The payment cycle for Shutterstock contributors is monthly. Accrued earnings for the prior month are calculated at the beginning of every calendar month. Contributors whose accrued earnings meet the minimum payout amount and are eligible to receive payment are notified by email once their earnings are calculated. Once payments are issued, they are reflected in the account Payment history. Learn how much you can earn per download here.
Here is a breakdown of each stage of the payment cycle:
1. Payment Cycle
At Midnight (12:00 AM US Eastern time) on the 1st of each calendar month, a new cycle begins.
Shortly after, usually around the 3rd of the month, we start calculating earnings that were accrued in the previous month and determine which accounts are eligible to receive a payment.
2. Payment Calculation
Earnings are calculated only for those contributors who are eligible to receive a payment (see FAQ below) and whose earnings reached the minimum payout amount entered in account settings.
If all requirements are met, we reset your 'Unpaid Earnings' to zero and start the process of calculating and issuing payment. The process of calculating payments usually takes a few days.
Once the payment calculation is complete, we will send you an email notifying you of the upcoming payment.
3. Payment Processing
Payments issued via Payoneer, Paypal, or Skrill are usually sent between the 7th and 15th of the month unless the 7th falls on a weekend.
4. Payment Status
Once the payment has been issued, it will be reflected in your Payment History. Please note that issued payments will be reflected here regardless of whether they were successfully received. Payments may fail or be delayed if your electronic payment account is not fully set up or verified. Learn more about payment issues here.
It takes approximately two weeks to complete the full process from calculating earnings to issuing the payment.
Frequently asked questions
What are my options for receiving payments?
Shutterstock currently offers the following payment methods:
All we need is the email associated with your Paypal or Skrill account. You can also activate or connect your Payoneer account to Shutterstock.
What might impact my eligibility to receive payment?
In addition to meeting your minimum payment amount, a few other factors determine your eligibility.
Tax Status: Both U.S. and non-U.S. contributors must have an approved tax form on file to receive payment from their account. Refer to the Tax Center for additional information.
Contributors from certain countries are subject to a 90-day waiting period. For more information please see Why is my account in a 90 day waiting period?
If your account is disabled or under investigation, payment will not be issued.
Do I need to request my payment?
No, you don't need to contact us to request your payment. Contributor payouts are automatically calculated at the end of each pay period and delivered according to the payment method in your account settings. Our system will determine if you have met the requirements to receive payment.
Note: You may not share a Payoneer, Paypal, or Skrill account with another Shutterstock contributor (Terms of Service, paragraph 8j)
How do I set my minimum payout and payout method?
You can set your minimum payout amount and select your payment method in the 'Payout information' section of your Account settings.
Please note that if you change your payment settings after a payment has already been calculated, your new settings will take effect the following month. This means that the payment in progress will be delivered according to the previous settings.
What if I don't meet my minimum payout amount in a single month?
If you did not reach your minimum, then all your accrued earnings will transition to the next month. This will repeat every month until you have accumulated enough to meet your minimum payout level.
Why didn't I receive my payment or a payment email?
If you received an email notification of payment, and the payment is in your Payment History, but you did not receive the money, please see the article: What can I do if I received a payment email but no payment?
If you were expecting payment but did not receive a payment email from us, it is possible that you don't meet the eligibility criteria as listed above and/or you did not reach your minimum payout at the end of the previous month.
Why is my payment less than what was shown in my unpaid earnings?
There a couple of reasons why the amount of money you receive from Shutterstock is lower than the amount that was reflected in your Unpaid Earnings before they reset to 0.
Even though the payment cycle resets on the 1st of each calendar month, we need a few days in the beginning of the new calendar month to run a few quality control checks to ensure our calculations are accurate. During that time, your unpaid earnings will reflect all of your accrued earning, including those you made in the first few days of the new payment cycle.
it is very likely that the discrepancy is the result of tax deductions. Please visit the Tax Center and read our W-8BEN FAQ for more details.