On average a stock agency credit is worth $1- $2 USD. BUT depending on the credit package you purchase, the credit could be cheaper. Like anything, bulk buying will save you more and make the price of the credits even cheaper.
Simple math will get you the best deal
Credits are bought in packages. The more credits you buy the cheaper the stock photo. To compare stock agency credit prices, lets review two popular stock agency credit programs, Dreamstime and iStockphoto. The basic credit package called the pay-as-you-go credit package can be purchased for $18.00 usd and supplies you with 12 credits. On dreamstime the basic credit package is $15 usd and supplies you with 8 credits. This is an average cost of $1.54 at istockphoto and $1.25 USD at Dreams time. When bulk purchasing over 1000 credits, Dreamstime is $0.85 and istockphoto is $1.25 usd per credit.
Check credit amounts for your stock photos
As a final price and budget check, research how much the stock photo or image you wish to buy is on each stock agency site. If a stock photo on istockphoto is 2 credits to buy and a similar size on Dreamstime is 4 credits, then the final stock photo is the same. Bottom line is, which ever premium stock agency you buy your photo from, buying credit in bulk is the best way to save money and get your stock photos cheap.
If credit purchasing is the best option for you, look for daily offers for all stock agencies and find the best deal for your needs.
Image: © Kati Molin – Fotolia.com
Amos Struck
I am a publisher and entrepreneur in the stock imagery field. I focus on providing knowledge and solutions for buyers, contributors and agencies, aiming at contributing to the growth and development of the industry. I am the founder and editor of Stock Photo Press, one of the largest networks of online magazines in the industry. I am the founder of Microstock Expo, the only conference dedicated to the microstock segment. I created several software solutions in stock photography like WordPress plugins. Plus I am a recurrent speaker at Photokina Official Stage, and an industry consultant at StockPhotoInsight. I am passionate about technology, marketing and visual imagery.
