Most stock photo agencies offer images in two ways: subscription plans and single purchases. How many images do you require for your creative projects? How much is your budget to make a successful campaign? Whatever your resources are, there is always a stock photo agency to fit them. Here are two of the purchasing options you can choose and the differences between them.

Pay as You Go or Pay as You Download

Also known as single purchase, you pay images as you go. Some stock photography sites use credits, others are fine with currency. For instance, iStock offers 1 single image for 1 credit, which is the cheapest way to purchase one photo. Pay as you go is suitable for single purchases. If you only need one photo for your blog every month, this is the best choice for you. However, if you need more, you will greatly benefit from a subscription plan.

Subscription Plan

Subscription plans come in two types – monthly and yearly. Monthly subscription plans are cheaper and includes fewer stock files. On the other hand, yearly subscription can be more expensive but includes numerous stock files. Besides, yearly subscription plans can pay off over time. If you are always in need of now content, this is the best choice for you. In the case of iStock, the website offers two types of subscription plan: Essential and Signature. Essential gives you access to Essential images only, while Signature gives you access to all stock images.

The choice you make between these payment options should be determined by your creative needs and budget. At this moment, how much are you able to spend for your visuals? How many do you need? If you require a lot of images but do not have enough money to buy them, you can look for stock photo agencies with more affordable subscription plans. It all depends on the size of your project and how many images you likely need.

For most stock photo websites, the longer you subscribe to their subscription plans, the lesser you have to pay and the more images you will likely get. For instance, iStock and Shutterstock offer cheaper yearly subscription plans compared to monthly plans all summed up. Furthermore, subscribers are given access to free images and vectors every week.

Conclusion

When it comes to stock photos, you need the right amount of planning brainstorming to come up with the best subscription plan that suits your budget and your creative needs. You need to choose a plan that suits you best for the successful implementation of your project. Remember that getting affordable and high quality stock images begins with settling on a stock photo agency that suits you well.