Revenue
The Company distributes its products through two primary offerings:
Content: The majority of the Company’s customers license image, video, music and 3D content for commercial purposes either directly through the Company’s self-service web properties or through the Company’s dedicated sales teams. Content customers have the flexibility to purchase subscription-based plans that are paid on a monthly or annual basis. Customers are also able to license content on a transactional basis. These customers generally license content under the Company’s standard or enhanced licenses, with additional licensing options available to meet customers’ individual needs. Certain content customers also have unique content, licensing and workflow needs. These customers communication with dedicated sales professionals, service and research teams which provide a number of tailored enhancements to their creative workflows including non-standard licensing rights, multi-seat access, ability to pay on credit terms, multi-brand licensing packages, increased indemnification protection and content licensed for use-cases outside of those available on the e-commerce platform.
Data, Distribution, and Services: The Company’s Data, Distribution, and Services offerings address customer demand for products and services that are beyond the stock image, footage music and 3D model licenses. These offerings include access to the Company’s metadata for machine learning and generative artificial intelligence model training and high-quality production and custom content at scale provided by Shutterstock Studios.
The Company’s Content and Data, Distribution, and Services revenues for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| 2025 | | 2024 | | 2023 | | | | |
| Content | $ | 786,661 | | | $ | 760,011 | | | $ | 737,264 | | | | | |
| Data, Distribution, and Services | 203,264 | | | 175,251 | | | 137,323 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Total Revenues | $ | 989,925 | | | $ | 935,262 | | | $ | 874,587 | | | | | |
Deferred revenue reported on the balance sheet represents unfulfilled performance obligations for which the Company has either received payment or has outstanding receivables. The December 31, 2025 deferred revenue balance will be earned as content is downloaded or upon the expiration of subscription-based products, and nearly all is expected to be earned within the next twelve months. $224.1 million of total revenue recognized for the year ended December 31, 2025 was reflected in deferred revenue as of December 31, 2024. In addition, as of December 31, 2025, the Company has approximately $35.3 million of
contracted but unsatisfied performance obligations relating primarily to our data offerings, which are not included as a component of deferred revenue and that the Company expects to recognize over a five year period. In certain of the Company’s data deal contracts, the Company has provided customers with the right to cancel. As of December 31, 2025, the Company does not have a refund reserve liability. As of December 31, 2024, the total refund reserve related to these contracts was $13.0 million, of which $7.3 million and $5.7 million and was recorded in Other current liabilities and Other non-current liabilities, respectively. Should these cancellation rights not be exercised, this refund reserve would convert to revenue. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, the Company recognized $5.0 million of revenue from the reversal of refund reserves.