2 Types of Licenses for Getty Footage

Getty footage can be bought with two licenses: Royalty free and Rights ready. Each has its own pros and cons. When deciding which license to get, consider your creative needs and budget. Each license gives you rights to use the stock footages. Make sure what you are getting allows you to use them in the way you need them. You also need to consider your budget. Typically, royalty free is cheaper than rights ready. However, that is not always the case. It all comes down to how you intend to use the footage, where and for how long.

Royalty Free

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The simpler licensing model between the two, royalty free grants perpetual rights to use the footages. There are a series of accepted uses, but there are also a few restrictions. Bottom line is you can use the footages multiple times in many projects for as long as you like. And, here’s the topper – for a one-time flat fee. Yes, you can only have to pay once for this type of license. And, you get to use the footage forever in any of the accepted ways.

Here are some things you have to remember about royalty free:

  1. It is restricted in terms of distribution. This means you can only reproduce it for a number of times. Most of the time, the limits are wide enough to fit most uses. But, be sure to check with Getty Images to make sure you are not breaking any guidelines.
  2. Royalty free Getty footage cannot be bought exclusively. The same footage can be licensed by multiple other users who are willing to pay for the fee. They can also be used by different people or organizations at the same time. This means you might see the same footage in other web pages.
  3. Royalty free footage is priced in flat rates according to video format and resolution. Prices vary between $125 and $500 per Getty footage each. All royalty free footages can be used for commercial use.

Rights Ready

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Known as the use-by-use licensing model, rights ready can be adjusted to your particular needs. Pricing depends on your intended use, distribution mode and volume, duration of use, geographic reach, and other specifics. Here are other things you need to know about this type of license:

  1. The maximum duration for this type of license is 10 years. If you wish to extend your use, you need to acquire a new license.
  2. Rights ready grants you exclusive rights to use the Getty footage, you can find promo code here.
  3. The price varies depending on the specific rights, resolution and format. The simplest starts from $99 for smaller distribution uses. For massive visibility usage, you may be charged thousands of dollars.
  4. Rights ready can be used for commercial and editorial use.

It is important to know the restrictions in each type of license to avoid issues in the future. It is also important to note that both cannot be used for unlawful or morally questionable ways.