Dribbble is the best-known social network for designers, but it has experienced a seismic shift in its platform. These changes have deeply divided its user base and even prompted the rise of a new competitor. In Sept 2014, Dribbble had already started making the pivot to a marketplace model designed to directly connect designers with clients. This change has led to the blacklisting of thousands of designers. Among the most visible victims of this was Gleb Kuznetsov, whose account got deleted when he broke the new rules on this rebranded Twitter and shared some client’s contact information.
Dribbble capped out at around 750k approved designers on their platform before these changes. The platform previously allowed designers to communicate freely and either share a 3.5% revenue cut on clients they converted or pay for a Pro subscription to avoid this revenue share. Designers are required to split a percentage of their earnings with the platform if they’re hired through Dribbble. These regulations went into effect before more stringent regulations could be implemented under the March 2025 deadline.
Kuznetsov’s account deletion came after several notices of his flailing violation of the newly instituted terms of service. His account, once the most followed on the planet with over 210 million followers, was permanently removed in reaction to these violations. Dribbble’s new CEO, Constantine Anastasakis, stated that Kuznetsov should have known better.
Dribbble’s Marketplace Shift
The decision to pivot Dribbble into a marketplace is part of the larger wave of money and consumerism that’s invaded the design industry. Anastasakis, who was appointed CEO in April 2024 with the goal of strengthening monetization strategies across the platform. He explained that the shift from optional transactional features to required transactional experiences with non-advertisers is a great example of that progression.
“It went from it was optional to use our transactional features to it was required for non-advertisers to use our transactional features, if they were on Dribbble, to find clients,” – Constantine Anastasakis.
Dribbble’s new terms of use have already led to the indefinite expulsion of hundreds of designers. The platform currently draws 7.5 to 10 million unique visitors per month. It continues to do so as an enormously profitable company owned by its parent company, Tiny, which is known for their 20-person corporate parenting. This change in monetization is a move to make sure that Dribbble stays financially healthy, while providing designers more organized, productive opportunities.
Despite the challenges posed by these changes, Anastasakis emphasized that users seeking inspiration or peer engagement remain unaffected by the new policies.
“If a user is on Dribbble to find inspiration or to get feedback on their work, or to talk shop with their peers, none of this affects them,” – Constantine Anastasakis.
Gleb Kuznetsov’s Response
Our Gleb Kuznetsov recently dropped the news that he’s launching a new, independent, alternative design platform. This is in response to his latest arbitrary ban. He’s convinced that there’s a tremendous white space opportunity in the AI design platform market. He explained that the alternatives available today simply do not work well enough for users.
“It’s a big hole right now in the market…Everybody’s doing AI startups, but nobody’s really doing AI startups for designers,” – Gleb Kuznetsov.
As Kuznetsov puts it, the technology of AI supercharges creativity and quality in design work. This development makes it possible for designers to achieve outcomes previously considered unachievable without specialized technical expertise. He argues that diversification is the key for designers who want to make smart investments of their creative talent and hard work.
“We need to be really smart about how we invest our time — how we give our best and give our life to other platforms. Diversification of that investment should be something that everyone should be thinking about,” – Gleb Kuznetsov.
He thinks Dribbble’s recent moves are a punishment. It made an example of them to other designers who would ever consider violating the newly laid out precedent.
“I believe that Dribbble — it was their goal to hurt me so I can spread that [news] so they can give a harsh lesson to everyone who tries [to break the rules],” – Gleb Kuznetsov.
The Future Landscape for Designers
As Kuznetsov starts building his rival platform, he is adamant that it won’t just be a clone of Dribbble’s model. He imagines a world in which designers are able to create and flourish without fear of punitive regulations for pursuing beneficial client relationships.
“It’s not going to be a copycat of Dribbble,” – Gleb Kuznetsov.
Dribbble’s CEO Anastasakis insists that Kuznetsov’s suspension was avoidable just like the terms were. What stood out to him the most, though, was that Kuznetsov clearly knew and appreciated the risks of his actions.
“There’s really no conceivable way in which he did not realize that what he was doing risked permanent suspension of his accounts,” – Constantine Anastasakis.
Anastasakis suggested that Kuznetsov may have presumed that his standing as a well-known designer would exempt him from enforcement actions.
“I think that ultimately it was that he believed that we wouldn’t take action against a designer of his caliber,” – Constantine Anastasakis.