Getty Images
Getty Images is a publicly traded visual content company (NYSE: GETY) that licenses rights-cleared photography, video and music from a 477-million-asset library to media organizations, brands, creative professionals and AI platforms including OpenAI and Perplexity AI.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Getty Images does
Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GETY), founded in 1995 and headquartered in Seattle, is a publicly traded visual content company that licenses rights-cleared photography, video and music to enterprise customers, media organizations, brands, creative professionals and — increasingly — artificial intelligence platforms. Its core technology is a digital licensing platform built around a library of over 477 million assets contributed by more than 600,000 creators, with authentication and rights-clearance workflows that distinguish it from commodity stock libraries. The product portfolio spans the flagship Getty Images platform, the iStock subscription sub-brand, the Motorsport Images archive acquired in April 2024, custom-content services, and editorial photography covering premier events such as the Met Gala, Tribeca Festival, FIFA World Cup 2026 and U.S. Soccer matches.
The business generates revenue through a mix of subscription-based licensing on Getty Images and iStock, transaction-based stock licensing, multi-year enterprise licensing agreements with AI and social-media platforms, custom content services and event-driven editorial licensing. Reported FY2025 revenue was $981.3 million (a record), with Q4 2025 up 14.1% year-over-year driven by two large multi-year enterprise deals, while Q1 2026 grew only 1.1% year-over-year to $226.6M and full-year 2026 guidance is $948–988M. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales, an owned digital marketplace at gettyimages.com, an OEM/embedded channel through AI and design platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, Canva, Webflow), and event-driven content generation.
Getty Images is currently pursuing a $3.7 billion merger of equals with Shutterstock, which received unconditional U.S. DOJ clearance in February 2026 but remains subject to UK CMA review, with expected annual cost synergies of $150–200M. In June 2026 the company announced a multi-year display partnership with OpenAI to integrate its licensed imagery into ChatGPT's search and discovery features, a strategic pivot from its prior adversarial posture toward generative AI. The company carries a leveraged balance sheet, having completed a $628.4M Senior Secured Notes offering in October 2025, and reported a $206.1M net loss in FY2025 alongside insider sales at sub-$1 share prices amid NYSE delisting risk that has since receded following the OpenAI partnership announcement.
Getty Images firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Getty Images
- Legal name
- Getty Images Holdings, Inc.
- Website
- https://gettyimages.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Getty Images is a publicly traded visual content company (NYSE: GETY) that licenses rights-cleared photography, video and music from a 477-million-asset library to media organizations, brands, creative professionals and AI platforms including OpenAI and Perplexity AI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Getty Images industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Stock Photography and Visual Content Licensing
- NAICS
- Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Music Publishers (51223), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights) (MPACAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Content Licensing (Film/TV, Clips, Stills) (MPADALAA), Content Identification & Matching (Fingerprinting, ID Resolution) (MPAHALAE), Public Performance/Neighboring Rights for AV Uses (Cue Sheet & Reporting Services) (MPAIALAK), Archive & Library Footage Licensing (News, Sports, Entertainment) (MPABANAC)
Keywords
Where Getty Images is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Getty Images business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Content Licensing: Revenue from licensing stock images, editorial photography, video footage, and music to enterprise customers, media companies, and AI platforms through subscription and transaction-based models.
- Enterprise Licensing Agreements: Large multi-year licensing deals with AI companies and social media platforms, including two significant multi-year agreements with a social media company and AI company that drove Q4 2025 revenue growth of 14.1%.
- Custom Content: Custom content creation services including photography for events and brands, with 250% year-over-year growth in custom content revenue during Q1 2026.
- Subscription Revenue: Recurring subscription revenue from iStock and Getty Images platforms, though iStock subscriber base declined after free trial program discontinuation in June 2025.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise licensing for AI platforms and large organizations |
| Subscription | Monthly | Individual and professional content licensing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Getty Images product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Getty Images operates a visual content licensing platform that distributes rights-cleared photography, video, and music from over 600,000 contributors, serving more than 477 million assets to enterprise customers, media organizations, brands, and creative professionals. The company monetizes its library through subscription-based access on Getty Images and iStock, direct enterprise licensing agreements with AI platforms and media companies, and custom content creation services.
Product overview
Getty Images operates a comprehensive visual content platform offering over 477 million licensed assets including photography, video, and music through its flagship Getty Images platform and iStock sub-brand. The company serves editorial, commercial, and creative customers with rights-cleared visual content, enhanced by acquired assets like Motorsport Images. Getty's distribution strategy includes AI licensing partnerships with platforms like OpenAI/ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Canva, as well as custom content services that saw 250% year-over-year growth in Q1 2026. Editorial photography services cover major events including the Met Gala, Tribeca Festival, FIFA World Cup, and U.S. Soccer matches. The pending $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock aims to create the world's largest visual content company for AI image model training.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Getty Images Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Q1 2026 revenue of $226.6 million, up 1.1% year-over-year with 250% growth in custom content revenue
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Getty Images
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Getty Images technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability5 records
Feature3 records
Getty Images partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- OpenAIcoreMulti-year display partnership to integrate Getty Images' licensed photography library into ChatGPT's search and discovery features. The agreement enables OpenAI to display professionally cleared editorial images with attribution when users request visual content, covering news, sports, entertainment, and historical events. The deal positions Getty as a licensed visual-content supplier to AI-native search platforms, representing a strategic pivot from Getty's previous lawsuits against AI companies over copyright infringement.
- Perplexity AIflagshipAI search partnership agreement for content integration similar to OpenAI arrangement, announced October 2025. Part of Getty's broader AI monetization strategy to expand presence in AI-powered platforms.
- ShutterstockcorePending $3.7 billion merger of equals combining two of the world's largest visual content platforms. Getty Images will pay £245 million cash plus 319.4 million shares. Expected to deliver $150-200 million in annual cost synergies by year three and create world's largest data source for AI image model training. Merger received DOJ clearance without conditions but still requires UK CMA approval. Getty shareholders will own approximately 54.7% of combined company.
- CanvaflagshipPartnership for visual content integration into Canva's design platform as part of Getty's AI-era distribution strategy and AI monetization initiatives.
- U.S. SoccercoreMulti-year agreement naming Getty Images as Official Photographic Agency covering all national team matches, events, and programming including FIFA World Cup 2026. Getty will capture, authenticate, and distribute visual content while U.S. Soccer retains copyright ownership and gains access to global distribution through Getty Images' platform.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Getty Images competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shutterstock: Direct competitor in licensed stock imagery, video, and music; the two companies have announced a $3.7B merger of equals. Operates a nearly identical B2B licensing model targeting similar media, brand, and creative professional customer segments.
- Alamy: UK-based stock photography platform offering rights-managed and royalty-free imagery. Competes with Getty in editorial and commercial stock licensing, particularly strong in European markets and contributor-friendly positioning.
- Pond5: Specializes in royalty-free video footage, music, and sound effects, overlapping with Getty's video and music licensing business. Particularly strong with filmmakers, broadcasters, and production companies needing stock video.
- AP Images: Editorial photography arm of Associated Press providing news, sports, and entertainment imagery to media customers. Direct competitor in editorial photography licensing, the segment where Getty's exclusive event partnerships generate premium content.
- Reuters Images: Editorial news photography service from Reuters serving global media organizations. Direct competitor in editorial news photography, particularly for breaking news and political coverage where Getty has strong Washington D.C. operations.
Broad incumbents
- Adobe Stock: Stock imagery offering from Adobe integrated into Creative Cloud, serving creative professionals and enterprise marketing teams. Competes head-to-head with Getty Images and iStock in the same licensing category, with the advantage of native Creative Cloud distribution.
Emerging players
- Storyblocks: Subscription-based stock video and audio platform targeting SMBs and individual creators. Competes with iStock in the affordable subscription tier and represents a similar disruption model to what Getty itself employed with iStock.
- Pexels: Free stock photo and video platform with a contributor community model that competes in the long-tail of casual content needs. Operates in adjacent space to Getty's iStock sub-brand and Unsplash platform.
- Stocksy: Premium, curated stock photography platform with a contributor-owned cooperative model. Competes in the high-end commercial licensing space where Getty's editorial and creative content are strongest.
Regional players
- Depositphotos: Stock photography platform headquartered in Ukraine with strong Eastern European contributor base. Competes with iStock in the affordable subscription tier and SMB segment globally.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Getty Images social profiles
Digital presenceGetty Images financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Getty Images leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Getty Images subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Getty Images funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Getty Images M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A15 records
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Getty Images
What does Getty Images do?
Getty Images operates a visual content licensing platform that distributes rights-cleared photography, video, and music from over 600,000 contributors, serving more than 477 million assets to enterprise customers, media organizations, brands, and creative professionals. The company monetizes its library through subscription-based access on Getty Images and iStock, direct enterprise licensing agreements with AI platforms and media companies, and custom content creation services.
Is Getty Images a public or private company?
Getty Images is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Getty Images founded?
Getty Images was founded in 1995. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Getty Images based?
Getty Images is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Getty Images make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Content Licensing is the primary driver. The others are enterprise Licensing Agreements, custom Content and subscription Revenue.
Who are Getty Images's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shutterstock, Alamy, Pond5, AP Images and Reuters Images. Adobe Stock is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Storyblocks, Pexels and Stocksy. Depositphotos is listed as a regional player.
Does Getty Images have an API?
No public API is recorded for Getty Images.
What industry is Getty Images in?
Getty Images's product category is Stock Photography and Visual Content Licensing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAFAK, Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights), with a secondary code of MPADALAA, Content Licensing (Film/TV, Clips, Stills). Its NAICS code is 516 and its SIC code is 7822.