Getty Images is one of the most expensive stock photo sites on the market, although I’ve found a way of buying Getty Images up to 74% off.
The cheapest way to buy photos and videos from Getty Images is with their UltraPacks. First, they recently introduced a new “15 pack”, which decreased the price per download from $150 to $140. A few months later (just recently, in fact), Getty Images reduced the cost of all packs by $10 per download.
Getty Images pricing at a glance
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| UltraPacks | $140 to $499 per image/video |
| AI modify | $49 for 25 generations |
| Custom rights | $60 to $1,000+ |
| BBC Motion Gallery | $150 to $5,000+ |
Getty Images UltraPacks
UltraPacks are the most popular choice for Getty’s royalty-free images and videos. The main driver of Getty Images prices is the resolution of images and videos, but the price also depends on how many downloads you buy—larger UltraPacks are more costly but come with a lower cost per download than smaller packs.
| Large images 4K and HD videos | Medium images | Small images Low-res videos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $499 per download | $399 per download | $199 per download |
| 5 pack | $299 per download | $280 per download | $150 per download |
| 10 pack | $280 per download | $250 per download | $140 per download |
| 15 pack | $250 per download | $230 per download | $130 per download |
In 2025, significantly reduced the prices of its UltraPacks. For instance, the pack of 5 large images/4K videos, which used to cost $450 per download, is now $299 per download. Other UltraPacks followed a similar price reduction.
In EUR, UltraPacks cost from 105 € to 475 €, while in the UK, they cost from £115.
Alternatives
There are many cheaper Getty Images alternatives, but it would be like comparing apples and oranges. Below, I picked the stock photo sites offering premium images comparable to Getty’s with similar licenses:
- Shutterstock: $249 (Standard license), $349 (Enhanced license)
- Adobe Stock: $120 (small image), $499 (large image).
- iStock: $0.44 to $33 for premium images.
- Stocksy: $35 (low-res) to $135 (high-res)
AI text-to-image
Getty Images AI generator is based on Nvidia’s Edify model, and it comes in two versions—generator and modifier. Regardless of which action you perform, each generation will cost you one credit. You can buy generations in packs:
- 25 generations – $49 (45€; £39)
- 100 generations – $149 ($139€; £119)
While Getty’s AI generator is more expensive than competitors, it comes with the highest legal protection among competitors of up to $50,000 per image.
Creating an image from scratch will cost you just one generation ($2), but if you want to modify an existing image from Getty’s library, you need to buy the license for that image ($130 to $499) plus pay for the generation.
BBC Motion Gallery
The BBC Motion Gallery is a unique collaboration between Getty Images and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), granting exclusive access to an extensive collection of BBC footage. Spanning from the first broadcast in 1922 to the present day, the BBC Motion Gallery boasts over 125,000 license-ready clips and more than a million hours of footage from the BBC’s Broadcast Archive available on request.
These videos are licensed under the rights-ready license that lasts for up to 1 year and cost:
| Advertising uses | Cost | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | $7,250 | All media (worldwide) |
| TV broadcast and cable | $4,650 | Direct response TV commercials, infomercials, on-air promos, OTT (over the top) |
| Out-of-home uses | $1,850 | Cinema and theater, electronic billboards, stadium, in-flight and transit, in-store and point-of-purchase, art installations |
| Web and digital | $999 | TV commercials, network promotions |
| Direct response and on-air promos | $1,600 | Direct response TV commercials, infomercials, on-air promos, OTT (over-the-top) |
The same pricing applies to the NBC News Archives, ITN, Bloomberg, and other collections from Getty’s media partners.
In addition, Getty Images offers many more niche offers, whose pricing is similar to the UltraPacks but might differ between collections.
How much are Getty Images subscriptions?
Getty Images offers customizable annual subscription plans for ongoing access to stock photos, videos, and music. Pricing varies based on usage needs but increases in value as more assets are required. To get pricing details, contact a Getty Images sales representative by phone or through their website.
Note: I’ve never been able to get ahold of Getty’s customer support to buy a subscription. I will update this section as soon as I do.
I think Getty’s subscriptions cost between $30 and $100 per image based on resolution, while extra large images may cost around $200 per download.
Why is Getty Images so expensive?
Getty Images content is expensive because the company focuses on providing high-quality, professionally produced, and often exclusive photos, videos, and music that come with licensing protections. Customers pay a premium not just for a digital file but for the reputation, reliability, and service behind the Getty brand name.
The costs of maintaining a staff of professional creators, editors, and support teams, as well as Getty’s position as an established leader in a niche stock media market with limited competition, also contribute to keeping prices high compared to general stock photo sites. In the end, Getty Images customers pay for quality, exclusivity, rights, and brand value rather than cheap, readily available content.
Related readings:
- Getty Images review
- The best Getty Images alternatives
- Shutterstock vs. Getty Images
- How much does a stock photo cost?
This article was originally published in March 2023. The most recent update was in March 2025.
