Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Shutterstock VS Flaticon

Compare Shutterstock VS Flaticon and see what are their differences

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Shutterstock logo Shutterstock

Shutterstock is a provider of stock photos, illustrations, and vector art. The website allows individuals to purchase a subscription and download copyrighted art for creative projects. Read more about Shutterstock.

Flaticon logo Flaticon

A database of free vector icons.
  • Shutterstock Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-20
  • Flaticon Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30

Shutterstock features and specs

  • Large Library
    Shutterstock offers millions of high-quality images, videos, and music tracks, providing a diverse and extensive selection for users.
  • Search Functionality
    Advanced search and filtering options make it easy to find exactly what you're looking for quickly.
  • Flexible Pricing Plans
    A variety of subscription plans and on-demand options allow users to select a payment method that fits their budget and needs.
  • High-Quality Content
    Stringent quality controls ensure that users have access to professional and high-resolution media.
  • Royalty-Free License
    All content is royalty-free, providing users with the peace of mind of knowing they can use the media without ongoing costs.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, even for those who are not tech-savvy.
  • API Access
    Shutterstock provides API access for businesses that need to integrate media directly into their own applications.

Possible disadvantages of Shutterstock

  • Cost
    Shutterstock can be relatively expensive, especially for individuals or small businesses with limited budgets.
  • Subscription Limitations
    Some subscription plans have limits on the number of downloads per month, which can be restrictive for high-demand users.
  • Stock Feel
    Some users feel that the images and videos can have a 'stock' or generic appearance, which may not suit all creative projects.
  • Watermarked Previews
    Previews of media assets have watermarks, making it difficult to fully assess an image's suitability before purchase.
  • Occasional Inconsistency
    Despite quality controls, there can be occasional inconsistency in the quality of available media.
  • Overused Content
    Popular images and videos may be widely used across multiple platforms, reducing originality in projects.
  • Complex Licensing for Commercial Use
    While content is royalty-free, licensing terms for commercial use can sometimes be complex and require careful review.

Flaticon features and specs

  • Wide Selection
    Flaticon offers a vast collection of over 4 million icons, ensuring users can find icons for almost any need.
  • Quality
    Icons on Flaticon are professionally designed, ensuring high-quality visuals and a polished look for projects.
  • Customization
    Flaticon provides tools to customize icon colors and sizes directly on the platform, making it easy to match project designs.
  • Freemium Model
    Flaticon operates on a freemium model, offering a substantial number of icons for free which can be a significant advantage for budget-conscious users.
  • Formats
    Icons are available in various formats, including PNG, SVG, EPS, PSD, and BASE 64, providing flexible use across different platforms.
  • Ease of Use
    The website is user-friendly, with a straightforward search and filtering system, making it easy to find and download icons quickly.
  • Collection Functionality
    Users can create and manage collections of icons for better organization and easy access to frequently used icons.

Possible disadvantages of Flaticon

  • Attribution Requirement
    Free icons require attribution to the source, which can be inconvenient or aesthetically unappealing for some projects.
  • Subscription Cost
    The premium subscription, which removes attribution requirements and provides access to additional features, can be expensive for some users.
  • License Restrictions
    There may be licensing restrictions on certain icons, limiting their use in commercial projects without a premium subscription.
  • Variable Quality
    While many icons are of high quality, some may not meet professional standards, requiring users to sift through options to find the best ones.
  • Potential Overuse
    Popular icons might be overused in various projects, potentially making them less unique or impactful.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Access to the platform and its features requires an internet connection, which can be a limitation in environments with poor connectivity.

Shutterstock videos

How Much Money Can You Make on SHUTTERSTOCK in Your First Year? Earnings, Best Sellers, and Thoughts

More videos:

  • Review - Stock Photography for Beginners | Is Shutterstock Worth it in 2020?
  • Tutorial - Shutterstock Contributor Tutorial and Tips for Beginners

Flaticon videos

How To Earn Passive Income With FlatIcon.Com!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Use Flaticon as Webfont
  • Review - Free Vs Premium Account | Flaticon #06

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Shutterstock and Flaticon)
Photos & Graphics
100 100%
0% 0
Web Icons
0 0%
100% 100
Image Marketplace
100 100%
0% 0
Vector Icons
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Shutterstock and Flaticon

Shutterstock Reviews

12 Best Sites Like Freepik For Downloading Photos
You must have heard of Shutterstock before and if not, it’s high time that we make it familiar to you. Headquartered in New York, Shutterstock is one of the biggest such websites out there. More than 1 million users worldwide share their content on the platform. More than 1 billion images, video clips, and music tracks have been downloaded through the platform. Also, stock...
Source: www.devdude.com
The best Freepik alternatives 2023
Shutterstock provides over 400 million stock images compared to Freepik’s 41 million. It also offers more advanced features, flexible licensing options, and higher maximum image resolutions. The drawback is that Shutterstock is more expensive. But with its vastly larger library and premium features, it can be worth it for professional needs.
Source: photutorial.com
The Complete List of Video Marketing Tools (Updated for 2022)
Shutterstock is arguably the largest stock-anything site with more than 14 million stock footage, music, and images available in their library. If you know you’re going to need many stock content, you can’t go wrong with Shutterstock.

Flaticon Reviews

7 Best Free Icon Libraries
In Flaticon, you will find vectors or embed icons that can be completely edited and used for any one or more of your personal or commercial projects. With over 2.3 million vector icons library organized into 51202 packs, Flaticon offers a wide range of options.
Source: www.atatus.com
10 Best Fontello Alternatives 2021
Flaticon is easily the largest collection of icons in the world and an amazing alternative to Fontello. It gives you over 5.7 million icons and stickers to choose from, all arranged into categories to enable you quickly find what you’re looking for.

Social recommendations and mentions

Flaticon might be a bit more popular than Shutterstock. We know about 27 links to it since March 2021 and only 19 links to Shutterstock. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Shutterstock mentions (19)

  • [HELP!] I need your feedback about my creations!
    Other reputable places to sell vector artwork online are shutterstock.com, and stock.adobe.com Each will have their own requirements and tutorials for submitting artwork. You can also start your own page on Etsy.com. Source: over 1 year ago
  • I just started my first freelance job. Am I expected to source my own stock photos or do I ask?
    "Freelance" means, "You're on your own, kid." However, all of the things you ask are possible--access to your client's assets, buy your own and bill them, source free images. shutterstock.com is one of my favorites. I was searching for free/royalty free images endlessly until I just bought a monthly subscription. The time savings makes up for the time spent scouring the internet. Good luck and have fun!... Source: about 2 years ago
  • "you coolio" is too offensive i guess
    Just found out the image had "shutterstock.com" on it. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Y2K Aesthetic - how do I create a Y2K computer browser?!
    Go to shutterstock.com and type in these exact keywords. Vaporwave, windows 98, y2k computer browser. You should get a ton of vector assets that will help cut your design time in half. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Where to find graphics like blood splatter, dirt, lightning etc. for use in photoshop?
    Look for royalty-free images. You may try shutterstock.com if you need more and are ok to make a subscription or unsplash.com if you want free images. Moreover you may try deviantart.com or google search for blood splatter. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Flaticon mentions (27)

  • Cricut Joy Owners- I have questions...
    -Can I use non-Cricut images (i.e. Images from flaticon.com to make my stickers) using the Cricut software? Source: over 1 year ago
  • Seeking Advice on Adding Illustrations to Self-Published Book: How Can I Obtain Them for Free?
    Its my first time to know about "flaticon.com". Thank you! I dont know how to use it. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Seeking Advice on Adding Illustrations to Self-Published Book: How Can I Obtain Them for Free?
    I'm confused - you're packaging your creative work to be purchased but expect others to hand over theirs for free? Because illustration is a very detailed skill. Or are you looking for a resource like flaticon.com? Source: about 2 years ago
  • Where can I find more icons/pngs like the tree and jar icons here?
    My favorites are the stickers sections in tenor.com and giphy.com. For Icons I use flaticon.com. They also have cute stickers but they aren't animated. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Does anyone else rarely use page icons/headers?
    I like having a visual indicator in my page titles, but I never really liked the emojis or built-in Notion icons, so now I use flaticon.com on just about every page/database template. I really like it so far. The options are nearly endless, especially once you consider the color and line art customization. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Shutterstock and Flaticon, you can also consider the following products

Pexels - Find the best free stock images about Browser Home Page. Download all photos and use them even for commercial projects.

Font Awesome - Font Awesome makes it easy to add vector icons and social logos to your website. And version 5 is redesigned and built from the ground up!

Unsplash - Unsplash is a website with high-quality free HD images. It has a catalog of more than three hundred thousand striking images that are neatly organized with tags. Read more about Unsplash.

Icons8 - Free app for Mac & Windows already containing 39,800 icons. Allows to search and import icons…

Pixabay - Over 270,000 free photos, vectors and art illustrations

The Noun Project - Creating, Sharing and Celebrating the World's Visual Language