It’s happened. One of the last “good” agencies has joined the buffet line. Adobe Stock, once the darling of microstock contributors for its predictable royalties and relatively fair treatment, has now announced its Unlimited Plan.

“Unlimited” is the new Microstock buzzword

If “unlimited” sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the latest magic word in microstock marketing. Shutterstock adopted this plan a few months back.

Shutterstock’s Unlimited Download Subscription Model: Opportunity or Concern?

“Unlimited” conjures visions of infinite creative possibilities for buyers who are constantly cash-strapped. But for contributors such as myself? It’s more like an all-you-can-eat buffet where we supply Michelin-star dishes and get paid like a fast-food kitchen. Yuri Arcurs wisely saw the writing on the wall long ago when he quit microstock:

“Sometimes it felt like having a michelin restaurant inside a burger joint and at the same time having to match the prices. At some point the professional gets tired of selling 12 course testing menues at 0300AM at burger prices” – source

Breaking Down Adobe’s Statement (Line by Line)

Here’s their statement in full:

“Dear [Useless Sucker],

Our Contributor community is foundational to Adobe Stock’s success. Every piece of content in our collection that inspires a broader ecosystem of creatives starts with you. That’s why we remain committed to supporting you not only with tools and resources but transparent communication about evolving customer needs.

In keeping with that commitment, we are sharing that Adobe Stock is launching the first phase of its new Adobe Stock Unlimited Plan to select markets worldwide. It is an all-in-one subscription built for creative professionals – offering unlimited access to millions of videos, images, templates, music, and more. Licenses under the Adobe Stock Unlimited Plan will be displayed in the Contributor Portal as ‘custom.’ All Adobe Stock standard assets will be made available as part of this new plan. We believe this new subscription plan will attract new customers, allowing for a potential increase in total Contributor earnings.

We will continue exploring additional avenues of opportunity, exposure, and earnings potential for our Contributors. We appreciate your partnership and look forward to shaping the future with you.

Thanks,

Adobe Stock Contributor Relations”

The Reality Check – Translation from Corporate Speak

• “Potential to “attract new customers” and “increase total contributor earnings.”

Translation: We hope this new custom option will bring in more buyers and maybe earn you more money, but we’re not promising anything.

No word on how How will Adobe calculate the earnings and whether the rate will remain the same as normal licenses. My hunch is that it will be much lower, perhaps closer to Shutterstock’s infamous 10cent per download or lower. Also, worryingly, no differentiation between stills and clips. SOS microstockers.

Another hotbed for bad actors

Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that customer can hoover up your entire portfolio in a single afternoon without paying a cent more with contributors earning pittance. Even worse, bad actors could re-license your images elsewhere, a scam that already plagues contributors who give away their work on “free” sites.

Why This Matters (Even If Adobe Stock isn’t your highest earner)

When one of the last “good” agencies jumps on the buffet bandwagon, it’s a red flag for the whole industry. Adobe has earned contributor loyalty for years by offering predictable, non-insulting royalties unlike Shutterstock and iStock, where rates can feel like a slap in the face, especially the latter.

There is also no way to opt out.

What You We Do

Not much, it’s only going to get worse, especially as the agencies may soon reduce our AI-redundancy payment for machine learning.

As always, look for opportunities outside of microstock such as working directly with clients who value your work as well as selling prints – Steve Heap is doing well!

In conjunction, you may also focus on uploading to premium collections, including those that offer Rights-Managed exclusive.

What was not said?!

I didn’t see the word “Exciting” anywhere, must be a first when delivering bad news! Not sure what to make of this!

Well, as always I’ll report back in a few weeks/months on how this pans out. Meanwhile you may keep up with the lively discussion over on the Microstock Group Forum.

In the meantime, I’m almost finished drafting my e-book on Drone Laws and Europe and will soon send it off to my designer to make it all look pretty, exciting!

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About Alex

I’m an eccentric guy. I am based in Lisbon, Portugal. I am on a quest to visit all corners of the world. I want to capture stock images & footage. I’ve devoted ten years to making it as a travel photographer / videographer and freelance writer. I hope to inspire others by showing an unique insight into a fascinating business model.

I’m proud to have written a book about my adventures which includes tips on making it as a stock travel photographer – Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock Photography with a new practical rules guide for flying your drone safely in Europe coming out in late-2025.