Picsart, the popular AI-powered design and photo editing platform, announced the launch of its first-ever creator monetization program, allowing digital artists to earn revenue from their creative assets.
The initiative, Earn with Picsart, marks a significant shift for the Miami-based unicorn startup as it seeks to compete directly with other creative giants like Canva and Adobe in the burgeoning creator economy.
Under this new model, eligible creators can earn a share of the revenue generated when the platform’s massive user base of 150 million monthly active users utilizes their templates, stickers, or edited backgrounds.
The program is currently rolling out to a select group of creators before a planned global expansion to more regions and artistic niches later this year.
To participate, designers must apply for the program and meet specific quality and engagement benchmarks set by the company.
Once accepted, creators can upload their original designs to the Picsart marketplace. The platform uses a performance-based system to calculate payouts, focusing on how often a creator’s assets are used in final edits by other members of the community.
Company officials stated that the goal is to empower the “side-hustle” generation by providing a low-friction way to monetize digital art.
By integrating monetization directly into the editing workflow, Picsart is attempting to turn its casual user base into a professionalized workforce of contributors.
This move addresses a long-standing demand from the platform’s top-tier designers who have previously contributed content for exposure rather than direct financial gain.
The program also includes tools to help creators track their analytics, which are data points showing how many people viewed or used their work.
For aspiring creators, this provides a new avenue for global income without the need for a massive social media following on other apps.
Unlike traditional influencer marketing where creators earn from brand deals, this model relies on the utility of the design itself, similar to a royalty payment.
Founded in 2011 by Hovhannes Avoyan, Picsart has grown from a simple photo editing tool into a comprehensive creative suite featuring advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features.
The platform has become a staple for small business owners and social media managers who require quick, high-quality visual content.
Prior to this launch, Picsart focused heavily on its subscription model, Picsart Gold, which provides ad-free browsing and premium tools.
The company has raised over $195 million in funding to date from major investors including SoftBank and Sequoia Capital, and this pivot toward creator payouts signals a strategic move to secure high-quality, original content to train and fuel its AI models.
