There is no universal price — the right price depends primarily on the type of event, the emotional engagement of the participants, and the number of photos available. A well-calibrated price maximises both the purchase rate and the revenue per transaction.
Factors to consider #
The type of event and the commitment of participants The longer, more difficult and emotionally charged the event, the more participants are willing to invest in their photo memories:
- Ultra trail, Ironman, marathon — highly committed participants, less price sensitive. You can charge higher prices without slowing down sales.
- Trail running, half marathon, cycling, short-distance triathlon — good balance between commitment and price sensitivity
- Short road races (5 km, 10 km), public events — broader, less committed audience; prioritise more accessible prices to maximise purchase volume.
The number of photos available per participant The more photos a participant has available, the higher the perceived value and the more you can justify a higher price — or offer an attractive athlete package covering all of their photos at a flat rate.
Your positioning A professional photographer with high-end equipment and meticulous post-production can justify higher rates than an amateur photographer.
Price benchmarks by type of event #
| Type of event | Range per photo | Athlete pack |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra trail, Ironman | €8 – €15 | €25 – €30 |
| Marathon, long trail | €6 – €10 | €20 – €25 |
| Half marathon, short trail run, triathlon | €5 – €8 | €18 – €22 |
| 10 km road race | £3 – £6 | Not recommended |
| 5 km road race, public event | €2 – €4 | Not recommended |
The athlete pack — a lever to increase average basket size #
For long events where participants have many photos available, offering a flat-rate athlete package is often more effective than selling photos individually. Participants pay a fixed price to access all of their photos, which automatically increases your average basket size. Prices range from €18 to €30 depending on the type of event.
See the article “Create an athlete pack download”.
The sliding scale tariff #
You can also set up a sliding scale pricing structure — the unit price decreases as the participant purchases more photos. This approach encourages multiple purchases and increases overall revenue.
See the article “Setting download rates”.
💡 Feel free to test different prices on your first few events to find the right balance between purchase rate and revenue per transaction. The data in your order dashboard will allow you to adjust your pricing strategy as events unfold.
💡 Remember that the Sportpxl commission is paid by the buyer in addition to your price — your income corresponds exactly to the price you have listed, without any deductions. See the article “Understanding pricing & commission”.
