Shutterstock

Paid for what I needed, when I want to cancel early the cancellation fee charged is a arm and a leg!

We’ve been using stock image platforms for over 20 years, and unfortunately Shutterstock has been one of the worst experiences we’ve had. Their licensing structure is restrictive — particularly around editorial use — unless you upgrade to significantly more expensive tiers. Compared to alternatives like iStock, the value for money simply isn’t… Read more

there.

Customer service was rigid and policy-driven, with little willingness to apply discretion, even in reasonable circumstances.

Based on our experience, we would recommend looking at iStock or other platforms before committing here.

Very scummy site, if you don't use your monthly downloads in time they just erase them in place of the next ten, there isn't a month-by-month flexible plan so you get locked in to paying 50% of the leftover amount as a fee for early cancellation, and the site is now getting overloaded with mostly AI junk, I don't use AI art much if at all and most… Read more

of it sucks on this site and I don't notice as much quality content getting added anymore, wish I could cancel now but I have to pay a big fee if I do smh. They also remove former downloads from my account if someone else purchases the rights to an image so I can't store them on Shutterstock directly to prevent taking up space on my PC or a drive.

Don’t have anything to do with Shutterstock. I was told by a company with vested interests that Shutterstock images are free. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am happy to pay for a legitimate product or service, but this is neither. It is a sneaky, deceptive, greedy, unscrupulous scam. I thought I was paying a one-off fee. I discovered that they were billing me monthly. When I cancelled they charge a massive cancellation fee.

Avoid like the plague. They have a predatory auto-renewal system that they turn on by default. Unlike reputable companies when it is renewal time they don't send you a reminder email. They just charged my expired card and didn't even send me a receipt afterwards. Of course when I complained, I was told the charge is non-refundable.

Predatory pricing and steep cancellation fee – Has an autorenew with a massive cancellation fee - only realised I was still being charged $30 a month (my bad) and when I went to cancel, as it is January - have to pay 50% of the remaining time on the "plan" ie $175. No option to email customer service works. Also my credit card details had expired but it was still being charged...... Do not recommend

Do NOT engage with this company – Whilst the quality of Shutterstock's resources are good, this company's approach to subscriptions is grossly unethical. I have been getting charged without an active account for over 12months. Sometimes charged twice in the same month. Forget about contacting their customer service, they are just rude and give surface level responses. Once upon a… Read more

time this Shutterstock was a great alternative to Getty Images, however there many more options around now who provide great resources with a far more ethical approach to subscriptions.

Auto Top Up Charge set on by default – Better start using temporary cards because this is one of the companies that will charge you extra when you don't let them

Scammed – Scam company, take money without asking. Auto top up takes double what you expect and they refuse to refund.

Danger, will automatically Opt In to an ongoing charge – Signed up to a single use 2 image pack for a specific purpose, but they automatically Opt you In to a recharge system which keeps charging you when you have used your credits. In Australia this Opt out caper is illegal.

Scam Company – They promise a free trial, say you can cancel, but then they steal your money when you try to cancel and if you contact them, they then try to DOUBLE charge you to cancel. They make the cancellation process a massive headache and almost impossible to do, (they don't even give you the option to cancel at all within the first 48 hours. The site… Read more

says the button becomes available after "confirmation" or whatever).

They do not provide any service and still want to take your money, and make it incredibly difficult (and have a no refunds policy it would seem) with false representation and a predatory "contract" (that you also cannot get a copy of down the line).

They stay in business by literally scamming. DO NOT use them.

They the worst!! what a dodgy company! – don't even try to do the free trial! once you do that you can't get out! you need to PAY for cancel the subscription they just want to robbed you out!

Free trial subscription? Just try to cancel your account!! – I wanted some royalty-free pics for general usage and subscribed to this bunch on a free trial basis. There is a clear option to delete the account at the bottom of my personal account page. When you click this, you get this popup instead: "We are unable to close your account at this time because you have an active subscription plan. Please… Read more

contact Shutterstock support to terminate your subscription."

And the runaround circus commences, trying to contact them! All dodgy companies try to lock you in and to make cancelling your account a nightmare! Beware of this bunch!

UPDATE: I decided to contact them via their Facebook page and send them a message in Messenger. I got a promise that my account would be cancelled. Looks good so far. Confirmation will happen in a month' time when they were going to deduct the first fee. I will keep updating if their promise proves wrong.

New Scam targets cr card info – search for shutterstock scam .There are 100's of reviews showing this company advertises 'get e.g. 20+ free complimentary photos' then uses the credit card details to unlawfully start the d'loader to yearly plans. Most notice it 1st on their bank account.A sophisticated scam, without being able to be reported due to the way it's initiated. Not… Read more

phishing or other usual scams No contract. No emails. No contact by the company. Just an approx $20 -$50 charge on the card on the bank accnt which obviously cannot be shown in reviews.At the sign on there is nothing stating the account will be auto-charged but it is. On the website its hard to find the cancellation and when one does terms state there is a cancellation fee due if you cancel.