Summary only, not legal advice. The licence text governs; confirm with the rights holder for your use. Read more

Sources · Stock & content

Shutterstock

Stock images, video and music. Shutterstock's main licence page blocked automated fetching; answers come from its contributor help article and need manual verification against the full licence.

Needs manual verification. 1 of the source pages blocked automated reading, so the answers marked “Needs manual check” have not been confirmed yet. Read the licence on shutterstock.com directly before relying on this page.

Commercial use

Conditional

Can I use it in commercial work?

You buy a royalty-free licence, not ownership.

“When customers download content from Shutterstock they are purchasing a royalty free license, they do not purchase ownership or exclusive rights to the content.”
submit.shutterstock.com · checked 19 October 2026

Client work

Needs manual check

Can I use it in work I make for a client?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Trademark registration

Not allowed

Can a logo made with it be registered as a trademark?

Listed as not allowed under Standard or Enhanced.

“Using content as a logo or trademark”
submit.shutterstock.com · checked 19 October 2026

Merchandise & products for sale

Conditional

Can I use it on merchandise or products I sell?

Enhanced allows merchandise; Standard doesn't.

“Enhanced License allows images to be used for merchandise, Standard License does not”
submit.shutterstock.com · checked 19 October 2026

Websites

Needs manual check

Can I use it on a website (live text or web embedding)?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Apps & software

Needs manual check

Can I embed it in an app or software?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Social, video & broadcast

Needs manual check

Can I use it in social posts, video or broadcast?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Paid ads

Needs manual check

Can I use it in paid advertising?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Ebooks & PDFs

Needs manual check

Can I use or embed it in ebooks and PDFs?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Handing files to a client

Needs manual check

Can I give the font/asset files to my client?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Users & devices

Needs manual check

How many people or devices does it cover?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

After cancelling

Needs manual check

What happens to my work if I cancel or stop paying?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Modifying

Needs manual check

Can I modify it?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

AI: ownership, training & indemnity

Needs manual check

What does it say about AI (output ownership, training, indemnity)?

Licence page blocked automated fetching; needs manual verification.

Also worth knowing

Copies

“Standard License limits the number of copies that can be made of an image, there is no limit with an Enhanced License”
submit.shutterstock.com

Pages we read

Quotes are copied verbatim from these pages as they read on 19 October 2026. Wording changes are tracked on the changelog.

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