a multi-user stock photo account. 

5. 123RF Corporate+ – Awesome Perks for Corporate Clients

123RF is a solid name in the stock photo industry that focuses on royalty-free media licensing and has a wide offer in terms of plans and prices. And this includes their Corporate+ service for businesses with large teams.

Corporate+ not only provides multi-seat access to as many users as you need, but also a whole set of VIP benefits such as admin control for accounts, tailored licensing, workflow assistance in the form of sharable lightboxes and other features, special discounts as well as secret perks only unveiled to corporate clients. Important highlights are that they only charge for the content licensed (not for the extra benefits) and that they improve the service on the base of customer feedback.

Corporate+ is available upon request and the final cost depends on your specific needs. But we can all agree it's a very complete and well-thought service and coming for a respectable name in the industry it's certainly worth considering.

Improve your Team’s Workflow with a Multi-User Stock Photo Subscription

We’ve just seen just how many benefits multi-seat accounts have for creative teams. From licensing to workflow organization to final costs, it makes a lot of sense to go for a team subscription when you have more than a pair of cooks in your creative kitchen. 

At any of the aforementioned agencies, you will find deals that give you the best value for your money in reliable and truly useful service in multi-user stock photo plans. 

Do you know of a multi-user service we didn’t name? Let us know in comments, we’ll love to know more!

Ivanna Attié

I am Content Manager, Researcher, and Author in Stock Photo Press and its many stock media oriented publications. I am a passionate communicator with a love for visual imagery and an inexhaustible thirst for knowledge. Lucky enough to enter the wonderful world of stock photography working side-by-side with experienced experts, I am happy to share my research, insights, and advice about image licensing, stock photography offers, and the stock media industry with everyone in the creative community. My background is in Communication and Journalism, and I also love literature and performing arts.