Photocase
- $16 per single XL image download
- Photocase has only credit subscription per month which costs $180/month for 9 credits daily.
Stock photos are a must-have item for anyone that wants to get attention to their web content. Be it a new company website or an article on your blog that you are posting. The phrase about pictures being able to speak to people is very true. Photos and drawings catch the eye of a reader and make them want to read more about what you have to say. One of the issues with finding stock photos to put with your content is knowing which site you want to use. This decision can be based on who has the best pictures to fit what you are going for along with the good prices and policies to fit your needs. Evaluating each website can take time, but is well worth it to ensure that you are getting some amazing pictures to use with your content.
With more than 50,000 customers, Photocase is one stock photo site that you can’t afford to pass up evaluating as a possible match for your needs. This German-based company has a lot to offer individuals that are looking for photos that are not like your typical stock image. They hand curate their catalog to find only the best-looking images for their customers. They focus on the tenet of quality over quantity when it comes to the images that they offer to you. You can purchase just enough credits for one photo that catches your eye, or you can take advantage of buying a credit subscription which gives you a lower cost per photo and allows you to use your credits to make purchases over time.
Simple Breakdown
Photocase is pretty well-established as they have been up and running since 2001. They focus on providing their customers with a smaller library of images that have been hand selected by photo experts to give you a better selection of quality images. They offer a few different licensing options beyond the basic royalty-free license. They will accept PayPal, major credit cards, direct debits, and invoice payments. Please note that direct debits are only available if you have a bank account in Austria or Germany, and the invoice payments are only if you are located within the Euro Zone. Registration on their website is free.
Specifics for Stocksy
Stocksy has their headquarters based in Berlin, Germany, so buyers are able to view prices in either US dollars or Euros. They seek out images that you typically won’t find on other stock photo sites, and are looking to give you a great quality image rather than a large number of images that you could find anywhere else. In 2001, they started out as a sharing community that had forums where users could interact with each other, but that has since grown to this unique image selling idea. You may find that their images cost a bit more than some of the other stock photo sites, but that is because they are looking to offer the best images from the best photographers. You can purchase from them one image or many using their credit system.
They have a database of about 300,000 images which is less than many of the other stock photo sites, but that is because they determine which images they will offer to their customers.
Ways to Buy
Photocase works as a credit system where you have to purchase credits for each picture that you want to purchase. Pictures will cost anywhere between three, six and 10 credits depending on the size that you want to download. You can purchase a minimum of six credits. Remember that the more credits you purchase, the cheaper each credit will be. If you know that you plan on purchasing quite a few pictures, it may be beneficial to buy a larger amount to take advantage of the savings.
Photocase also has a credit subscription plan for either nine or 20 credits daily that is charged on a monthly basis. This option also offers savings over purchasing a few credits here and there, but this may only be worthwhile if you know that you are going to be purchasing a lot of images or know that your images will be the larger sizes. These packages are about 50 percent less than if you were just to buy that number of images through the one-time purchase credits. If you go with a subscription, you must have this plan for at least three months.
Licensing
Of course, there is the basic licensing that you can obtain by purchasing the right number of credits that allows you to use the image with the proper citation of the photographer and source on the photo that is royalty-free. This license is good for 250,000 copies. There is also the Omit Copyright License that allows you to use the photo without citing the source for 250,000 copies which is 25 credits. There is the Unlimited Production Run that allows you to make more than 250,000 copies which is 25 credits. Finally, there is also the Merchandising License that allows you to use this photo without editing on items that you plan to sell which is 100 credits. Remember that if you purchase a large number of credits at once, the price of each credit will be smaller.
Unique Earning Opportunity
Photocase originally started out as a sharing community, and although it has changed in the way that it does business, it keeps a little of it’s old feel by keeping some community sharing alive. In the beginning, members were able to share pictures and note which ones they liked in a forum. Now, you can share your own high-quality images of pictures that you have taken and own the copyright on to earn credits to use for other stock images. This can be a great way to get the images you want without having to break into your budget since you can use your income to purchase your credits. You will have to go through the process of getting your picture approved, but it is well-worth it for the benefit of purchasing other images with credits you earned. You can earn about 40 to 60 percent of the sales amount on your images.
Offerings
Think of the offerings at Photocase as more high-end than your typical stock site, but not as expensive as other high-quality agencies. Photocase might be small in only offering about 300,000 images, but that is still a lot to look through when trying to find that perfect image. There are some ways that you can make it a little easier on yourself. You can view the Editor’s Picks, Trends, and New Photos. On the homepage, you can also sort by categories, such as nature, fashion, and more. There is also the option to view Lightboxes. The lightboxes available are based on different themes and are put together by other users and Photocase staff.
Pros
There are quite a few pros to be had through purchasing from Photocase. They have high-quality images that are not like your typical stock pictures that can add value to your web and print content. They offer standard credit amounts based on the size of the image that you want to purchase. Also, there is the bonus of being able to take advantage of lowering the cost of your credits by purchasing in large quantities or getting one of the credit subscription plans. They also have several licensing options to choose from when purchasing your images. Finally, there is the added bonus of being able to upload your own personal images to sell which can net you some free images.
Cons
There are only a few cons to using Photocase. One is that the credit situation may get confusing, especially since they are sold in a six-pack minimum, and the picture sizes range from three to 10. You may find that you have a leftover credit or two depending on how you purchase them. Also, there is the fact that if you decide to try to sell your own images, they may either not be accepted by the company for sale, or they might not sell.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that the positives far outweigh the negatives when it comes to choosing Photocase. This is the website that you want to visit when you are looking for images that aren’t your typical stock photo site offerings. They give discounts on credits when you are looking to purchase a large number of images, and they offer monthly packages that users with heavy image demands can find especially appealing. Finally, they give you a chance to join the community as a contributor where you can earn money or credits for future purchases.
In conclusion, if you are trying to speak to your audience and draw them in with the perfect stock images, Photocase is an excellent choice when it comes to stock photo sites. You will find excellent quality that screams “I’m not from just any site”, and it will help to draw your selected audience's attention.
There are no reviews yet.