Shutterstock Editor Reviews

“Free design downloads available

Pros

It's an affordable way to edit photos and make things like social media posts, business cards and other designs. I tried several templates, and they were all free to download even after I customized them. The stock photos in the editor are great and I can upload my own photos too. Moving around parts of the design is smooth, just tap and drag. There are options to rotate, flip, crop and resize too. I also really liked how I could add text and change the colors and styles.

Cons

One downside is that It's only available in the web browser and I couldn't find it in the Shutterstock app or any standalone app. The homepage promises a lot of features but I could only find some of them. When I imported a photo, the only options I had were to rotate, flip or delete. I couldn't figure out how to add filters and it would've been helpful if the editor was easier to use with some basic instructions or tutorials.

“Basics of online publishing

Pros

I absolutely love this because there's just so much unique and high-quality content that you can find within seconds. It's become an amazing tool for me and really helps inspire my projects. The music tracks are also awesome for editing my videos. I highly recommend taking advantage of the free trial they offer for new members!

Cons

It'd be great if there were more offers and discounts on the videos.

“A simple editor for basic edits

Pros

This tool is very fast and easy especially if you're a beginner and just need a quick way to get things done online.

Cons

Honestly, this editor is pretty basic with limited options. It doesn't come close to tools like Illustrator or Photoshop. I'd say it's okay for web graphics but definitely not something you'd want to use for print.

“My go-to resource for any creative

Pros

I really love the huge selection of high quality images, videos and music here. The search engine works great and everything is royalty-free. They have different subscription plans that fit all kinds of budgets, plus a free trial to try everything out.

Cons

I've noticed that some images are priced higher than others which is a bit annoying. Also, customer service can be slow to respond which isn't great when you need

“Best collection of photos out there

Pros

Honestly, no one beats Shutterstock's photo library. The editor has so many features that make it perfect for advertising and marketing especially for business owners. Even hobbyist photographers will love it. It has amazing premium photo and video editing and the 3D modeling and animated elements are definitely some of the coolest features I've used.

Cons

The customer support wasn't as great as I expected from a big name like Shutterstock but honestly, it was still better than a lot of others I've dealt with. I reached out to them to get clarity on how some features work and I found that the interface can be a bit tricky.

“From beginner to pro-level

Pros

It is definitely my top choice for image libraries. They have thousands of quality photos. The editor is free and super easy to use whether I'm editing my own photos or choosing from theirs. You can create or edit images in formats like PNG and it even supports PDF vectors, so there's no distortion when I print. You can adjust canvas size, background color and transparency. I love that I can add text, icons or other elements to customize the images. The tools are beginner-friendly and they even let me enhance shadows, something a lot of free editors miss. They also offer unique templates that save me time or just inspire me. Plus the smart resize tool is perfect when I need to adjust images for different platforms. When I'm done, I can save everything for later use.

Cons

The Shutterstock editor is only available for desktop users and some laptops, so it's not the most convenient if you want to use it on other devices. If you don't have a Shutterstock subscription, the watermark stays on any Shutterstock photos you use. Some templates also require a subscription which is kind of frustrating. The font and icon libraries are decent but not the best and there's no way to search for icons by keywords or tags which would make things easier. The dashboard is different from what I'm used to, so it took me a while to get the hang of it.

“Integrate Shutterstock's power into your designs

Pros

The drag-and-drop editor is easy to use and I can create anything from Facebook posts to catalogs and greeting cards. If you have a Shutterstock image plan, It's definitely a powerful tool to have.

Cons

You can't upload your own images into the editor which means you have to rely on Shutterstock's library. The template library is still growing but right now, it feels a little limited. The good thing is, they're adding new templates every day.