The PLUS Coalition
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersPasadena, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
The PLUS Coalition firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The PLUS Coalition
- Legal name
- PLUS Coalition Inc.
- Website
- https://useplus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The PLUS Coalition industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Image Licensing Standards and Rights Management
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Standards, Registries & Interoperability Services (EIDR/ISAN, CPE, DDEX) (MPAHALAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Content Identification & Matching (Fingerprinting, ID Resolution) (MPAHALAE), Rights Clearance & Chain-of-Title (Talent/Music/Clip Clearances) (MPAHALAC)
Keywords
Where The PLUS Coalition is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pasadena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The PLUS Coalition business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Contributions: The PLUS Coalition is operated on a non-profit, cost-recovery basis. Supporting and Sustaining members provide financial and logistical support through annual contributions. Membership tiers based on organization size: individuals $125-$5000/year; non-profits starting at $125/year; students/educators $75/year.
- Grants and Sponsorship: Major grants from organizations such as ASMP ($150,000, $85,000), NPPA ($25,000), APA ($25,000), and Amazon Web Services technology grants. Sponsorship opportunities available for organizations.
- PLUS Products Sales: Sale of PLUS printed materials including the PLUS Picture Licensing Glossary. E-store for PLUS merchandise and products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual and For-Profit Supporting Membership based on employee count |
| Subscription | Annual | Non-Profit Organizations, Schools & Institutions |
| Subscription | Annual | Student and Educator Membership |
| Other | Annual | Sustaining Membership & Leadership Circle |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
The PLUS Coalition product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The PLUS Coalition develops, maintains, and disseminates open universal standards for image licensing and rights management, including the Picture Licensing Glossary (1000+ standardized terms), Media Matrix (universal media category classification), License Data Format (machine-readable metadata schema), Media Summary Code (compact license descriptor), and the PLUS Registry (free global database linking images to creators and rights information via unique identifiers and image recognition). It operates a membership-based non-profit that distributes free standards, provides web-based tools (License Generator, Media Selector, License Decoder), and supplies technical specifications adopted by Adobe, Google, IPTC, Getty, and major publishers.
Product overview
The PLUS Coalition offers a unified platform of standards and tools for picture licensing, consisting of the PLUS Registry (a global online resource for identifying image creators and rights holders), supported by a suite of integrated tools: the License Generator (for creating license statements embedded as XMP metadata), Media Selector (for exploring the PLUS Media Matrix), License Decoder (for translating license codes to text), PLUS Packs (standardized image rights packages), and the License Data Format (machine-readable metadata schema). The system is anchored by the Picture Licensing Glossary (standardized terminology), the Media Matrix (media category classification standard), and the Standards Library (technical specifications for developers). Integration is achieved through Adobe product plugins, image recognition services, DAM system connectors, and compatibility with IPTC metadata standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PLUS Registry A global non-profit online resource that provides instant identification of image creators, image rights holders, images, and related image rights information. Allows lookups via PLUS IDs in URL format (plus-id.org/[ID]) with image recognition and digital watermark integration to link images to creators and rights information even when images are removed from original context. Free basic listings; enhanced features for paying members.
- License Generator A free web tool that creates PLUS Universal License Statements describing rights information granted to a licensee. Users can export license metadata in XMP files that can be embedded into digital images, enabling standardized machine-readable license information to travel with image files.
- Media Selector A demonstration tool that guides users through the PLUS Media Matrix selection process, showing how Matrix-IDs, Media Usage Codes, and Media Summary Codes are generated. Useful for licensors and licensees assembling standardized license terms.
- License Decoder A web tool that transforms PLUS Matrix-IDs or PLUS Media Summary Codes into their text descriptions, allowing users to decode license information embedded in image files.
- PLUS Packs Standardized, numbered packages of image rights that simplify Rights Managed image licensing. Includes traditional PLUS Packs (Print Advertising, Display Advertising, Marketing Materials, Web Advertising, Book/Periodical licensing, Internal Company, Comp Use, Personal Display) and Rights Ready Packs for streamlined licensing.
- License Data Format (LDF) A machine-readable data format providing a worldwide standard for communicating rights information associated with visual artworks. An organized group of fields for embedding and reading image license metadata in digital files and documents, with a 2023 revision extending the standard to include data mining permissions, constraints, and prohibitions.
- Picture Licensing Glossary The authoritative reference providing standardized definitions for over 1,000 terms used in image licensing transactions. Created by a worldwide coalition of professionals, regularly expanded and updated, and available online and in print via the PLUS e-store.
- Media Matrix An international image licensing standard that uniformly specifies media categories and organizes them by type, with universal identifiers co-developed and approved by all image industry communities. Used in licensing interfaces and digital asset management.
- Standards Library Technical specifications and documentation for application developers integrating PLUS standards into applications used for capturing, editing, managing, displaying, licensing, and archiving images. Available as a free download from the useplus.com website.
Quantifiable outcome
- Adopted by major publishers including McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Pearson for image contracts
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The PLUS Coalition
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The PLUS Coalition technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration24 records
AI capability3 records
Feature7 records
The PLUS Coalition partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.
- GooglecoreGoogle adopted PLUS standards to identify images worldwide. Launched Google Licenseable Badge feature that recognizes PLUS metadata embedded in image files. When rightsholders add web address to PLUS 'Licensor URL' field, Google Images marks image as 'Licenseable' and directs public to specified webpage.
- Adobe Systems, Inc.coreAdobe integrated numerous PLUS rights metadata fields into Creative Suite products. PLUS metadata fields appear in File Info panels under IPTC Extension in Lightroom 3, CS5, and later versions. Adobe is a Premier Supporter and Leadership Circle member.
- International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC)corePLUS and IPTC collaborate on metadata standardization with over 15 years of cooperation. IPTC integrated significant PLUS rights-related fields into IPTC Photo Metadata Standard. Jointly submitted paper on PLUS Data Mining field to IETF AI Controls Workshop.
- PicScoutkeyPicScout named exclusive provider of image recognition services to PLUS Registry. Image recognition technology identifies matching images in PLUS Registry when users upload unidentified images.
- DigimarckeyDigimarc provides industry-leading digital watermark technology featured in PLUS Registry system. Key Supporter and Leadership Circle member.
- Content Authenticity InitiativecorePLUS supports founding of Content Authenticity Initiative announced at Adobe MAX in November 2019. PLUS actively participates in the initiative.
- W3C Permissions and Obligations Expression Working GroupkeyPLUS joined W3C Permissions and Obligations Expression Working Group to collaborate on standards for communication of rights information for all media.
- UK Copyright HubkeyPLUS serves on UK Copyright Hub Partners Board. UK IPO launched Copyright Hub referring public to PLUS Registry for image rights information. Conducted joint workshops with UK Hub and Pixelrights.
- AuthSMTPminorAuthSMTP provides generous contribution of SMTP services for PLUS website, PLUS Registry, PLUSnews and other outbound communications. Leading provider of global authenticated SMTP email services.
- UserVoiceminorUserVoice provides feedback and helpdesk services for PLUS Registry. Most effective way for software companies to incorporate feedback tools into product websites.
- Getty ImageskeyCharter Sustaining Member and Key Supporter. Joined PLUS from inception and provides financial support. One of the world's leading picture libraries creating and distributing imagery.
- CorbiskeyCharter Sustaining Member and Significant Supporter. Provides advertisers, editors, publishers, filmmakers with visual content and services.
- British LibrarycoreBritish Library adopted PLUS Standards in their primary image licensing platform Images Online. Library's PLUS-compliant image licenses simplify process of licensing and managing image rights.
- Linked Content CoalitionkeyEuropean Commission initiative creating framework for interoperable standards-based communications infrastructure for rights management. PLUS is a Founding Member and Director of Linked Content Coalition in Europe.
- International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO)coreIFRRO is a founding member of PLUS Coalition and holds a Director seat on PLUS Board of Directors. Represents reproduction rights organizations worldwide.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The PLUS Coalition competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC): Non-profit news media standards body that co-develops photo metadata standards with PLUS and integrates PLUS rights fields into the IPTC Photo Metadata Standard. Most directly comparable peer given parallel standards development, multi-stakeholder governance, and 15+ year collaboration history.
- Creative Commons: Non-profit offering standardized content licensing frameworks (CC BY, CC0, etc.) for creative works. Comparable as a non-profit standards/licensing coalition working with creators, publishers, and platforms to enable reusable rights metadata, though focused on open licenses rather than commercial rights clearance.
- Copyright Clearance Center (CCC): Rights licensing and royalty administration organization that handles text and image rights for publishers and corporate users. Comparable as an intermediary in the rights supply chain with similar creator-publisher-customer constituencies, though more focused on collective licensing than open standards.
- IFRRO (International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations): Founding member and Board Director of PLUS; worldwide federation of reproduction rights organizations managing collective licensing. Comparable as a rights-management coalition with overlapping memberships and parallel standards activities in visual content rights.
- Linked Content Coalition: European Commission initiative developing interoperable standards-based infrastructure for rights management, with PLUS as a Founding Member and Director. Comparable as a standards coalition focused on rights metadata interoperability in media.
- RightsDirect (part of CCC): Digital rights licensing platform providing compliance and licensing services for content reuse. Comparable in operating rights licensing infrastructure for corporate customers, though operates as a transactional service rather than open standards body.
- Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI): Adobe-led cross-industry initiative developing Content Credentials for provenance of digital media, with PLUS as a participating member. Comparable as a content metadata coalition addressing rights and authenticity in the era of generative AI.
- PACA: Digital Media Licensing Association: Trade association for stock photo licensing agencies with representation on the PLUS Board. Comparable as an industry trade body addressing image licensing standards and representing picture library constituents of the same ecosystem.
Emerging players
- International DOI Foundation: Non-profit that operates the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) system for persistent identification of digital content. Comparable as a non-profit identifier registry operator with foundational infrastructure status across publishing, relevant to PLUS's PLUS-ID and ISCC identifier offerings.
Others
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): UN agency with PLUS as an Observer, setting international IP norms and treaties. Comparable as a standards-setting body governing IP rights, though at the intergovernmental rather than industry-association layer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The PLUS Coalition social profiles
Digital presenceThe PLUS Coalition financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The PLUS Coalition leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
The PLUS Coalition subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The PLUS Coalition funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The PLUS Coalition M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The PLUS Coalition
What does The PLUS Coalition do?
The PLUS Coalition develops, maintains, and disseminates open universal standards for image licensing and rights management, including the Picture Licensing Glossary (1000+ standardized terms), Media Matrix (universal media category classification), License Data Format (machine-readable metadata schema), Media Summary Code (compact license descriptor), and the PLUS Registry (free global database linking images to creators and rights information via unique identifiers and image recognition). It operates a membership-based non-profit that distributes free standards, provides web-based tools (License Generator, Media Selector, License Decoder), and supplies technical specifications adopted by Adobe, Google, IPTC, Getty, and major publishers.
Is The PLUS Coalition a public or private company?
The PLUS Coalition is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The PLUS Coalition founded?
The PLUS Coalition was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The PLUS Coalition based?
The PLUS Coalition is headquartered in Pasadena, United States, in the North America region.
How does The PLUS Coalition make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Contributions are the primary driver. The others are grants and Sponsorship and PLUS Products Sales.
Who are The PLUS Coalition's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC), Creative Commons, Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), IFRRO (International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations), Linked Content Coalition, RightsDirect (part of CCC), Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) and PACA: Digital Media Licensing Association. International DOI Foundation is listed as an emerging player. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is listed as an others.
Does The PLUS Coalition have an API?
No public API is recorded for The PLUS Coalition.
What industry is The PLUS Coalition in?
The PLUS Coalition's product category is Image Licensing Standards and Rights Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHALAO, Standards, Registries & Interoperability Services (EIDR/ISAN, CPE, DDEX), with a secondary code of MPAHALAE, Content Identification & Matching (Fingerprinting, ID Resolution). Its NAICS code is 51621 and its SIC code is 7829.