Photobucket

It looks as if images/photographs hosted by Photobucket and embedded in forums will soon disappear. This is because Photobucket has decided to start charging for their previously free service. There are three 'plans' offered by Photobucket but it is only the most expensive one that allows 3rd party hosting (this means showing a photograph or image in a forum post). Not only that but this plan will cost $399.99 a year according to their site.

Some people have had their forum images blocked already. Others are having no trouble as yet but is seems only a matter of time before it will be experienced. My images are OK at present, perhaps because I pay for an ad-free service. However, I don't have confidence that all the photos and images I've ever posted in various forums over the years will continue to show. More about Photobucket's decision to charge for 3rd party hosting here:

https://petapixel.com/2017/07/01/photobucket-just-broke-billions-photos-embedded-web/

It's because of this news that I've been looking into other image hosting sites, both free and paid. I think I'll be settling on ImgUR, which just happens to be free.

Mart, I have been using photobucket for years and until recently I was very happy with it but over the last few months I've had all sorts of problems. I got the impression that they wanted me to take up a paid subscription and I'm not up for that so I'm looking  for alternatives too.

For what images I have on Photobucket they can keep the at that price. No way am I paying for that.

I had an Email from them stating that my account will be closed at the end of July if I don't subscribe to one of 3 plans.

My annual payment for the Ad Free service is due on 22nd July so I have advised them to cancel my account immediately.

Tis a pity, especially on technical forums where people have posted an illustrated set of instructions to carry out DIY or car repairs. Those threads will be spoiled.

Jokes, smilies, funny pics etc, of which I have posted plenty, will soon be smithereened which is perhaps not important.

I saw this coming about 3 months ago and have recently been using Servimg and Imgbb to host pics until I find another. 

I already have an IMGUR account, but I find the interface non too friendly.

I have tried downloading my images from PB to my computer - but it takes an interminable amount of time. If you download a folder, PB first processes the contents to create a ZIP file. They then Email you to advise it is ready for downloading. I downloaded a folder containing 28 pics and it took 25 minutes to create the zip file. This then downloaded to my computer in less than 30 seconds. I set a folder containing 384 pics for download and 7 hours later the PBsystem was still creating the file - so I gave up.

I have PB and also Tinypic I have not received and emails requesting money.....as yet

I have 6300 images hosted on PB taking up 1.2 GB of space which are all there to serve posts on forums.

Perhaps they are tackling subscribers in the order of the server space they are using.

I like you have had lots of images posted from PB on various forums over the years, but unlike you
I have deleted most of them over the years and now have just a handful, so it's no big deal to me if my account is closed

I've been using Photobucket for years and over that time I've uploaded 1,801 images, all linked to in various posts in different forums. Before uploading images, I always resize and optimise them so they don't look too big in posts and have a reasonably low file size. This means that the 1,801 images are only taking up 6.98% of my 2 gigabyte allowance.

I rather think this is why my images are still being allowed. They don't take up much of Photobucket's storage space and being small in file size, they don't use a lot of PB's bandwidth when people view them in forums. I'm supposing this situation won't last though and eventually my photos and other images will be blocked unless I pay the $399.99 a year ..which I ain't going to do!

Anyway, posts don't generally get looked at too much after they have been around for a few weeks (not even that sometimes), so I suppose it doesn't matter very much if any of my images/photos embedded in past posts don't show anymore. I think this might matter a lot to those who run photo or other graphics sites though.

I have managed to download most of my Photobucket albums to my computer. Fortunately, a way is provided for this. Thought I ought to do that fairly quick in case the facility gets withdrawn later.