₹1,700/mo
Free trial
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹800/mo cheaper (₹1,700/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Design tools · Alternatives
Best Shutterstock alternatives in India (2026)
Shutterstock is a design tools product from Shutterstock, New York, priced at ₹2,500/mo. We compared 20 alternatives on published price, free plan, platforms and made-in-India support: 2 have a free plan, 0 are built in India, and 19 start cheaper or free.
Quick answer
The closest alternatives to Shutterstock are Adobe Photoshop (₹1,700/mo), Affinity Photo (₹6,000/mo), iStock (₹2,000/mo), Capture One (₹1,800/mo) and Lightroom (₹800/mo). Unsplash is the top-ranked option with a free plan. Published prices in this list start at ₹800/month.
Why businesses look for a Shutterstock alternative
There is no free plan
Shutterstock has no free tier. 2 alternatives do, which lets you test with real data before you pay.
Cost
Shutterstock starts at ₹2,500/mo. 19 alternatives start lower or have a free plan.
Shutterstock alternatives compared
Ranked by how closely each product matches Shutterstock's category, pricing model, platforms and business size, then by rating. Prices exclude GST.
| # | Software | Starting price | Free plan | Platforms | Made in India | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Shutterstock (current) | ₹2,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | — |
| 1 | Adobe Photoshop | ₹1,700/mo | No | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 2 |  Affinity Photo | ₹6,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 3 |  iStock | ₹2,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 4 |  Capture One | ₹1,800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 5 |  Lightroom | ₹800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 6 |  CorelDRAW | ₹2,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 7 |  Adobe Illustrator | ₹1,700/mo | No | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 8 |  Adobe InDesign | ₹1,700/mo | No | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 9 |  Axure RP | ₹2,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 10 |  Proto.io | ₹2,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 11 |  Designs.ai | ₹2,400/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 12 |  Sketch | ₹900/mo | No | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 13 |  Luminar Neo | ₹1,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.2/5 | |
| 14 |  Brandmark | ₹2,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 15 |  Looka | ₹1,600/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 16 |  Unsplash | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 17 |  Envato Elements | ₹1,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.2/5 | |
| 18 |  Pexels | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 19 |  Tailor Brands | ₹800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 20 |  Balsamiq | ₹800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 |
Top 10 Shutterstock alternatives in detail
₹6,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹3,500/mo higher (₹6,000/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹500/mo cheaper (₹2,000/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹700/mo cheaper (₹1,800/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹1,700/mo cheaper (₹800/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
6. CorelDRAW
Alludo · Ottawa · Design tools · 4.5/5
Vector illustration suite popular in Indian print shops.
₹2,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹500/mo cheaper (₹2,000/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹800/mo cheaper (₹1,700/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
₹1,700/mo
Free trial
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹800/mo cheaper (₹1,700/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹500/mo cheaper (₹2,000/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Compared with Shutterstock
- Starts ₹500/mo cheaper (₹2,000/mo vs ₹2,500/mo)
Shutterstock alternatives by what you need
Cheaper than Shutterstock
Free Shutterstock alternatives
How to choose a Shutterstock alternative
- Match the tool to the user: Canva for marketers, Figma for product teams, Adobe for professional creatives.
- Check brand-kit and template governance for teams.
- AI features are now standard — compare quality, not presence.
Shutterstock alternatives — FAQs
What is the best alternative to Shutterstock in 2026?+
The closest matches to Shutterstock on App Advisor are Adobe Photoshop (₹1,700/mo), Affinity Photo (₹6,000/mo), iStock (₹2,000/mo). They are ranked by how closely their category, pricing model, platforms and target business size match Shutterstock, then by rating. The best choice depends on your team size and budget.
Is there a free alternative to Shutterstock?+
Yes. 2 of the 20 alternatives listed have a free plan or are free: Unsplash (Free), Pexels (Free). Free plans usually cap users, records or transactions, so check the limits against your monthly volume.
What is the cheapest alternative to Shutterstock?+
Among alternatives that publish a price, Lightroom starts lowest at ₹800/mo, compared with ₹2,500/mo for Shutterstock. Unsplash also has a free plan. Prices are read from each vendor's website and exclude GST.
Shutterstock vs Adobe Photoshop: which is better?+
Adobe Photoshop is the closest match to Shutterstock in our catalogue. Key differences: Starts ₹800/mo cheaper (₹1,700/mo vs ₹2,500/mo). Compare them side by side before you book a demo.
How were these Shutterstock alternatives chosen?+
Every product listed sits in design tools or a category Shutterstock also covers, and Shutterstock's own products are excluded. Prices, free plans and platforms come from each vendor's official website. App Advisor does not sell any of this software.
Free shortlist
Not sure which Shutterstock alternative fits?
Tell us your team size and budget and we'll send a shortlist of three.
Related alternatives
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