I think I pay Photobucket $2.99 a month. I've got thousands of pics there. I haven't heard anything from them about a change in policy. If they go to $500 a year, all my old posts will lose their picture links. I might go as high as $5 a month, but that's it.
Going to retire in a couple of years. Practicing some budget restraint now..
I think that once your paid contract with them runs out, then your linked photos will be gone too. I also have all my photos stored on my hard drive in addition to photobucket. I wouldn't mind paying a minimal fee for using them, but not $400/year.
Here's from their new "terms of service";
Here’s their new terms of service. I sent them an e-mail saying that there was no way in hell that I was paying $400/year for 3rd party hosting and that they could shove their terms of service agreement where the sun don’t shine.
Types of Accounts, Pricing and Limits
Visiting : There is no cost to visit the Site or to register as a Member.
Free account : Each individual Member gets one free account that provides 2 GB of free storage or space available for your original photo files, or videos under 10min. The free account
does not allow any image linking or 3rd party image hosting. If a free account Member exceeds their Content Limit, their account will be immediately suspended and they will need to become a “Paying Member” (defined below) in order to continue accessing their account. You can upgrade to a Plus account at any time.
Ad-free Account : The Ad-free Account offers Members the ability to use the Site without seeing any third party banner advertisements when logged into your Ad-free Account (note, viewers of your images within Photobucket will see ads unless they, too, have Plus accounts and you will continue to see Photobucket offers and announcements). This account level is available for $2.49 / month, payable by the Member on a monthly recurring basis.
Plus Account : The Plus Account offers several paid options that may give the Paying Member more storage, bandwidth, 3rd party image hosting, image linking and/or other services as outlined below. Once and during such period of time in which you subscribe to and pay for a Plus Account, we will consider you a "Paying Member." Please note that all Plus Account subscriptions are billed annually at the commencement of the service. Photobucket may also offer a monthly billing option for its Plus Accounts (see terms and restrictions, below).
Available Plus Account Plans : Photobucket offers the following Plus Account Plans:
o Plus 50 Plan: 52 GB of Storage for $59.99 / Year. The Plus 50 Plan
does not allow any image linking or 3rd party image hosting.
o Plus 100 Plan: 102 GB of Storage for $99.99 / Year. The Plus 100 Plan allows for unlimited image linking but
does not allow 3rd party image hosting.
o Plus 500 Plan: 500 GB of Storage and unlimited bandwidth for $399.99 / Year.
The Plus 500 Plan allows for unlimited image linking and unlimited 3rd party image hosting.
