I’ve recently read an article on Medium, from a guy called Pranit who took the challenge to make money online via uploading AI images on photobanks. It is a very interesting read if you want to go through it (it’s in English).

Now keep in mind that I haven’t tested this method myself. Pranit though did and he gives lots of insights to help us understand how this method works and what needs to be done.

I’m taking these insights and expanding them into a comprehensive guide on how to make money online by selling AI-generated images.

In this article, I am going to explain to you:

  • What are photobanks, how they work, why they exist
  • How making money by uploading AI images to photobanks works
  • What results you can expect according to Pranit’s case study article
  • What AI software to use for generating images
  • What are the best photobanks to upload your AI-generated images
  • How to prompt AIs for image generation
  • Difficulties you may encounter
  • Tips to maximize your earnings
  • How much you can expect to earn
  • Whether you can truly make money with this method

What Are Photobanks, How Do They Work, Why Do They Exist?

Photobanks are digital marketplaces where creators upload their visual content (photos, illustrations, videos) and customers purchase licenses to use these assets. They exist because businesses, marketers, and content creators constantly need visual assets for their projects but don’t always have the resources to create them from scratch.

Adobe Stock Photo Marketplace
Adobe Stock Photo Marketplace / Source: Adobe

These platforms operate on a simple principle: creators upload their work → the platform reviews and approves the content → then makes it available for purchase.

When someone buys a license to use your image, you receive a percentage of that sale.

Who buys from photobanks? Practically everyone creating content professionally:

  • Marketing agencies creating campaigns
  • Bloggers needing images for articles
  • Web designers building sites
  • Authors creating book covers
  • Magazine editors filling layouts
  • Social media managers creating posts

Why do they buy? Time and cost efficiency. Creating professional visuals requires skills, equipment, and time that many don’t have. It’s easier and cheaper to pay for a ready-made asset than to create one from scratch or hire a photographer for a custom shoot.

The Photobank Industry – Before and After AI

Before artificial intelligence emerged on the scene, this industry was dominated by professional photographers and videographers. These folks invested thousands in equipment, spent years mastering their craft, and devoted hours to editing their work in programs like Photoshop before uploading to stock sites.

When an advertising agency or a magazine wanted images for their client’s advertisement or magazine, they went to their favorite photobank, typed in a keyword, found suitable images, bought them, and paid for the licenses.

The photographers got their cut, the photobank got their commission, and the clients got professional visuals without the expense of a custom photoshoot.

A win-win-win approach.

That whole dynamic has totally changed now. With AI image generators, anyone with internet access can create professional-quality images without expensive gear or technical expertise. No need for a fancy DSLR camera, lighting equipment, or years of experience. You just need to know how to write effective prompts and understand what sells.

“But isn’t this unfair to professional photographers?”

Yeah, some might think so, but this is just how technology progresses. It’s like when digital cameras replaced film—some resisted, but most adapted.

What Results Can You Expect According to Pranit’s Case Study?

Pranit’s experiment is super informative because he started fresh with a new account on Adobe Stock in January 2025, focusing exclusively on AI-generated images.

His initial goal was to upload 1,000 images in January, but account restrictions limited him to only 51 uploads at first. The review process was also slower than expected – taking nearly a week instead of the usual 24 hours he was used to on his older account.

After 45 days (by February 13th), he had uploaded around 250 images in total – 147 were accepted, 27 were rejected, and the rest were still under review. From those 147 accepted images, he had 12 downloads, earning him around $10.

Pranit’s Adobe Stock Performance (Day 70)
Accepted Images
1,292
Rejected Images
177
Earnings Growth
$10
First 45 Days
$12
Next 25 Days
$8
Last 7 Days

By day 70, he had 1,292 accepted images with 177 rejections (maintaining a healthy 70%+ acceptance rate). His earnings increased to $22 total, with $8 coming just from the first week of the most recent month—showing an accelerating trend.

While $22 might not sound like much, it’s important to recognize this was from a brand new account with no prior reputation. The earnings trajectory was clearly pointing upward as his portfolio grew.

How Much Can You Expect to Earn?

Let’s create a mathematical formula based on Pranit’s results:

Pranit had:

  • 1,292 accepted images
  • 25 downloads
  • $22 earned
  • ~70% acceptance rate

This gives us:

  • Download rate: 25/1,292 = 1.93% of images downloaded
  • Average earning per download: $22/25 = $0.88 per download
  • Average earning per uploaded image: $22/1,292 = $0.017 per image

Using these figures, we can create a formula:

Potential Earnings = Number of Uploads × Acceptance Rate × Download Rate × Average Earning per Download

For example, if you upload 5,000 images: Potential Earnings = 5,000 × 0.7 × 0.0193 × $0.88 = $594.88 🤑

But here’s the interesting part – this formula likely underestimates potential earnings because:

  1. Earnings tend to accelerate as your portfolio grows
  2. Your skills will improve over time
  3. Pranit’s data comes from a new account with no established reputation

Here’s a calculator that can help you see how much money you can make with this method

AI Image Earnings Potential

Activity LevelMonthly UploadsAcceptance RateDownload RateEarnings Per DownloadMonthly EarningsAnnual Earnings
Beginner100 images70%1.5%$0.80$84$1,008
Casual200 images72%1.8%$0.85$220$2,640
Intermediate300 images75%2.0%$1.00$450$5,400
Committed400 images78%2.2%$1.10$759$9,108
Advanced500 images80%2.5%$1.20$1,200$14,400
Professional1,000 images82%3.0%$1.30$3,198$38,376

Note: These estimates are based on Pranit’s case study data and industry research. Actual earnings may vary based on image quality, niche selection, keywording effectiveness, and market trends. The table assumes consistent monthly uploads and that your portfolio and skills improve over time, leading to better acceptance and download rates.

Based on Pranit’s DataValueCalculation Method
Total Uploaded Images1,292Actual uploads after 70 days
Acceptance Rate70%1,292 accepted ÷ 1,469 total uploads
Download Rate1.93%25 downloads ÷ 1,292 accepted images
Average Earning per Download$0.88$22 total earnings ÷ 25 downloads
Average Earning per Uploaded Image$0.017$22 total earnings ÷ 1,292 accepted images

What AI Software to Use for Generating Images?

Based on my personal experience with several platforms, here are some solid options:

  • Recraft: Great for creating simple illustrations and icons
  • Ideogram: Excellent at generating text-heavy graphics
  • Midjourney: Fantastic for photorealistic and artistic renders
  • Leonardo AI: User-friendly interface with good results

That said, it’s not really about which AI image generator you use but how you prompt it. I’ve gotten amazing results from “lesser-known” tools simply by mastering the prompting technique.

You can use any AI image generator you like. What matters is understanding what sells and how to instruct the AI to create it.

How to Prompt AIs for Image Generation?

Prompting is an art form = the difference between mediocre and exceptional AI images.

Here are my tips for effective prompting:

  1. Be specific about subject, style, lighting, and composition
  2. Include technical specifications (high resolution, 4K, detailed)
  3. Reference professional photography terms (bokeh, golden hour, aerial view)
  4. Specify what you DON’T want using negative prompts
  5. Iterate and refine based on results

Here are three example prompts to generate realistic images:

Professional headshot of a middle-aged Asian businessman in a navy suit against a neutral gray background, studio lighting, sharp focus, 85mm lens, high-resolution corporate photography

Made with Recraft, with the Photorealism option selected.

“Aerial view of a modern minimalist kitchen with marble countertops, wooden flooring, morning sunlight streaming through windows, no people, interior design photography style, high resolution”

Made with Leonardo Ai using the Stock photo option.

“Ultra close-up of a luxury mechanical watch movement with intricate gears, jewels, and precision mechanisms in sharp focus. Professional macro photography with soft directional studio lighting to highlight polished metal surfaces. Deep black background with subtle gradient. 8K resolution, high contrast, commercial product photography with extreme detail definition. Minimal dust, perfect focus stack, and natural color balance.”

Made with Ideogram

What Are the Best Photobanks to Upload Your AI-Generated Images

So, after researching the market a bit, here are the top photobanks that currently accept AI-generated images as of today. Not all photobanks accept ai generated images.

  1. Adobe Stock The only high-volume marketplace that accepts AI imagery with commission rates around 30%
  2. Dreamstime – Accepts AI images with commission rates of 30-50% (up to 60% for exclusive contributors)
  3. 123RF – Accepts AI content with commission rates from 30-60% depending on contributor level
  4. Vecteezy – Accepts AI imagery with a 50-50 revenue split
  5. Wirestock – Not just a photobank but a distribution service that handles keywording and distributes to multiple platforms that accept AI imagery
  6. Freepik – Accepts AI-generated content with revenue share of about 50%
  7. Addictive Stock – Newer platform that accepts AI images with high commission rates (50-70%)

Important note: Major platforms like Shutterstock and iStock (Getty Images) currently DO NOT accept AI-generated images. This is crucial to know before spending time creating content for these platforms. Always verify the current AI content policies on each site before uploading, as these rules change frequently in this evolving market.

Difficulties You May Encounter

This side hustle isn’t without its challenges though..

  1. Strict review processes – Many images get rejected for quality issues or AI “tells”
  2. Account restrictions – New accounts often have upload limits
  3. Slow review times – Can take days or weeks for approval
  4. Keyword competition – Hard to stand out in crowded categories
  5. Changing AI policies – Platforms frequently update their stance on AI content
  6. Diminishing returns – Popular niches quickly become saturated
  7. Technical requirements – Need to understand file formats, resolutions, etc.
  8. Upfront investment – Most Ai design services require you to buy credits to generate faster + more images and to access better ai image generation models.

“Won’t the market get totally flooded with AI images soon?”

Probably, but that’s why you need to start now and build your portfolio while acceptance rates are still reasonable.

Tips to Maximize Your Earnings

Here’s how to get the most bang for your buck:

  1. Focus on seasonal and trending topics – Pranit noticed Valentine’s Day images performed particularly well
  2. Create images in underserved niches – Less competition = higher visibility
  3. Upload consistently – Volume matters in this game.
  4. Master your keywords – Research what buyers actually search for. This can easily be done with a keyword tool. Also, these photobanks usually have stats or metrics data that can be accessed by image uploaders.
  5. Study the bestsellers in your category – Understand what sells and why and create images on these themes as well.
  6. Maintain high acceptance rates – Follow platform guidelines closely to maintain high acceptance rates. You don’t want to do the work, only yo see that half your images got rejected – right?
  7. Track performance data – Double down on what works
  8. Use batch processing – Create variations of successful themes

A fantastic tool to streamline your workflow is Wirestock.io. This service allows you to upload once and distribute to multiple stock platforms, saving enormous amounts of time. It also helps with keywording and categorization—typically the most time-consuming parts of the process. What’s even better, Wirestock has its own AI image generating tool which you can use for free. I suggest you start from Wirestock since it offers both image creation and distribution in one platform.

Can You Make Money by Selling AI-Generated Images – Is It Worth It?

Based on the data and case studies, yes, you absolutely can make money selling AI-generated images. Is it worth it? That depends on your situation and expectations.

If you’re looking for a quick path to riches, this ain’t it. But if you’re willing to put in consistent effort, master the art of prompting, and build a substantial portfolio over time, it can become a legitimate income stream.

What makes this method particularly attractive is the low barrier to entry. You don’t need expensive equipment or formal training – just internet access and the ability to learn.

I believe the window of opportunity is now. As AI technology becomes more widespread, competition will increase. Those who establish themselves early with substantial portfolios will have a significant advantage.

So if you’re curious about this side hustle, don’t overthink it – start uploading and learn as you go. The sooner you begin building your portfolio, the better positioned you’ll be to capitalize on this emerging market.



👉 Aκολούθησέ με στο Facebook και ενεργοποίησε τις ειδοποιήσεις για να λαμβάνεις τα νέα άρθρα μου.


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