Getty Images vs iStock for contributors: what's the difference?

Getty Images and iStock confuse a lot of new contributors — are they competitors, the same thing, two tiers of one company? The short answer: iStock is owned by Getty Images, both use the same submission system and the same controlled vocabulary, but the markets they serve and the deal they offer you are different. Here is what actually matters when you decide where to put your work.

Same company, two storefronts

iStock is Getty's more accessible, royalty-free brand; Getty Images is the premium side, where licensing prices — and individual sales — run higher. You submit to both through the same contributor portal and the same submission platform (ESP), so from a workflow point of view they are one pipeline feeding two storefronts at different price points.

Exclusive vs non-exclusive: the real decision

The biggest choice you make is not Getty or iStock — it is exclusive versus non-exclusive.

• Exclusive (iStock):higher royalty rates, but you agree not to license royalty-free content elsewhere — in the category you're exclusive for, that can include images you never even submitted to iStock. It is a real commitment.
• Non-exclusive (Getty Images): you can start submitting with no commitment and keep selling the same work on other agencies or independently. The trade-off is a lower royalty and lower per-sale price.

Neither is "better" — it depends on whether you want maximum rate from one home or maximum reach across many agencies.

Royalties and payment timing

At the time of writing, exclusive iStock contributors start at 25% on images and videoand 30% on illustrations, rising as you hit download targets through the year; non-exclusive rates are lower. Payment timing differs too: iStock royalties typically arrive about a month after a license, Getty Images closer to two. Rates change, so always confirm against Getty's current contributor royalties guide.

What's identical: the keywording

Here is the part that matters most for getting found, and it is the same whichever path you choose: both Getty Images and iStock run on Getty's controlled vocabulary. Your free-text keywords have to be matched to official vocabulary "terms" — a step called disambiguation — and any keyword that doesn't map to a term simply isn't submitted. A word that isn't in the vocabulary does nothing for you on either brand.

So the metadata skill is portable: get your controlled-vocabulary keywording right and it serves your Getty and your iStock submissions equally. If you're new to it, start with our guide to Getty's controlled vocabulary.

So which should you choose?

A simple way to frame it: if you want the highest rate and you're willing to commit your royalty-free work to one home, exclusive iStock is built for that. If you'd rather spread your work across multiple agencies and keep your options open, non-exclusive lets you do that while still reaching Getty's premium buyers. Many contributors start non-exclusive to test the waters, then reconsider once they see what their portfolio actually earns.

Tagging for Getty or iStock? The Getty Images keyword tool builds controlled-vocabulary keywords that clear validation on either brand — start free with 15 files on the house.