Lummi vs. DTS: Best AI alternative to Death to Stock

Stock photos have come a long way. But even now, it's hard to find visuals that don't feel, well... stocky. Death to Stock, however, is a fantastic stock photo alternative that doesn't fit into the boring mold.

Their content is beautiful, artistic, and authentic, but it comes with some serious downsides. Limited library, complicated licensing, and sky-high pricing for full usage rights can leave you searching for something better.

That's where a key Death to Stock alternative is necessary for creatives who need high-quality visuals and powerful features.

Lummi is a creative platform that gives you high-quality images, powerful AI editing tools, and total creative control, all at a fraction of the price. Whether you're a content creator, small business owner, or marketer, Lummi can be the more cost-effective solution for beautiful visuals and increased productivity.

Here's a quick breakdown in how the two compare.

Quantity of stock photos: Lummi has the advantage

One of the biggest limitations of Death to Stock is its size. While their images are curated and often visually stunning, the actual collection is tiny by industry standards. According to some user reviews, Death to Stock only offers around 9,000 photos and videos.

That might sound like a lot, but when you're looking for something specific—say, remote work in a cozy setting or diverse team planning session—you might hit a wall fast.

Lummi, on the other hand, gives you access to nearly 100,000 stock images. And it doesn't stop there. You also get access to:

• Illustrations
• 3D assets
• A growing library of visuals made by some of the most talented creators in design.

It's a full ecosystem of creative media that's built for flexibility and volume. You can search across different content types, remix them, or even use AI tools to edit them so they're absolutely perfect for your creative project.

Pricing: more power, less money

Death to Stock's pricing starts at $19 per month, billed annually, but there are a few catches here. First, the $19 a month only allows you to rent visuals (and only single-liscense). This is extremely limiting if you want something that you fully own.

Once you cancel your subscription, you lose your rights to use any downloaded media in new projects unless you add credit, and yes, even if you created those projects during your active subscription. That's a pretty steep ask. Again, this is also based on reviews from former subscribers.

If you want extended usage rights, you'll need the Agency plan and pay $179 per file. That's per image.

Now, if you ant to buy visuals with transfer-license, that will set you back $69 a month billed annually. Granted, the visuals are stunning and professional - no doubt about it - but the price tag is still something that will drive people away.

Now here's what Lummi offers:

• $10 per month, billed yearly
• No licensing confusion
• Images are free for commercial and personal use. They're all yours.
• Existing projects stay covered even after cancellation
• No watermarking
• Access to premium tools included at no extra cost

You get way more functionality and creative flexibility, without hidden terms or post-cancellation penalties. That's a massive upgrade in both value and transparency.

DTS is still stock: Lummi is a creative suite

Death to Stock is known for its visual aesthetic. Their photos are artistic, moody, and feel more real than traditional stock. That's great, if you find exactly what you need.

But what if you want to go beyond static images?

That's where Lummi becomes a favorite for creatives who seek productivity without sacrificing aesthetics. That's why Lummi is more a full AI-powered design tool rather than a stock photo library. With a Pro subscription, here's what you unlock:

• Reframe any image
• Upscale for ultra-high resolution
• Background removal in one click
• AI image generation to create original content from scratch
• Advanced editing tools
• Image to video to animate still images with motion and effects

That's like having Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and a stock library rolled into one simple, affordable package.

With Lummi, you're not stuck choosing from limited options. You're empowered to create exactly what you want. And for content creators who need volume, variety, and speed, that flexibility is priceless.

Licensing: simpler, smarter, fairer

Most people don't want to read through pages of licensing rules just to make sure they can use an image in a campaign.

Death to Stock licensing can be complicated for some. Here's how their model works:

• You're allowed to use downloaded assets for new projects only while your subscription is active
• After you cancel, you can't use those assets in new projects anymore, and you must add credit even for existing work
• Want to avoid that? You'll need an extended license at $179 per image

Compare that to Lummi licensing:

• Use any image in any project while subscribed
• Your existing work remains licensed, even after you cancel
• No retroactive crediting
• No legal traps
• Clear terms and creator-friendly policies

In short, Lummi gives you freedom without fear. That means less stress, more creativity.

When to choose Lummi over Death to Stock

If you're a designer, social media manager, agency, or even a student working on class projects, Lummi is built for your workflow.

Death to Stock has a strong brand and a clear artistic point of view. If you love moodier, editorial-style photos and don't mind the limitations in quantity or licensing, it can be a fantastic fit.

But Lummi is often the better alternative, especially if you're looking to produce top-tier quality at a modern world speed.

It gives you more content, more control, and more creative tools for a much lower price. Instead of just picking from a small batch of curated photos, you get a full AI toolkit to design visuals exactly the way you imagine them.

Oh, and if you cancel, keep your images. No hard feelings.