Stock video marketplaces for contributors · Comparison
Adobe Stock Contributor vs Pond5
2 products compared side by side: what you pay for with each one first, then the five access facts, entry prices, recorded plan limits and the bottom line of each review. The evidence note under the table says how each product was checked.
Side by side
| Metric | Adobe Stock Contributor | Pond5 |
|---|---|---|
| What you're paying for | Built-in reachSell footage on Adobe Stock and inside Adobe’s own apps for one flat 35% share, with the dollar earnings per download published up front. | Built-in reachSell footage to a video-first buyer base at a flat 30% share from the first license, with no levels to climb and nothing to pay to join. |
| Overall score | 6.5 | 7.5Best |
| Free option | Free plan | Free plan |
| Card to start | No card needed | No card needed |
| Getting access | Self-serve | Self-serve |
| Starter priceCheapest paid plan | $0 | $0 |
| Pricing model | Usage-based | Usage-based |
| Pricing page | Public prices | Public prices |
| Video royalty (new non-exclusive seller) | 35% flat from the first license | 30% flat from the first license; no levels |
| Highest video royalty | 35%; no levels and no exclusive program | 40% exclusive (video only; Shutterstock still allowed) |
| Dollar earnings per download published | Yes: $2.80 to $8.40 (subscriptions), $22.40 to $28.00 (HD), $56.00 to $70.00 (4K), US prices | No, a percentage of net license revenue |
| Per-download minimum | Not stated for video | Not stated |
| Payout minimum | $25 | $25 (fixed; smaller balances roll over) |
| How payouts are made | On request, from 45 days after the first sale | Automatic, monthly on the 15th |
| Payout methods | PayPal, Payoneer (outside the US only), Skrill | PayPal, Skrill (4% deducted), Payoneer |
| Joining | Open and free with an Adobe ID; email and phone checks; every file reviewed | Open and free; government ID check before submitting; every file reviewed |
| Removing clips | Delete one at any time; removing more than 100 items or 10% (whichever is greater) in 90 days needs 90 days’ notice | Delete single files any time; batch removal through support |
| AI training use of your clips | Used to train Firefly; no opt-out; discretionary yearly bonus | Dataset licensing at 20% per licensed item; opt-out |
| AI-generated video | Accepted when labelled | Not accepted |
| Bulk upload and metadata | CSV metadata; SFTP for qualified accounts | FTP and CSV metadata; batch edit and templates |
| Bottom line | From its public pages, Adobe Stock Contributor pays a flat 35% on video from standard plans, credit packs and on-demand, and publishes the dollar figures per download. Clips also train Firefly with no opt-out, payouts are on request, and rates can change with no notice period. | From its public pages, Pond5 is a free, footage-first marketplace with a flat 30% share, a 40% exclusive option that still allows Shutterstock, and paid, optional dataset licensing. Video prices follow tiers that are not published. |
Evidence: Adobe Stock Contributor: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run; Pond5: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run. Prices in USD as listed, excluding tax. "–" means not recorded.
When to pick each
In the words of each review, with the date its facts were checked.
From our Adobe Stock Contributor review
Checked Oct 15, 2026- Pick Adobe Stock Contributor when
- You want 35% on non-exclusive video without going exclusive, dollar figures per download, or you sell labelled AI-generated video.
- Pick Pond5 when
- You want 40% for exclusive clips that may still sell on Shutterstock, automatic payouts on the 15th, or a dataset share with an opt-out.
From our Pond5 review
Checked Oct 15, 2026- Pick Pond5 when
- You want automatic monthly payouts, dataset licensing paid at 20% with an opt-out, and an exclusive option.
- Pick Adobe Stock Contributor when
- You want a flat 35% share with dollar earnings per download published, or you make labelled AI-generated video.
Entry price
Baseline: each product's cheapest paid plan, per month. Included usage differs, so read the line under each price.
- Adobe Stock ContributorFree Collection (selected contributors)$0/moSingle payment per video: 7 credits for a one-year term or 16 credits for a perpetual term (1 credit = $1)
- Nomination during limited windows
- No royalties during the term
- One-year terms renew unless you opt out at the next review
- Content cannot be removed during the term
- Pond5Exclusive Video Artist Program$0/mo40% of net license revenue per video license; your video (and similar footage) only on Pond5 and Shutterstock
- Priority curation and support
- Two-week grace period to remove clips elsewhere
- Leave with 180 days’ written notice
Prices as listed on each pricing page, in USD per month, excluding tax. Observed: Adobe Stock Contributor 2026-10-15, Pond5 2026-10-15.
Which one fits
- If you need to start today without a sales call
- Pond5Self-serve sign-up, no card needed; the highest score of the 2 self-serve products here (7.5/10).
- If you want to try it without entering a card
- Pond5Free plan, no card needed, and the highest score of the 2 that skip the card (7.5/10).
- Highest overall score
- Pond57.5/10 (Good). The review shows the score breakdown and the run behind it.
Picked by fixed rules from the table above, not by hand. How we score
Full reviews
More in Stock video marketplaces for contributors
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