Microstock Hamster Wheel: More Files, Fewer Sales, Lower Real Returns (Data Analysis from 2019-2026)

Microstock is not dead, but the old model is broken. My portfolio has grown substantially since 2019, yet sales volumes have fallen, average real returns are lower, and the effort required just to stand still has become absurd. The lesson is clear: uploading more generic content to low-value agencies is no longer a strategy. The future is more selective, niche subjects, premium agencies, stronger curation, and placing the best work where it still has a chance to be valued properly.