Just in case anyone needed a thumbnail of all this:
No 3rd party hosting from free accounts.
3rd party hosting will be disabled after December 31, 2018 for paid Plus accounts below the extortionate $400/year level:
TOS linkyRelevant bit:
"ANY PAYING MEMBER WHOSE PLUS ACCOUNT WAS IN GOOD STANDING AS OF JUNE 1, 2017, SHALL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ALL THE PHOTOBUCKET SERVICES THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO HIM/HER ON SUCH DATE, INCLUDING IMAGE LINKING AND 3RD PARTY IMAGE HOSTING, UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2018 AS LONG THEY MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT PLUS ACCOUNT SUBSCRIPTION OR A HIGHER LEVEL PLUS ACCOUNT SUBSCRIPTION DURING SUCH PERIOD OF TIME."
I just renewed at the end of May. Had I known this was coming, I wouldn't have.
I hope this helps and apologies if the above is now common knowledge.
Brian da Basher