Last Updated on September 6, 2024
When discussing employment opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), perhaps it’s usually app developers that quickly come to mind. However, the AI industry provides immense income-generating opportunities that anyone can pursue without necessarily having prior experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning (ML), or related fields.
One of the many business ideas in artificial intelligence is selling AI-generated artwork. What makes this idea so attractive is its hands-off approach. All you need is to identify the right AI software, generate amazing artwork with the program, and then list your creations for sale.
The only major challenge with selling AI-generated artwork is finding a suitable platform to list your products on. And that has nothing to do with any shortage of such websites. On the contrary, there are plenty of sites which accept AI-generated content. The trick is to find a platform that checks the boxes in terms of high monthly traffic and reasonable seller commissions.
You wouldn’t want to list your artwork where they’d only end up gathering dust. And much less on a platform that pays peanuts to sellers while retaining much of the commission.
Below is a definitive guide to the 20 best platforms to sell AI-generated artwork.
1. Etsy
Fees Levied: 6.5% + Shipping & Wrapping Fees
Etsy is undeniably one of the biggest platforms to sell artificial intelligence art. The company allows AI artists to upload their artwork to its website and then set their own prices. The flexibility in choosing individual prices makes it easy for creators to monetize their works. Just remember to use the prevailing market rates as a guide. Otherwise, it may take painfully long for a willing buyer to come along.
Etsy also lets its artists customize the appearance and feel of their shop and product page. Besides, sellers can manage orders and shipping from the platform.
In 2022, about 92 million active buyers purchased various commodities through the Etsy ecosystem. That was a slight drop from 2021 when the marketplace registered a record 96.34 million buyers. While only a fraction of these people is looking for AI content, it’s simply reassuring to know that your artwork is visible to millions of potential clients worldwide.
AI art sellers will also love Etsy for its reasonable commission rates. The company charges a transaction fee of 6.5% of the listing price plus an additional amount specified for shipping and gift wrapping. Note that the latter charges will be inapplicable if dealing with abstract AI art.
2. Adobe Stock
Commission Paid: 33% for images and 35% for videos
Adobe Stock boasts over 200 million skillfully curated, HD-quality artwork, including images, videos, graphics, vectors, and illustrations. While the website may seem a bit saturated with digital assets, it still offers amazing opportunities for listing AI-generated content.
Adobe Stock accepts content made using AI tools, provided that it meets the submission criteria. The submission standards include, among other things, excellent visual clarity and originality.
Stock’s commission rates may not be the best. But the company makes up for that with its millions of monthly traffic and active users.
3. Shutterstock
Commission Paid: Between 15% and 40%
Shutterstock has paid out over $1 billion to creators worldwide during its 15-year history. The company provides a platform where artists can showcase their photography or videography skills and earn decent commissions in return. Among its many clients include AI enthusiasts.
However, selling artificial intelligence content on Shutterstock is a bit complicated as the company recently banned all AI-generated art from its platform. The only way around the ban is to generate your artwork using Shutterstock’s proprietary algorithms which are hosted on its website. You can then pay for these images, tweak them if you so wish, and relist them on the very platform.
Once approved, you can start earning immediately from the platform. Commission earnings range from 15% to 40%, depending on the type of artwork sold (whether it’s an image or video).
4. Pexels
Commission Paid: $0.25/download
Pexels is another fantastic website to sell AI art. This platform pays at least $0.25 per download and all payments are remitted through PayPal.
The actual payouts may occasionally vary depending on whether you’re selling still or kinetic images. AI videos will most definitely attract higher commissions.
The best way to make the most of Pexels is to ensure your artwork is unique, in demand, and of the highest quality. The platform generally accepts uploads in JPEG file formats as opposed to PNG, RAW, or GIF. Besides, the images must be free of graphics, borders, watermarks, or text elements.
5. Redbubble
Commission Paid: 20%
Redbubble is an online marketplace that links thousands of buyers and sellers worldwide. The platform specializes in listing independent artwork uploaded by artists. That makes it an excellent place for selling AI artwork.
One major benefit of selling AI-generated art on Redbubble is that the website lists a wide range of products that typically go with your offerings. These include t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and stickers. The selling process is remarkably easy too. Simply upload your artwork or design and set the asking price.
You’ll get a default commission of 20% for each sale. However, you can adjust your commission percentage on every listing.
6. Wirestock
Commission Paid: 85%
Wirestock provides one of the most user-friendly platforms for selling photos, videos, and AI art. The website allows you to submit your content without inputting any keywords or captions.
Wirestock also lets you license your AI content from a single platform. You don’t need to exit your sessions or sign up for a separate account. There are no extensive forms or lengthy payment processes to contend with either.
Wirestock charges a reasonable commission as creators get to keep 85% of their earnings. And needless to mention, account sign-up and listing is 100% free.
7. eBay
Fees Levied: Between 5% and 15% plus a flat rate of $0.30 per order
As one of the first companies to create a website that matches online sellers with buyers, one would intuitively expect eBay to offer AI artists a platform to showcase their assets. And they’d be right.
In line with eBay’s business model, the company doesn’t directly sell your AI artwork. Rather, it lets you list those items so other users can bid on them in auctions.
However, eBay recently implemented a new fixed price format that allows buyers to purchase items at the listed price. The new feature, which is similar to the “Buy It Now” option that comes with auction-style listings, can have your AI artwork sell much faster on the platform.
8. Alamy
Commission Paid: 50%
The first thing you’ll love about Alamy is that the company pays up to 50% of all sales made through its website. But as you shall find, that’s not the only reason to list your AI artwork on Alamy’s marketplace.
A decent percentage of Alamy customers are people looking for pictures for newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, websites, and television shows. So, you can be sure each artwork uploaded to the platform will generate considerable interest.
Many Alamy users also laud the company for its fast listing speed. Your uploads will typically go live within 24 hours. And while 50% is the default commission levied, certain factors may have you take home more than half of the earnings from your AI artwork.
9. BigStockPhoto
Commission Paid: 30%
When it comes to ease of account setup, very few websites compare to BigStockPhoto. BigStock has been around since September 2004, during which the company has continually incorporated new products into its catalog. It’s now a go-to place for high-quality AI-generated images, vectors, and illustrations.
BigStock Creators earn 30% for every artwork sold. The company maintains a minimum cash-out amount of $30 and pays through PayPal or electronic fund transfer to Moneybookers/Skrill.
To list your AI artwork on BigStockPhoto, you’ll only need to sign up for an account and then upload your images. The website contains insights for growing your portfolio, making it all the more worth checking out.
10. Society6
Commission Paid: 10%
Recent projections by Growjo indicate that Society6 earned $120 million in revenue in 2021. While that may pale in comparison to Redbubble (which made a whopping $650 million during the same period), it’s clear proof that artists can earn from monetized content on Society6’s website.
The main reason behind Society6’s impressive earnings is its ever-growing number of monthly visitors, which translates to higher visibility for your products. As of April 2023, the website’s traffic stood at roughly 4.7 million.
Traffic statistics further put the average session duration at 18.40. That essentially means most visitors are likely looking for content to download as opposed to simply navigating the website.
11. Dreamstime
Commission Paid: Between 25% and 60%
Up until recently, Dreamstime wasn’t allowing creators to contribute AI content to its platform. However, the company has since revised its stance on artificial intelligence and is now one of the best platforms to make money from AI-generated artwork.
Selling AI-generated artwork on Dreamstime is quick and easy. Simply sign into your account or create an account if you don’t already have one and then upload your content.
Dreamstime pays commissions between 25% and 60%. The rates are quite friendly, especially for artists earning on the higher end of the range. On average, you can make between $0.35 and $12.24 for a royalty-free purchase. The earnings can leap to $40.80 for extended licenses in addition to exclusive offers of up to $0.20 for every downloaded art.
12. Freepik
Commission Paid: 50%
For many years, Freepik operated exclusively as a search engine that allowed users to get their hands on high-quality photos, illustrations, vectors, and PSD files. The company has maintained its insistence on quality but introduced other products to its ever-growing catalog, including artificial intelligence artwork.
Becoming a Freepik contributor is simple and straightforward. As with many stock image marketplaces, you’ll need to create an account first. The next step would entail generating your AI images and uploading them to the Freepik website. The platform embraces different types of creative AI art, from images to vectors, illustrations, and even mockups.
Freepik uses a pay-per-download model where you earn depending on the number of downloads your content generates. But all factors considered, you should take home around 50% from each sale.
13. 123RF
Commission Paid: 30% – 60%
123RF has joined the growing list of stock photo websites that implement their proprietary AI image generators. But unlike Shutterstock which only lets you sell AI art created on its website, this company accepts AI content generated by third-party software.
The only requirement you must fulfill is to ensure you have all the commercial rights to use the AI content before listing it on 123RF’s platform. Be sure to read the company’s Contributor Agreement for more insights.
123RF pays out a competitive commission rate of between 30% and 60% on each sale.
14. Zazzle
Commission Paid: 15%
Zazzle is an online marketplace best known for its custom offerings, which include fashion accessories and home décor. Most items on the platform are crafted by skilled artists worldwide.
Zazzle has also become a go-to website for selling AI artwork. Listings can be done through the company’s official homepage or on the mobile app.
As with most marketplaces on this list, Zazzle charges no upfront fees. The company only levies commissions at the point of sale. The standard commission rate is 15%, plus up to 17% volume bonus. Moreover, there’s an additional 15% if you refer friends to the platform and they purchase your products.
15. DepositPhotos
Commission Paid: Between 30% and 38%
DepositPhotos is another website that gives AI enthusiasts a platform to showcase their talents while also earning on the side. Millions of stock photos are already listed on the site, but the company is happy to accept some more provided that they meet the eligibility criteria.
To sell on DepositPhotos, you’ll need to sign up for an account and upload some of your best images as part of the interview process. It may take up to seven days to be approved.
Once your account is verified, you can start uploading images and earning. Note that your images may be reviewed by DepositPhotos’ team of content curators to ensure it meets the quality threshold.
16. Most Photos
Commission Paid: 50%
Flexibility is the biggest reason many AI content generators prefer MostPhotos. This company lets you list artwork that you’ve published on other sites. That’s because all images are available under its royalty-free model.
MostPhotos also provides a fast and easy sign-up process. Besides, there are tons of insights on how users can grow their portfolios and boost their earnings on the platform.
Each sale attracts a 50% commission. Moreover, there’s an additional 10% commission on items sold by someone you refer and a 5% commission on purchases made by a buyer you refer.
17. YayImages
Commission Paid: 50%
A quick scan through YayImages’ website reveals that the company maintains a minimum payout of up to $60.
But while that makes it sound like a horrible place to list your AI artwork, there’s an equalizer in having your creations accessible to a global audience. It’s also great to know that all revenues generated from the sale of your AI artwork are split evenly. So, it shouldn’t take long to make the minimum cash-out amount.
However, remember to read YayImages terms and conditions carefully before contributing your AI artwork to the platform. The company has received a thumbs-down from some of its clients who cite misleading marketing techniques and poor maintenance.
18. ArtStation
Commission Paid: 95%
Many stock photography websites have been jumping onto the AI bandwagon lately, and it appears ArtStation isn’t about to sit out the AI craze either.
ArtStation appreciates AI’s transformative capabilities in the field of generative content. As such, the company allows its users to upload and monetize different kinds of AI-generated artwork on its platform. These include photos, models, textures, and 3Ds.
The fact that ArtStation receives most of its traffic from art lovers makes it the ideal platform to list your AI artwork. Even better is that the company levies a paltry 5% commission on sales.
19. CanStockPhoto
Commission Paid: Commissions start from $1
CanStockPhoto is a royalty-free stock photography agency that prides itself on offering high-quality professional stock images at affordable prices. The company adds over 25,000 quality images to its website every day. These include photos and artwork generated by artificial intelligence.
To contribute to CanStockPhoto, you’ll need to create an account by filling out the simple application form. Once approved, simply upload your artwork in the recommended file format and wait for a willing buyer to show up.
CanStockPhoto’s commissions start from $1 for small JPEG files to $75 for 4K UHD video downloads.
20. Offline Places To Sell Your AI-generated Art
The internet isn’t the only place to find amazing opportunities for selling AI-generated content. There are equally many physical locations where you can display your AI artwork and generate considerable interest in them. These include:
• Selling AI art along with posters
• Selling AI-themed prints and patterns
• Selling AI art for colored books
• Displaying your AI artwork at exhibitions
• Selling your AI art as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) inside a blockchain
Final Word
There are multiple places (both online and offline) to sell AI-generated content.
To make the most of this business idea, always insist on high-quality artwork. You might also want to tweak any AI-generated content before offering it for sale, just in case there’s a replica of the same artwork already listed elsewhere.