How to become a Getty Images & iStock contributor (step by step)

Becoming an iStock or Getty Images contributor sounds like two separate applications. It isn't. Because iStock is owned by Getty Images, there is one application and one account that feeds both storefronts. Here is the process end to end — how to apply, what the review actually checks, the exclusive-vs-non-exclusive choice, and the one thing that decides whether your accepted files ever sell.

One application, both brands

First, clear up the confusion behind searches like "iStock contributor", "iStockphoto contributor" and "Getty Images contributor": they all lead to the same place. You apply once through Getty Images, and once you're accepted the same account lets you submit to both iStock (the affordable royalty-free brand) and Getty Images (the premium and editorial side). There is no separate iStock-only sign-up. If you want the full breakdown of how the two differ, read Getty Images vs iStock for contributors.

How to apply, step by step

1. Get the Contributor by Getty Images app (or the portal). New contributors start through Getty's official contributor app (iOS/Android) or the contributor site. You create a contributor account with your details.
2. Verify your identity and tax info.You'll confirm who you are and complete tax/payment details so Getty can pay you.
3. Submit your sample images for review. Getty asks for an initial set of samples to judge whether your work meets their standard. This first review is the gate — pass it and you can submit regularly.
4. Wait for the review decision. A reviewer checks the samples for technical quality, commercial usefulness, and correct releases. If accepted, your account is active for both brands.
5. Start submitting — and keyword to the controlled vocabulary. From here you upload through the app or, for larger batches, the Enterprise Submission Platform (ESP) with the Getty ESP CSV.

Exact sample counts and steps change, so confirm the current process on Getty's own contributor site before you start.

What the review actually checks

• Technical quality: sharp focus, correct exposure, clean files, no noise or heavy artefacts.
• Commercial or editorial value: is this something a buyer would actually license? Generic, well-executed, in-demand subjects fare better than personal snapshots.
• Releases: recognisable people need a model release; private property, trademarks and logos often need a property release or must be avoided. Missing releases are a common rejection reason.
• No intellectual-property problems:brands, artwork and designs you don't own can get a file rejected.

Exclusive or non-exclusive?

After acceptance you choose your relationship. Exclusive iStock pays a higher royalty but commits your royalty-free work to one home; non-exclusive earns less per sale but lets you also sell the same files on Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, 123RF and others. Many people start non-exclusive to see what their portfolio earns before committing — see where to sell stock photos for how the agencies compare.

The part that decides whether accepted files sell

Getting accepted is the start, not the finish. Getty and iStock run on a controlled vocabulary— keywords must map to official approved terms, and any keyword that doesn't map is silently dropped. A file with weak or invalid keywords is uploaded but barely discoverable, so it never sells, no matter how good the image is. This is where most new contributors quietly lose money. Start with our guide to Getty's controlled vocabulary and let a tool handle the matching.

Once you're in, the Getty Images keyword tool writes controlled-vocabulary keywords, titles and descriptions and exports the ESP-ready CSV — so your submissions clear validation on the first pass. First 15 files are free.