5 Ways to Make Money With Your Smartphone Pics

There are dozens of companies that buy stock imagery, and many now accept photos taken with smartphones.

Selling stock photos can be a fun way to make extra money as a side gig!

That said, stock photography is definitely a numbers game. You usually need a lot of photos uploaded before you see steady sales. You also need the right kinds of photos, including images businesses, bloggers, publishers, and marketers actually need.

Your phone can be a great tool for this because it is usually with you all the time. If you see something interesting, useful, or visually appealing, you can just take the photo right then.

Just know that not every photo will sell. You will usually do better with clear, high-quality images that look natural and are useful for websites, ads, social media, and editorial content.

Keep in mind that this is not usually fast money. You may need to upload dozens of photos before you see your first sale, especially if you're new.

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Below are some legitimate companies and apps you can use to try selling smartphone photos online.

Best Places to Sell Stock Photos From Your Phone

1 – Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is one of the best-known stock photo marketplaces online, and it is a strong option if you want a large buyer base.

You can upload photos, videos, illustrations, vectors, and other creative content as an Adobe Stock contributor. Phone photos are allowed as long as they meet Adobe's quality standards.

Ideal For: People who want to sell through a large, trusted stock marketplace.

App Available? Adobe does have mobile apps, but contributors usually manage uploads through the contributor portal.

Pay: Adobe Stock pays contributors a royalty when their content is licensed. The amount can vary based on the type of license and content.

Important To Know: Adobe Stock is competitive, so you should not expect fast money. You will need strong photos, good keywords, and patience. Honestly, this is probably a better fit for people who are willing to treat stock photography like a long-term project.

Go here to sign up as an Adobe Stock contributor.

2 – Shutterstock

Shutterstock is another major stock photo site with a huge customer base.

You can submit photos, videos, and illustrations as a contributor. Smartphone photos can be accepted if they are sharp, useful, and meet Shutterstock's technical standards.

Ideal For: People who want access to one of the largest stock photo marketplaces.

App Available? Shutterstock has contributor tools and mobile access, but you may still prefer uploading and managing larger batches from a computer.

Pay: Shutterstock uses contributor earnings levels. Your royalty percentage can increase as your content gets more downloads, but levels may reset each year.

Important To Know: Some contributors complain that royalties are lower than they used to be. That said, Shutterstock remains one of the most recognized platforms for selling stock photos and definitely still has a large customer base.

Go here to become a Shutterstock contributor, or read more about submitting to Shutterstock here.

3 – Alamy

Alamy is a well-known stock photo agency with a large image collection and many editorial buyers.

This company is often a good fit for people who take useful editorial-style photos, travel photos, newsworthy images, or photos of places and real-life scenes.

Ideal For: People with a large photo library or those who enjoy taking editorial-style images.

App Available? Alamy's mobile photo app is called Stockimo and has historically been iOS-focused. If you are not using Stockimo, you can upload through the main Alamy contributor site.

Pay: Alamy uses contributor commission rates that can vary based on your contributor level, exclusivity, and other factors.

Important To Know: Alamy may have fewer sales than some microstock sites, but some contributors like it because individual sales can be higher. So if you'd rather focus on quality over quantity, this could maybe be worth looking into.

Go here to learn about becoming an Alamy contributor.

4 – Foap

Foap is a mobile-friendly platform that connects creators with brands looking for photo and video content.

Foap has changed over the years and now focuses heavily on brand missions and creator-generated content. This means you may have better luck if you pay attention to what brands are asking for rather than just uploading random photos.

Ideal For: Smartphone users who like taking lifestyle photos, product-style photos, and short videos.

App Available? Yes, Foap is built with mobile creators in mind.

Pay: Pay can vary depending on the type of sale or mission.

Important To Know: Foap is legit, but many users say sales can be slow. It may work better as a fun side option than a steady income source. Just know that your results can vary a lot depending on what you're uploading.

Go here to check out Foap.

5 – Depositphotos

Depositphotos is another established stock photo marketplace where contributors can upload photos, vectors, illustrations, videos, and other content.

It is not as exciting or mobile-specific as some newer apps, but it is still a legitimate company with a large marketplace.

Ideal For: People who want to upload photos to multiple stock sites so that they have more chances to make sales.

App Available? Depositphotos has mobile tools, but contributors may find the website easier for managing larger batches of images.

Pay: Contributor earnings vary based on download type, contributor level, and licensing.

Important To Know: Like most stock sites, Depositphotos is competitive. It works best if you upload consistently and use strong titles, descriptions, and keywords.

Go here to learn more about selling photos on Depositphotos.

Tips For Making More Sales With Stock Photos

If you want to make money selling phone photos, don't just upload anything and hope for the best.

You may have better luck with photos that are:

• clear, bright, and not blurry
• useful for blogs, ads, websites, and social media
• natural-looking instead of overly staged
• focused on real life, work, travel, food, pets, family, shopping, or local places
• uploaded with accurate keywords and descriptions

Honestly, one thing that could help more than anything is simply learning what kinds of photos buyers actually want. If you're interested in improving your photography skills, Skillshare has classes on smartphone photography, editing, lighting, composition, and more.

You don't have to be a professional photographer to benefit. You can check out Skillshare here.

Also, be careful with photos that include people, logos, private property, or recognizable brands. Some images may require model releases or property releases before they can be sold commercially.

Note that stock photography can be a nice side earner, but it is not usually fast money. The people who do best tend to upload often, learn what buyers want, and treat it like a long-term project.

And if you're looking for additional side hustle ideas, don't miss my list of 100 ways to earn extra cash online!