How much are photos and images worth to AI companies: 7 published prices
This list of image data buyers with a published price holds 7 buyers. Of the 7, all publish a price anchor. The first three are Defined.ai (content owners get 20 to 30% of deal value; $1 to $2 per image; $100 to $300 per hour of film; partners average $600k revenue), Freepik / EyeEm (2 to 4 cents per image; EyeEm 50/50) and Photobucket (5 cents to $1 per photo, >$1 per video (in negotiation)). All 7 license non-exclusively.
Published price anchors
| Buyer | Price anchor | Payout | Exclusivity | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defined.ai | content owners get 20 to 30% of deal value; $1 to $2 per image; $100 to $300 per hour of film; partners average $600k revenue | Revenue share | Non-exclusive | defined.airead 26 Oct 2026 |
| Freepik / EyeEm | 2 to 4 cents per image; EyeEm 50/50 | Revenue share | Non-exclusive | freepik.comread 26 Oct 2026 |
| Photobucket | 5 cents to $1 per photo, >$1 per video (in negotiation) | Upfront | Non-exclusive | photobucket.comread 26 Oct 2026 |
| Wirestock | video is highest-paying category; $15M paid to creators | Revenue share or Upfront | Non-exclusive | wirestock.ioread 26 Oct 2026 |
| Adobe Stock | ~$3 per minute video (2024); Firefly bonus annual | Annual payout | Non-exclusive | stock.adobe.comread 26 Oct 2026 |
| Kled AI | top contributors ~$7k/month; $14 for a walking video; $12M 2-year lab deal | Cash or token | Non-exclusive | solanacompass.comread 26 Oct 2026 |
| Shutterstock Data Licensing | $25M to $50M per big-tech deal; contributor share undisclosed | Contributor fund | Non-exclusive | shutterstock.comread 26 Oct 2026 |
Anchors are quoted verbatim from the buyer's own page or the press report named in the source, with the date we read it. All photos and images buyers.
What differs for photos and images
Read verbatim, the anchors run from "2 to 4 cents per image; EyeEm 50/50" at Freepik / EyeEm to "$25M to $50M per big-tech deal; contributor share undisclosed" at Shutterstock Data Licensing. 5 of the 7 are rates per unit of data, and 2 are deal sizes, fees or shares.
Related pages
Need a shortlist? Three questions, a reply within two working days.
Find your buyerFAQ
How much do AI companies pay for photos and images?
The first published anchors on this list are Defined.ai ("content owners get 20 to 30% of deal value; $1 to $2 per image; $100 to $300 per hour of film; partners average $600k revenue"), Freepik / EyeEm ("2 to 4 cents per image; EyeEm 50/50") and Photobucket ("5 cents to $1 per photo, >$1 per video (in negotiation)"). All 7 buyers here publish a price anchor, quoted verbatim with its date where the source gives one.
Can I sell the same photos and images to two buyers?
Yes, when the license is non-exclusive. All 7 buyers here license non-exclusively, Defined.ai, Freepik / EyeEm and Photobucket among them. Check the grant for exclusivity and for how long it runs before you sign.
Do I keep ownership of my photos and images?
A license leaves the copyright with you and grants the buyer use rights. On non-exclusive terms you can license the same photos and images again; all 7 buyers here offer those terms.