Sources checked against official help pages · reviewed every quarter
Guides for selling AI stock images
Everything you need to sell AI-generated images on stock sites, from the rules of each site to upscaling, titles, keywords and uploads. Each guide answers one question, shows its sources with the date we checked them and links to the next step.
The only all-in-one app to earn from stock
- 1Create the image
- 2Own upscaler, up to 4x
- 3Title + keywords
- 4Upload to Adobe
- One guide per question
- Official sources with dates
- Free tools included
Stock Creatives was built by contributors with 20,000+ images on Adobe Stock and over $60,000 earned from stock.
Last reviewed 2026-10-04
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Microstock, explained: how to sell stock images made with AI
Microstock explained: which stock sites accept AI images, Adobe Stock's real requirements, why files get rejected and how to prepare a whole batch faster.
How to become a microstock contributor, step by step
How to become a microstock contributor in 2026: Adobe Stock sign-up rules, payouts, the upload workflow, realistic expectations and common rejections.
How to sell images online: four routes compared
How to sell images online in 2026: stock sites, print-on-demand, direct sales and licensing compared by effort, plus what changes if your images are AI.
Best microstock sites to sell your photos, vectors and AI images
Best microstock sites for contributors, compared: AI policy, minimum size and formats for Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Freepik, 123RF, Dreamstime and more.
Where do I sell my AI art? Platforms, rules and how to prepare it
Where to sell AI art in 2026: stock sites that accept AI, Etsy and print-on-demand, their rules, licensing basics and how to prepare your files.
What sells on Adobe Stock? How to research demand, with no promises
What sells on Adobe Stock? Research demand with Adobe's own tools and its 2026 trends report, avoid similar content and plan an AI session. No promises.
Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock AI generated requirements: every rule, in one checklist
Adobe Stock AI generated requirements (2026): the AI label, fictional people box, model releases, prompt rules and the 3-iteration limit, with a checklist.
Adobe Stock minimum resolution: 4 megapixels, in real pixels
Adobe Stock minimum resolution is 4 MP (about 2000 × 2000 px), up to 100 MP and 45 MB. See the pixel sizes, file rules and how to reach the minimum.
Adobe Stock rejection reasons: why AI images get refused and how to avoid it
Adobe Stock rejection reasons for AI images in 2026: mislabeling, anatomy, artifacts, over-sharpening, similar content and IP, and how to avoid each.
The Adobe Stock CSV: exact columns, limits and how to upload it
Adobe Stock CSV format for 2026: exact columns, limits, UTF-8 rule, a real example and how to upload it. Generate yours free with title and keywords.
How to upload to Adobe Stock: every official way, step by step
How to upload to Adobe Stock in 2026: the Contributor Portal, Lightroom, Bridge and SFTP, the steps to submit for review, and how to bulk upload with CSV.
Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock: which one for selling AI images?
Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock for contributors who sell AI images: AI policy, labels, similar-image limits, upscaling, technical requirements and sources.
How to upscale an image for Adobe Stock so it passes review
Upscale an image for Adobe Stock step by step: the 4 MP minimum, a safe 6–16 MP target, what causes refusals and a worked 3x example (13.5 MP).
Other stock sites
Stock photo sites that accept AI generated images: the 2026 list
Stock photo sites that accept AI generated images in 2026: Adobe Stock, Freepik, 123RF, Dreamstime, Shutterstock and more, with labels, limits and sources.
Sell AI images on Shutterstock: the answer is no, and what to do instead
Can you sell AI images on Shutterstock? No: its policy bans AI content from contributors. See the quote, the rules for real photos and where to sell AI.
Sell AI images on Freepik: Magnific Contributor requirements and first steps
Yes, you can sell AI images on Freepik, now Magnific Contributor. Tag them as AI, keep every side between 2000 and 10000 px and avoid automatic rejections.
Sell AI images on Dreamstime: the conditions it sets and how to meet them
Dreamstime accepts AI images with conditions: hold the rights, say it is AI in the description, use the AI category and mind the faces rule. 3 to 70 MP.
Sell AI images on 123RF: the AI category, the 6 MP minimum and the rules
123RF accepts AI images only in its “AI Generated Images” category, at 6 MP or more and with no real names. Upscaling is allowed. Rules and first steps.
AI images and vectors
How to sell Midjourney images: terms, stock sites and file prep
How to sell Midjourney images in 2026: what Midjourney's terms say, which stock sites accept AI, Adobe's rules and how to prepare your files.
The AI stock photo generator built for selling
AI stock photo generator for contributors: create photos and SVG vectors, upscale them 3x and get titles, keywords and an Adobe Stock CSV. Try it free.
AI vector generator for stock: real SVG, nothing to upscale
AI vector generator for stock: real SVG files made of shapes and curves, so there is nothing to upscale. See what Adobe Stock asks for AI vectors.
Consistent character AI generator for stock photo series with the same person
Consistent character AI generator for stock: save a fictional person once and reuse the same face in photo sessions. Plus Adobe's rules for people.
Stock photography of people: releases, rules and AI-made faces
Stock photography of people in 2026: when you need a model release, Adobe's “fictional” box, Dreamstime's no-faces rule and common AI mistakes to avoid.
Upscaling
The AI image upscaler built for stock sales
AI image upscaler for stock: upscale AI and Midjourney images 3x with faithful detail, sRGB JPEG, a quality check and free title, keywords and CSV.
How to upscale an image to 4K: the exact size and factor
Upscale an image to 4K (3840 × 2160, 8.3 MP): the factor you need from 1024, 1536 or 2048 px, exact 2x, 3x and 4x examples and the limits.
Free AI image upscaler: what's really free and what isn't
AI image upscaler free: what is really free, the limits free tools usually have, a 5-minute test and when a free upscaler is enough for stock images.
How to upscale Midjourney images (and other AI art) for stock
Upscale Midjourney images and other AI art: Midjourney's own output sizes (checked Oct 2026), how to upscale to 2x, 3x or 4x, and what stock needs.
Best AI image upscaler in 2026: an honest comparison
Best AI image upscalers of 2026 compared: Upscayl, Topaz, Magnific, Let's Enhance and more. What each is for, dated prices and what Adobe Stock asks.
Alternatives to Nero AI Image Upscaler, Magnific, Topaz and Photoshop
Alternatives to Nero AI Image Upscaler, Magnific, Topaz, Photoshop, Upscayl, Bigjpg and Upscale.media: what each does, dated prices and who it suits.
Nero AI Image Upscaler: what it offers, its limits and when to pick another
Nero AI Image Upscaler explained: the free-to-start online tool, the Windows PRO app, what each offers (Oct 2026) and when to pick an alternative.
Advanced AI image upscaling techniques for 2026: bigger isn't better
Advanced AI image upscaling techniques for 2026: the right factor, faithful vs creative, no over-sharpening or artifacts, sRGB JPEG for Adobe Stock.
Free tools and metadata
Microstock keyword tool that writes your title, 49 keywords and Adobe CSV
Microstock keyword tool for AI images: a title of up to 70 characters, up to 49 ranked keywords, a category and an Adobe Stock CSV. No credits used.
Image metadata viewer: see the data hidden inside any photo
Free image metadata viewer: see a photo's camera, date, GPS, title and IPTC/XMP keywords. It runs in your browser, so your photo is never uploaded.
Image resolution checker: is your picture big enough for stock sites?
Free image resolution checker and megapixel calculator: compare any image with Adobe Stock, Freepik, 123RF and Dreamstime minimums. Nothing is uploaded.
Stock photo metadata: titles, keywords and what each site reads
Stock photo metadata explained: what Adobe Stock and Freepik ask for titles and keywords, embedded IPTC/XMP vs CSV, and how to check and write yours.
Best microstock keyword tools: an honest comparison
Best microstock keyword tools in 2026 compared: Adobe's suggestions, AutoKeyWorder, CyberStock, CSVNest and us. What each does, CSV support and pricing.
Our own upscaler, up to 4x, built in-house for stock
Stock Creatives has its own upscaling technology, built for stock images: it adds real detail instead of just stretching pixels, and its Faithful mode keeps hands, faces and text in shape.
Choose 2x, 3x or up to 4x. For example, a 1500 × 1000 px photo (1.5 MP, under Adobe's 4 MP minimum) comes out at 4500 × 3000 px (13.5 MP) at 3x, or 6000 × 4000 px (24 MP) at 4x. Upscaling uses credits by scale (a 4x costs twice as much as a 2x), for the images you make in the app and for your own files.
- Our own technology, not a third-party upscaler
- Faithful mode: real detail, with hands and faces intact
- 2x, 3x or 4x: you choose, one upscale each
1.5 MP · under Adobe's 4 MP minimum
13.5 MP · 9x the pixels, well above 4 MP
Or at 4x: 6000 × 4000 px · 24 MP
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start if I want to sell AI images on stock sites?+
Start with the microstock guide, then check which sites accept AI in stock sites that accept AI images. Adobe Stock is the main outlet, so its AI requirements come next.
Are these guides kept up to date?+
Yes. Each guide shows the date of its last review and links to the official page it comes from. Stock sites change their policies often, so we review them every quarter.
Do these guides guarantee that my images will be accepted or will sell?+
No. Meeting a site's rules doesn't guarantee acceptance, and earnings vary a lot. The guides explain the rules and how to prepare files, nothing more.
Is there anything free?+
Yes: the photo metadata viewer, the resolution checker and, with an account, titles, keywords and the Adobe Stock CSV for your images, which don't use credits.
Put the guides into practice
Generate, upscale to 3x and get your title, keywords and CSV in one place. 2 images and 2 upscales to try when you confirm your email. No card needed.
Try it free