Toronto-based image hosting site 500px, which calls itself ‘the best photography site in the world,’ has just unveiled a new level in its pay plans, simply called called ‘Plus.’ At first glance, one might suspect that 500px is to Flickr as Vimeo is to YouTube: it’s a flashier looking platform, catering more exclusively to artists than to the masses. Below is 500px interviewing one of its contributing photographers:

For a long while, 500px offered an “Awesome Membership” for $50 a year, twice as much as Flickr Pro at $24.95 annually. So now, for $19.95, one can obtain the pro-level features at 500px for $5 less. According to the site, Plus features include unlimited uploads, a personal store, unlimited collections and advanced statistics. The only thing missing from the Awesome Membership is a personalized portfolio, featuring customizable domains and the inclusion of Google Analytics. Yahoo’s Flickr has yet to offer much by way of targeted maketing, and appears to be catering more towards social networking, putting 500px in a good spot as a choice for photo professionals and freelancers.

500px, sporting a front page reminiscent of Pinterest‘s interface, was founded in 2009, and grew to over 3 million registered users by 2011. Each user gets a ‘flow’ page, where his/her activity on the site appears. Followers can rate user pictures, with highly voted ones ending up in the ‘popular’ field. Other categories making up the sharing community include editor’s choice, upcoming, fresh and market – these represent highest rated, trendy, newest and for sale.