Shutterstock vs SmugMug:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Shutterstock had more branded searches than SmugMug among photography services worldwide. Shutterstock was estimated to have 1.2M branded searches compared to SmugMug’s 117K, and held a 42.1% Share of Search versus SmugMug’s 4%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Shutterstock or SmugMug?
Compare the photography services brands work with. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Shutterstock, SmugMug. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Shutterstock | Getty Images | Pixieset | SmugMug | ShootProof | Snappr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51.3% | 28.7% | 15.9% | 3.2% | 0.78% | 0.05% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.2% | 27.9% | 18.7% | 3.1% | 1.1% | 0.06% |
| Dec 2025 | 49.5% | 27.8% | 18.7% | 3.1% | 0.75% | 0.08% |
| Jan 2026 | 51.5% | 28.5% | 16% | 3.2% | 0.64% | 0.12% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.9% | 32.7% | 14.9% | 3.7% | 0.73% | 0.11% |
| Mar 2026 | 48.3% | 32.8% | 15% | 3.1% | 0.73% | 0.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 44.4% | 30.7% | 20.5% | 3.4% | 0.82% | 0.11% |
| May 2026 | 44.5% | 30.5% | 20.5% | 3.5% | 0.82% | 0.13% |
| Jun 2026 | 44.8% | 30.8% | 20.6% | 2.9% | 0.68% | 0.11% |
| Jul 2026 | 39.9% | 33.4% | 22.7% | 3.1% | 0.74% | 0.12% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.1% | 28.9% | 24% | 4% | 0.95% | 0.12% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Shutterstock and SmugMug comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Shutterstock was ahead of SmugMug in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Shutterstock’s estimated Share of Search among photography services worldwide moved from 51.3% to 42.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2M to 1.2M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, SmugMug’s estimated Share of Search among photography services worldwide moved from 3.2% to 4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 141K to 117K.
How did search popularity change for photography services worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Shutterstock gained estimated Share of Search among photography services worldwide, from 39.9% to 42.1%.
In August 2026, SmugMug gained estimated Share of Search among photography services worldwide, from 3.1% to 4%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Shutterstock’s and SmugMug’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Shutterstock
1 branded search term
- shutterstock
SmugMug
17 branded search terms
- photo smugmug
- photography smugmug
- SmugMug
- smugmug com
- smugmug iphone
- smugmug photo
- smugmug photography
- smugmug photos
- smugmug pictures
- smugmug price
- smugmug prices
- smugmug pricing
- smugmug rates
- smugmug site
- smugmug website
- smugmug websites
- www smugmug
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.