Getting Started
All you need to know to get started
58 articles
Signing up
Signing up
- Can I open a second account?Our policy restricts using multiple accounts
- Contributor Account and Content Submission GuidelinesImportant policies and account regulations for Shutterstock contributors.
- Can I register for a contributor account as a business?Business accounts must send us separate documents to register
- How do I become a Music Contributor?Information for aspiring music contributors
- Why is my account in a 90 day waiting period?Contributors from certain countries have to wait 90 days before they are eligible for payment
- What are the requirements for passwords?Passwords must be a combination of letters and numbers
- Can I sign up using a nickname?You must register under your full legal or business name, not a nickname
- Can I share an account with someone else?Your account may only contain your own work and cannot be shared
- Why did I not receive a registration verification email?Registration requires email verification to succeed
- How do I sign up to become a Shutterstock contributor?A guide to registering for a contributor account
- How do I sell my work on Shutterstock?Shutterstock is a growing creative platform where professional artists and hobbyists alike can contribute their work to be licensed.
Account
Account
- What languages does Shutterstock Contributor Care support?Shutterstock provides support to contributors in 28 languages
- How can I learn about the latest announcements on Shutterstock?Email announcements are sent out to all contributors and customers with open accounts
- Latest Updates to the Contributor PlatformExciting updates are coming as we improve the contributor experience.
- How do I close my contributor account?You can remove your content from licensing or deactivate your account
- Why did I receive a one-time passcode email?Shutterstock takes this measure to ensure the security of your account.
- How can I recover my login information?Resetting your password and restoring access to your account
- How do I transfer my account to another person?Transfer of an account means the transfer of the ownership of your work
- Can I offer my work exclusively to Shutterstock?Our agreement with contributors is non-exclusive
- How do I transfer my account from a business to a personal account?Business documents and transfer of copyright will be required
- Can I be a Shutterstock customer as well as a contributor?If you wish to license content from Shutterstock, you'll need a separate customer account
- Can I sell my work on sites other than Shutterstock?Shutterstock is non-exclusive, so you're free to license your content on other non-exclusive sites.
- How do I transfer my account from a personal to a business account?Transfer of copyright will be required if you have approved content
- How can I change the name in my account?For security reasons, you must contact us to make a name change
- How do I change the address in my account?An international address change requires you to submit a new tax form
- How do I change the language settings on Shutterstock?Shutterstock automatically sets the language based on your browser settings
- Why do I get a 406 error when I try to access my contributor account?If you receive this error, please contact our support team for assistance
- Is there a minimum age for contributors?You must be at least 18 years old to sign up for Shutterstock
- What happens to my account if I pass away?We will transfer all content and earnings to your beneficiary
- Why can't I upload content with my Affiliate account?Not all types of accounts allow you to upload
- Why Has My Shutterstock Contributor Account Been Closed for Infringement?Reasons an account may have been closed, and how to submit an account appeal.
- Does Shutterstock work with contributors in Russia and Belarus?Due to restrictions by payment providers, Shutterstock is not accepting new contributors from Russia or Belarus, but will continue working with established artists
- Bridge To Bigstock FAQBasic information about the Bridge to Bigstock Program
- Can you help me log in to my account?If you remember your login information but can't get in
- How do I use the Contributor Mobile app?Submit content and track your earnings on the go
- Why do I need to enter the reCAPTCHA code when I log in?We are committed to protecting the security of your account
- What is the Level of Expertise Account Setting?Understand the Level of Expertise account setting and explore the different contributor expertise options available in your account settings.
Earnings And Payments
Earnings And Payments
- How do I change my payment settings?Your payment preferences can be adjusted in your Account Settings
- How do I receive payment via Payoneer?Payoneer FAQ
- Why is my payment less than what I earned?In some cases taxes are deducted from your earnings, in others you may have referenced earning accrued in a new payment cycle.
- How do I know if my submitted tax form was reviewed?Your tax form status is always visible in the Tax Center page of your account
- Why have my earnings been adjusted?Prior to issuing payments, Shutterstock may remove earnings associated with fraudulent downloads or incorrect calculations
- What happens when I reach a new earnings level?When you reach a new level, the earnings rate increases
- Why were my Unpaid Earnings reduced to zero?When we process a payment, gross earnings go to zero, but unpaid earnings may show amounts from the new cycle.
- How much will I earn per download?The amount you earn for each download is determined by the plan and license purchased, as well as your Earnings Level at the time
- How can I make money by referring others?You can earn extra income by referring contributors and customers
- Why is there a notification in my account to submit a new tax form?Your form may be expired, or there may be another reason we need to collect a new form
- What can I do If I received a payment email, but no payment?It is most likely that the payment failed due to incorrect account settings
- How much will I be paid as a contributor to Shutterstock?You will earn a percentage of the sale price from each licensed download
- Contributor Earnings Structure FAQAnswers to frequently asked questions about the contributor earnings structure.
- W-8BEN Tax Form: Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently asked questions about submitting a W-8 tax form
- W-9 Frequently Asked QuestionsIf you are a US citizen or resident you must complete tax form W-9
- 1042-S Frequently Asked QuestionsIf you sent us form W-8 and received a payment, you will receive form 1042-S from us
- 1099-MISC Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions about tax form 1099-MISC
- How do I submit a W-8BEN-E tax form?W-8BEN-E tax forms are commonly required for non-US businesses that generate earnings from US-based sales
- How do I get paid for my work?Earnings are automatically calculated at the beginning of each month and payments are issued by the 15th.
- Unlimited Downloads Subscriber Share
- Unlimited Downloads Subscription Contributor FAQAnswers to questions about Unlimited downloads subscription and contributor earnings.